A Bit of Background ...
John Farrington (founder and project co-organiser) travelled to Kosovo in 2003 to attempt to build bridges between the Ethnic Serbian and Albanian children. As part of a project to bridge the divide between ethnic Albanian and Serb children he was successful in constructing a giant peace dove and flew it on a bridge that symbolically and physically separates these two communities. This project was inspired by Dame Jane Goodall UN Messenger of Peace, and the Jane Goodall Institute's global Roots & Shoots project. Click here for further news on John's work with the Jane Goodall Institute
In December 2004, John Farrington travelled to Khao Lak in Thailand to assist in the immediate aftermath of the devastating tsunami. His experiences and film footage were documented by the BBC’s Inside Out television programme. This documentary was subsequently nominated for a Royal Television Society Award.
The Rochdale Parade for Peace project began in Feb 2006 after a meeting with filmmakers Mark Baron and Tariq Quamar of Sleepwalker Films. It was decided that Sleepwalker Films would film the process of our attempts to establish the first ever official and public observation of U.N. Peace Day in the UK.
The Rochdale Parade for Peace project began in Feb 2006 after a meeting with filmmakers Mark Baron and Tariq Quamar of Sleepwalker Films. It was decided that Sleepwalker Films would film the process of our attempts to establish the first ever official and public observation of U.N. Peace Day in the UK.
In February 2007, Rochdale Parade for Peace was renamed Peace Parade UK to reflect the growing results of our efforts. In the summer of 2007, Sleepwalker Films was renamed Peace Effects Media and was joined by editor Chris Matthews who worked tirelessly to complete 'The UN Chitty and Me' for the films' premiere screening on September 20th 2007.In January 2008 it was decided that the time had come to formally constitute Peace Parade UK as a not for profit organisation, and new members came on board to drive through our aims and objectives -
Steven Cooke JP - Treasurer and Director of Peace Parade UK.
Chris Matthews – Film Editor for Peace Effects Media
Jaymi Matthews – Project Coordinator for Peace Parade UK
In March 2010, following on from the critical success of the 2008 and 2009 UN Peace Day events, the umbrella organisation Peace Inc. was formed to unify the portfolio of diverse projects of Peace Parade UK and Peace Effects Media.
Steven Cooke JP - Treasurer and Director of Peace Parade UK.
Chris Matthews – Film Editor for Peace Effects Media
Jaymi Matthews – Project Coordinator for Peace Parade UK
In March 2010, following on from the critical success of the 2008 and 2009 UN Peace Day events, the umbrella organisation Peace Inc. was formed to unify the portfolio of diverse projects of Peace Parade UK and Peace Effects Media.