Life-Saving
Afghanistan
In 2007, Jeremy Gilley, his film crew and Peace One Day Ambassador Jude Law travelled to Afghanistan to help develop and document preparations for life-saving activities across the country for Peace Day. As a result of this work, for three consecutive years, Peace Day agreements by all parties to conflict in the region have resulted in the immunisation against polio of over 4 million children in areas hitherto unreachable or hard to reach due to conflict.
Below is a short explanation on how this success story has developed over the years.
2009
Afghanistan 2009
In 2009 the volume and scale of Peace Day activities increased, with greater participation from civil society and other organisations and NGOs such as Oxfam and War Child. Following Peace Day agreements by all parties in the region UN agencies and the government were able to continue the Peace Day polio vaccination campaign, as well as many other significant activities.
2009 RESULTS
Ahead of Peace Day 2009, Afghanistan’s Government ordered its forces to stand down. A similar declaration halting offensive operations was made by ISAF. The Taliban agreed to support a Peace Day polio immunisation drive by the Afghan government and UN agencies, by stating that they would not harm or block access to the 14,000 health workers and volunteers involved in the Peace Day campaign.
Almost 1.2 million Afghan children benefited from polio immunisations in eight provinces, including some of the country's hardest to reach areas such as Kandahar, Uruzgan, and Helmand.
The polio drive was a joint effort by the Afghan health authorities, WHO and UNICEF, and it was also supported by actors including the International Committee of the Red Cross as well as health NGOs.
“This is better than any immunisation round in Afghanistan in the past 18 months,” said Peter Graaff, Country Representative for the WHO. “We are quite excited as such high coverage gives us a better chance than ever to get rid of polio,” he added.
On 21 September, UNAMA announced that a rare 24 hour cessation of offensive operations marking International Peace Day appeared to be holding firm across Afghanistan, with only isolated security incidents reported as of late afternoon. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said the day appeared much quieter than usual.
Other Activities
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) ran a one-month major TV and radio campaign beginning on 21 August with the theme “WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR PEACE?” and placed 74 Peace Day large banners around the country.
As a result of UNAMA’s campaign efforts, on the 22 September, more than 1,000 thrilled people were waving flags for Peace Day while eagerly awaiting songs from some of Afghanistan’s most famous singers at the historical Babur Gardens in Kabul.
UNICEF was also involved in a two-day cricket camp with 50 disadvantaged children and a three-day painting workshop for street kids in Kabul.
On 21 September, there were kite competitions in Kabul, Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar e Sharif.
Peace Day activities were organised by War Child Holland.
OXFAM teams in Afghanistan supported a coalition of 13 local and national NGOs led by the SABA media organisation to celebrate Peace Day in 16 provinces around the country. NGOs with various expertise (communication, community peace building and conflict resolution, campaigning) came together to push for a national peace building strategy, in conjunction with the United Nations.
Oxfam publicly endorsed this national campaign internationally, through their websites and media contacts. They focused on the importance of giving voice to Afghans and putting their needs and interest at the forefront of their discussions.
2008
Afghanistan 2008
In August 2008, Jeremy headed to Afghanistan, again with Peace One Day ambassador Jude Law, and met with President Hamid Karzai, United Nations agencies and civil society groups.
A press conference was held with Jeremy Gilley and Jude Law, as a call to action for people within Afghanistan to observe Peace Day.
2008 RESULTS
For Peace Day 2008, there was a 70 per cent drop in security incidents on Peace Day in Afghanistan following pledges by President Karzai and UN forces for a day of non-violence.
UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health vaccinated 1.6 million children against polio as part of the Peace Day 2008 campaign.
2007
Afghanistan 2007
As part of their 2007 mission to Afghanistan, Jeremy and Jude travelled to Jalalabad and Kabul. They met with many representatives from the UN, the Afghan government and local NGOs, as well as school children and a US army reconstruction team.
2007 RESULTS
For Peace Day 2007, WHO and UNICEF, with the Ministry of Public Health, provided 1.4 million children with the monovalent P3 polio vaccine in southern Afghanistan and selected areas in eastern Afghanistan. UNICEF and youth volunteers from the Afghan Red Crescent Society organised a Peace Walk through the streets of Herat, followed by a youth debate on what needs to be done in Afghanistan for peace to work. There were arms handover ceremonies, prayers for peace in mosques, schools painted white and education activities. A large tract of land cleared of mines and ready for cultivation was handed over to the local community.
“Peace is important for our country, because we have never had peace in my lifetime” Jamshid Aria, hotel manager (source: UNAMA website)
