77 Peace Stones, Rocks, Slabs & Cairns Around the World

See below for special section on "SunSweep" by David Barr.
See below for special section on Cairns of Peace erected during annual World Ploughing Matches.
Click here for Inuksuit (Arctic monuments). | Click here for Stonehenge monuments.

Right click image to enlarge.

Ancient - "Peace Rock," Monument Valley, Arizona? (USA). "The formation’s name comes from it’s unique shape, said to look like a peace sign. To me however, the entire Valley gives one a sense of inner peace & tranquility. If you ever get the chance, be sure to visit Monument Valley, and in the immortal words of hippies everywhere, 'Peace Out.'"

Ancient - Lion & Lamb Peak, Helm Crag, Grasmere, Cumbria, (England). "Two rock tors stand at either end of its summit ridge lending scope for tourist guides of former years to offer a plethora of descriptive names to entertain their passengers: Lion and Lamb, the Howitzer, Old Lady Playing an Organ. These tops are hard for the average hill-goer to climb..." Click here for lion and lamb monuments worldwide.

1814 - Peace Stone, Carfax, Oxford (England). Inscribed: "'PEACE was proclaim’d In the CITY of OXFORD JUNE 1814.' There is a more modern inscribed stone immediately below the peace stone, which adds no information whatsoever: 'THE STONE ABOVE COMMEMORATES THE PEACE OF 1814.' In 1814 this peace stone was set in the north side of the tower of the original [11th century] medieval Church of St. Martin at Carfax. This church was in the centre of the City of Oxford where four roads meet, and it was also the City Church."

1814 - Peace Stone, Plain Roundabout, Oxford (England). Now the pedestal of a street lamp. Inscribed "PEACE was proclaimed in the City of OXFORD JUNE 27 1814." The roundabout marked the eastern entrance to Oxford from the London direction in 1814 (St. Clement's was not taken into the city until 1835). Information courtesy of Stephanie Jenkins & Tim Myatt.

Date? - Pierre de Livingstone et Stanley / Livingstone-Stanley Monument, Mugere (Burundi). "12 km south of the capital Bujumbura, overlooking Lake Tanganyika. Marks location where explorer and missionary Dr David Livingstone & journalist & explorer Henry Morton Stanley visited & spent two nights on 25-27 November 1871."

After 1862 - Clara Barton Monument, Antietam National Battlefield, National Park Service (NPS), Sharpsburg, Maryland (USA). Barton treated wounded soldiers during the battle on September 17, 1862 (the bloodiest day in the history of US wars), and afterwards.

October 12, 1907 - George Fox Stone, opposite old Browne homestead, Bowne Avenue, Flushing, Queens Borough, New York, New York (USA). "A large granite monument...was dedicated yesterday to the memory of George Fox [1624-1691], the noted Quaker preacher. Members of the Flushing Historical Society and many Friends were present. The stone bears this inscription: 'Here stood the Fox Oaks, beneath whose branches George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, preached, June 7, 1672.'" Click here for a description of the historic neighborhood around the stone.

1915 - Peace Stone, Brömsebro, Kalmar County (Sweden). "The Treaty of Brömsebro (or the Peace of Brömsebro) was signed on August 13, 1645, thus ending the war between Sweden and Denmark-Norway." Not a runestone even if it looks like one. Text : "Minne af Freden i Brömsebro - de la Thuliere - Axel Oxenstierna - Corfitz Ulfeldt," in English "Memory of the peace in Brömsebro - de la Thuliere [an ambassador from France] - Axel Oxenstierna [representing Sweden] - Corfitz Ulfeldt [representing Denmark]."

1918 - Stonehenge, Maryhill, Washington (USA). "A full-size replica of Stonehenge (England) built on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River by Sam Hill [1857-1931], a road builder, as a memorial to those who died in World War I. Not completed until 1930. Hill was buried in 1931 at the base of the bluff, but, because he wished to be left alone, there is no easy path to his resting place. The project began when Hill was mistakenly informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site. He thus constructed his replica as a reminder that 'humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war.'" Hill also dedicated the Peace Arch (qv) on the US/Canadian border in 1921. Click here for other Stonehenge monuments.

C A I R N

1927 - Peace Hills Cairn, Highway 2A, Hobbema, near Wetaskiwin, Alberta (Canada). Commemorates the 1867 peace treaty with the Cree Indians. Wetaskiwin means "Peace Hills." Entry #1222 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

July 21, 1928 - William Ladd Boulder, Center Minot Congregational Church, Minot, Maine (USA). Monument created for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Peace Society & the 150th anniversary of William Ladd’s birth. Rests on granite from every state in New England, as well as stones from 14 other countries." Inscription on plaque: "In honor of William Ladd, the Apostle of Peace, born May 10, 1778, died April 7, 1841. Organizer and founder of the American Peace Society one hundred years ago. Citizen and resident of Minot, Maine, author of 'An Essay on a Congress of Nations' [1840], an outstanding contribution to world peace. This tablet erected July 21, 1928, in response to a joint resolution of the 83rd legislature of the State of Maine authorizing a commemoration of the memory and services of William Ladd. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God."

