Tomorrow is International Day of Peace, a day were people are asked to be peaceful, even if its just for 1 day. It started in 1981 as an initiative of the UN and the first official Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.
Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, sitting in silent meditation, or doing a good deed for someone you do not know. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense, and does make a difference.
International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.
A good example of the impact of 1 day of peace (within decennia of war) is Peace One Day 2009. In that year the Taliban in Afghanistan released a "letter of support" through a NGO for a three-day polio immunization drive in areas under their influence. Within these 3 days 1.200.000 (!!) children were vaccinated (and another 3.3 million in the following years on International Peace Day). This shows the importance and impact of this day (and unfortunately of the harrowing situation in the daily lives of so many people...).
This year's theme is Education for Peace. Children in the UK have been asked to write a poem. The winner will be announced tomorrow but I think that with over 90.000 children participating there will be more "winners" in the long term, not just the lucky one who will visit the peace Palace in The Hague.
My (since yesterday 9 year old) girls have sent in these poems:
Peace one Day
We want it to stay
makes the world happier
It stops the war
Go and watch football!!
Stop that gore
One good day
we want it to stay
choose one person to make peace one day.
It's the 21st of September
Birds flutter past singing as loud as guns would be.
Everybody happy even the Taliban
Thank you Jeremy Gills for doing this,
I'll be on your side if it's about peace.
I can't wait,
It's way better than my birthday,
Isn't it cool, isn't it amazing, isn't it awesome, it's peace one day.
I will post the winning poem when it is announced.
More info:
Irin News; Taliban releases "Letter of Support"
Impact of Peace One Day
