Monthly Archives: May 2012

Global Truce Student Event Materials

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Materials to support your Global Truce event

Here are some tools to help you raise awareness of the campaign ahead of Peace Day and prepare for your activities on 21 September. If you have any other ideas on materials we could create to help with Global Truce Student Events around the world, please let us know at global.truce@peaceoneday.org. Thank you for your support!

Posters

A fixed colour poster advertising Global Truce and Peace Day
Download it here: Global Truce Poster (a)

A more printer friendly version of the above
Download it here: Global Truce Poster (b)

Logos

‘In support of’ Peace One Day logo – JPG format

‘In support of’ Peace One Day logo – PDF format
In Support Of Peace One Day – HighRes – PDF

Here are some Global Truce logos for both print and web use
Download them here:

Small logo for Web use

Medium logo for Web use

Large logo for Web use

Small logo for print

Medium logo for print

Large logo for print

Pictures

Please find below a selection of pictures you may use to support your communications in relation to your participation in the Global Truce campaign

Jeremy Gilley, Founder of Peace One Day

Jeremy Gilley, Afghan Soldier & Peace One Day Ambassador Jude Law in Afghanistan

Online Posters

EDV and the ‘Reducing Domestic Violence’ Coalition

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The second in our series of guest blog posts comes from Baroness Scotland QC of the EDV Global Foundation on the ‘Reducing Domestic Violence’ coalition as part of our Global Truce 2012 campaign.

When I was a young barrister working on my first cases in 1977, I encountered a case of domestic violence for the first time. This early experience shocked me. I had not truly realised the depths of pain and the devastating consequences implied by the term “domestic violence.” Over the next 20 years of my career I devoted myself to tackling domestic violence in the courts, attempting to achieve legal redress and protection for the many victims I represented, all the while becoming increasingly aware of the terrible human costs incurred and the damage to society as whole. While this was worthy work, I came to realise that the problem of domestic violence could only be properly addressed with proper legislative reform and political will. Accordingly, when I entered the House of Lords with the Labour party in 1997 I was determined to do everything I could to change the paradigm in which do many domestic violence victims were trapped.

Over the next ten years I held a number of ministerial posts, eventually becoming Attorney General. During this period I held firm to my conviction that it was possible to tackle domestic violence. I held firm in the face of considerable institutional resistance – in fact it felt like and was at times implied that the targets suggested by my government colleagues and I were impossible! But by establishing a coordinated partnership between government bodies, public organisations, private business and the voluntary sector we found that successful progress could be made and significant reductions achieved: not only in the number of domestic violence incidents (down by 64% over the period 1997-2009) but also in domestic homicides. In 1997 domestic violence accounted for 23% of violent crime; by 2009 this number had dropped to 14%. However in the field as a whole and in individual cases, successes are never enough, and there is always more to do.

Recognising this, I have continued working to stop domestic violence since I left government. One of my most important acts has been to found the Eliminate Domestic Violence Global Foundation. Globally, violence against women is the leading cause of injury in women from age 15-44. This is greater than war, cancer, malaria and motor vehicle accidents. Sadly family violence claims the lives of four children under the age of 14 each day in the European region alone, some 1300 every year, with millions more children witnessing violence in the home. Violence in families can affect children’s brains, health and development as much as danger on the battlefield affects soldiers.

During my time in government I learned the critical importance of partnership. It is my firm belief that it is possible to eliminate domestic violence on a global scale if the will is there and we learn from each other and share our experiences.. In essence, through our collaborative work with nations and organisations – sharing expertise and research – we aim to reduce the human and economic impact of domestic violence on a global scale.

I envisage great things for EDV and our partnership with Peace One Day has been a landmark for raising awareness of our shared mission. It has been very exciting to see Jeremy and his team engage so effectively with a focus on reducing conflict in the home as part of this year’s Peace Day, which I firmly believe can be an excellent platform through which we can reduce violence and save lives worldwide, not just on the day itself but sustainably in the future.

Since our press conference on 21 March, the continually increasing number of signatories to the global coalition reveals the power of the idea that is Peace One Day and the wonderful effort being put in by all the people working towards it. I strongly urge anyone reading this to become part of the world’s largest coalition to reduce domestic violence and help create peace worldwide.

Baroness Scotland QC

Global Truce 2012 Campaign – Peace Messengers

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Watch Jeremy’s video about Peace Messengers below.