After 1931 - "Geographical Center of North America," Rugby, North Dakota (USA). "Shortly after the US Geological Survey determined in 1931 that a point near Rugby is the center of North America, two volunteers erected a 15-foot obelisk in town." /// "The USGS states that the geographic center of North America is '6 miles west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota' at approximately 48.167°N-100.167°W, approximately 15 miles (25 km) from Rugby & further states that 'No marked or monumented point has been established by any government agency as the geographic center of either the 50 States, the conterminous USA, or the North American continent.'" /// "The monument is easily missed, standing as it does in the parking lot of a cafe/gift shop (formerly a Conoco station). That's where it was moved when North Dakota widened Highway 2. Rugby isn't too particular about where, exactly, the center lies -- as long as it's somewhere in Rugby."

1932 - Cairn, International Peace Garden, Dunseith, North Dakota (USA) and Boissevain, Manitoba (Canada). Text of plaque: "To God in His Glory we two nations dedicate this garden and pledge to ourselves that as long as men live we will not take up arms agtins one another."

1934 - Mojave Memorial Cross, Sunrise Rock, Mojave National Preserve, California (USA). "Erected to honor Americans who died in World War I. Maintained by volunteers and was reconstructed after being destroyed. A park visitor sued in 2001. Boarded up [as shown in right image] after a federal judge ruled that it violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause because it conveyed “a message of endorsement of religion.” Congress passed a law that transferred the land under it to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who would maintain it. The same park visitor challenged the land transfer. A trial court ruled that it was invalid because it was simply an attempt by the government to keep the cross. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, agreed. But, on April 28, 2010, the US Supreme Court voted 5-4 (& issued six separate opinons) overturning the lower court & permitting the cross to remain.

1938 - Peace Cairn, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Scotland (UK). "Erected for the 1938 Empire Exhibition. Has numerous shaped blocks of stone within it, on which are engraved the names of the organisations & clans that attended the exhibition which were deeply concerned with the real possibility of war. The modern steel globe on top was added in July 2004 & features [the word] 'Peace' in different languages. It was designed by Elspeth Bennie, Ironhorse Studios, as part of the 'Grounds for Play' project."

VJ Day, 1945 - Fort William-Dudley Memorial & Peace Cairn, Summit of Ben Nevis, near Fort William, Scotland (UK). "At 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It attracts an estimated 100,000 ascents a year. The summit features the ruins of an observatory, which was permanently staffed between 1883 & 1904." /// "Immediately prior to the John Muir Trust's purchasing Ben Nevis [in 2000], the Peace cairn was relocated & restored by the Peace Cairn Trust. JMT recognises its symbolic value & its place in universal aspirations for world peace; however it is also a focal point attracting further unwanted plaques & memorials. Ideally the JMT believes that a more appropriate site for this structure would be in Glen Nevis, a location that would be accessible to everyone."" See Peace Cairn in Hiroshima (Japan) & 1985 Peace Bell in Fort Wiliam (Scotland).

2001 - Monument to Bert Bissell, Coronation Gardens, Priory Road, Dudley, Black Country (England). "Bert Bissell [1902-1998] was holder of the Methodist peace prize, president of Vicar Street Bible class in Dudley & founder of the Peace Cairn on Ben Nevis mountain [on VJ Day, 1945]."

September 8, 1945 - Peace Stone, Nether Kellet, Lancashire (England). Inscription: "This tribute to a lasting peace was planted by T.C. Butler-Cole, Esq of Tunstall House and Mrs S.T. Whalan of this village at the Nether Kellet peace celebrations on the 8th Sept 1945 to commemorate the cessation of hostilities in the 2nd World War 3rd Sept 1939 - 15 Aug 1945."

October 15, 1967 - Friedland Gedächnisstätte / All Nations Peace and Reconciliation Memorial, Above Friedland, District of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, (Germany). Note persons standing at the foot of the monument! Friedland is situated on the river Leine, approximately 13 km south of Göttingen. Its seat is in the village Groß Schneen.

August 2, 1972 - Peace Cairn, Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park, Hiroshima (Japan). Donated by the cities of Dudley (England) & Fort William (Scotland). Text of inscription: ""This particular stone was hewn from Britain's highest mountain BEN NEVIS FORT WILLIAM SCOTLAND, 2nd August 1972." Info from Pocket Peace Guide. See 1945 Peace Cairn on Ben Nevis & 1985 Peace Bell in Fort William.

