Some 50 MPs from all the major political parties attended or were represented at the event, and heard Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley and Peace One Day Ambassador Jude Law speak about the organisation and what they could do to help spread the word in their own constituencies.
Filmmaker Jeremy Gilley launched the non-profit organisation Peace One Day in 1999 to document his campaign to establish an annual day of ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed date. In 2001 Peace One Day's efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September annually – Peace Day.
With the day in place, Peace One Day's objective is to institutionalise Peace Day around the world, making it self-sustaining. Gilley's goal is to reach 3 billion people with the message of Peace Day by September 2012.
In the lead up to September 2012, Peace One Day is teaming up with the Cultural Olympiad. The relationship pivots around three major music-driven events for international broadcast, with the theme of Truce; the first of these will take place at the O2 Arena London on Peace Day 21 September 2011, the 365-day countdown to the first ever Global Truce on Peace Day 2012 – what is hoped will be the largest reduction in global violence in recorded history – for which POD is engaged in an extensive communications campaign.
Peace One Day has created a free, online education resource for UK schools, which teachers can download at www.peaceoneday.org. The resource supports young people to explore issues of peace, non-violence, conflict resolution, intercultural cooperation and much more, using Peace Day 21 September as a focus.
Graham said 'I'm thrilled to be supporting this extraordinary movement. Peace One Day has come such a long way in a very short space of time. It's now up to us to take it forward and I invite all the people of Weaver Vale to work with me to make Peace Day 21 September a really fantastic and meaningful event in 2012 and every year.'
Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley said 'Today's event was a very special moment for Peace One Day. To have Graham's support in taking the message of Peace Day to the people of Weaver Vale is incredibly exciting. Peace Day 21 September is a day of ceasefire and non-violence; it applies to violence in our homes, our schools and local communities as much as it does to violence in areas of conflict. It's a day that can inspire people, particularly young people, that they can make a difference. Peace Day provides a focus for their efforts towards a more peaceful and sustainable world.'
Peace One Day ambassador Jude Law said 'I've been closely involved with Peace One Day for over four years. I travelled to Afghanistan with Jeremy to let as many people as possible know that the day exists and to invite everyone in the region to honour the day. The results have been incredible. Over 4.5 million children vaccinated in the region because of Peace Day agreements by all parties.'