On March 23rd, 2020, UN Secretary General António Guterres’appealed for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an idea we support, and 70 nations have already agreed.

Official Transcript. (UN, 3-23-20)

Read the transcript of the UN Secretary General's speech in the link above. We'll also provide the transcript on this page below.

"To silence the guns, we must raise the voices for peace" (UN, 4-2-20)

In the article above, the UN Secretary General discusses the aftermath of his speech. Some 70 member nations have endorsed his call for global ceasefire, along with regional partners, non-state actors, civil society networks and organizations, and religious leaders.

Update on the Secretary General's Call for Global Ceasefire (PDF)

For more information on the aftermath of the UN Secretary General's call for global ceasefire, read the report above.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL'S CALL FOR GLOBAL CEASEFIRE - MARCH 23, 2020

Our world faces a common enemy: COVID-19.  The virus does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith.  It attacks all, relentlessly.

Meanwhile, armed conflict rages on around the world.  The most vulnerable — women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized and the displaced — pay the highest price.  They are also at the highest risk of suffering devastating losses from COVID-19.

Let’s not forget that in war-ravaged countries, health systems have collapsed.  Health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.  Refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable.

The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.

That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.  It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.

To warring parties, I say:  Pull back from hostilities.  Put aside mistrust and animosity.  Silence the guns, stop the artillery, end the airstrikes.

This is crucial — to help create corridors for life-saving aid.  To open precious windows for diplomacy.  To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Let us take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties to enable joint approaches to COVID-19.  But we need much more.

End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world.  It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere.  Now.  That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.