1979 - Improved in 2015 - Peace Rock, Cowles Commons, Third & Locust Streets, Des Moines, Iowa (USA). Part of "Peace Garden" in 1980. Survived transition from Nollen Plaza to Cowles Commons in 2015. Inscribed "A Vision of Peace...May all who experience this garden be more loving, merciful and sharing." Benches with these 10 peace quotations were added in 2015: Helen Keller: “I do not want the peace that passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.” John Lennon: “All we are saying is give peace a chance.” Dorothy Day: “No one has a right to sit down and feel helpless, there’s too much to do.” Chief Seattle: “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it, whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” Martin Luther King, Jr.: “True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice.” Mother Theresa “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Albert Einstein: “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” Walt Whitman: “Peace is always beautiful.” Marlia (eighth grade): “If I could have three wishes, world peace would be all three.” Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

1981 - Temple of Tolerance, 203 South Wood Street, Wapakoneta, Ohio (USA). "I've seen many amazing visionary art sites, but none quite like the one James R. (Jim) Bowsher has created. His home is an incredible museum -- a Grand Central Terminal for the Underground Railroad, an invisible library of unwritten books on Freemasons, Harry Houdini & and Neil Armstrong. Over several backyards are massive glacial boulders forming the central monument dedicated to tolerance, a stage for summer music performances, a Vietnam War memorial, and a Tree of Life. Throughout the grounds you'll also find the archeology of good and evil -- Boundary markers from a Shawnee Indian reservation, slab steps from a Klan meetinghouse, stone dragons from Ireland, fragments from the first baseball park in Cincinnati, even a marble countertop from a bank that John Dillinger robbed. Perhaps more than anything, the Temple stands to remind us, as well as future generations, to have compassion for others as we continue to explore our dreams, follow our spirit, and search for answers in the hope of scaling new heights." [Cathy J. Schreima, Wapakoneta Evening Ledger, April 7, 2001.] /// Bowsher's temple is further described & illustrated on NarrowLarry's World of the Outstanding & RareVisions Road Trip.com. For YouTube videos of the temple, click here for 11 minutes on a sunny day, and click here for 5 minutes in the snow. Also click to see Bowsher explaining why he believes in innate goodness and telling the story of rivets.

1985 - Peace Bell, Fort William (Scotland). "Celebrates the bond of friendship between Dudley (England), Hiroshima (Japan) & Fort William (Scotland). Also commemorates the [1945] international peace cairn [qv] on the summit of Ben Nevis. One of the main forces behind this was Bert Bissell, M.B.E. [1902-1998], from Dudley in the West Midlands. The inscription reads 'May we all work together for peace and goodwill and live together as one great family.' The bell came from the old town hall, and the granite plinth came from parts of the old fort at Fort William." /// See 1945 Peace Cairn on Ben Nevis (Scotland) & 1972 Peace Cairn in Hiroshima (Japan).

1987 - Monument to Disarmament, Work & Peace, University for Peace (UPAZ / UPEACE), Ciudad Colón, 30 kms southwest of San Jose (Costa Rica). By Cuban artist Thelvia Marín. Honors Costa Ricans who have made outstanding efforts in building and maintaining peace. "World's largest peace monument."

October 17, 1987 - Commemorative Stone, Place des Droits de l'Homme, Palais de Challot, Trocadero, Paris (France). "In response to the call of Joseph Wresinski [1917-1988] - founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World - 100,000 defenders of human rights gathered in Paris to honour the victims of hunger, violence & ignorance, to express their refusal of extreme poverty & to call on people from all walks of life to unite to ensure respect for human rights. A commemorative stone proclaiming this message was inaugurated on this occasion on the Plaza of Human Rights and Liberties - where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948. Since then, on the 17th of October each year, people from all walks of life, gather throughout the world to express their solidarity & commitment to ensure that everyone's dignity & freedom are respected. On 22nd of December 1992, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 17th October the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. There are now over 30 replicas of the original stone now located around the world [where?!]. These sites have become places of honour for people living in poverty in the world, places where people gather to reject the inevitability of poverty & social exclusion & places of friendship & solidarity where people from all backgrounds can gather together.

1988 - Memorial Stone, Riga (Latvia). "The Great Choral Synagogue in German occupied Riga was burnt on July 4, 1938, with 300 Jews locked in the basement. The memorial stone was place a few feet from the burned foundation in 1988." /// NB: This information from the San Antonio Peace Center is seemingly inconsistent with the Wikipedia article linked above.

1989 - Eliza Evans Baker Peace Chapel, Baker-Henry Nature Preserve near Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania (USA). Designed by Maya Lin. Image shows setting sun. Eliza Evans Baker was a peace educator. Juniata College has the Baker Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies (PACS). Entry #869 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

S T O N E

August 12, 1989 – Red Cross Memorial Stone, Dybbøl (Denmark). Commemorates the first use of the Red Cross symbol in an armed conflict during the Battle of Dybbøl in 1864. Jointly erected in 1989 by the national Red Cross societies of Denmark and Germany.

S T O N E

October 15, 1989 - Peace Stone, St. John's College, Camperdown, New South Wales (Australia). "Gift from the Japanese organization Shuyodan Hoseikai / Association for Self-cultivation and Sincerity. Each Peace Stone is a piece of natural rock about two metres high, engraved with Kanji characters. The Stone at St John's is inscribed with a poem of eight characters by famous calligrapher and Buddhist monk Shunkai Bundo [1878-1970]. It translates, "Four Seas are Brothers and Sisters. All nations are in peace."

