Peace One Day

Eurolinks Foundation (Malta) is proud to have been called upon to raise awareness about Peace One Day in Malta and has taken concrete steps to ensure that, with the help of various organisations, state institutions, civil societies, local councils and peace-loving citizens, the event will be commemorated with the respect and esteem it deserves.

For Malta, peace has always been important because we live in a region that has been the centre of many conflicts and wars. Tension runs so high that the smallest thing can erupt into a ferocious conflict as we have seen happening recently in Lebanon.

Peace One Day began life as a film project, the vision of one man, British filmmaker, Jeremy Gilley. Launched in September 1999, Peace One Day has gained the active support of governments, United Nations (UN) agencies, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs, Nobel Peace Laureates, religious organisations, corporations, universities, schools, key individuals, adults and young people alike.

In September 2001, Peace One Day achieved its primary objective: a United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/Res/55/282), moved by the British and Costa Rican governments, 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 - Peace Day - fixed in the global calendar for September 21.

Mr Gilley and Peace One Day have now embarked on a worldwide journey to inform the world's people of the Day's existence, engaging them observing the event in accordance with UN resolution 55/282. The finished feature-length documentary Peace One Day has become a powerful tool in the awareness-raising process.

The film has played at over 30 international film festivals and has been licensed for broadcast in 14 international territories to date with others in negotiation.

As a result of this initiative, an estimated 600 million people are now aware of the Day via broadcasts and media coverage with activities organised by governments, the UN system, corporations, non-governmental organisations and individuals in over 100 countries on the Day.

In 2006, Peace One Day is proud to have launched the Peace One Day Citizenship Resource Pack for KS 3 & 4, inspired by the 30,000 young people that Mr Gilley met during the course of his travels. Young people understand the potential of Peace Day as a moment of global unity and how they, as individuals, can make a real difference. The pack has been produced and piloted with the support of many teachers and educationalists.

Mr Gilley is currently producing the sequel to Peace One Day, in association with the BBC and Passion Pictures, focusing on the practical application of Peace Day and raising awareness of the Day worldwide.

Peace One Day is a growing non-profit organisation. It is impartial and independent of any government, political persuasion, corporation or religious creed.

The Peace One Day Objectives are:

To raise global awareness of Peace Day - September 21 - annually.

To engage all sectors of society including governments, organisations of the UN system, regional and non-governmental organisations and individuals in the peaceful observance of September 21 through the practical manifestation of non-violence and ceasefire in accordance with UN resolution 55/282. In 1999 filming began of Mr Gilley's journey that would span five continents, meeting Kofi Annan, the Dalai Lama, Mary Robinson, Nelson Mandela, Amre Moussa, Shimon Peres, Oscar Arias Sanchez, heads of state, UN's officials, government representatives, victims of war, peace negotiators, schoolchildren and teachers and NGOs.

Although most of the people he met applauded and fully supported his idea, there were many emotional, financial, and politically fraught moments.

In September 2001, supported by family and friends to write thousands of letters, make hundreds of phone calls and travel the equivalent of seven times around the world, Mr Gilley achieved his primary objective - UN resolution 55/282.

On September 11, 2001, as Mr Gilley, Mr Annan and the world's press gathered at the United Nations in New York for the ringing of the peace bell ceremony to announce and celebrate the Peace Day resolution, a dark cloud of smoke appeared on the skyline and sirens rang furiously throughout the city... New York was under attack. The event was eventually called off for security reasons.

On September 21, 2002/3, to raise awareness of the Day, many of the UK's biggest stars and celebrities united to appear in sold-out Peace One Day concerts at Brixton Academy. Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart, Jimmy Cliff, Faithless, Neneh Cherry, Jamie Catto and 1 Giant Leap, Zero 7, Badly Drawn Boy, Sir Richard Branson, Joseph Fiennes and the late Mo Mowlam were among the contributors.

On September 21, 2004/5, Peace One Day held gala screenings of the Peace One Day feature documentary at the Ziegfeld Theatre, New York. Speakers included Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast.

Top fashion designers Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs and Toby Mott have all supported the initiative by designing t-shirts and merchandise as their commitments to Peace One Day.

In May 2006, Peace One Day launched the Citizenship Resource Pack as a result of Mr Gilley's speaking to over 30,000 young people and teachers. Subjects covered in the pack include peace, conflict resolution, bullying and intercultural cooperation. The feedback has been phenomenal, with teachers noting an improvement in the behaviour of young people.

On this September 21, Mr Gilley will visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other conflict zones where he will document life-saving activity by the International Rescue Committee and other organisations. In addition, Peace One Day is collaborating with Star Syringe, inventors of the lifesaving K1 auto-disable syringe, to carry out safe immunisation campaigns on the day in at least 20 locations in 14 countries.

For the first time in the Day's history, Peace One Day will be instigating Peace Day activities in 191 countries - all UN member states - on September 21 this year. Activities include a peace march in Sierra Leone, a university event in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an awareness event that will bring together hundreds of Muslim, Christian, Druze and Jewish children in Israel, parties and exhibitions in the USA, and sports and debate events in Burundi.

Schools across the UK are leading the way with the single largest commitment to date - the Song For Peace initiative - a collaboration between the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, Peace One Day and Youth Music. Every school in the UK has been asked to sign up to sing the specially commissioned song No Wars Will Stop Us Singing on Peace Day 2006. Over 4,000 schools across the UK have registered their commitment so far, involving an estimated 1.4 million schoolchildren.

On our part we have called upon:

a) all local TV stations to broadcast a documentary produced by Peace One Day Foundation;

b) all local councils to name a square or street as Peace One Day and to plant an olive tree with a commemorative plaque with the words Peace One Day (so far from 68 local councils we have received positive replies from Rabat, Hamrun and Victoria);

c) Maltapost Limited to issue a stamp with the Peace One Day logo;

d) President Eddie Fenech Adami to plant an olive tree at San Anton Gardens to mark Peace One Day, together with officials of the foundation;

e) the local print media to provide free advertising space to place adverts about Peace One Day (l-orizzont has accepted our request);

f) the Director of Education to introduce the Peace Song that has been prepared for all UK students in local public and private schools. We are very pleased that the Director of Education agreed to our proposal and will be commemorating Peace One Day on October 24 because schools will still be closed on Peace One Day.

Eurolinks Foundation (Malta) has set up a mobile-donation-number where a blank SMS on 50618073 will mean a modest donation of Lm2 to help it ensure that Peace One Day's message comes across to all sectors of society. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

Mr Magro is CEO of Eurolinks Foundation (Malta).