UN Chief Calls for Global Ceasefire, Malala, Charlize Theron Endorse
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres had last week urged world leaders and conflict groups to establish a ceasefire in the war zones amid the Coronavirus pandemic that has now taken 8,000 lives. Taking it to Twitter, the UN chief reiterated the need of global peace and security as the threat posed by the pandemic is much greater and more mutual.
“Today I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put the armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives – the #COVID19 pandemic,” tweeted Guterres.
“We know the pandemic is having profound social, economic and political consequences, including relating to international peace and security,” he had stated in the virtual press conference uploaded along.
Following the appeal from Guterres, celebrities like Malala Yousafzai and Charlize Theron took to social media to endorse his call for peace.
“In the midst of a deadly pandemic, the world cannot bear the cost of wars. Having lived through conflict and violence, I support Antonio Guterres’s appeal for a global ceasefire,” tweeted Nobel prize winner Malala.
In the midst of a deadly pandemic, the world cannot bear the cost of wars.
Having lived through conflict and violence, I support @antonioguterres appeal for a global ceasefire. #COVID19 https://t.co/55bjXoCLd3
— Malala (@Malala) April 4, 2020
Actress Charlize Theron reiterated the same, “Thank you UN secretary-general for calling for a global ceasefire. Coronavirus transcends nationality, ethnicity, faith, gender. We must channel our efforts into fighting this virus, not each other.”
In response to the UN chief’s appeal, as many as 70 member states, regional partners, non-state actors and other parties from 11 countries have so far agreed to implement the truce. The chief, however, stated that it’s an enormous task to translate words into actions and the world needs them swiftly yet quickly.