S T O N E

May 29, 1990 - Rauhanturvaajien muistomerkki / Memorial to the Peacekeepers, Hietaniemi graveyard, Helsinki (Finland). "Acknowledges the 45 Finns who died during the first 50 years of peacekeeping missions. The first peacekeeping mission in which Finnish peacekeepers participated took place in Suez, Egypt, in 1956. The Finnish contribution proved to be of high significance. There are three elements to the work of sculptor Matti Peltokangas: a rock, a stone vase or vessel and an engraved stone which reflect notions of peacekeeping. The rock represents Finnishness, safety & stability. The vase, or vessel, reflects introspection and inner thought that is so valuable to peacekeeping."

S T O N E

1990 - Rauhanpaasi / Peace Slab, Kivikko-Koillis, Helsinki (Finland). "Peace Slab was first given life in the square next to the Vanha University building, or Potato Market, as part of the European Nuclear Disarmament convention happenings of 1990. The general public was involved with the artists in deciding on the nature of the work. After the convention the commissioners of the work, Helsingin ylioppilaskunta (transl. The Student Union), donated Peace Slab to the City of Helsinki." By Kenichi Hiratsuka.

S T O N E

October 30, 1990 - Memorial to the Victims of the Gulag, Lubyanka Square, Moscow (Russia). "Through the efforts of the "Memorial" society, the memorial (a simple stone from the Solovetskiy penal colony, Solovki) was erected near the KGB headquarters beside the Iron Felix. (The latter was removed in August 1991 - image at far right.) The efforts of Memorial were behind the Law on Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression, which was passed in 1991. In 1991 Memorial also contributed to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR officially making October 30 a Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression."

Date? - Japanese Peace Memorial, Honiara, Mount Austin, Guadalcanal Island (Solomon Islands). "With it's four white monoliths, offers panoramic views of the capital, Iron Bottom Sound and the Florida Islands."

January 15, 1991 - Peace Monument, Harrison County Courthouse, Corydon, Indiana (USA). Inscription: "Dedicated to the Peaceful Resolution of Conflict. Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone, it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower." Dedicated on MLK, Jr.'s birthday.

1993 - Peace Cairn, Rossnowlagh, County Donegal (Ireland). "Intended to satisfy two distinct though parallel functions. The physical action of placing an object in memoriam is both simple & familiar. Whenever there is an unusual loss of life, we are accustomed to the sight of people placing flowers on the spot, often forming a significant mound. The image is potent but transient; hence the second function. The cairn remains on the site in a permanent state of change. In its permanence, it reminds the visitor to think of peace & consider whether there is anything they can do to help to bring it about. In its constant state of change, it is a reminder that 'peace' is not something which comes about & then remains so forever but the first step in an ongoing commitment to maintenance & continuing effort. The activity symbolises many things on many levels. On one level, it represents the laying down of primitive weapons - turning them into building blocks of a better future... The Peace Cairn represents a burial place for enmity & violence. It is simultaneously a memorial to those lost to violence & an aspiration for peace in the future." /// Rossnowlagh is a seaside resort & surfing beach.

May 15, 1994 - Peace Stone, Tavistock Square, London (England). Solid rock of grey Cumbrian slate. Next to Gandhi statue (qv). Dedicated on Conscientious Objectors Day. Plaque: "To all those who have established and are maintaining the right to refuse to kill." "Only pacifist memorial in London." One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. Named in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 249.

1994 - Peace Thrones, below Sauder Visual Arts Center near Riley Creek, Bluffton University, Bluffton, Ohio (USA). Created by B. Amore & Woody Dorsey. Stone seats for conversation or meditation. "Based on legends found in many cultures, the three large granite rocks create a neutral space to foster dialogue and listening in an effort to resolve conflict through dialogue without resorting to violence." Image scanned from university brochure.

1994 - Memorial Stone to Unknown Civilians Killed in War, Peace Abbey, Sherborn, Massachusetts (USA). 1400 pound granite stone. Only memorial to civilian war dead in the US. Traveled through 81 cities in 1999 to Arlington National Cemetery, but authorities would not allow its placement there. A second stone travels throughout the world Stonewalk). Entry #470 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

1997 - Memorial of Jimi Hendrix Flügge/Fehmarn, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany). About 2.5 m high memorial of red granite. Erected on the site of the stage for the Love-and-Peace-Festival & last performance of Jimi Hendrix [1942-1970]. Inscribed "Jimi Hendrix - Fehmarn - Love and Peace Festival - 4.-6 Sept. 1970."

Date? - Stones from Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Peace Garden (qv), Lyndale Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA). Granite peace stones found near Ground Zero of the 1945 atomic bomb blasts. The Hiroshima stone was part of a bridge balustrade, and the Nagasaki stone was once part of a sidewalk. Minneapolis is the only city in the US that has received such gifts from the citizens of both Japanese cities. Entry #523 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

1998 - Peace Rock, yard of Dick Bennett, Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA). Sculpted by Hank Kaminsky. About 4-feet wideColombia between February 21–22, 2005." /// "Founded by displaced people, the Community itself was displaced last year [2005] when the government installed a police post inside Community grounds - against the Community's wishes & its internal rules that prohibit the carrying of weapons or cooperation with any armed actor." /// "When we had to leave the Community last year [2005], we had to leave the monument... This April [2006], the police destroyed the monument in full view of members of the Community. That tells us that they do not want to have any communication with the Community, and that they don't want us to have our memory - they want to take everything away."

