50 Peace Monuments Dedicated in 2013

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January 11, 2013 - Bab al-Shams/“Gate of the Sun,” E1/Mevaseret Adumim (Occupied West Bank). Palestinian protest camp. "The Palestinians claim E1, just east of Jerusalem, as part of a future state. The protest comes six weeks after Israel announced that it was moving forward with plans for thousands of settlement homes in E1, stirring international outrage.. 'We are here as a response to the [Israeli] settlers & to the Israeli policy of settlement expansion,' said Muhammad Khatib, a veteran member of the grass-roots Palestinian Popular Struggle Coordination Committee & a resident of Bilin."

February 26, 2013 - "Unsere Waffen töten / Our Weapons Kill," Berlin (Germany). By Pax Christi & other peace groups. "The federal government does not deserve the peace symbol of the knotted gun, because the truth does not twist: Germany is the world's third largest arms dealer. The campaign 'Action outcry - Stop the arms trade' has given today in Berlin 'Our weapons kill' the morning of the federal government for its dubious merits in the defense export the sculpture. It represents an unknotted replica of the famous peace symbol of the knotted gun ...donated by the Federal Government in recognition of their non-participation in the Iraq war... An unknotted gun we give this government. 'Our weapons kill' below it, for violence comes from Germany, for the sake of the love of money, "the Franciscan brother Jürgen Neitzert said at the unveiling of the sculpture..." [Google translation]

2005 - "Non-Violence" by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, Parc des Bundeskanzleramt / Park of the Federal Chancellery, Berlin (Germany). Click here for similar monuments in France, Luxembourg, South Africa, Sweden, Switerland, UK & USA.

February 27, 2013 - Seated Statue of Rosa Parks, Statuary Hall, US Capitol, Washington, DC (USA). "Depicts her waiting to be arrested on Dec. 1, 1955, after she refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on a crowded segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She is seated, dressed in a heavy wool coat and clutching her purse as she looks out of an unseen window waiting for the police...The statue was the first commissioned by Congress in 140 years. It was designed by Robert Firmin & sculptured by Eugene Daub." Dedicated by President Barak Obama & congressional leadership (despite their bitter impasse on US budget & deficit).

March 9, 2013 - Peace Dove, Dubai (United Arab Emirates). " Biggest peace dove: Dubai breaks Guinness world record. A 19x19-metre white peace dove, made of 1.2 million buttons in the colours of the UAE flag was completed in Dubai; it was sponsored by Emaar Properties & is spearheaded by Iraqi extreme sportsman Captain Fareed Lafta, 33, a goodwill ambassador & peace-campaigner who roped in Dubai's school children from March 2 to build the dove over seven days, the work sets the new world record for the Biggest peace dove, according to the World Record Academy.

March 20, 2013 - "Tree of Life" & "Kaan," Freedom Park, North Avenue & Oakdale Road, Atlanta, Georgia (USA). "Three sculptures by Mexican artist Yvonne Domenge. These sculptures are intended to be viewed together as a group and were originally components of Interconnected, a major outdoor solo exhibition during 2010-2012 at the Boeing Gallery in Millennium Park, Chicago. In 2012, the artist, with the assistance of curators and directors at Millennium Park, donated each of the Interconnected artworks to competing cities across the United States... The tree of life is a symbol of the connection between the underworld, the sky & the terrestrial world in pre-Columbian cultures. The tree symbolizes life's energy, and the seeds scattered beneath represent the beauty and fragility of new life."

March 20, 2013 - Tree, Home of Israeli President Shimon Perez, Jerusalem (Israel). US Presdent Barack Obama planted a tree (magnolia?) from the USA as a symbol of US-Israeli friendship.

March 25, 2013 - Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, Eastern Shore, Maryland (USA). Established by proclamation signed by President Barack Obama. Image shows Harriet Tubman historical marker at Brodess Farm near Cambridge, Maryland (incorporatred into the new National Monument).

M U S E U M

April 7, 2013 - U Thant House & Museum, 31 Windermere Crescent (or Panwa Road), Yangon (Myanmar). Unintentional monument constructed in 1920's. Museum (announced during a ceremony on April 8, 2013) will occupy two-story villa which was the residence of U Thant [1909-1974] in 1951-1957 when he was top advisor to the Prime Minister. Now being renovated by Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT), a NGO founded by grandson Dr. Thant Myint-U. HOUSES MUSEUMS MYANMAR UN

April 2013 - Museum of History of Polish Jews / Muzeum Historii Zydow Polskich, Warsaw (Poland). On the site of the Warsaw Ghetto. Cornerstone laid in 2007. Will feature multimedia exhibits on the vibrant Jewish community that flourished in Poland for a thousand years.The building, a modern structure in glass & limestone, was designed by Finnish architects Rainer Mahlamäki & Ilmari Lahdelma.

