UNITED NATIONS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on world leaders to halt arms races and invest in the architecture of peace, not the tools of war.

"Our dream of peace is in peril," Guterres warned in his message for the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness.

"The threat of nuclear weapons use is the highest in decades," with global tensions pushing military spending to stratospheric levels, small arms and light weapons proliferating, and emerging technologies making conflicts even deadlier, he said.

The UN chief urged the international community to lower the temperature and world leaders to step back from the brink. "Stop rattling the nuclear saber. Halt the arms races," he said.

"It's time to invest in the architecture of peace, not the tools of war," which means living up to disarmament obligations, rebuilding trust, and strengthening the systems and tools that prevent the proliferation, testing and use of deadly weapons, Guterres stressed.

"Together, we can prevent catastrophes and ensure a safe and peaceful world for all," he said.

In December 2022, the UN General Assembly designated March 5 as the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people. ■