Thank you for adding your voices to the thousands who joined us in our inaugural year to launch this exciting global choral initiative for peace. Please thank all your singers, supporters and pupils too and put the date in your diary for 2015.
I think last weekend we had around 100,000 voices in 44 countries that we know of and probably more which is a pretty good start for something that only really began to take flight a few weeks ago. Of course we're aiming for many more next year so please help us to achieve that by spreading the word to those you know who sing or who might be inspired to encourage others to join our global voices. Tell them about what we achieved this year and maybe give them gentle reminding nudges through the year.
We had some great media coverage, print and radio - we even made it to BBC TV news, and Radio 3, who recorded a London event and made almost an entire programme about Peace Day and One Day One Choir are already planning their next year's coverage!
We've also had some inspiring feed back from individuals and groups who clearly loved being part of this day and finding an inclusive and uplifting way to bring peace to the front of our thoughts and actions.
As a result, thousands of you have already signed up to sing next year and others have already written to say they will be making this an annual event which is wonderful, thank you. As I think you know, the aim is to build up to creating the biggest choir we can, singing for peace, by 2018. After that, I think it will become self sustaining......
2015 will see a big push for schools to take part as Peace Day is on a Monday - also workplaces and maybe choir practices. And for those who can't sing on a Monday, let's sing together on the weekend leading up to Peace Day in 2015 - maybe we can have Peace Eve, especially in churches.
We will be keeping in touch with you throughout the year on and off - bringing you news of developments and encouraging you to inspire others to take part please - we need peace all year round of course in our homes, communities and globally, especially now with the actions currently being taken re the Middle East and this is one small way we can all help.
We are also being given access to some interesting new research coming out about the powerful effects of singing together and singing in communities so I will be posting this on the website as we find out more wonderful things about singing, in addition to those we already know.
If you would like to offer further help to us - for instance if you have a school's network, a choral outreach group or just a good way of connecting with people or media in your country, please get in touch and let me know through the sign up form on the website.
We might also be developing the website and definitely need to improve our social media (we have no funding) so if any of you are genii at that and can offer help, also let me know.
Many thanks again and well done - you've all helped to start something special take off - bringing people around the world together by singing together, so let's keep going.
As the Gospel Oak Community Parent's Choir sang for their contribution for the BBC event - What a Difference a Day Made, and the difference is you!
Best wishes and peaceful singing,
Jane
Founder/Director - One Day One Choir
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