April 2013 - Statue of Liberty, Havan Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso (Brazil). "...came to Mato Grosso after a week of traveling...The sculpture is a gift to the city & its residents. Several cities in different countries have lifted copies of the Statue of Liberty & now came the turn of Mato Grosso to have this beautiful monument. The Havan adopted the Statue of Liberty as one of its symbols since 1996, with the implementation of the monument in Brusque. It was a marketing strategy, coupled with another American symbol adopted by the company in its facade - the White House. The intention was to create a milestone in the minds of visitors, linked to the proposed department store, which is the freedom of shopping, affordable & choice." [Google translation]

April 21, 2013 - Peace Statue, Peace Park, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Ragle Road, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California (USA). "A special statue to peace will be dedicated & local students will perform a special Peace Poem to honor the art work. The statue was carved from an old chestnut tree at the heart of Peace Park thought to be dying, but it struggled to live although it left a blasted section which sculptor Takayuki Zoshi carved into a mother & child to honor the life force within the Peace Tree."

P A R K

April 27, 2013 - Nobel Peace Park, Alton Baker Park (at the base of the DeFazio Footbridge & near the Ferry Street Bridge), Eugene, Oregon (USA). "Will consist of a Peace Path and an information kiosk at the entrance to the path. A stone wall will border the winding path and plaques on pillars alongside the path will acknowledge each American winner of the Nobel Peace Prize." /// "The first [peace park] in the nation to focus on the inspirational deeds of the nation's internationally recognized peacemakers."-- John Attig, President, Nobel Peace Laureate Project, February 5, 2012. /// "The park will have plaques honoring the 24 Americans who have won the peace award since the Nobel Prize was first awarded in 1901. Linus Pauling [1901-1994], a native Oregonian, won the peace prize in 1962, while President Barack Obama was the most recent US winner in 2009."

May 4, 2013 - "May 4 Visitors Center," Taylor Hall, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio (USA). "Provides students & the public opportunity to reflect on the facts of what happened May 4, 1970, and the meaning of the event for today's citizens. The $1.1 million dollar Center is located on campus & was designated as part of a National Historical Places site in 2010 [sic]." Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen 17Oct13.

May 5, 2013 - "Let's Roll," Village of Ossining, New York (USA). Peace symbol created from "stainless steel, plate, shaft and gear" by sculptor Jim Havens of Gibsonburg, Ohio. One of 25 sculptures erected for Ossining's bicentennial celebration & one of only three slected for permanent display. Information courtesy of Karen & Jim Havens.

B E N C H

May 29, 2013 - Peace Bench, Carnegieplein / Carnegie Square, The Hague (Netherlands). "Deputy Mayor Marjolein de Jong (Culture, City Centre and International Affairs) & Steven van Hoogstraten, general director of the Carnegie Foundation, released doves on 29 May to inaugurate a completely renewed Carnegieplein in The Hague. A stilt walker then revealed the ‘peace bench’ created by the artist Egbert Schuttert. The granite sitting area features the word ‘peace’ written in all the languages of the United Nations Member States. The entrance to the Peace Palace, worldwide symbol of peace and justice, has undergone a true metamorphosis over the last few months. The square fits in better with the allure of the palace, which will celebrate its 100-year anniversary in August 2013. The Carnegieplein is now restricted to traffic. Tour buses are no longer allowed to park on the square but may use the five designated parking spots along the edge of the square. More greenery has been added to the square itself and the flower boxes are in the same style as the garden in front of the Peace Palace. The ‘peace bench’ was built around the green space. The memorial to the Second World War was moved closer to the historic trees by the square so that it is given its full due. The newly designed square has been given historic lampposts which fit nicely with the Peace Palace."

May 31, 2013 - "Remember Them," (Champions for Humanity Monument), Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park, 19th & Rashida Muhammad Streets, Oakland, California (USA). Next to Fox Theater. Bronze with cast stone base. Measures 25' high x 52' wide, covers 1,000 sq. ft. & weighs over 60,000 lbs. With four sections, this is the largest bronze monument on the west coast, and the only monument in the country dedicated to Civil Rights [sic]... Highlights the accomplishments of 25 global humanitarians..." /// "$7 million monument, featuring 25 famous people who fought for peace or human rights. They're an unlikely crew, ranging from Winston Churchill to Malcolm X to Harvey Milk to Mother Teresa. 'People don't usually pay attention to public artwork. But the artwork that people get excited about - it's big,' said Oakland artist Mario Chiodo, 48, who until now was best known for his horror masks and Las Vegas sculptures. 'If I had my way, it would have 300 people. But you've got to start someplace.'" /// N.B.: Official groundbreaking took place June 20, 2011.

