inform, inspire, engage

JEREMY GILLEY is the founder of Peace One Day. Because of his efforts, September 21 is an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. 22 years on, Jeremy is even more passionate about bringing peace to the world, despite the current uncertainty and unrest. Here he speaks to ELIZABETH DENLEY about taking Peace One Day to the next level.

- ELIZABETH DENLEY

Q: Hi Jeremy, it's good to connect again. Peace One Day has built so much awareness over the past two decades about peace and the need for ceasefires. So what next? Where are we heading with all this?

Well, there are two things. First, where are we heading as a global community, and second, what kind of impact are the Peace One Day campaigns having?

Our Global Situation

Where we're heading as a global community is obviously of serious concern. It's extremely worrying, frightening, and tragic. There are really no words to describe the way we are operating at this particular point.

We admitted a while ago, as people like Paul Polman and Mary Robinson said, that this decade is incredibly crucial. We needed to make the right decisions in relation to humanity's survival, and now everything we're doing is the opposite of what we should be doing. We're seeing an increase in violence between countries and in our communities. The way in which we're treating resources I'm upset and angry about the whole thing.

When you look at the evolution of humans, should I be that surprised? We can have an intellectual conversation about how everything’s got to change, but the truth is, can we actually change the DNA of a human being to be capable of protecting anything beyond itself ? I think history probably proves the answer to that question.