NEW YORK, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Filmmaker and founder of the UK-based nonprofit Peace One Day (POD), Jeremy Gilley, today announced the US roll-out of a free online educational curriculum focusing on conflict resolution and nonviolence for teachers and students across the country. The curriculum, recommended for grades 6-12, aims to foster discussion among young people about peace and nonviolence in their schools, local communities, and the world at large. The online curriculum, available at http://www.peaceoneday.org/, is designed to be used in conjunction with Gilley's award-winning documentary film The Day After Peace. 8,000 free copies of the film will be delivered to schools in the Northeast beginning on April 27 with a nationwide roll-out planned for 2010.
Peace One Day's educational curriculum and DVD distribution is being launched in association with Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, and underwritten by long-term supporters Ben & Jerry's. As part of the launch Gilley will visit schools in all six New England states to discuss the program starting with Burlington, VT on April 27 and ending with an event at the Scholastic Auditorium in New York City on May 4. Gilley will stop in Claremont and Exeter, New Hampshire (4/28), Portland, Maine (4/29), Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts (4/30), Hartford, Connecticut (5/1), and Providence, Rhode Island (5/1) during the weeklong Northeast tour.
Building on their success in 2007, after a Peace One Day Citizenship Resource Pack was provided free to 92% of UK secondary schools, Peace One Day has worked extensively with educators in the United States to tailor the program to American schools. The curriculum contains 19 student-centered lesson plans that aim to advance active learning in the areas of conflict resolution, global citizenship, human rights and the link between sustainability and peace, using the United Nation's sanctioned Peace Day, September 21, as a focus. In 2001, September 21 was unanimously adopted by UN member states as an annual day of global ceasefire and nonviolence. Middle and high schools in the six preliminary Northeast states will receive two free copies of The Day After Peace School Edition DVD and teachers will be able to instantly view the accompanying free education resource online at http://www.peaceoneday.org/.
"Peace One Day's education resource, in conjunction with my film, The Day After Peace, enables young people to engage with Peace One Day, and helps them explore issues related to peace and nonviolence, inspiring them to celebrate Peace Day September 21, in school, at home and in the wider community," said Jeremy Gilley, POD Founder. "We're thrilled at the opportunity to launch this resource in association with such a world-renowned publisher and education company as Scholastic. And I'm incredibly grateful to Ben & Jerry's for underwriting this process and supporting our efforts to bring this resource to schools in the US."
Ben & Jerry's co-founder and president, Jerry Greenfield, remarked, "Any program that can help create the conditions for life-saving vaccinations to take place in Afghanistan on Peace Day really gets my attention. To be able to support Peace One Day as they share their successful educational curriculum here in the United States, focuses on the most important thing: investing in our future by providing the tools for students to work for peace throughout the world."
Ernie Fleishman, the Senior Vice President of Education and Corporate Relations for Scholastic, says, "Scholastic is pleased to be working with Peace One Day to help educate and empower students in classrooms around the country to take action to promote peace in their schools, communities and around the world."
The weeklong tour will culminate at the Scholastic Auditorium in New York City where 150 local school children will gather with Jeremy Gilley to learn about Peace Day. The program will be broadcast via a live webcast at http://www.scholastic.com/peaceoneday where additional information about the documentary and curriculum, as well as special celebrity messages, will be available in advance of the event.
About Peace One Day:
In 1999, filmmaker Jeremy Gilley had an idea: to create the first ever annual Peace Day with a fixed date and document his journey. As a result of these efforts, in 2001 member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence on September 21 annually. Peace Day has now been proved to save lives and inspire and empower people everywhere to take action toward a more peaceful world. On Peace Day 2007, 100 million people (source UN) were actively engaged in Peace Day activities in over 200 countries. There were life-saving initiatives in 14 countries -- including 80 activities in Afghanistan alone. POD was instrumental in helping to secure the conditions in which an estimated 3.2 million children were vaccinated against polio on and around Peace Day 2007/8. Peace One Day's goal is to reach 3 billion people with the message of Peace Day by 2012. To learn more and get involved, please visit http://www.peaceoneday.org/.
About Ben & Jerry's:
Ben & Jerry's produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and ice cream novelties, using high-quality ingredients including milk and cream from family farmers who do not treat their cows with the synthetic hormone rBGH. The company states its position on rBGH on its labels. Ben & Jerry's products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Contributions made via the employee led Ben & Jerry's Foundation in 2007 totaled approximately $1.7 million. Additionally, the company makes significant product donations to community groups and nonprofits both in Vermont and across the nation. The purpose of Ben & Jerry's philanthropy is to support the founding values of the company: economic and social justice, environmental restoration and peace through understanding, and to support our Vermont communities. For the full scoop on all Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop locations and fabulous flavors, visit http://www.benjerry.com/.
About Scholastic:
Scholastic Corporation is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and children's media. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, television networks and the Company's Internet Site, http://www.scholastic.com/.
Peace One Day
CONTACT: Anna Richardson, +1-212-691-2800, or +1-917-553-5916 (cell),
richardson@sunshinesachs.com, or Carly Lindauer, +1-212-691-2800, or
+1-202-744-5129 (cell), Lindauer@sunshinesachs.com, both of Sunshine, Sachs &
Associates for Peace One Day
Web Site: http://www.peaceoneday.org/
