Jeremy Gilley, OM and founder of Peace One Day, is awarded an MBE

OM Jeremy Gilley has been awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition for services to global peace. 

Jeremy spent his early years in Southampton, Hampshire, where he was educated at St Mary's College and Millfield, and aged 17, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

After a successful career acting in film and television, Jeremy began making films in 1995 and in 1999 founded the non-profit organisation Peace One Day to document his efforts to establish the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed date.  

In September 2001, as a result of Jeremy’s efforts, a General Assembly resolution was unanimously adopted by UN member states, establishing 21 September as an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace – Peace Day. To prove the day can work, Jeremy travelled to Afghanistan to spearhead a campaign that, over the years, has resulted in 4.5 million children being vaccinated against polio in hitherto unreachable areas, as a result of Peace Day agreements in the region.

In 2008, Jeremy directed and produced his second feature-length documentary, The Day After Peace, in association with the BBC. Peace One Day Part three, Jeremy's third feature-length documentary, continued the story of Peace Day, making it a day of peace that is self-sustaining around the world. Also in 2008, Peace One Day launched the One Day One Goal initiative – aiming to host football matches in all member states of the United Nations on the International Day of Peace. The campaign quickly garnered attention, gaining support from figures such as David Beckham, Gary Lineker, and Victor Wanyama.  

In 2011, Jeremy was welcomed back to Millfield, where he was awarded Old Millfieldian of the Year. 

In 2019, Jeremy produced the Peace One Day 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London, featuring special guests such as, Jude Law, Sting, Mark Rylance, Emeli Sande and many more. In 2020, he became an Alumni of the Institute of Real Growth and joined as an Advisor to Football for Peace Social Justice Pillar. Since 2019, Gilley has directed and produced films for Avon, telling stories of gender-based violence survivors.

On the 21st of September 2020, Peace One Day responded creatively to the COVID-19 pandemic with a Live Global Digital experience. Jeremy and Jude Law produced 12 hours of dynamic online content with influential panel discussions, special interviews, live moments from every continent, Words of Peace from leading actors, and music from international artists. In 2021, Jeremy directed and produced in association with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anti-Racism Live on 21 March, the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He also produced and directed Climate Action Live on 21 June and Peace Day Live on 21 September.