1998-April 2006 - Monumento de la Memoria, Comunidad de Paz, San José de Apartadó, Uraba (Colombia). "The Community was established on Palm Sunday, March 1997, the villagers declaring themselves neutral in the Colombian armed conflict." /// "In 1998, we constructed a monument to our assassinated members, built of painted stones with the names of those murdered." /// "The San José de Apartadó massacre was a massacre of five men & three children perpetrated by members of the Military of Colombia and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia between February 21–22, 2005." /// "Founded by displaced people, the Community itself was displaced last year [2005] when the government installed a police post inside Community grounds - against the Community's wishes & its internal rules that prohibit the carrying of weapons or cooperation with any armed actor." /// "When we had to leave the Community last year [2005], we had to leave the monument... This April [2006], the police destroyed the monument in full view of members of the Community. That tells us that they do not want to have any communication with the Community, and that they don't want us to have our memory - they want to take everything away."

Global Stone Project, Tiergarten Park, Berlin (Germany). Near the Goethe Denkmal & the Löwengruppe / Lions’ Group in the SE corner of Tiergarten park. Five stones, each weighing between 10 and 40 tons and corresponding to a “sister stone” on one of the five continents. The pairs of stones represent the five steps towards peace. Once a year on 21st June the light of the sun connects all ten [sic] stones by reflection. Wolfgang von Schwarzenfeld, sculptor & around the world navigator, began the Global Stone Project in 1997 in Venezuela.

February 1999 - America (Liebe/Love). 1st of 5 stones. Resembles a whale. From Gran Sabana National Park (Venezuela). Image by EWL 7Sep13.

January 4, 2001 - Australia (Frieden/Peace). 2nd of 5 stones. From Mount Magnet sheep station (Australia).

April 25, 2007 - Europe (Erwachen/Awakening). 3rd of 5 stones. From Ekaterinen (Russia).

December 3, 2007 - Africa (Hoffnung/Hope). 4th of 5 stones. From Bertanie Quarry (South Africa). Placed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Date? - Asia (Vergebung/Forgiveness). 5th of 5 stones. From where?

2000 - Peace Rock Garden, Peace Garden (qv), Lyndale Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA). "Hardy alpine plants and dwarf conifers are featured here. This garden was redesigned and rebuilt by artist Betty Ann Addison between the years of 1983 and 2000." Entry #523 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

July 4, 2000 - "Cairn: A Monolith for Peace in the 21st Century," Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio (USA). Sylvania is a suburb of Toledo on the Michigan border.

2001 - Reconciliation Place, Parliamentary Triangle , Canberrra, Australian Capital Territory (Australia). "An urban landscape design established as a monument to reconciliation between Australia’s Indigenous people and settler population."

2003 - Worlds Children Peace Monument (WCPM), Coe Lake Park, Berea, Ohio. "Designed at the ARK in Berea as a project of the International Center for Environmental Arts (ICEA)... Will become the largest art work dedicated to a sustainable Culture of Peace as Peace Stones are added annualy to cities around the World. Officially inaugurated in 2003 at the 3rd World Peace Conference, Children of the Earth, in Verbania, Lago Maggiore, Italy, by American Cultural Ambassadors David and Renate Jakupca, where they received an Italian Medal of Arts."

July 2004 - Peace Cairn, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Scotland (UK). "Cairn erected for the 1938 Empire Exhibition. Has numerous shaped blocks of stone within it, on which are engraved the names of the organisations & clans that attended the exhibition which were deeply concerned with the real possibility of war. The modern steel globe on top was added in July 2004 & features [the word] 'Peace' in different languages. It was designed by Elspeth Bennie, Ironhorse Studios, as part of the 'Grounds for Play' project."

S T O N E

May 5, 2005 - Holocaust Memorial, West Hills/John Bynon Park, Knoxville, Tennessee (USA). Sandstone monolith inscribed: "REMEMBER. This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the six million Jews and all others who perished in World War II during the Holocaust, 1939-1945, millions of whom were deliberately and systematically selected, transported and put in death camps by the Nazis and their allies. It will remind us to oppose evil wherever it exists. Honored here also are the brave servicemen who liberated those camps and lovingly cared for the survivors. Never forget... May 5, 2005" /// "The 14-acre park has baseball/softball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, several picnic shelters/gazebos & picnic tables. The park also features a Holocaust Memorial & access to the Jean Teague Greenway. It is adjacent to the West Hills YMCA & West Hills Elementary School."

May 2005 - Peace sign, Bird Rock, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, San Diego, California (USA). "The decoration on the rock keeps changing. I'm not sure who does this...or how they do it."

2006? - "Rock of Peace" & Cairn, Bumla Pass, Tawang Lhasa Highway, between Arunachal Pradesh (India) & Tibet (China). At remote outpost on the disputed border (McMahon Line) north of Tawang Monastery. "A tin board hung over the place aptly reads, 'Heap of stones for Sino-Indian friendship.' Another signpost nearby hails India & China as 'two old neighbouring civilisations.'" "In 2006 Bumla pass in Tawang was opened to traders for the first time in 44 years. Traders from both sides of the pass were permitted to enter each other's territories, in addition to postal workers from each country." "The jawans (soldiers of the Indian army) at the outpost treat everybody passing through with tea."

