33 Peace Monuments Dedicated in 2016
Year of Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

Click here for peace monuments dedicated in 2015.

Right click any image to enlarge.

Monday, January 4, 2016 - "Monday's Monument" #37 = Peace Bird Gate, Hanoi (Viet-Nam). First peace monument selected & posted in 2016 by SAPC webmaster Susan Ives, San Antonio Peace Center (SAPC), San Antonio, Texas (USA), in a continuous weekly series started on Monday, May 4, 2015. NB: "Monday's Monuments" are displayed on individual web pages & are thus difficult to visit in serial order. Ms. Ives & the SAPC offer no comprehensive guide to this impressive collection (so far as I can tell). Click here/a> for more about Ms. Ives.

January 14, 2016 - Peace Monument, Sliema Promenade, Sliema (Malta). "The statue was unveiled during a ceremony which marked the end of an international peace initiative called the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run. The ceremony was attended by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca & Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia... Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop [later] said that had he known that so much controversy would have erupted following the installation of the Sri Chinmoy statue on the promenade, he would have never accepted to have the monument in the locality... Many believe Sri Chinmoy [1931-2007] to have been a cult-leader, living off the tithe from his followers. A large number of accusations emerged later in Chinmoy’s life relating to fraud & sexual abuse."

January 25, 2016 - Mural opposite French Embassy, Knightsbridge, London (England). By famous grafitti artist Banksy. "The girl who famously appears in promos for Les Miserables & added tears streaming down her cheeks, ostensibly due to the tear gas canister at her feet. It's Banksy's statement against the so-called 'Jungle' camp in Calais (France), where authorities have reportedly used tear gas to try to evict hundreds of refugees so they can raze part of the camp." Covered by two sheets of plywood.

March 6, 2016 - Transportation Hub, World Trade Center (WTC), New York City, New York (USA). Also called the "Oculus." "This 150-foot-tall winged creation [said to resemble a peace dove] is the work of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It serves as a connector between the subway lines, the PATH trains & the ferry terminal in Battery Park City. Its centerpiece is a skylight set to open every September 11. It also features a public plaza, set to open when 3WTC is completed. The Oculus has been plagued by years of delays, design cutbacks, cost overruns & roof leaks; it eventually cost $4.4 billion."

April 9, 2016 - Taiwan-Japan Cooperation Monument, Pengjia Islet, near Diaoyutai Islands (Taiwan). "President Ma Ying-jeou unveiled a monument to his East China Sea peace initiative ahead of the third anniversary of a historic agreement between Taiwan & Japan to address fishing disputes in their overlapping waters. [The monument] reaffirms Taiwan's sovereignty before his term ends next month. The East China Sea is home to the Diaoyu Islands, also known as Senkaku or Diaoyutai - as they are called in China, Japan & Taiwan respectively - a group of islands in the centre of a turf war among the three parties. Pengjia Islet is controlled by Taiwan & not claimed by Japan or China, the Associated Press reported. China regards Taiwan as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary."

April 12, 2016 - Peace Dove Monument, Muaro Lasak Park, Padang City, West Sumatra (Indonesia). "Part of the 2016 Komodo program focusing on Maritime Peace Keeping Operation (MPKO). Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Ade Supandi stated that the Peace Dove Monument, complete with a picture of the globe, symbolized the peace prevailing in Indonesia as well as the need for peace all across the world. "All countries hope for peace. Therefore, we participate in joint naval training," Supandi remarked. The eight meters-high building was designed to resemble the folds of an origami paper to symbolize that peace was extremely vulnerable. If too many stakeholders start bothering it, then the peace would be as fragile as a piece of paper." /// Found no photo of the monument.

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April 12, 2016 - Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, 144 Constitution Avenue, NE, Washington, DC (USA). Proclaimed a National Monument by President Barak Obama on "Equal Pay Day." Operated as Sewall-Belmont House & Museum since 1929. "Explores the evolving role of women & their contributions to society through the continuing, and often untold, story of women's pursuit for equality. The headquarters of the historic National Woman's Party (NWP) and was the Washington home of its founder and Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) author Alice Paul [1885-1977]. Also named for Alva Belmont [1853-1933], multi-millionaire socialite & major benefactor of the women's suffrage movement.

April 15, 2016 - monument to dead beef cattle, Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture (Japan). "About 170 cattlemen gathered here to dedicate a monument to beef cattle that died from starvation or had to be euthanized as a result of the Fukushima nuclear disaster [in March 2011]." JAPAN ANIMALS ATOMIC

April 2016 - "Sudarsan Pattnaik won the people's choice prize for his sand sculpture titled "Mahatma Gandhi - World Peace" at the ninth Moscow Sand Sculpture Championship 2016."

