Inspired by the film “Peace One Day” by Jeremy Gilley, which was shown by the Swindon Film Society exactly one year previously, the campaigners held placards with slogans such as “Peace on day”, “Join us for one minute to show your support”, “Peace Day is today” and “What could a day of peace mean?”.

Although it may be questionable whether anything can be achieved by standing around holding placards, on a personal note the day was meaningful for me because I made peace with somebody I hadn’t spoken to for many years, over something which in the grand scheme of things was really rather inconsequential. The longest journey begins with a single step.

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International day of peace
A poem by Mary Ratcliffe

Don’t let them kill my Daddy, Mum!
Listen PLEASE to us!
We’re the future of our nation.
In you, we place our trust.
Can’t they talk, as we do Mum?
They too, were born to live.
You teach us that it’s wrong to kill…
that we must love and give!
Listen to our cries for PEACE.
Our lives depend on YOU…
to save the children of the world
and make our pleas come true.