Autumn 2007 - Carn Heddwch / Peace Cairn, Mynydd Llanfihangel, Rhos y Corn (Wales). "Has the word 'peace' carved in four languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew & Welsh on different sides. The children of Brechfa school placed a time capsule in its center during its construction. This is "Monday's Monument" #134.

October 17, 2008 - World Poverty Stone, Custom House Quay, Docklands, Dublin (Ireland). East of the Famine Sculptures (qv). "Marks the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of World Poverty. This limestone memorial was commissioned as a gesture of solidarity with people living in poverty around the world." Related to the original 1987 Commemorative Stone at the Palais de Challot (qv) in Paris (France). This is "Monday's Monument" #98.

March 17, 2010 - "Baggage," scattered throughout Leiden (Netherlands). "Six vintage suitcases carved from different rock types... Erected in memory of the Jewish fellow citizens who were killed during World War II. Maker is the Dutch-Israeli artist Ram Katzir. On March 17, 1943 in Leiden & surroundings a raid took place in which all Jews who were not in hiding were arrested & deported. 270 of them were killed in the concentration & extermination camps... By whom are these different suitcases left behind? The two side by side in the Zonneveldstraat forgotten by a mother & child? What stories hides the elegant suitcase at the Vliet? And what happened to the young owner of the basalt suitcase at the Roodenburgstraat? The apparently casually placed suitcases are in fact an anti-monument, with absence in the leading role. The title refers literally to what each of us takes in life, but also what we leave behind. Luggage is an intimate monument which will start the dialogue. And will stimulate young & old thinking about the consequences of exclusion by people from one another. /// Information courtesy of Marten van Harten 04Jan2016.

May 25, 2010 - Hiroshima Stone of Peace, Riga Castle, Riga (Latvia). "A granite plaque made of one of the tram track paving stones that was at ground zero on the day when an atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima. Shows a goddess in prayer & has the text 'From Hiroshima.' Attached to a large field stone from Latvia. Will be temporary installed in the garden of the Riga Castle until the Garden of Destiny is finished & the stone is moved there. President Valdis Zatlers received the stone from the Hiroshima Stone of Peace Association (HSPA) which has presented the stone to more than 100 heads of state & government in the world, but this is the first ti the Stone of Peace is being presented -->in the Baltic States. The HSPA was established in 1991 to promote peace in the world. Its aim is to present a stone to a head of state or government in every country in the world. A Japanese news agency, Kyodo News, has served as the secretariat for the HSPA ever since its establishment 19 years ago."

July 25, 2010 - Hiroshima-Platz, Truman House, Potsdam (Germany). "During the Potsdam conference (July 17-August 2, 1945), Predident Truman signed an order on July 25 to drop atomic bombs on Japan, an act ushering in a world with nuclear weapons. The villa where Truman stayed during the Potsdam Conference remains as 'Truman House.' Five years ago the city parliament of Potsdam decided to name the grass field in front of the villa Hiroshima-Platz. Makoto Fujiwara, a Japanese sculptor based in Norway, made the memorial using stones from Hiroshima tram line and a stone from Sannou Shrine in Nagasaki, which is famous for the one-pillared torii gate representing the destruction of the city's atomic bombing. There is a short inscription on the memorial, saying that the order to drop the atomic bombs was given in Potsdam and that the bombs brought death and dreadful suffering to hundreds of thousands of people. The memorial also expresses hope for a world free of nuclear weapons. Though called a platz (plaza), the area is actually a quiet grass field surrounded by a forest."

October 16, 2011 - Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial, 4-acre site on the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC (USA). Designed by Roma Design Group, San Francisco, California (USA). A project of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. Ceremonial groundbreaking took place November 13, 2006, in West Potomac Park. Opened to the public on August 22, 2011. The official dedication was scheduled for August 28, 2011, but had to be postponed due to Hurricane Irene. Click here for the Wikipedia article.

August 2011 - Statue of Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington, DC (USA). NYTimes, May 18, 2008: "Twenty-eight feet tall & carved from Chinese granite, the statue [sculpted by Lei Yixin] could resist almost any attack but the one that came recently from the panel whose approval it needs to proceed. The US Commission of Fine Arts, which must sign off on every inch of the $100 million memorial, from typeface to tree variety to color scheme, said in a letter that 'the colossal scale & Social Realist style of the proposed sculpture recalls a genre of political sculpture that has recently been pulled down in other countries.'"

"I was a drum major for peace, justice and righteousness." "Renowned poet Maya Angelou told The Washington Post, 'The quote makes MLK look like an arrogant twit. The full quote is "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter." Angelou says not only did the memorial officials remove the 'if you want to say' part, but they condensed the entire quote, which is not what the historians charged with choosing which quote should be on the memorial had in mind, as they chose the quote in its entirety."

