Institutional Silence and the Refusal to Define Peace
This page presents posts published by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on X to which Bahman Azadfar publicly replied on the same platform.
Its purpose is not to criticise an individual, but to document a pattern of institutional behaviour through publicly available exchanges on X concerning peace and the concepts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Case 1
Theme: Dialogue over confrontation
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
In a world marked by widening geopolitical divisions, economic strain & persistent insecurity – we must reaffirm international law & the foundations we need going forward: Dialogue over confrontation. Obligation over expedience. And the force of law over the law of force.
5:24 PM · Apr 16, 2026·18.1K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2044799027493896642
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Your phrase “Dialogue over confrontation”, Mr Secretary-General, is a golden one. I only wish you would abide by it yourself and enter into dialogue with your critics, including me.
The essence of dialogue is questioning and the honest effort to answer. Yet powerful figures like you often avoid dialogue and prefer monologue, just as you do here on X.
Let us have a dialogue. I will repeat one question that I have asked you in different ways for years, and which you have kept ignoring:
How can one create peace without knowing its precise meaning?
9:40 AM · Apr 17, 2026· 78 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2045044721123234274
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 2
Theme: A peaceful way out
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
Every day the war in the Middle East continues, human suffering & devastation grow, indiscriminate attacks grow & the perils to our world grow.
The conflict is being felt everywhere.
We must find a peaceful way out.
The spiral of death & destruction must stop now.
10:29 PM · Apr 2, 2026· 42.4K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2039802345135984935
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
What do you mean by “we” in the sentence, “We must find a peaceful way out”?
If I, as a philosopher, am also included in this “we,” I would like to propose a peaceful and fundamental way to put an end to wars: educational reform based on the second paragraph of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Are you willing to enter into a dialogue with me about the meaning of wise education, or do you prefer to go on condemning wars without addressing the causes of their emergence?
6:11 PM · Apr 3, 2026· 100 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2040099878739583126
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 3
Theme: Defining peace before demanding it
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
My message is clear:
To the USA & Israel:
It is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering & triggering devastating economic consequences.
To Iran:
Stop attacking your neighbours.
Conflicts end when leaders choose dialogue over destruction.
That choice still exists.
And it must be made now.
6:08 PM · Apr 2, 2026· 487.3K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2039736694275018903
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Mr Secretary-General, it seems that you have mistaken the United Nations rostrum for a church pulpit. Peace cannot be established through preaching and admonition. Peace becomes possible only when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is properly understood and then implemented.
As long as no attention is given to the meanings of the concepts contained in that Declaration, and as long as the meaning of peace is not clarified for yourself and for others, wars will continue. Repeated calls for dialogue, without clarifying the meanings of peace, justice, and the rule of law, do not rise above the level of sermonising.
The problem is not only that leaders do not choose dialogue over destruction. The deeper problem is that the institutions which ought to build peace have still not defined it, so that they may know what it is. In such a situation, moral exhortation takes the place of theoretical understanding, and the result is that war is repeated and peace is merely demanded, not built.
If the United Nations truly wishes to bring wars to an end, it must go beyond sermonising and take the Universal Declaration of Human Rights seriously, that is, it must clarify its concepts, provide the educational foundation necessary for understanding them, and create the conditions for their implementation. Without this, the speeches will continue, and so will the wars.
8:00 PM · Apr 2, 2026· 811 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2039764961488949332
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 4
Theme: From consequences to causes
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
I strongly condemn Sunday’s incident during which an Indonesian peacekeeper of @UNIFIL_ was killed amidst hostilities between Israel & Hizbullah. Another Indonesian peacekeeper was seriously injured in the same incident.
My deepest condolences to the family, friends & colleagues of the peacekeeper who died & to Indonesia. I wish a full & fast recovery to the injured peacekeeper.
This is just one of a number of recent incidents that have jeopardized the safety & security of peacekeepers.
I call on all to uphold their obligations under international law & to ensure the safety & security of @UN personnel & property at all times.
4:00 AM · Mar 30, 2026· 1.4M Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2038436196573929492
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
As long as peace is not understood in theory, it cannot be implemented in practice. In that case, the lives of peacekeepers will also remain at risk on the battlefield.
Condemning war and violence is not enough. By taking peace seriously and drying up the conditions that give rise to war, we must prevent human beings from being killed.
As long as the United Nations does not take seriously the wise education demanded by Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it will confront only the consequences, not the causes.
9:43 AM · Mar 30, 2026· 5,228 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2038522391073108088
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 5
Theme: Peace between humanity and nature
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
We have just endured the 11 hottest years on record.
When history repeats itself 11 times, it’s no longer a coincidence. It’s a call to act.
Climate chaos is accelerating & delay is deadly.
The way ahead must be grounded in science, common sense & the courage to act.
8:11 PM · Mar 26, 2026·1.4M Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2037245959256637461
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
You remain silent on the meaning of Peace, Justice, and the Rule of Law. Why not also remain silent about their absence, so that your collection of silences may be complete?
Global warming is a sign of the absence of peace between humanity and nature. But that is rooted first in the absence of peace within human beings and among them.
My definition of peace is here:
Where can I find your definition of peace?
