Originally published on the CGS blog on May 23, 2013.
This is an unexpected love story about people who have historically feared and loathed each other. Through one poster Israeli graphic designer Ronny Edry started a movement that captured the hearts of many. The past decade of an ensuing war between Israel and Iran had taken a toll on his conscience.
One day, he decided to act. Edry took a picture of himself holding his daughter with text that read “Iranians, we will never bomb your country, we love you”. Simple and powerful. Edry could not have predicted what happened next.
His picture went viral through social media. More and more people, from around the world, started sending their own pictures to Edry in support of the movement. International newspapers in the Americas, Europe and Asia began to cover what was happening. For once it seemed, news out of the Middle East was positive. Ronny Edry gave a wonderful lecture at a TED talk, explaining his cause and why it is so important.
This campaign shows the power of communication. When the international community unites under one cause, governments take notice. It is about people spreading love and peace in the face of conflict and war. While the governments of Iran and Israel may disagree, their people can get along fine.
“Enemies are people who haven’t met the other side”