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Date? - Te Ahi Ka Roa, Queen Elizabeth II Square, Auckland (New Zealand). "Represents continued tribal occupation, possession & guardianship of lands, waterways & taongta by Ngati Whatua ki Tamaki & their responsibility as the host tribe to care for visitors & the environment. #15 on the "Auckland Peace Heritage Walk." The Customs Street edge of QEII Square is the scene of a Palestinian human rights protest every first Saturday of the month from 2:00 pm." Image & information 20Oct12 courtesy of Margaret Thomson, Denedin (NZ).

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October 21, 2012 - Jerusalem-Friedensstein/Jerusalem Rock of Peace, Bensheim-Hochstädten, near Frankfurt (Germany). "On the European long-distance hiking trail high above E8 cities." Inscribed "Wo sich Staub zu Licht wandelt"/"Where dust to light converts." /// "'Jerusalem is everywhere where there is beauty. And now Jerusalem is also in Bensheim near Frankfurt.'" - this is the message that the Frankfurt Rabbi Andrew Steiman conveyed in his greeting at the inauguration of the Rock of Peace. But Jerusalem did not stay in Bensheim for long. Only nine days after the inauguration, the Jerusalem Rock of Peace was desecrated. Thomas Zieringer, the initiator of the monument, said that this site also stood for the idea that remembrance should not be reserved for the past, but should signify that we are moving forward into a new concord in peace. The intention had been to build a monument for peace that links the idea of outer peace with that of inner peace."

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Future - "12 Stones Peace Monument," Springfield, Massachusetts (USA). "America has always wanted peace, yet its history is marred by war. It has become a warrior culture marked by battlefields & war memorials, on town commons, to those who have served & died for our country. After nearly three centuries of war 12 Stones Peace Monument memorializes what thousands have died for: a lasting peace."

Cairns of Peace erected during annual World Ploughing Matches:

"The Cairn of Peace was originally introduced at the first world ploughing championships in 1952. The theme then “Let Peace Cultivate the Land.” The Cairn incorporates stones from each participating country. Each country send a piece of stone inscribed in their native language for inclusion in the Cairn. It represents the ethos of peace between all nations for the duration of the sporting competition." Click here to see the venues of past world ploughing champtionships & many of the annual cairns of pece.

September 12, 1955 - Cairn of Peace & Golden Plough, Elgin & Burnham Streets, Cobourg, Ontario (Canada). "Stands on the Northumberland County property. A symbol of peace & unity for world peace." Plaque reads: "This Cairn of Peace And The Golden Plough Honours The First World Ploughing Match Held Here October 8-9, 1953. Similar Cairns are Reaching Across the World That Man May use the Plough To Cultivate Peace and Plenty." // Right image by EWL 10Aug2012.

1957 - Peebles, Ohio (USA).

1963? - Peace Cairn, Caledon, Regional Municipality of Peel, Ontario (Canada). Near Toronto. Commemorates the World Ploughing Championship held here in 1963.

September 30, 1971 - Cairn of Peace, Nynehead (England). "The World Ploughing Contest has been held in England on four occasions in its 50-odd year history, and this commemorates the 1971 competition, held here from 30th September to 2nd October. Unfortunately, the British Ploughing Association 'foundered financially after holding' the contest http://www.ploughmen.co.uk/history.htm but was replaced by the Society of Ploughmen, and the British National championships were again held here in 1995."

February 29, 1972 - Cairn of Peace, Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) headquarters, Jamhuri Park, Harambee & Ukulima Avenues, Nairobi (Kenya). By Nanjinia Wamuswa, 13 November 2013: "ASK's Abandoned Peace Monument -- As the 920,000 visitors who attended this year’s Nairobi International Trade Fair, held last month, moved from one stand to another, few recognised the presence of an important historical monument within the show grounds: Cairn of Peace. // Yet, the Cairn of Peace foundation stone is one of the historical and great features that stand out... //The foundation stone has a shiny plaque that reads: 'The Agricultural Society of Kenya, Cairn of Peace, unveiled by H.E. the President of Kenya, Hon Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, CGH MP, [c1889-1978] on 29th February 1972.' // During the unveiling by the country’s founding father who was also the patron of the ASK, the society was hosting the All African Trade Fair, attended by various heads of state. According to ASK Nairobi branch chairlady Halima Shaiyah, the leaders resolved to not only launch a peace initiative but also maintain and preach peace in the region and across the world. // It is then that they unveiled the Cairn of Peace, and all the states that participated put a tag bearing the name of their country on the foundation stone. // “At this time, there were differences among several countries, leading to poor relations. That is why it was important for the heads of state to vow to start, maintain and spread peace in the world,” says Shaiyah. // Today, the foundation stone shows tags of different countries that initially participated during the exhibition such as Spain, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zaire, Romania, Italy, Polsk, Belgium, Egypt, Turkey, Barbados, Paraguay, France, Guyana, Russia, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica and others written in Arabic. [Also Canada, USA, CCCP & _____.] // Shaiyah reveals that there were plans to start similar cairn of peace in other nations, but it is not clear whether they did or not. However, things went awry along the way and the foundation stone was abandoned. Although a number of foreign countries have been participating in the past exhibition, they have not put tags on the foundation stone. // Up to a few years ago, the Cairn of Peace had lost meaning. At one time, it was very bushy. To date, the foundation stone, that sits on a 16-acre of land and is about 1.6 metres tall, is yet to regain its lost glory."