       

Here’s how you can help us build further support for the Global Truce 2012 campaign:

1. Become a member of Global Truce 2012 here: www.peaceoneday.org/global-truce

2. Spread the message on Facebook, by creating a Global Truce 2012 event:

  • Name your event ‘Global Truce 2012: [EVENT NAME OR LOCATION]’
  • Under ‘Privacy’ please select ‘PUBLIC’ so we can find your event
  • Let people know about the reason for your event: ‘to support the largest ever global reduction of violence on one day’
  • Make your Facebook event the hub for your Peace Day 2012 activities

3. Crucially, on your event page, ask all attendees to become members of the Global Truce 2012 campaign.

4. Once ten people are attending your event…email us at social.team@peaceoneday.org with the link to your event page.

5. We will send you a virtual Peace Messenger badge that you can display across your social media profiles to help spread to the word still further.


Here are a few ideas on how you can use your Global Truce 2012 event to promote the campaign:

1. Link to the Global Truce 2012 videos found on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/Peaceoneday

2. Use your profile pictures on social media profiles such as Facebook and Twitter to direct people to the campaign. Here is an example:




“Individuals can make a difference and if each of us does our bit, collectively we will make a major contribution”.
Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan speaking with Jeremy Gilley in 2001.

NUS and the Student Coalition

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The first in our series of guest blog posts. Dannie Grufferty writes about Peace One Day’s Student Coalition and how students are the key to countries standing together for peace

NUS and Peace One Day have forged a unique partnership based on a shared vision of students and young people changing the world for the better. NUS has historic roots in the global peace movement, with students campaigning on issues ranging from the war in Vietnam to the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, fascism in Greece, Spain and Portugal and the independence struggles in southern Africa: in Mozambique, Angola, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and the Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa. This year marks the 90th anniversary of NUS and, in keeping with that proud 90 year tradition, the Society & Citizenship zone is revisiting its roots in the international student movement for peace by engaging with Peace One Day’s Global Truce 2012 campaign. Alongside this, NUS will host the first Global Student Leadership Summit with the European Students’ Union from 18-21 September.

In 2001, 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. Peace Day 2012 will mark the culmination of the Global Truce campaign with the aim of achieving the largest reduction in violence ever recorded on a single day. Peace One Day are assembling a Student Coalition of groups, societies, unions, universities and colleges the world over who are planning activities to inspire their governments to follow. The aspiration is for this to be the largest ever coordination of individuals worldwide in the name of peace. Join the Global Truce 2012 Student Coalition.

In February, NUS and Peace One Day welcomed student leaders from around the world at an event to launch the Global Truce 2012 campaign. Inspiring speeches of hope and support were delivered by the likes of Mateus Fiorentini from La Organización Continental Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Estudiantes (OCLAE), Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh from One Young World, Josh Kohnhurst from the American Student Government Association (ASGA), Rabi Aryal from the Asian Students Association (ASA), Prashan De Visser from Sri Lanka Unites and Therese Hostad from the Student Peace Prize. Peace One Day’s Jeremy Gilley and NUS President Liam Burns were also in attendance. You can watch the speeches and other videos from the Global Truce 2012 Student Coalition launch event on this YouTube playlist.

As the leaders of the future, students are vital to achieving lasting peace in the world. But engagement must begin now during the education process, which is why student leadership is so critical. By campaigning for improved access to and quality of education, we can make peace sustainable, embedded in the values and aspirations of future generations. By training students to be global citizens, we can broaden their perspectives and nurture their philanthropic inclinations. And by teaching students about environmental sustainability, we can preserve the earth’s natural resources and prevent future conflict. To this end, the Global Student Leadership Summit will aim to inspire students and strengthen representation around the themes of education, sustainability and peace. New international relationships will be forged, supported by a legacy programme for student leaders from across the world to stay in touch and share information, and developed further through a twinning scheme for national unions of students.

At the recent NUS National Conference in Sheffield, the Society & Citizenship zone hosted a very well received fringe event to encourage global student solidarity. Student union leaders joined Jeremy Gilley and I as we discussed how students around the world are engaging and campaigning on international issues to promote peace on their campuses and in their communities. Gary Redmond, President of NUS-USI, spoke about how students spearheaded peace talks in Northern Ireland with many going on to be involved in the Good Friday agreement. Rana Sherif Mostafa, Vice-President of Ain Shams Students’ Union in Egypt, spoke about the role of students in peace movements during and after the Egyptian revolution. Belal Ballali, a Libyan revolutionary, spoke about the struggle for peace in Libya and how students are at the forefront of peaceful democratic change there.

I am keen to build on the momentum from this and other successful events to drive participation in the Global Student Leadership Summit and Peace Day 2012. The Society & Citizenship zone will continue to work closely with Peace One Day and the European Students’ Union to grow the campaign between now and September.

I encourage you to get involved by joining the Global Truce 2012 Student Coalition, engaging with Peace One Day via their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels, and registering your interest in the Global Student Leadership Summit by contacting Dion Watts: dion.watts@nus.org.uk / @DionGWatts / linkedin.com/in/dionwatts

Dannie Grufferty, Vice President (Society & Citizenship), NUS