Peace One Day

Peace One Day
Founded September 1999
Type NGO, NPO
Focus Peace day
Location
  • United Kingdom
Key people
 Jeremy Gilley (founder)
Website http://www.peaceoneday.org/

Peace One Day is a non-profit organisation whose objective is to institutionalise the International Day of Peace. It was founded in 1999 by British documentary filmmaker and actor Jeremy Gilley.

History

In 1999 Jeremy Gilley desired there be one single day when all countries vowed not to wage war: a worldwide ceasefire and day of non-violence. He established Peace One Day. The UN had already declared the third Tuesday of September the International Day of Peace,[1] Peace One Day aimed to resolve the confusion on which calendar day it fell, and on 7 September 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution formally establishing the UN International Day of Peace an annual Peace Day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September.[2]

The former UK ambassador to the United Nations, Jeremy Greenstock, credited Peace One Day's campaign with playing a central role in the new resolutions processes and commented that "the need for such an enhanced approach was originally brought to our attention by a United Kingdom-based non-governmental organization, Peace One Day".[3]

Currently Gilley and his organisation are making commercials for Burger King.[4]

International action

The first Peace Days passed relatively uneventfully, and it was not until 2006 that activities began to take place on the 21st.[5] On Peace Day 2006 the World Food Programme delivered 30 tonnes of food to Southern Sudan, Star Syringe Ltd. carried out immunization programs in nine countries, and the International Rescue Committee reunited a former child soldier with her family.[5]

Global Truce 2012

Peace One Day organized a concert in the O2 Arena in 2011 which promoted the 2012 (London 2012's Olympic Truce programme and marked the International Day of Peace.[6] Gilley started a new campaign, Global Truce 2012, which aimed to reduce domestic and international global violence.

The Peace One Day Celebration and concert on Peace Day 2012, the day of Global Truce, was held at Wembley Arena, with headline acts including Elton John, James Morrison and 2Cellos.[7]

Peace One Day concerts

As part of their continuing plan to raise awareness of Peace Day they have arranged numerous concerts with the support of celebrities and musicians like Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox, Angelina Jolie, Joseph Fiennes, Sir Richard Branson, Nadirah X, Mudbone Cooper and the late Mo Mowlam. The first concert was held in 2002 at the Brixton Academy in London, and it was so successful that a second concert was held there again in 2003.

In 2007, Peace One Day organised a third concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, headlining Annie Lennox with Yusuf Islam, Corinne Bailey Rae, James Morrison, Kate Nash, and Marc Almond. The concert also included specially filmed pieces from Jude Law, David Beckham, and Lord David Puttnam. A second concert was held at the Royal Albert Hall in 2008, and it was broadcast in 93 countries.[8]

In 2009 the Peace One Day 10th Anniversary Concert was held in Paris at Le Grand Rex,[9] and this concert included performances by Lenny Kravitz, Kasabian, and Keziah Jones.

The 2011 concert at the O2 Arena announced a new Peace One Day initiative Global Truce 2012, Razorlight and Eliza Doolittle headlined.[6] On 21 June 2012 a Peace One Day concert at Derry, in the spirit of the Olympic Truce marked the start of the London 2012 Festival and was also a three-month countdown to Global Truce 2012, some of the musicians that performed were Pixie Lott, Newton Faulkner and Imelda May.[10]

The Peace One Day Celebration annual concert on Peace Day 21 September 2012, the day of Global Truce was held at Wembley Arena in London, with musicians Elton John, James Morrison and 2Cellos, introductions were made by Jude Law, Lily Cole and other special guests. The results of the Global Truce 2012 were announced.[7]

Peace One Day brought its 2013 celebration to The Hague to mark the first hundred years of the Peace Palace. This historic concert formed part of the 24-hour Global Broadcast on Peace Day Saturday 21 September 2013. The show contained performances from renowned international artists including Paul van Dyk, Natasha Bedingfield, Carlinhos Brown, The Feeling, Miguel Bosé and Jahméne Douglas.

The 24-hour Global Broadcast included a series of interviews with some of the world’s leading actors, talking about peace and the theme for Peace Day: “Who will you make peace with?” Each interview included a speech chosen and performed by the actor, relating to peace. Actors who took part included: Dominic Cooper, Eddie Izzard, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, Gael García Bernal, Michelle Rodriguez, Richard E. Grant, Michael Caine and Jude Law.[11]

Digital Partner

Ve Interactive, a British technology firm, designed, built and donated Peace One Day website in 2013.[12]

References

  1. ↑ A/RES/36/67, 30 November 1981
  2. ↑ United Nations General Assembly Session 55 Resolution 282. International Day of Peace A/RES/55/282 7 September 2001. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  3. ↑ General Assembly Fifty-fifth session 111th plenary meeting Friday, 7 September 2001, 10 a.m. New York
  4. ↑ Burger King to McDonald’s: Let’s Make a ‘McWhopper’ Wednesday, 26 August 2001 New York
  5. 1 2 "Story So Far", http://www.peaceoneday.org/en/about/story, Retrieved 2011-08-20
  6. 1 2 "London 2012: O2 Concert concludes Olympic Truce events". BBC News. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Sir Elton John to play for peace day". Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Past Concerts". Peace One Day. Archived from the original on 2010-07-28. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  9. ↑ "Paris Concert 2009". Peace One Day. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  10. ↑ "Music lovers enjoy Londonderry peace concert". BBC News. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  11. ↑ http://peaceoneday.org/2013-celebrations
  12. ↑ "Ve Interactive Designs, Builds and Donates new Peace One Day Website". SourceWire. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
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