Peace Memorial DAYS & MARCHES

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Pope Leo XIV addresses an audience with open hands, he is wearing white and purple robes and is smiling warmly.

World Day of Peace - January 1

On January 1, the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day of Peace, a tradition initiated by Pope Paul VI in 1968. This day is dedicated to promoting universal peace, encouraging reflection on how individuals and communities can contribute to fostering harmony. Each year, the pope issues a message addressing current global challenges and urging action towards justice, reconciliation, and solidarity.

World Day of Peace - January 1
White peace poppies made into a wreath sit on the floor next to a red wreath for Remembrance Day in the UK.

White Poppy Campaign & Peace Pledge Union

The white poppy serves as a symbol of both remembrance and commitment to peace. As an alternative to the widely used red poppy, the white poppy honours all victims of war regardless of their stature or nationality. Often worn alongside the red poppy, which honours the British and Commonwealth armed forces who have lost their lives at war and also supports current armed forces. While governments increasingly line the pockets of military contractors and weapons manufacturers and protect their own self-serving nationalist interests, the white poppy serves as a symbol of hope. It encourages us to stand up for peace, resist the war machine, and seek nonviolent solutions to conflict.

White Poppy Campaign & Peace Pledge Union
Graphic for International Day of Non-Violence with many hands together representing peace and tolerance

International Day of Non-Violence - October 2

Every year on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi we honour his values and commitment to peace, tolerance, and nonviolence. International Day of Non-Violence serves to remind us that peaceful means should be the main solutions in ending and preventing conflict. Dialogue, negotiation, and understanding are the corner stones of the nonviolence movement.

International Day of Non-Violence - October 2
Peace One Day 2025 graphic detailing the event as Online, London including the guest speakers and performing artists.

Peace One Day | 21 September 2025

With a mission to expose as many people as possible to the message of Peace Day, Peace One Day is a global initiative dedicated to promoting peace and reducing violent conflict. By uniting individuals, communities, and organisations, they foster tolerance and understanding, directing attention towards conflict resolution and non-violent solutions. Their annual celebration Online in London brings together millions in a massive call for peace supported by influential voices such as Jude Law, Jeremy Gilley, Scilla Elworthy, Richard Branson, and Ahmad Fawzi.

Peace One Day | 21 September 2025
Two open palms are painted with a map of the world, in the background there are white doves in the air in front of a blue cloudy sky

International Day of Peace - September 21

2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. The theme this year is Cultivating a Culture of Peace. - International Day of Peace enforces 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire, which has only been violated 4 times since it was established in 1981. Here you can discover events and commemorations from the United Nations initiative, Peace One Day, and many other local initiatives around the world calling for peace.

International Day of Peace - September 21
Poster for Hiroshima Day - A white paper crane carrying a green olive branch in its beak flies over the outline of Japan. In front of a blue background the words 'Hiroshima Day August 6th' are written in white.

Hiroshima Day - August 6

Every August 6, thousands of people around the world commemorate the catastrophic event that was the dropping of the atomic bomb in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. This year marks the 80th anniversary. - Seventy states have ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) until now.

Hiroshima Day - August 6