A Global Day of Peace - 9/18

The ocean at sunset. Reading a book in a hammock on the beach. An early morning run through the park. Watching kids sleep, snuggled in bed. Sleeping with the windows open on a rainy night.

These are what the word “peace” mean to me. It’s no violence, no hunger and no sadness. Peace is not only a feeling of tranquility; it can be a catalyst for safety, health and happiness. However, what peace means to me isn’t possible for many people around the world who live in global unrest. It’s on any news channel you watch and in every publication you read. The world is far from tranquil.

Peace One Day is an international nonprofit, based in London, that created the global day of peace campaign occurring annually now on Sept. 21. In 2001, only three years after the nonprofit was founded, the United Nations adopted the first annual day of global peace. On this day, the campaign urges for the world to pledge specifically for the end of war and violence. This is a day when temporary ceasefires occur in a combat zone so that humanitarian aid can get through. Peace can start with one day. It can start with individual action, and your actions can inspire others.

I don’t know about you, but I love to be inspired. Waggener Edstrom is joining the Peace One Day movement to keep that inspiration momentum going. Since Sept. 21 falls on a weekend, the agency asks for all employees to take action on Thursday, Sept. 18. We’ll take global action by wearing, writing, speaking and photographing what peace means to each of us, and what we’ll do for peace.

“Awareness of Peace Day creates action, and that action saves lives.” — Jude Law

And for each employee worldwide who joins us in wearing their peace symbol, tweeting @we_citizen #WEPeaceDay, taking peace photos and/or writing on the giving tree, Waggener Edstrom is donating $5 to Peace One Day, in supporting of the 2014 – 2016 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region of Africa campaign, which “seeks to engage with all sectors of society in the region, encouraging all parties and coalitions to stand together in the name of peace, so that a significant level of non-violence and ceasefire can be achieved by 2016.”

Whether you want to be inspired or want to inspire others, make Sept. 18 your day of peace. Join Waggener Edstrom as we kick off the global Peace One Day weekend.