The tone is rational and reasoned, but the World Tourism Organization’s urgency is clear: This can’t go on! After two years of pandemic turmoil, the last thing the world needs is a war.

“People, as well as our whole societies and economies, have suffered enough. We cannot afford for this to continue. We must rebuild and look to the future with hope, not fear,” says the UNWTO in response to Russian’s unprovoked invasion of the Ukraine.

The United Nations tourism body says it stands firmly with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his call for all countries to settle disputes through peaceful means and not through conflict, and that they respect international security and justice at all times.

The message comes as UN is estimating that more than 500,000 people have fled Ukraine during the continuing crisis with the mass exodus of refugees showing no signs of stopping. Long lines of cars and buses were backed up at checkpoints at the borders of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and non-European Union member Moldova on Monday, while others crossed the borders on foot, dragging their possessions away from the war and into the security of the European Union.

“Peace and mutual understanding,” says Zurab Pololikashvili “are essential ingredients for recovery. Now is the time to work together, and for diplomacy instead of conflict in all parts of the world. We must not allow political tensions to turn into a man-made crisis that will undermine our collective progress.”