June 15, 2013 - Paraboloide," Parque Johan Galtung, L'Alfàs del Pi, Alicante (Spain). "Sculptural piece five meters in length & 4.55 ton. Erected in front of the Norwegian Cultural Center (now under construction)." /// "Today Alfaz Mayor Vicente Arques unveiled a monument by the famous Basque sculptor Agustin Ibarrola in memory of the victims of the Oslo & Utoya terrorist attacks [on July 22, 2011]. The monument is located in a park named in honor of a long time Alfaz resident, Prof. Johan Galtung, Norwegian by birth & known as ‘the father of peace studies.’" /// "L'Alfàs del Pi has the highest proportion of Norwegian speakers of any settlement anywhere in the world outside of Norway."

June 19, 2013 - Statue of Frederick Douglass, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC (USA). "The sculpture of Douglass, completed by the artist Steven Weitzman in 2007, and one of Pierre L’Enfant, both paid for by the District of Columbia, have been sitting at One Judiciary Square [left image]. For years, Congress has wrangled over their placement, interjecting fights over gun laws and voting rights into the debate..." But Congress agreed in September 2012 to allow both statues to be placed in the Capitol building, just NOT in Statuary Hall (where each state has two statues). Right image shows VP Joseph Biden & Congressional leaders during the dedication ceremony.

G R O V E

June 21, 2013 - Gaia Peace Grove, Golden Bay Headland, Ghajn Tuffieha (Malta). "The area around Ghajn Tuffieha lends itself to peace & tranquility, with its outstanding coastline, sensational landscape & peaceful groves. The grove at Golden Bay Headland was planted 10 years ago around the Watchtower, which dominates the headland, in an area notorious for its windy conditions & sea spray washing over the land. However Gaia was determined to turn this abandoned agricultural land into a fine grove for the public to enjoy while taking a stroll to admire the unique Ghajn Tuffieha view. The [Gaia] Foundation thought that it was fitting to choose such an area, which has flourished despite the harsh conditions, to honour & commemorate a number of personalities who have worked so hard & courageously, and made such sacrifices to build a better a world, thus allowing the persons visiting the area to remember such great persons & to keep their legacies in our collective memory. The area lies within a Natura 2000 site. The peace grove is being inaugurated on the Summer Solstice, the first day of summer, which is also fitting as the persons honoured have worked and contributed to a new phase in a troubled world. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy [1917-1963], who has come to symbolise the road towards greater democracy & good governance. He is among the distinguished persons listed in the grove. The persons mentioned in the grove include a number of Nobel Peace Prize winners. So far the list includes: Nelson Mandela, John Kennedy, Aung San Suu Kji, Steve Bico, Martin Luther King, Benazir Bhutto, Mahatma Gandhi, Yitzak Rabin, Chico Mendes, Robert Kennedy, Dian Fossey, Ken Saro Wiwa, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Vandana Shiva, Malcolm X, Oscar Romero, Pope Jean Paul I, Patrice Lumumba, A number of outstanding journalists, Italian Anti Mafia Judges & Police Commissioners, Mikhail Gorbachev, The Dalai Lama, Dag Hammerskjold.

2013 - Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail, Birmingham, Alabama (USA). "A self-guided tour. Winds through downtown, marking significant locations along the 1963 Civil Rights march routes. Directs visitors by maps at each location. Speaks to the valor of both common people [sic] & to the spiritual leaders who spearheaded the fight against segregation & other forms of racism. Graphic photographs & dramatic cut-outs in the designs of the signs add to the rich experience. Begins at Kelly Ingram Park, on the corner of 6th Avenue North & 16th Street. Started on the 50th anniversary [date?] of the historic March in 2013. When completed it will have more than 200 signs in 70 sites." /// This is "Monday's Monument" #102.

T R A I L

July 9, 2013 - Birmingham City Centre Peace Trail, Birmingham (England). Organized by Barbara Panvel. Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen. Left image shows the St. Thomas' Peace Garden in Birmingham. Trail brochure (right image) shows 1862 statue of abolitionist Joseph Sturge [1793-1859] (qv).

T R A I L

2013 - The Cambridge Peace Trail, Cambridge (England). Produced by Arn Dekker, who lives in Cambridge (originally from Holland). Described in book sold in Cambridge at £ 2.00 per copy. Website sections: Emmanuel, Clare, Guildhall, Lensfield Road, Peterhouse & St. Edwards, Trinity Hall, Corpus Christi & Queen's College. Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

July 30, 2013 - Peace Monument, Glendale Central Park, Glendale, California (USA). "Over the objections of dozens of Japanese-Americans who crowded City Hall chambers, the Glendale City Council voted Tuesday [July 9, 2013] to install a controversial memorial at Glendale Central Park honoring 'comfort women' -- a euphemism for the mostly Korean women & girls forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II...The memorial will be unveiled July 30, and a surviving comfort woman will attend the ceremony. It will be a replica of the famous 'peace monument' that Korean civic leaders erected across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in 2001 [sic], near where surviving comfort women have held a protest every Wednesday for more than 20 years..."

