Peace One Day

Dear Friends

10 years ago this September I founded the film project Peace One Day to document my efforts to create an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed calendar date. In 2001, Peace One Day achieved its primary objective. United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/Res/55/282) was unanimously adopted by UN member states, formally establishing an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace, fixed in the global calendar on 21st September. 

With the day in place, Peace One Day’s aim now is to institutionalise Peace Day across the world so it becomes self-sustaining - a day of global unity, a day of inter-cultural cooperation. This is our strategy:

Through film

My documentary, The Day After Peace, produced in association with the BBC and Passion Pictures, has played at festivals around the world and has so far been licensed for broadcast in over 100 countries. The next film, now in production, will focus on the institutionalisation of Peace Day 21st September and the continuation of life-saving activities on the day itself.

Through education

We aim to provide Peace One Day education materials to every school on earth. The third edition of the free Peace One Day Citizenship Resource for UK secondary schools and the first ever free Peace One Day U.S.A. Education Resource are now available to instantly view online. Free copies of The Day After Peace School Edition DVD have been delivered to all 6,000 UK secondary schools (with distribution support from DHL), and phase one of our USA roll-out has seen the film provided free to 4,000 schools in North America, with a nationwide delivery planned for 2010. The USA resource has been launched in association with Scholastic and underwritten by Ben & Jerry’s. More information about Peace One Day Education can be found here.

Through football

We are working with PUMA on the One Day One Goal football campaign that aims to instigate matches in all 192 member states of the United Nations on 21st September. Last year, there were matches played in 180 countries. This year, we’re aiming for all 192 UN member states and beyond. You can read more about the campaign right here.

Through live events

Our sell-out celebration at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall on 21st September 2008 featured a special screening of The Day After Peace and live performances from Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Bryan Adams, John Legend and Lenny Kravitz. The event was hosted by Jude Law, with special appearances by Emilia Fox, David Bentley, Gabby Logan and Martin Bell OBE, as well as video messages from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, HM Queen Rania Al Aboullah of Jordan, David Beckham, The Spice Girls and others. Click here for highlights and more information.

Through you

We want to reach 3 billion people with the message of Peace Day by 2012, and we are working with governments, the UN system, non-governmental organisations, schools and corporations to achieve that; but ultimately it is your support that will help make it a reality. As Ahmad Fawzi (now Director of News Media at the UN) said at our launch in 1999, ‘It is the peoples of this world who can create peace.’

Finally, I just want to thank the countless individuals - from governments, the United Nations, humanitarian organisations, corporations and beyond, who have supported Peace One Day to make Peace Day a reality. The willingness of people to support the process is what keeps me going. Now it’s up to you. If we’re going to unite the world on 21 September, then every single one of us will have to become involved in the peace process, and 21 September is the starting point.

So please make your commitment to Peace Day now on our site. By working together there will be Peace One Day. Thank you.

>> So what will you do to make peace on 21 September?

In peace

Jeremy