Ben & Jerry's ''Imagines Whirled Peace'' by Holding Bed-In to Recognize Today's Peace Movement Leaders

BURLINGTON, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thirty-nine years ago today, John Lennon and Yoko Ono hosted a “Bed-in For Peace” using their celebrity-for-good to promote world harmony. This legendary event inspired an entire generation of people from around the world to think about peace during a critical time of war in 1969. Paying homage to these efforts during a time when the world is once again in conflict, Ben & Jerry’s announced a joint effort with The Lennon Estate and Peace One Day, a non-profit organization focused on raising global awareness of the UN day of global ceasefire and non-violence on September 21^st annually. The partners will host a modern-day “Peace Bed-In” to recognize leaders in today’s movement.

“As a company that has supported peace initiatives throughout our thirty year history, Ben & Jerry’s is thrilled to continue its commitment through a joint effort with Peace One Day”

Maggie Gyllenhaal, award-winning actress and demonstrated peace activist, Jeremy Gilley, founder of Peace One Day and director/producer/writer of the Cannes-debuted film, “The Day After Peace,” and Roy Kerwood, original photographer from Lennon’s 1969 Montreal Bed-in, were on-site at the Ben & Jerry’s Times Square Scoop Shop to launch a John Lennon tribute flavor, “Imagine Whirled Peace,” and announce a new social mission partnership with Peace One Day.

“As a company that has supported peace initiatives throughout our thirty year history, Ben & Jerry’s is thrilled to continue its commitment through a joint effort with Peace One Day,” said Walt Freese, Chief Euphoria Officer of Ben & Jerry’s. “Founder Jeremy Gilley, has worked tirelessly to help create a UN recognized annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, now universally known as Peace Day. We applaud his efforts and are excited to join his mission to encourage people to recognize and celebrate Peace Day, and to support Peace One Day’s event on September 21^st.”

Yoko Ono’s inspirational statement read by Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield expressed her continued support and vision for the campaign: “Make peace – a dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”

Modern-Day Peace Pioneers

To further its peace-focused campaign, Ben & Jerry’s held a nationwide search to identify modern-day peace activists who embody the values set forth by Lennon through their work to create positive change in the world. Today, the search culminated with the announcement of two individuals whom were chosen to represent the next generation of peace pioneers. The individuals recognized for their unique efforts to further the cause of peace and justice, were:

Aaron Voldman, co-founder of the Student Peace Alliance – a national student and youth movement for a culture and Department of Peace and Nonviolence; and
Robert Kent, founder of the Peace Camp Initiative – a program that provides summer camp experiences for war-torn children from Israel and Palestine.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jerry Greenfield presented the winners with a $10,000 donation from Ben & Jerry’s to the respective peace organizations.

Imagine Whirled Peace Flavor

The John Lennon tribute flavor “Imagine Whirled Peace,” a caramel and sweet cream based ice cream with toffee cookies and chocolate peace signs, was developed to further support Ben & Jerry’s social mission campaign.

“When Ben & Jerry’s decided to engage in a campaign about peace, we couldn’t think of a better person to exemplify the message than John Lennon. Through his art and lyrics he imagined a world without war and asked us all to ‘Give Peace a Chance,’” said Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s. “We’re urging people to log on to PeaceOneDay.org and to make their own commitment to Peace Day.”

Through action and inspiration, we can work together to create a more peaceful world. Those interested in sharing their personal messages and images of peace and/or learning more about the peace partnerships and Imagine Whirled Peace can visit benjerry.com/imagine.

About Ben & Jerry’s

Ben & Jerry’s produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and ice cream novelties, using high-quality ingredients including milk and cream from family farmers who do not treat their cows with the synthetic hormone rBGH. The company states its position on rBGH on its labels. Ben and Jerry’s products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry’s, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Contributions made via the employee led Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in 2007 totaled approximately $1.7 million. Additionally, the company makes significant product donations to community groups and nonprofits both in Vermont and across the nation. The purpose of Ben & Jerry’s philanthropy is to support the founding values of the company: economic and social justice, environmental restoration and peace through understanding, and to support our Vermont communities. For the full scoop on all Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop locations and fabulous flavors, visit www.benjerry.com.

About John Lennon and Bag One Arts

Lennon was a visual artist before he picked up his first guitar or wrote his first song. From 1957-1960 he studied at the prestigious Liverpool Art Institute. Later he would not only pen but also illustrate Three books: In His own Write, A Spaniard in the Works and Skywriting by Word of Mouth. In 1969, as a wedding gift for Yoko, he began working on a series of drawings called Bag One – a chronicle of their wedding ceremony, honeymoon and plea for world peace – The Bed-In. In the years that followed the break-up of The Beatles, Lennon expressed himself once again through drawing, this time reflecting his love for his family. Since 1986 Bag One Arts has published a series of limited edition prints of his work which have traveled throughout the world. The Bag One Portfolio is in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Bag One Arts and John Lennon are represented by Signatures Network for Licensing.

About Peace One Day

Jeremy Gilley is an actor turned filmmaker, who became preoccupied with questions about the fundamental nature of humanity and the issue of peace. He decided to explore these through the medium of film and to create a documentary following his campaign to establish a globally-recognized day of peace. In 1999 Jeremy founded Peace One Day, a non-profit organization and in 2001 Peace One Day’s efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September annually – Peace Day.

In 2007, Peace Day was celebrated by over 100 million people in 192 countries. There have been life saving initiatives on the day in a host of different countries including in Afghanistan where there were 82 separate Peace Day initiatives last year, one of which involved the vaccination of over 1.4 million children against polio.

Jeremy Gilley and Peace One Day continue their journey to inform the world’s people of the Day's existence through film, music, sport, education and the Internet. What will you do to make peace on 21 September? Learn more and make your own commitment by visiting, www.peaceoneday.org.