UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called on international community to strive for peace in 2017, Xinhua reported.
On New Year's Day and also his first day as UN chief, Guterres said "peace must be our goal and our guide."
He noted that millions of people caught up in conflict, suffering massively in wars with no end in sight.
"Trillions of dollars are spent destroying societies and economies, fueling cycles of mistrust and fear that can last for generations," he said.
Therefore, Guterres called on citizens, governments and leaders to overcome differences and commit to peace.
"On this New Year's Day, I ask all of you to join me in making one shared New Year's resolution: let us resolve to put peace first," he added.