December 14, 2011 - Peace Monument, near the Japanese Embassy, Seoul (South Korea). Inscription: "This peace monument reflects people's genuine desire to learn from history and remember the past on the occasion of the 1,000th weekly protest against Japan's atrocities by comfort woman forced into sexual slavery." "Marks the 1,000th demonstration of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan which has staged rallies in front of the Japanese embassy on Wednesday of every week. The council demands that the Japanese government apologise for & pay direct compensation to the victims, euphemistically called 'comfort women.' Japan has acknowledged that its wartime military used sex slaves but refuses to directly compensate the victims individually, arguing that the issue was settled by a 1965 normalisation treaty with South Korea."

Rededicated August 4, 2013 - Children's Peace Statue, Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA). Created in 1995 by Arroyo del Oso School in Albuquerque for Los Alamos (96 road miles from Albuquerque) but turned down by Los Alamos County Council. Erected in Plaza Resolana, 401 Old Taos Highway, Santa Fe, NM, & moved from there on July 22, 2013. The statue is a popular venue for the deposition of origami peace cranes. Entry #618 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001). Information courtesy of Dr. Marilee Schmit Nason 05Aug13. Right image courtesy of Camy Condon 06Aug13.

August 10, 2013 - Pacific Rim Park #7, Kaohsiung (Taiwan). Seventh Pacific Rim Park. Also known as "Pacific Birth." Seventh of seven parks sponsored by the Pacific Rim Park Project of San Diego, California (USA)."Led by iconic artist James Hubbell [of San Diego, California] & more than 30 architecture students from around the Pacific. The new park was designed & built in only four weeks, from July 13 to Aug. 10, and connected participants from eight different countries: allowing them to see past cultural and political differences and work together toward compassion, understanding & acceptance as expressed through building a public space of beauty and intent."

August 13, 2013 - "Friendship & Peace Bell," Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, California (USA). "A bell was unveiled in a Los Angeles hospital on Wednesday as a monument to long-standing ties between the hospital & its sister facility in South Korea. Named 'the Friendship and Peace Bell,' it rang Wednesday in the dedication ceremony. It did not ring only to mark the unveiling but also because when the dedication took place it was Thursday in South Korea. That is Korean Independence Day... The bell was made by Won Gwang-sik, who crafted the Bosingak Bell [sic], which is designated as South Korea’s National Treasure No. 2."

August 19, 2013 - "Dunbar Alumni and Faculty on US Postage Stamps," Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Washington, DC (USA). "Giant posters of all 8 have been placed on a wall of the media center, where their visages can serve to inspire incoming Dunbar students... There are also 118 plaques placed around the school honoring various alumni for achievements ranging from being the 1st elected US Senator [sic] to starring as an all-pro NFL tight end... It's a historic week for historic Dunbar High School. The school, recognized during the 1st half of the 20th Century as the finest African-American high school in America, is celebrating its new $122 million facility with 5 days of special events..." /// Who are the eight? Four of them must be Carter G. Woodson (historian), W. Allison Davis (anthropologist), Charles R. Drew (surgeon) & Anna Julia Cooper (scholar). Also Charles Hamilton Houston (Dean of Howard University School of Law) & Mary Church Terrell (civil rights/suffrage activist)?

October 30, 1913 & Rededicated August 24, 2013 - Peace Monument, SW corner, Courthouse Square, Decatur, Adams County, Indiana (USA). Designed by Charles T. Mulligan [1866-1916]. Statue of "Peace" 12 feet 3 inches tall modeled by Margaret McMasters Van Slyke, "said to be Chicago's most perfectly formed woman" (local winner of Bernarr Macfadden's 13-city "best and most perfectly formed woman" contest in 1903-1904?). Side panels bear names of 1,276 Adams County veterans: Five of the War of 1812, eight of the Mexican War, 1,152 of 1861-1865 [sic], and 111 of the Spanish-American War. "The world's first monument dedicated exclusively to peace" (according to Wikipedia). Left photo by EWL 29Jul09. Right photo from 1935.

August 28, 2013 - Bust of Countess Bertha von Suttner, Main Hall, Vredespaleis / Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, The Hague (Netherlands). Unveiled on exact centennial of the Peace Palace by another female Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia. /// Left image by EWL shows Hope Elizabeth May with the bust on 3 September 2013. Right image shows Edward W. Lollis, Hope Elizabeth May & Roy Tamashiro. Not to be confused with another bust of von Suttner unveiled 6 days later in The Hague city hall (qv).

