London’s Piccadilly Lights leads more than 500 cities marking the 3rd edition of Essays for Peace

Landsec’s Piccadilly Lights joins a synchronised moment across 350 Ocean Outdoor UK screens to mark the third edition of Essays for Peace, a global ‘gathering of light’  on 21^st September.

Marking the United Nations International Day of Peace, a single candle will appear on Out of Home (OOH) screens around the globe – no words, no logos, no flags.

For its 2026 edition, Essays for Peace (Ensayos para la Paz) is expecting its signature candle to be displayed in more than 500 cities. The project invites individuals, institutions, storefronts, landmarks, and public spaces to display a single digital candle at the same time, transforming ordinary screens into a shared gesture for peace.

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The moment will be marked by Piccadilly Lights with a 10 minute domination at 12noon. The space is given by Landsec. At the same time, 349 other Ocean screens will also display a candle for one minute.

Essays for Peace, an independent, non-partisan initiative, was created on a simple premise: peace does not need translation. By excluding words, logos and flags, the initiative removes the barriers of language, nationality and ideology, leaving only a candle – a universal symbol of remembrance, hope and unity – visible to anyone, anywhere.

“Each edition has grown not through advertising, but through people choosing to light their own screen and pass it on,” said an Essays for Peace spokesperson. “Reaching more than 500 cities in our third year shows how a small, quiet action can travel around the world.”

Participation is open to everyone:

• Download the official candle image or video for any screen at linktr.ee/essaysforpeace, where a downloadable QR code is also available to share the campaign.
• Display the candle on any device – phone, computer, tablet, or public screen – on 21^st September.
• Share a photo of the candle on your screen using the hashtags #EssaysForPeace or #EnsayosParaLaPaz.