September 23, 1975 - Cairn of Peace, Durham Region Courthouse, Rossland Road, Ontario (Canada). "Black and white negative showing the Cairn of Peace that was constructed for the World Plowing Match that took place in Oshawa and Whitby in 1975. The builders of the Cairn of Peace are pictured here. Left to right: Douglas Tidman, Walter Schleiss. Following the World Plowing Match in 1975, the Cairn of Peace was moved to the Durham Region Courthouse."

2008 - "Bury the Hatchet" Stone, Main Plaza - Plaza de las Islas, Bexar County Courthouse, San Antonio, Texas (USA). - Note by Susan Ives, Dec. 27, 2013: "On Christmas day we came across this engraved stone embedded in the pavement in front of the courthouse. It says: '[The Hatchet Buried - Likewise a Horse - August 15, 1745. Captain Toribio de Urrutia and Fray Santa Ana now determined to do their best to establish a permanent and lasting peace with the Apache nation... This was a great day for San Antonio. After thirty years of depredations, the harassed settlement was about to secure, as was thought, a lasting peace. Early in the morning the plaza began to fill with an eager throng... First, a great hole was dug in the center of the plaza, and in this were placed a live horse, a hatchet, a lance, and six arrows, all instruments of war. Then Captain Urrutia and the four chiefs, joining hands, danced three times around the hole, the Indians afterwards doing the same with the priests and the citizens. When this ceremony was concluded, all retired to their respective places. Then, upon a given signal, all rushed to the hole and rapidly buried the live horse, together with the weapons, thus signifying the end of war...' /// The stone is one of 30 embedded in the Plaza when it was revitalized in 2008. Never noticed it before. Now I’m all for 'burying the hatchet.' An American idiom, it means putting aside one’s grudges & making peace. As we approach a new year forgiveness is on my mind — a chance to reconcile broken relationships. So I mulled over the words on the plaque... The first thing that struck me was that it was only Apache weapons of war that were buried. I didn’t see any canons or muskets, weapons of choice of the Spanish conquerors. And I was skeptical about the happily-ever-after ending as well. The end of war? So I did a little research... /// According to the Texas Historical Commission: 'August 19: On this day in 1749, four Apache chiefs, accompanied by numerous followers, buried a hatchet along with other weapons in a peace ceremony in San Antonio. The ceremony signified the Apaches’ acceptance of Christian conversion in exchange for Spanish protection from Comanche raids, which had decimated the Apache population. Five years later [i.e. in 1754] Giraldo de Terreros [1699-1758] established San Lorenzo, the first formal mission for the Texas Apaches, in the jurisdiction of San Juan Bautista in Mexico. When the Apaches revolted & abandoned the mission less than a year later, the missionaries argued in favor of a new mission closer to Apache territory. Construction of the ill-fated mission of Santa Cruz de San Sabá, in the heart of Apachería, began in April 1757; on March 16 of the following year, a party of 2,000 Comanche & allied Indians killed eight of the inhabitants and burned the mission buildings.' This is a different story. Far from being an reconciliation among equals, this version paints the 'burying of the hatchet' as the subjugation of the Apaches. They sacrificed their freedom, their faith & their way of life in exchange for the Spanish protection from a mutual enemy. And it didn’t work. A year later they were at it again, a conflict that did not resolve itself for more than a hundred years. There is a lesson here, although I need to think a bit more before I know what it is. What do you think? Can you recall any recent events that follow this pattern of forced conversion in exchange for protection?" /// PS: Urrutia is a town in the Basque part of Spain, and many Spainards in the new world were named for the town. /// Information courtesy of Susan Ives.

1991? - Cairn of Peace, near Limavady, County Londonderry (Northern Ireland). Commemorates the World Ploughing Championship held here in 1991.

2010 - Methven (New Zealand). Cairn of Peace.

July 13, 2013 - Cairn of Place, Olds College, Olds, Alberta (Canada). "2013 Cairn of Peace Under Construction - Posted on May 31, 2013 by kerry - With the leadership of Lynn McDonald, the 2013 Cairn of Peace is under construction. The design was prepared by three Olds College, Bachelor of Applied Science students. The 2013 Cairn of Peace and Landscape Design for the 60th World Plowing Championship, has been created in a way that is intended to convey uniqueness and originality. Environmental sustainability was a distinct theme. The student team chose to express this through the 'living art' element of the Cairn, and use of native plants in the landscape design."

"SunSweep" by David Barr:

Three stone monuments spanning 2,778 miles of the international border between the US & Canada. | Click here for website of sculptor David Barr.

1985 - Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts, Washington (USA). In US but accessible by road only from Canada. Entry #1049 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

1985 - American Point Island, Lake-of-the-Woods, Minnesota (USA). In lake between the two nations and acessible only by water. Entry #512 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

1985 - Roosevelt Campobello International Park, Weshpool, New Brunswick (Canada). In Canada but accesible only by road from the US. Entry #1265 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).