UN secretary-general António Guterres urged people everywhere to act now to silence guns, heal divisions, and build hope.

Mr Guterres said that the warring world was crying out for peace, so there was a need for the global communities to act now.

He gave the advice as world leaders gathered in New York for the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

“Lives are being ripped apart, childhoods extinguished, and basic human dignity discarded amidst the cruelty and degradations of war,” Mr Guterres said in a message.

“All they want is peace,” he stressed as leaders from 193 UN member states and two observers gathered for one of the most consequential annual gatherings in recent memory.

The UN General Assembly’s annual high-level week is when world leaders gather in New York to debate global challenges, including wars, climate disruption, gender equality, and the transformative risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence.

The UN secretary-general stressed that conflict today was not confined to battlefields, as its impacts ripple across borders, fuelling displacement, poverty, and instability.

“We must silence the guns, end the suffering, build bridges and create stability and prosperity,” he said.

Mr Guterres underscored the link between peace and sustainable development, noting that nine of the ten countries struggling most with development were also suffering from conflict.

He also warned against racism and dehumanisation, calling instead for “the language of respect” and dialogue.

The secretary-general said the timing of this year’s high-level event underlined the need for a concerted international push for peace, as divisions widen and instability grows.

”Where we have peace, we have hope. Peace cannot wait; our work starts now,” Mr Guterres said.

(NAN)