May 18, 2016 - The Palestine Museum, Bir Zeit (West Bank). Next to Birzeit University campus on a hill over looking the Mediterranean. Seven miles north of Ramallah & approximately 19 miles from Jerusalem. "An independent institution dedicated to suporting an open & dynamic Palestinian culture nationally & internationally. The Museum offers & engages with new perspectives on Palestinian history, society & culture, particularly in the period from1750 onwards." PALESTINE MUSEUMS

June 1, 2016 - Jutland Memorial Park, Thyborøn, Jutland (Denmark). "Twenty-five 3.5 metre high stone obelisks mark each of the British & German ships that sank during the Battle of Jutland. A 26th commemorates the more than 600 fatalities on other ships that survived the day. Around these massive pillars of remembrance will be eventually placed individual 1.2 metre stones. One for for each of the 8,645 men killed in the North Sea action of May 31st–June 1st 1916. One stone for each person lost in the battle... The memorial is the vision of Gert Norman Andersen, marine explorer & founder of the Danish Sea War Museum which opened in September 2015." DENMARK WW-I

June 7, 2016 - "Promise of Peace," in fountain at east end, International Peace Garden, near Dunseith, North Dakota (USA). "As [the garden] prepares to demolish its iconic 120-foot monument that has connected the US & Canada for three decades, another sculpture symbolizing two centuries of peace between the two countries will be dedicated at the garden today..., donated by the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI)... Sculpted [in stainless steel] by Art Norby of New London, Minnesota, the 6-foot statue features two hands releasing a dove... [It] replaces an abstract sculpture dubbed 'Hands of Peace,' which was donated by the WBCCI in 1975. After 20 years of sustaining erosion from weather, that statue was removed...The 'Promise of Peace' is fairly unique as it is meant to reflect the history between the US & Canada." US/CANADA DOVES ND KIWANIS HANDS

July 24, 2016 - "It’s finally done. WBCCI handed over the new sculpture to International Peace Garden President Charles Thomsen & CEO Garry Enns in a ceremony on July 24, 2016."

June 9, 2016 - Origami Peace Cranes, Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima (Japan). Donated (and said to have been folded) by US President Barak Obama during his visit to Hiroshima.

June 2016 - "Union of the World: Monument to World Peace," Gold & Diamond Source (GDS), Ulmerton Road, Clearwater, Florida (USA). "A 27-foot tall statue of Hercules by renowned sculptor Gines Serran... Weighing in at eight tons, it's the largest bronze sculpture in the world. 'It’s strength. It’s peace. It’s love,' said Julie Weintraub. 'We need that for our community right now. There is no better time than right now to have this in than the Tampa Bay community [sic].'" /// Steve & Julie Weintraub will host the statue until a permanent home can be found. They hope to raise $2 million to have it relocated to the future site of the St. Petersburg Pier. FL NUDES

June 2016 - "Embracing Peace," Memorial Park, Woodward & 13 Mile, Royal Oak, near Detroit, Michigan (USA). "...a sculpture depicting the famous Life Magazine cover photo taken on VJ Day (August 15, 1945) in Times Square, New York City, of a sailor dipping a nurse & planting a kiss for all time. The statue, on loan for six months, is intended to draw attention to a $3 million fundraising campaign for a permanent Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial..." /// "The statue is one of four by artist Seward Johnson; the others are permanently in Sarasota, Florida.; San Diego, California; and Normandy, France. This piece was previously in New York City for the 70th anniversary of V-J Day.

San Diego, CA

June 24, 2016 - Stonewall Inn National Monument, 53 Christopher Street (between West 4th Street & Waverly Place), Greenwich Village, New York City, New York (US). Unintentional monument from June 28, 1969, until June 24, 2016, when designated a National Monument by President Obama. Site of the Stonewall riots of 1969, which are widely considered the start of the modern gay liberation movement. NY LGBT 1969

June 30, 2016 - Memorial to Mary Seacole, Garden of St Thomas’ Hospital, London (England). On banks of the River Thames. Mary Seacole [1805-1881] was "the Jamaican-born nurse [who] set up the British Hotel near Balaclava to provide soldiers with food and care during the Crimean War. More than £500,000 was raised for the bronze statue, created by sculptor Martin Jennings, which is the first statue to a named black woman in the UK." Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

2016 - Coventry Peace Trail, Coventry (England). "Walking tour. Visits sites associated with peace in Coventry city centre. Begins with the ruins of St. Michael’s cathedral, blitzed in 1940, & concludes in Millennium Place. The tour was created in 2016 by the Lord Mayor’s Committee for Peace & Reconciliation." Click here for peace trail brochure. Image shows partially restored Coventry Cathedral. /// Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen. Does this trail replace or supplement either or both of the two previous Coventry trails described here (see 2004)?