It took 100 years for von Suttner -- the woman most importantly identified with the Peace Palace and the first female to receive a Nobel Peace Prize -- to be memorialized in the Peace Palace. The new bust is shown or mentioned on several web sites, but I cannot find any which identifies the sculptor! Another overlooked woman?

September 3, 2013 - Unveiling bust of Bertha von Suttner, City Hall, The Hague (Netherlands). "As part of our Centennial celebrations we are honored to [welcome] the beautiful bust of Bertha von Suttner [1843-1914] lovingly sculpted by Ingrid Rollema. On the June 21, 2013, we celebrated the 99th anniversary of von Suttner's death." /// Left image by EWL shows Roy Tamashiro & Fumi Hoshino with the bust. Right image by Hope Elizabeth May shows the artist in her studio; apparently she permitted no in-focus photo of the best before its unveiling. /// Not to be confused with another bust of von Suttner unveiled 6 days earlier in the Peace Palace (qv).

September 12, 2013 - Anna-B.-Eckstein-Schule (Grundschule) / Anna-B.-Eckstein Elementary School, Schulstraße 18, Meeder, Coburg (Germany). "Since 09.12.2013 our school bears the name of Anna Bernhardine Eckstein [1868-1947], a teacher, head teacher and activist for peace, was born in 1868 in Coburg and died there in 1947... In the basement of our school is 'Lernwerkstaff Frieden / Peace Learning Workshop' of the Friedensmuseum Meeder / Meeder Peace Museum [Google translation]." Info courtesy of Gerard Lössbroek.

May 4, 1987 - Memorial Fountain, at "Anna B. Eckstein plant," Coburg (Germany). In the "Anna B. Eckstein system" between Moor Street & the Mühlgasse Walk. "In 1985 the fountain was erected in a park in 1985 & named for Anna Bernardine Eckstein [1868-1947] on 4 May 1987... By Coburg sculptor Egon Ruggaber, cost 9300 DM, consists of a round stone column with a top-mounted small, shallow pool of water. The teacher & pacifist, was born in 1868 in Coburg, traveled in 1884 to the USA, returned around 1910 & died in 1947 in Coburg." /// Eckstein "was the daughter of a German officer. She left Germany in 1886 (?) for America, where she became a naturalized American citizen & joined the Boston Peace Society. She became a school teacher & later the principal of the School of Modern Languages in Boston. At the age of 16, Eckstein learned [sic] to know the Baroness Bertha von Suttner [1843-1914], who interested her in the cause of peace. Eckstein became an ardent champion of world peace, going on many world tours to promote this ideal. Eckstein was a vice-president of the American Peace Society from 1905 to 1911. She took an active role in the 2nd National Peace Congress, held in Chicago May 2-5, 1909. Edwin Ginn [1838-1914] sponsored her after she left the School of Modern Languages in order to engage wholly in peace work. Eckstein saw as her greatest work the collection of signatures for 'The World Petition to Prevent War Between Nations,' to be signed by heads of the 44 signatory powers of the Hague Conventions. She presented the first version of the petition in 1907 to the 2nd Hague Conference with some 2 million signatures. She had some 6 million signatures [on a petition for the 3rd Hague Conference] when her efforts were ended by the advent of WW-I. During the Nazi regime, she was curbed in her peace activities. After her death, her papers & books were donated to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection by her nephew in exchange for CARE food parcels." Info courtesy of Gerard Lössbroek.

September 2013 - Peace Pole, Whitefish United Methodist Church (WUMC), Whitefish, Montana (USA). September 2013, The United Methodist Women in collaboration with Thomas Henson proudly unveiled one of the few Community Peace Poles in Northwest Montana. The WUMC Peace Pole is surrounded by a meditation & prayer garden... The unique pole was crafted from local trees & originally a telephone pole along Northwest Montana’s famed Highline Trail. The words 'Let Peace Prevail' are inscribed in English, Spanish, Swahili, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Hebrew & Blackfeet. Thomas Henson oversaw & constructed the project as a means to acquire his Eagle Scout badge. /// Information courtesy of Sam & Ruth Neff, January 7, 2018.

September 20, 2013 - Dixwell Peace Monument, Wexler-Grant Community School, 55 Foote Street, New Haven, Connecticut (USA). "Local officials joined with the entire student body of the K-8 school & the New Haven Peace Commission to unveil the monument. The ceremony was one of the ways New Haven, a founding member of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities (IAPMC) participated in International Peace Day, which is September 21."

