Peace Day is an opportunity for UN agencies and NGOs to focus their ongoing life-saving activities within a global context. The impact of a day of global ceasefire and non-violence cannot be underestimated. Throughout the years, millions of people have been active on Peace Day in every country of the world, and hundreds of organisations have carried out life-saving activities in areas of conflict.
Methodology Of Measurement
The achievements of Peace One Day have not only set an important marker for future Peace Days, but have also reinforced the value of this unique annual day as a foundation for long-term sustainable peace.
Jeremy approached McKinsey and Company to support Peace One Day in analysing the results of 2012. This process led to the creation of a methodology of measurement that enables Peace One Day to track the growth in Peace Day activity and associated impact, thereby becoming increasingly responsive year on year.
McKinsey & Company helped us develop success criteria for change campaigns, and compared Peace Day to other social and corporate efforts to change behaviour. We know that by applying the learnings derived from this work we can further increase the number of lives saved on Peace Day.
The Peace One Day 2014 Report supported by McKinsey & Company found that:
- More than 1 billion people were exposed to Peace Day messages through activities ranging from concerts to prayer groups.
- Across the world, 610 million people were aware of Peace Day 2014. This year's major growth in awareness was achieved in Africa, particularly the Great Lakes region.
- Of those aware of Peace Day, 10 million people behaved more peacefully in their own lives as a result, improving the world for thousands of others.
- Peace One Day will continue its global campaign, whilst simultaneously giving a focus to the Great Lakes region of Africa, the kind support of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
The Peace One Day 2013 Report supported by McKinsey & Company found that:
- Across the world, 470 million people in 200 countries were aware of Peace Day 2013.
- Peace Day 2013 has built on the tremendous success of 2012, increasing awareness by a further 68%, or 190 million.
- Approximately 1-2% of those aware of Peace Day (4-8 million) behaved more peacefully in their own lives as a result, improving the world for thousands of others.
- That is equivalent to the entire populations of Libya or Nicaragua.
- With the support of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Peace One Day has committed to a 3-year project in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Great Lakes Region of Africa, with the aim of creating a broadly observed regional day of ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September.
The Peace One Day 2012 Report supported by McKinsey & Company found that:
- Across the world, 280 million people in 198 countries were aware of Peace Day 2012 – 4% of the world’s population.
- Approximately 2% of those aware of Peace Day 2012 (5.6 million people) behaved more peacefully in their own lives as a result, in turn having a positive impact on the lives of thousands of others.
- Activities that took place on Peace Day ranged from concerts to football matches to domestic violence workshops.
- On track to make 3 billion people worldwide aware of Peace Day by 2016
Peace Day agreements by all parties to conflict in Afghanistan since 2007 have resulted in the immunisation against polio of 4.5 million children in areas hitherto unreachable or hard to reach due to conflict. This polio drive has been a joint effort by the Afghan health authorities, World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and it was also supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross as well as health NGOs.
On Peace Day 2008 in Afghanistan the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, which monitors security related incidents, recorded a 70% reduction in violent incidents.
On Peace Day 2010, over 50,000 children and women of child-bearing age, across 23 high-risk locations of greater Kabul, were vaccinated against deadly diseases including polio, meningitis, diphtheria and tetanus. In addition, a nationwide polio immunisation campaign to target 8 million children was launched.
Peace Day activities have not only been successful in Afghanistan. In 2010, Peace One Day instigated a total of 88 life-saving and humanitarian activities by 28 organisations in 31 countries.
Humanitarian and life-saving Peace Day activities take place all over the world. They contribute towards peace-building, development and aid, including the delivery of supplies like mosquito nets, food, and vaccines.