By Elizabeth Willoughby on
For 2012’s Peace Day, which falls on 21 September each year, Peace One Day (POD) is calling for a day of cease fire and nonviolence.
Called the Global Truce 2012 Campaign, its specific goal, according to Peace One Day’s ambassador Jude Law, is “to see the largest reduction in global violence in recorded history.”
In practical terms, if violence in conflict areas can come to a halt for 24 hours, lifesaving activities can take place that would otherwise be too risky. If humanitarian workers can be confident that they won’t get kidnapped, children can receive immunizations. If caregivers can be sure they won’t get shot, medical attention can be given to those in need.
But Law is addressing domestic violence as well. “When you look at the newspapers day in, day out, there’s violence in the homes, violence on the streets, violence in our schools. It’s something that does affect us all. […] The most important thing is marking [Peace Day] because momentum will build if each of us recognizes it. And that individually will have an effect on the bigger issues: the ceasefires, the nonviolence in violent, war torn areas.”
POD’s secondary goal is “to bring together the largest ever gathering of individuals in the name of peace,” says Law. Last week the UK’s National Union of Students committed to bringing seven million students together on Peace Day, and encourages other countries to do the same.
“Mass participation on Peace Day 2012 will give Peace One Day the leverage it needs to get others involved, particularly the member states of the United Nations,” says Law. “If they see people of our world coming together, then they’ll act themselves. We all know it is for our greater good to achieve a peaceful state of mind and a peaceful world.”
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Copyright © 2012 Look to the Stars
