Jude Law will speak at the Oxford Union next term to raise awareness of the Peace One Day (POD) initiative, Cherwell can exclusively report.
The British actor will appear at the event with POD founder Jeremy Gilley on Sunday 14 October, at the start of 2nd week. Law has been a long-term supporter of the organisation.
Peace One Day raises awareness for the UN International Day of Peace — a day of ceasefire and non-violence worldwide — marked today (21st September).
Law has travelled and filmed with Gilley in countries including Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and will launch the latest Peace One Day initiative, ‘Impact Profile’, at the Union event.
The news comes ahead of the Union’s full term-card release, which is expected during Freshers’ Week.
President of the Oxford Union, Stephen Horvath, told Cherwell: “Since meeting Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley in July, I have been interested to learn more about the organisation’s work in conflict zones around the world.
“Given Jude Law’s work with Jeremy Gilley in the film the Day After Peace and in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and D.R. Congo, I am confident that this will be a fascinating event, particularly for freshers who have just joined the Union.”
Peace One Day is a non-profit organisation founded in 1999. Following early campaigning efforts, the United Nations unanimously backed a global Peace Day in September 2001.
The organisation’s 2016 impact report notes that approximately 2.2bn people have been exposed to Peace Day messages worldwide. The group estimates that around 16m people were believed to have behaved more peacefully on the 2016 day.
Cherwell understands that this is the first time Law has spoken at the Union.
The BAFTA-winning actor is known more widely for stage and screen performances including The Talented Mr Ripley, as well as more recent roles including the lead in Contagion, Dr Watson in Sherlock Holmes and as Pope Pius XIII in the miniseries, The Young Pope.
The event will begin with opening remarks from Jude Law, following by moderated discussion and an audience Q&A session. It will be open exclusively to Union members.
