On Friday 21 September, Kuwait was stunned with an international peace calling phenomena that brought music, art and culture into one place. Peace One Day (POD) -an annual charity event held for global humanitarian causes- was held for the first time in the Middle East, organized by group of artists based in Kuwait and hosted in Contemporary Art Platform Kuwait.

Every year POD has a goal to achieve and it is done with the help of activists and artists around the world, this year’s goal is “Global Truce 2012” aiming to ceasefire for one day in conflicted areas. The event in Kuwait was a success I must say, attracting a huge crowd where people interacted with visual artists and musicians, the event included over 50 artworks for emerging and established artists based in Kuwait varied between paintings, graphic design and photography.

The event started with Release of the Pigeons, Puppet show by Dalia Al-Hadi which was performed twice during the event followed with a saxophone and violin by Hassan Karam and a Poetry from the LOYAC volunteers. Abdullatif From Loyac played the violin, Basil Al-Hadi -founder of Karrouhat studio- made the hall interact with peace-themed songs, whereas Hassan Karam also from Loyac played interestingly with saxophone. The event was concluded with an Open band and Riders Kuwait – a group of Harley Davison bikers – drove from Al Bedaa’ area to Shwaikh wearing POD t-shirts to promote and create a buzz about the event attracting people to come and see.

For the paintings and photographies, were for sale and all revenues went to POD. The participating artists were: Abdallah Al Awathi, Abdulwahab Al Awathi, Abdullah Al Khodari, Abed Al Kadiri, Adel Al Khalf, Amani Al Thuwaini, Anne-Marie Bterrany, Anwar Behbehani, Aya Khair, Bader Al Bassam, Faisal Rajab, Faisal Al Fozan, Farah Behbehani, Faisal Samra, Hameed Khazaal, Jamal Abdulrahim, Khalid Zahed, May AlSaad, Mohammed Al Shammarey, Mohmoud Ashkanani, Mohammad Qambar, Mohamad Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Kouh, Mohammed Al Adwani, Mohammed Sharaf, Mohammed Muhanna, Naji Moujaes, Reda Salem, Samar Al Bader, Sara Jassim Al Arif, Sheikha Al Sabah, Sheikha Al Sinan, Sheikha Al Nefisi, Shady Al Hady, Shahad Al Asfour, Shurooq Amin, Suhaila Al Nagdi, Tarek Al Sultan, Thuraya Al Baqsami, Thuraya Lynn, Zeinab Qamber.

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Thanks for people who believed in themselves and this cause to make it happen, thanks to Amira Behbehani and we want to see this event an annual thing happening in Kuwait. We wish that this event sets an inspiration and motivation for everyone to take part of peace movements around the world and believe with the least you give something bigger will be achieved.

Cheers