September 21, 2013 - Statue of Bertha von Suttner , Corner of Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz & Sandkaule, Bonn (Germany). " Twice had to Mayor Jürgen Nimptsch, District Mayor Jürgen Kollig, artist Sirpa Masalin and heath contactor, Chair of the Women's Network for Peace, strong pull on the rainbow colored peace flag, then the new memorial stele was finally unveiled in honor of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bertha von Suttner. Among other descendants of the peace activist - - citizens & the public on Saturday the International Day of Peace, the monument was officially handed over. 2.50 meters high, 40 inches thick [sic] & about 600 kilograms is the stainless steel pillar, showing the contours of a stylized female body. On the front it bears the inscription "1843-1914 Bertha von Suttner, Nobel Peace Prize 1905." 'After all that we could bring in experience, it is the first stele throughout Germany, Bertha von Suttner publicly acknowledges,' Nimptsch said. The place where the destruction of the Second World War were so clearly visible, was a good place to remind you of the Nobel Peace Prize. 'It was a long cherished desire to leave Bertha von Suttner be fresh in the minds of the people again,' said contactor. The stele is the 200th 'Kansa sculpture' by Finnish artist Masalin. 'Kansas' is Finnish for 'people's.' Sculptures are intended to remind us that we are all equal, said Masalin. Since 2005, the Women's Network for Peace is an initiative for an honor Suttner. Could be financed, the 10,000-euro project using donations. To commemorate the life & work of Bertha von Suttner, the network is planning events in 2014. It is not only the year of the outbreak of the First World War, but also the year of death Suttner." (Google translation). Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

September 21, 2013 - Peace Pole, foot of Broadway, Newburgh, New York (USA). "The Newburgh Rotary & World Wide Peace Bell Foundation, in cooperation with Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy's office, are dedicating a new, more substantial Peace Pole... at 11 a.m. Saturday, International Peace Day. The symbol will be dedicated to two late peace advocates: John McConnell [1915-2012], 96, the founder of Earth Day in 1970, and Toshi Seeger [1922-2013], 91, for 70 years a devoted wife to Pete Seeger [1919-2014] who also was a loving mother and friend to everyone she met. During the ceremony, Newburgh will be designated a Rotary Peace City & an International City of Peace, and Kennedy will be honored as a Mayor of Peace. Following the dedication, a short Peace Promenade will take place, ending at 11:45 a.m. Among the community leaders participating will be the Rev. Bill Scafidi, Doug Martin Sturomski & Rotarians Pete Sukeena & Bill Bassett, past district governor." /// Image shows Doug Martin (far right) and Hudson River (in backround).

September 21, 2013 - World’s Children Peace Monument (WCPM), Keep Lakewood Beautiful Adopt-a-Spot Garden, Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio (USA). Between the Woman’s Club Pavilion & the playground. Dedicated on the International Day of Peace. "Part of the building the National Coast-to-Coast 'Great American Peace Trail' (GAPT)." Maintained by The Lakewood Kiwanis Club. "Similar sculptures are being placed around the world to promote peace. Our celebration acknowledges The International Center for Environmental Arts (ICEA), and the children of Berea, Ohio, have donated the Peace Stone for the World’s Children Peace Monument to promote a sustainable global Culture of Peace and Goodwill."

September 22, 2013 - "Peace Church Settlers of Whitchurch-Stouffville" Plaque, Sargster Grove, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario, near Toronto (Canada). Inscription: "A large number of early settlers of present day Whitchurch-Stouffville were members of the Historic Peace churches: Bretheren in Christ (Dunkers), Mennonites, and Quakers... The peace teachings of the Christian tradition deeply shaped their faith and caused them to wrestle with what it means to be people of God's peace, especially during times of conflict and war. As pioneers of conscientious objection in canada, their commitment to the work of peace and reconciliation continues to stand witness in this community and around the world." /// "[The plaque] will be transferred to the redesigned Memorial Park Sensory Garden once the Park's reconstruction is complete." /// Click here for PDF photo of the plaque. /// Click here for article from Mennonitre World Review. ON CO's QUAKERS

October 1, 2013 - Carillon Bell, Peace Palace, The Hauge (Netherlands). "The Carillon Foundation The Hague with this bell (ca. 775 kg, tone fis1, pedal key es1) on October 1, 2013 Peace Carillon completed. The clock was a gift to mark the centenary of the Peace Palace." [Google translation from Dutch] Info courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

October 2, 2013 - Nelson Mandela Square, Town Hall, Stellenbosch (South Africa). "The well-known Stellenbosch landscape artist Strijdom van der Merwe has just completed the town’s own Nelson Mandela Square in front of the town hall. It was unveiled by Mr Martin Smuts, the town’s executive deputy mayor, on 2 October. Dr Ivan Meyer, provincial minister of cultural affairs & sport was the guest speaker."

