In 2001, The United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/Res/55/282) was unanimously adopted by UN member states, formally establishing an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace, fixed in the global calendar on 21 September-Peace Day. Internationally Peace One Day is a non-profit organization, impartial and independent of any government, political persuasion, corporation or religious creed. Since the day of peace was accepted by the UN, Peace One Day has been successful in creating peace building education curriculum, soccer tournaments, and establishing peace day celebrations, ceasefires, and other peace-building initiatives all over the world.

Charleston Peace One Day is taking this mission and localizing it to the Charleston, South Carolina area. Charleston Peace One Day was founded in 2008 with Charleston’s first ever citywide peace day festival. The inspiration to hold a festival in Charleston came from Professor Reba Parker’s College of Charleston Sociology 101 class in 2007. The class watched a documentary on Jeremy Gilley’s mission to establish the International Day of Peace, which was being celebrated all over the world. Out of 400 students asked, only 2 had ever heard of the day. The class decided to hold peace day activities in 2007 on the college campus, and by 2008 the idea became a citywide festival with over 600 attendees.

By 2009 the festival grew to have over 2,000 attendees, 30 vendors, Art Gallery, 6 entertainment acts, 9 speakers, soccer games, Kids Global Village Activities, and a night concert at Music Farm.The 2010 fetival was held at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, including a Make a Commitment Compaign and Speak Peace Tents for public discussion & dialogue. 

The 3rd annual Charleston Peace One Day citywide festival was held on September 19, 2010 at the North Charleston Riverfront Park.  The event included a live music stage, Visual Art Show Tent, business, food, merchandise, and non-profit vendors, interactive dialogue tent with community leaders on subjects such as religion, environmental sustainability, and conflict resolution,  and a Kid's Global Village where kids participated in peace building educational activities. In 2008 and 2009 the Charleston Peace One Day was held at Brittlebank Park in the city of Charleston.  You will now see a peace pole there to honor ideas of peace, with the words "May Peace Prevail On Earth," in four languages.  In 2010, the festival was held at the beautiful Riverfront Park in North Charleston.  

The 4th annual Charleston Peace One Day reached further than a festival by hosting the a 2011  PEACE HAPPENS Campaign with a goal is reach the entire state of South Carolina with Peace Week awareness and activities. 

For the 2012, we will host another PEACE HAPPENS Campaign during the week of September 16-23rd!!

  See the Peace Week Tab for more details. 

Charleston Peace One Day now works year round on programming and education resources that promote a culture of peace and non-violence in our community.