Peace One Day Appoints Tech Entrepreneur Simon Ward as Senior Counsel in 25th Anniversary Year

Peace One Day (POD) is a global organization that campaigns to create a more just, inclusive, sustainable, and peaceful world.

The non-profit firm has appointed technology entrepreneur Simon Ward to its senior team. The organization celebrates its 25th-anniversary year.

Ward, a longstanding supporter of the organisation, is also the founder and CEO of global marketing technology company, Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) which works with some of the world’s biggest brands including M&S, Audi, PUMA, Boots, KFC, and Heineken. He will work closely with POD’s senior team providing strategic counsel, marketing consultancy, and insights to help the organisation continue to reach a global audience of supporters.

Founded in 1999 by actor turned filmmaker Jeremy Gilley MBE, POD was set up to help create an annual ‘Peace Day.’ As well as leading several high-profile Peace Day campaigns in sport, education, the environment, and within the corporate sector, Peace One Day has produced 38 major experiences, including performances by Sir Elton John, Akon, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz, Youssou N’Dour, Yusuf Islam, Peter Gabriel, Patti Smith, Bryan Adams, John Legend, Dave Stewart, Jimmy Cliff, and many others. 

By 2001, due to POD’s work, the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September – Peace Day. Since then, POD has campaigned to make this day a self-sustaining, an annual day of global unity, a day of intercultural cooperation on an unprecedented scale.

The organisation hopes to have three billion people fully aware of Peace Day by 2025. Awareness creates action and action saves lives! Peace One Day's mission is to expose people to the message of Peace Day, 21 September. Awareness of Peace Day manifests action and action reduces violence, as we change our behaviour towards each other and our environment on and around the 21st September. We are inspired by the incredible work of the Institute for Economic and Peace who have informed us that there appears to have been a 15 per cent decrease on 21 Septemeber 2022, compared to the other days in the year.

Simon Ward, senior counsel, Peace One Day said: “POD is an incredible organisation, with an unwavering commitment to building a more peaceful and caring world. I’m in awe of Jeremy’s commitment and energy in building such an incredible global movement, whose work is recognised by the UN and peacekeeping organisations on an international scale. I’m very excited to continue my work in helping POD spread its message, which is more important than ever in these difficult times.”

Jeremy Gilley MBE, founder, of Peace One Day said: “Our mission was to create a Peace Day with a fixed calendar date and to institutionalise it globally. We are on target. It’s an incredible journey. I’ve worked with Simon for many years now, he is a valued supporter and friend of POD and will bring a huge amount of expertise to help us on our journey as we reach more people with constructive narrative that informs, inspires, and engages towards impact that’s measurable.”

About Peace One Day 

Filmmaker Jeremy Gilley founded Peace One Day in 1999 to establish an annual Peace Day with a fixed calendar date and document the process. In 2001 Peace One Day’s efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace, fixed in the calendar as 21 September – Peace Day. Peace One Day’s overarching objective is to ensure that people are aware of the day and engage all sectors of society in the day’s peaceful observance and celebration. 

As well as leading several high-profile Peace Day campaigns in sport, education, the environment, and within the corporate sector, Peace One Day has produced 14 major broadcast celebrations, including performances by Sir Elton John, Akon, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz, Youssou N’Dour, Yusuf Islam, Peter Gabriel, Patti Smith, Bryan Adams, John Legend, Dave Stewart, Jimmy Cliff, and many others.