Exclusive Preview: UN International Day of Peace Concert Hits Times Square
— Beatles Members Lead Global Stars in a Call for Peace
(New York, August 2026) — On September 19, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, at 46th–47th Street in Times Square, New York, the 24th Annual UN International Day of Peace Concert will take center stage. Hosted by the nonprofit Good News Corporation and held under the United Nations International Day of Peace framework, this global gala is not merely a musical celebration, but a powerful call for the world to “pause” for peace. The concert will be rebroadcast at noon on September 21 — the UN’s official International Day of Peace — extending this message of peace to millions more via YouTube and other platforms. The global Peace Day Party will also be unfolding simultaneously at www.peacedayparty.org, inviting people around the world to join the celebration online.
Caption: The key visual for the 2026 UN International Day of Peace Concert, scheduled for September 19 from 3 PM to 8 PM at 46th–47th Street in Times Square, New York, under the theme “Pause the World for Peace.”
For over two decades since 2002, this initiative has endured for 24 years. Its founder, Paul Sladkus — a veteran television producer formerly with CBS and PBS, and a key driving force behind Earth Day — has spent a quarter of a century transforming Times Square into a global beacon of peace. Good News Corporation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, sustained by tax-deductible public donations that help underwrite these profoundly meaningful yet costly global peace events. If you would like to support this mission, please visit: https://goodnewsplanet.com/pausetheworld/peace-day-donations/
Caption: Paul Sladkus, founder of Good News Corporation, former senior television producer at CBS and PBS, who worked on classic programs such as All in the Family and The Carol Burnett Show. He established this nonprofit organization in 2002, dedicated to peace and environmental causes.
Paul Sladkus is a man who simply does not do small things.
He contributed to iconic American television programs including All in the Family, The Carol Burnett Show, and Sonny and Cher during the golden age of CBS and PBS. In 1985, he founded a multicultural marketing agency serving Fortune 100 companies such as IBM, Citibank, and Delta Air Lines. Yet at the height of his television empire, he chose to pivot — establishing Good News Corporation in 2002 and dedicating his life to peace and environmental philanthropy.
For 24 years, he has relied not on noise, but on persistence. From Central Park to Times Square, from Earth Day to Peace Day, he has transformed the world’s busiest crossroads into a pulpit for love and peace. He is also an ordained reverend of All Faiths & Spirituality, connecting the world with a spirit that transcends denominations. One might say Paul is not merely organizing events; he is writing a chronicle of how humanity can treat one another with kindness.
As Paul himself says, “No bomb can come close… Peace and Love is the most powerful opportunity humankind has.”
Caption: The lineup of past and present Peace Day concert participants includes global superstars and peace ambassadors such as Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Stevie Wonder, Shakira, and Dr. Jane Goodall.
This year’s concert lineup can only be described as “a Grammy-and-Oscar gathering for peace.” Beatles member Ringo Starr (virtually or in person, TBD), Oscar winner Michael Douglas, Grammy legend Stevie Wonder, Latin superstar Shakira (performing for UNICEF), and UN Messenger of Peace Dr. Jane Goodall will all participate in various forms. Some guests will appear via virtual link and video messages, joining the live audience in Times Square and millions of viewers around the world in witnessing this historic moment.
According to McKinsey & Co., 1.6 billion people are now aware of Peace Day. The mission of Good News Corporation is: “Pause the World for a Moment, Cease Fire, Hug for Peace… at NOON on the UN-unanimously declared September 21.”
Caption: The massive stage rises at the Crossroads of the World in Times Square, officially partnered with NYC Parks, SAPO, and the Times Square Alliance, drawing global media attention.
The event is officially partnered with NYC Parks, the Times Square Alliance, and SAPO, and will be broadcast globally via GoodNewsBroadcast, YouTube (www.youtube.com/goodnewsbroadcast), UNIFY, and other platforms. The 2025 Peace Day broadcasts garnered over 4 million impressions. Partners include EarthDay.org, Samsung, Deloitte, General Motors, and other international organizations and corporations.
Caption: Event partners include international corporations and organizations such as EarthDay.org, Samsung, Deloitte, and GM, all united in support of peace and environmental causes.
Additionally, this year’s Peace Day celebration will feature two special highlights:
I. Documentary Premiere. On September 21, the International Day of Peace, Good News Corporation will premiere the documentary Woodstock Forever: Peace, Love and HOPE. The full-length documentary was produced by Paul Sladkus, and was created in 1989 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Woodstock, capturing that legendary era of peace and love. For more information: www.woodstockforever.org
II. Virtual Global Peace Pole Project. In collaboration with the May Peace Prevail on Earth organization, Good News Corporation is launching the Virtual Global Peace Pole Project, inviting people around the world to place a Peace Pole in their country, community, home, or wherever they feel it will be welcomed. Details: www.worldpeace.org/#map
As a firsthand witness at the 56th Annual Earth Day Times Square Concert on April 22 this year, I saw firsthand the professionalism and passion of Paul Sladkus and his team. That charity gala, themed “Love Your Mother,” ran from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, bringing together global environmental forces and broadcasting live worldwide via YouTube and We Don’t Have Time. On that day, British comedy superstar Russell Brand and I appeared as surprise guests at the Crossroads of the World, joining over fifty performers and speakers in sharing a vision for ecological protection and peaceful development.
Caption: On April 22 this year, the author with Paul Sladkus, founder of Good News Corporation, at the 56th Annual Earth Day Times Square Concert.
From Earth Day to Peace Day, from environmental protection to ceasefires, Paul Sladkus has spent 24 years proving one thing: Peace is not an empty slogan, but concrete action and unwavering commitment.
On September 19, let us look forward to the world pausing for peace in Times Square. On September 21, let us gather again across global livestreams to witness the power of peace together.
May peace prevail.
For more information, please visit: www.pausetheworldforpeace.org
Contact: paul.sladkus1@gmail.com, or call 212 647 1212
About the Author
Caption: The author hosting an event at the United Nations Headquarters.
Prince John-Wang Guoquan is an international host and singer, officially honored as “Prince of Love Songs International Host” by the New York State Senate and New York City Council. He serves as an official forum host and representative of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). He has performed alongside Emmy and Grammy Award winners, and has hosted and performed at world-class cultural landmarks and leading academic institutions including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, New York City Hall, Columbia University, and Yale University. In April 2026, he attended the 56th Annual Earth Day Times Square Concert as a guest.