October 2013 - Children's Peace Monument, Burwell Elementary School, 204 South 4th Avenue, Burwell, Nebraska (USA). Includes globe & two peace doves. Inspired by Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima (Japan) [qv] during a 6th grade study of "the theme words: Hope, Peace, Tolerance, Patriotism, Freedom, Teamwork & Education." Money raised by the students of Joy Schott. Image (from video) is best available on-line. Click here for article (& PDF image) in school newsletter.

October 2013 - "I Came to Save the World," Cherubim Mountain, Saidnaya (Syria). "Statue of Christ erected by envoys of the Russian Ukrainian Orthodox churches... The statue symbolizes hope & peace. Moscow Theological Academy, which was the curator of the project, reported today that this monument should become a symbol of hope of all Christians for a forthcoming termination of bloodshed in Syria. 'The figure of Christ with the blessing gesture is placed on the way of the historical pilgrimage route from Constantinople to Jerusalem at a height of 2.1 km,' the curators told, 'the sculpture can be seen from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel.' The installation of the monument was timed to the Orthodox holiday of the Intercession of the Theotokos & the Muslim feast of Kurban Bayram. 'During the three days, when the works were under way, the warring parties suspended military operations in the area & watched the installation of the sculpture..,' the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church also added. The monument was created thanks to the Russian Foundation 'Spiritual Heritage of St. Paul,' known for its charity projects in the Middle East."

October 29, 2013 - "Hope for the Future," Memorial Park, Fort Drum, New York (USA). "The full monument ('Fallen Warrior' created by Boulder, Colo.-based sculptor Susan Grant Raymond) has two parts: One part [not shown] depicts a group of soldiers honoring a fallen comrade, represented by helmet, boots & rifle, as a single soldier in front covers his face while kneeling at the display... The second part [see image] features a pair of soldiers on patrol, with the second soldier reaching out to a young boy trailing them. Col. Gary A. Rosenberg, the post’s garrison commander, said the symbolism of the bond between the soldiers & the child made it the favorite of Nathan E. Morrell, a key planner of the monument who died in March. 'This connection to the people we’re protecting, this connection to the shared humanity,' he said. 'As those who have been to war can tell you, this connection is what leads to lasting peace...' One of the sandals of the trailing boy includes the symbol for peace in Farsi, one of Afghanistan’s major languages."

November 11, 2013 - Dole VA Memorial Peace Garden, Wichita, Kansas (USA).

November 17, 2013 - Scott Kennedy Peace Corner, Cowell College Library, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California (USA). "On Sunday, there was a dedication of a “peace corner” of the Cowell College library on the campus of the University of California-Santa Cruz (Scott’s alma mater) in honor of Scott Kennedy [1948-2011], founder [in 1976] of the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), former Santa Cruz mayor, Christian pacifist, war tax resister, and nonviolent activist on issues ranging from Vietnam to Central America to the nuclear arms race to Israel/Palestine. It’s the latter for which he is perhaps best remembered, having led over 40 delegations for the Fellowship of Reconciliation and other groups on tours of the region, during which he emphasized the importance of nonviolence, reconciliation, an end to the occupation, and a viable two-state solution." /// Image shows RCNV - not the Peace Corner.

November 18, 2013 - Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, Nelson Mandela Foundation, 107 Central Street, Houghton, near Johannesburg (South Africa). on 18 November, 2013, in Johannesburg. "The centre holds a collection of books and personal items belonging to former president Nelson Mandela. It also has an area from which visitors can view his former Houghton office." Open by appointment only. Left image is artist's impression.

November 29, 2013 - Peace Monument, Monroe County Courthouse, Bloomington, Indiana (USA). Originally dedicated May 30, 1979 (qv). From Bloomington Herald-Times, November 30, 2013: "Passion for peace makes dedication a fitting tribute. Warren Henegar was a man of keen insight, common sense and good humor. But his passion for peace is what led to the longtime county official being honored Friday. Before the Canopy of Lights started glowing over the square, Monroe County’s Peace Monument was dedicated to Henegar. As a county commissioner in the late 1970s, Henegar, who had seen war when he served with the Navy in the Pacific during World War II, led the charge to make Monroe County one of the few counties in the nation to have a monument to peace [sic]." /// "Longtime Monroe County public servant Warren Henegar died Tuesday [August 21, 2013] morning at his home near Smithville. He was 85. Henegar served on the county board of commissioners in the 1970's, and several terms on the county council, of which he was currently a member." /// Henegar campained for the peace monument "on the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn...the statue of a woman holding a dove on her outstretched left hand and a book inscribed with the words, 'Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.' On the base is inscribed the first line of the Prayer of St. Francis: 'Lord make me an instrument of your peace.')

