Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that 21 September 2017 is the International Day of Peace,

(ii) that the United Nations General Assembly has declared that this day should be devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples, and

(iii) all the events in Australia celebrating this day, including the Sixth Annual Brisbane Peace Lecture at St John's Cathedral in Brisbane, the International Day of Peace Address in Sydney, and the Melbourne Interfaith Centre's 'Walking Together for Inner and Outer Peace';

(b) recognises:

(i) the need to end the suffering caused by armed conflicts around the world, many of which are continuing to escalate,

(ii) the fundamental importance of building shared communities, combating discrimination and emphasising the human rights of all peoples in order to prevent violence in the first place, and

(iii) the increasing challenges, including climate change and its subsequent displacements of people, that are compounding the root causes of many conflicts;

(c) acknowledges:

(i) the ties that bind people together, irrespective of their faith or country of origin, and

(ii) highlights the exceptional contribution that migrants and refugees fleeing conflicts have made to the shared benefits that we have built and enjoy in Australia;

(d) encourages all Australians to reflect upon:

(i) the importance of supporting diversity, non-discrimination and the acceptance of migrants and refugees who remind us of our common humanity,

(ii) the tireless efforts of the United Nations Association of Australia and its volunteers throughout the community working to bring people together and transform fear into hope, as part of a broader global partnership,

(iii) the fact that discrimination diminishes us all and prevents societies from achieving their full potential, and

(iv) the essential role of the United Nations in maintaining a rules-based international order; and

(e) commits to the promotion, implementation and provision of resources for the promotion of peace wherever possible, including through Australia's continuing support of the United Nations.

Question agreed to.