Peace One Day
Reinventing the universal symbol of peace
Peace is smaller than we think
Non-profit Peace One Day (POD) galvanizes the world around an annual day of nonviolence, an altruistic goal that founder Jeremy Gilley aims to institutionalize around the globe.
But a haunting statistic recently reoriented his organization’s mission and message: only 5% of violence takes part in conflicts around the world—95% of it takes place on a smaller, insidious scale, in our workplaces, communities, and homes.
By the 20th Anniversary of POD, founder Jeremy Gilley had largely become the symbol of the organization. Looking ahead to the next 20 years, Jeremy wanted to make sure POD was in a position for more people to become involved and understand their importance in achieving peace around the world.
Awareness means action and action saves lives. This logo will help do exactly that, raising awareness, and what it can help achieve is infinite.
Jeremy Gilley
Founder, Peace One Day
Peace One Day had over 20 years invested in the equity of the previous logo, along with a great amount of awareness. To make the change, POD had to agree to a fundamental shift in focusing on individuals’ efforts to make peace. They worked with Interbrand to create a new logo, messaging systems, and visual identity.
The original peace symbol, designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958, was deliberately never trademarked, but intended instead to be universally accessible and customizable by everyone in the spirit of promoting peace.
Peace One Day’s new logo upholds that aspiration. The entire system, from logo, color to typography, is simplified and made to be universal and infinitely customizable – empowering people and groups around the world to make Peace Day their own every year on September 21.
The logo and project launched at the Globe Theatre in London on September 21st, 2019, as the lead theme of the 20th anniversary celebration of Peace Day: a UN-recognized global holiday. Celebrated icons including Sting, Jude Law, Sir Mark Rylance, André Holland, Emily Watson, and many more performed and spoke of their commitment to Peace Day.
Using the new, simpler, more universal visual identity, Peace Day made its mark by contributing to over 2.2 billion global impressions. The hashtag #PeaceDay was circulated by 19 million Twitter users, representing an estimated 13% of all active Twitter users.*
Building on their great impact of the last two decades—from ceasefires and immunizations to the UN adoption of Peace Day—Peace One Day has the momentum to drive change at the individual level, by asking everyone to “do your peace.”
Changing the logo after 20 years of success took some consideration, but what Interbrand has created supports Peace One Day in its mission to the core.
Jeremy Gilley
Founder, Peace One Day