9:03 PM · Mar 26, 2026·1,637 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2037259211965362250
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 6
Theme: Knowing peace before building it
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
I’m deeply concerned by the escalation of fighting in & around El Obeid, a major population centre in Sudan, including drone attacks impacting civilians & civilian infrastructure.
I call for restraint from all sides and urge them to take all necessary measures to respect and protect civilians & humanitarians.
Far too many times in this conflict, clear warnings have failed to trigger concerted action by the international community. I urge all those with influence to exert it to prevent further bloodshed.
We must not allow the horrors of El Fasher to be repeated in El Obeid.
8:00 PM · Jun 18, 2026·77.2K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2067668743241498883
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Mr Secretary-General,
When the UN remains silent for eighty years about the meaning of peace, wars gradually become accepted as a normal part of human life.
The 2026 Global Peace Index states:
“There are more conflicts in more places than at any point since World War II, and the death toll from conflict has risen accordingly.”
This record was set during your term as Secretary-General.
Do you still intend to remain silent about the meaning of peace and the other concepts contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
How can humanity build peace without first knowing what peace is?
9:47 PM · Jun 18, 2026· 373 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2067695757423960131
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 7
Theme: A Formula Is Not an Exit Strategy
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
Despite the ceasefire announced 8 months ago, Gaza still faces profound uncertainty & immense human suffering.
It’s time to get serious about the only credible way forward:
An end to the occupation & a two-State solution, where two independent, sovereign, democratic States – Israel & Palestine – live side-by-side in peace & security.
9:59 PM · Jun 10, 2026·94.5K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2064799645507961077
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Peace and security are not established by wishes or repeated formulas.
Eighty years after the founding of the UN, peace and security in the world are in a grave condition.
Is it not time for the UN to ask itself why it has failed to establish peace?
Why does the UN not practise sui-criticus?
Why does it not accept serious criticism?
And why does it not admit that it has no true Exit Strategy?
A two-State solution may be necessary as a political formula.
But without a clear definition of peace, without Wise Education, and without a strategy for preventing injustice, even the most credible formula remains fragile.
10:22 PM · Jun 10, 2026·44 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2064805496356286735
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 8
Theme: The Silence That Kills Dialogue
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
At a time when the international system is being tested, dialogue has the power to re-unite us for a more just & peaceful world.
On this International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, we recognize the power of open communication to solve even the most intractable global challenges.
5:03 AM · Jun 10, 2026·32.1K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2064543892629082446
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Mr Secretary-General,
Questioning is an inseparable part of dialogue.
What you are practising is not dialogue, but monologue, because you remain silent before the basic question: What is peace?
Such silence kills dialogue.
One cannot ignore fundamental questions and, at the same time, speak about the power of dialogue.
If dialogue has the power to re-unite humanity for a more just and peaceful world, then let us begin with the most necessary question:
What does peace mean?
I have offered my definition here:
Now the UN should offer its own definition, or enter into a serious dialogue about the meaning of peace in the UDHR.
10:03 AM · Jun 10, 2026·202 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2064619456446255516
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 9
Theme: A Fair Future Is Not Built by Slogans
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
Too often, living with a disability means living in a world designed by & for others.
Luckily, it’s possible to redesign a world where everyone has the chance to pursue their dreams.
Together, let’s build a fair future for all.
9:05 PM · Jun 9, 2026·34.2K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2064423688473031055
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Mr Secretary-General,
You are right: many people with disabilities live in a world designed by others and for others.
But a world cannot be redesigned by slogans.
It can be redesigned only through a profound understanding and full implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A fair future for all requires clear meanings of dignity, rights, justice, law and human personality.
The starting point is Article 26(2) of the UDHR: Wise Education directed to the full development of the human personality and to strengthening respect for human rights.
Please stop repeating slogans and enter into a serious dialogue with me on the concepts of the UDHR.
Without such dialogue, “a fair future for all” remains a slogan, not a design.
9:46 PM · Jun 9, 2026·262 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2064434099570511913
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence
Case 10
Theme: A Weak “Must” Does Not Stop War
A. Post by the UN Secretary-General:
I condemn the recent killing of a Serbian @UNIFIL_ peacekeeper in Lebanon.
Seven peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL have now been killed & several more have been wounded since the escalation in hostilities since March this year.
These attacks must stop.
7:20 PM · Jun 4, 2026·396.4K Views
Original post on X:
https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/2062585411004743843
Screenshot:
B. Reply by Bahman Azadfar:
Mr Secretary-General,
Yes, these attacks must stop.
But in a jungle created by the neglect of the UDHR, “must” is enforced by power, not by Right.
A weak “must” does not stop war.
I have also said that the UN must take Wise Education seriously, as demanded in Article 26(2) of the UDHR. Yet this “must” has been ignored by the very institution responsible for peace.
If the UN wants its “must” to have meaning, it must begin where prevention begins: education that teaches human beings to accept, respect and observe the rights of others.
Otherwise, “must stop” remains a moral appeal in a world governed by force.
7:43 PM · Jun 4, 2026·2,365 Views
Bahman Azadfar’s reply on X:
https://x.com/AzadfarBah92878/status/2062590989274141163
Screenshot:
C. Reaction:
Silence