December 1, 2013 - Plaque for 175th Anniversary of Emancipation, Saron Mission Church, Saron (South Africa). "Commemorates the 175th anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in the Cape Colony. Located next to the pulpit of the Mission Church. Unveiled during a commemorative service held in the church. Text on the plaque is in Afrikaans and reads: 'In memory of colonial slaves who were emancipated on 1 December 1838 and later became part of this congregation. Unveiled 1 December 2013.'"

December 10, 2013 - Amphithéâtre Henri La Fontaine, Université de Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels (Belgium). "A l'occasion du centenaire du Prix Nobel de la Paix qui lui fut décerné le 10 décembre 1913, l'Université a décidé d'attribuer le nom d'Henri La Fontaine à l'amphithéâtre K1, suivant une proposition de l'Union des anciens étudiants (UAE). Docteur en droit de l'ULB, fondateur du Mundaneum, initiateur du premier Congrès national de la Paix à Bruxelles en 1913, Président du Bureau international de la Paix de 1907 à 1943, Henri La Fontaine avait mis ses idéaux progressistes au service de la Paix et de la Connaissance, ce qui lui valut le Prix Nobel de la Paix en 1913." /// "A handsome volume about him (in French) was published earlier this year by the Mundaneum in Mons. IPB and the Mundaeum, with the University of Mons, co-organised a symposium about LaFontaine in May 2013. To round off the centenary year, another conference in his honour is being organised by Wallonia Brussels International at the Uppsala University, Sweden, on 11 Dec." Info courtesy of Gerard Lössbroek.

December 10, 2013 - Monument to gay victims of the Holocaust, Gan Meir Park, Tel Aviv (Israel). August 21, 2013: "Israel's first monument to gay victims of the Holocaust. Scheduled to be completed this year in the seaside city of Tel Aviv, Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz reports: At the center of the monument [is] a concrete triangle containing a pink triangle, the symbol used by the Nazis used to mark homosexuals. A bench and plaque beside the monument will give information about the persecution of homosexuals during the Holocaust... Near the headquarters of Tel Aviv's Gay Center. According to attorney Eran Lev, a member of the municipal council and the driving force behind the project, it is especially significant because it will be the first and only memorial site in Israel to honor Holocaust victims who wore a badge other than the yellow star. The monument also represents an important step forward in the overall international recognition of gay Holocaust victims, which has historically lagged far behind that given to other groups persecuted by the Nazis..."

December 12, 2013 - "Warehouses Used in the Slave Trade," 122 Commerce Street, Montgomery, Alabama (USA). Outside the Equal Justice Initiative building (once a slave warehouse). One of a series of markers for slavery & lynching by The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Bryan Stevenson seen in image.

December 12, 2013 - "Montgomery's Slave Traders," 300 Water Street, Montgomery, Alabama (USA). Outside Union Station. "Describes the slave trade both by ship & by train." One of a series of markers for slavery & lynching by The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI).

December 15, 2013 - Grave of Nelson Mandela , Qunu, Eastern Cape Province (South Africa). "The body of former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela [1918-2013] was flown from Pretoria, where he had lain in state for three days, to this city in his native Eastern Cape Province on Saturday in preparation for a state funeral and burial to be held on Sunday." /// "Mthatha is the home of one of the three Nelson Mandela Museums [11 February 2000]: Spread across three sites, it collects, interprets & exhibits key aspects of the story of the life & times of Nelson Mandela in context. The three historical sites of the museum are all in the locality at Mvezo, Qunu & the Bunga Building in Mthatha itself. In the Bunga Building is the story of the "Long Walk to Freedom" and an exhibition of the many gifts received by Nelson Mandela on behalf of the South African people." /// "On 2 March 2004 Umtata was officially renamed to its current name Mthatha"

December 16, 2013 - Statue of Nelson Mandela, Union Buildings, Pretoria (South Africa). The R8 million bronze-plated statue was created by South African sculptors Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren. It is close to the Union Buildings' lawns, overlooking Arcadia. /// "South Africa President Jacob Zuma yesterday unveiled a nine-metre statue of former president Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, as part of the Reconciliation Day celebrations. “We are happy that we are here. You will notice that in all the statues that have been made of Madiba, he is raising his fist and at times stretching it. That derives from the slogan of the ANC (African National Congress),” Zuma said. The statue depicts Mandela smiling with his arms stretched outwards. “This one (statute is different from many. He is stretching out his hands. He is embracing the whole nation. You shouldn’t say this is not Madiba because we know him with his one (raised) hand. “ The bronze colossus was unveiled at the Union Buildings, where Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president in 1994. The unveiling also marked the centenary celebrations of the Union Building. The statute recognises the contributions Mandela made to the country in fighting the repressive apartheid regime. The Union Buildings was also where Mandela lied in state for three days during which about 100,000 people from all walks of life converged and paid their last respects.

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