July 9, 2016 - Phoenix of Hiroshima, North Mokelumne River, near Isleton, Sacramento County, California (USA). Sailboat sunk in 2010. Found on July 9, 2016, by boat from Sacramento County Sherriff's Department (upper right image) using sonar (upper left image). The boat was constructed near Hiroshima (Japan) by American Quaker Earle Reynonds [1910-1998] in 1954. He & his family used it to sail around the world, then they deliberately sailed into the American nuclear testing zone in the Pacific Ocean in 1958 to protest nuclear weapons. The Reynolds family now hopes to raise the historic 62-year old boat, then transport it to a boatyard in Port Townsend, Washington, for restoration (like the Golden Rule). Information & first 3 images courtesy of Earle's daughter Jessica Reynolds Renshaw (lower left image). Lower right image is screen shot from Google Earth (Street View as of June 2007) at or very near the location of the sinking in 2000.

July 31, 2016 - "Lynching at Letohatchee," Letohatchee, Lownes County, Alabama (USA). One of a series of markers for slavery & lynching by The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) -- this one for 14 documented lynchings in Lownes County. SLAVERY 2016 MARKERS

August 2016 - Comform Women Monument, Croydon Park, near Sydney, New South Wales (Australia). "1.5-metre statue imported from South Korea. Symbolises hardships endured by tens of thousands of Korean women, who were forced into servitude [during World War II]. Unveiled by former comfort woman Won-Ok Gil, 89, who flew in for the ceremony. Ms. Gil was forced to work in a 'comfort station' at 13 years of age & was raped hundreds of times by Japanese soldiers. At the Sydney unveiling, she sat besides the peace monument and became too emotional to speak."

August 11, 2016

October 28, 1911

S T A T U E

- Statue of Robert Ingersoll, Glen Oak Park, Peoria, Illinois (USA). Robert G. Ingersoll [1833-1899] was a lawyer, Civil War veteran, political leader & orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought (roughly 1875-1914). Noted for his broad range of culture & his defense of agnosticism, Ingersoll was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic." Sculpted in 1909 by Fritz Triebel [1865-1948] in Genoa, Italy. "Eugene Baldwin [1843-1914], founder of The Peoria Star, labored long & hard to bring the statue to Peoria." The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) & Center for Inquiry (CFI) restored the statue & rededicated it on August 11, 2016 (Ingersoll's 183th birthday). See Ingersoll's restored birthplace in Dresden, New York.

August 26, 2016 - Suffrage Monument, Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee (USA). Dedicated as part of Women's Equality Day. By Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire. "Features five women who were actually in Nashville during the final ratification effort: Anne Dallas Dudley [1876-1955] of Nashville; Frankie Pierce [1864-1954] of Nashville; Sue Shelton White [1887-1943] of Jackson; Abby Crawford Milton [1881-1991] of Chattanooga, and Carrie Chapman Catt [1859-1947] -- the national suffrage leader who came to Nashville during the summer of 1920 to direct the pro-suffrage forces & stayed at the Hermitage Hotel... Tennessee was the last state of the then 48 states that could possibly ratify the 19th Amendment which granted all American women the right to vote in 1920. Editorial cartoonists called the state 'The Perfect 36' since three-quarters of the states were necessary for ratification."

September 1-6, 2016 - Memorial to Soldiers & Civilians who Died in World War I (Poppy Cenotaph), Grote Markt (in front of the Flanders Fields Museum), Ypres (Belgium). Adjacent to the German War Cemetery at Langemark Poelkapelle. "Standing 7m tall & weighing 12 tonne, the metal Cenotaph for the 21st century will feature the evocative image of a single Flanders poppy surrounded by a field of 2016 steel poppies handcrafted by blacksmiths & farriers worldwide." /// "Hundreds of blacksmiths around the world are contributing the 2,016 steel flowers that will cover the monument... An English ironworker designed the nearly 20-foot high memorial that will include steel poppies & a series of metal railings that imitates the pattern of the trenches. Over the next few years, centennial events & memorials will be unveiled around the world. The sculpture in northern Belgium will include poppies crafted in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Ukraine & workshops across the United States." BELGIUM WW-I FLOWERS

September 4, 2016 - Portrait of Mother Teresa (Vatican City). "Charlotte [North Carolina] artist Chas Fagan had only four months to paint what will be the official portrait of Mother Teresa for her sainthood ceremony Sunday [September 4, 2016] in Rome [sic]... When the Roman Catholic Church officially canonizes Mother Teresa, Pope Francis & an estimated crowd of 1 million pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square will gaze on Fagan’s rendering..." Mother Teresa [1910-1997] "founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation which had over 4,500 sisters & was active in 133 countries."

September 2016 - Observation Tower, Hiroshima Orizuru Tower (Paper Crane Tower), Hiroshima (Japan). "Has views from the 12th floor of Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome. Completed on July 6 ahead of opening to sightseers on July 11. Includes a chimney-like glass wall 4 meters by 50 meters running the height of the tower that is viewable from the building’s exterior. Visitors will be able to toss their handmade origami paper cranes into it from the 12th floor with the aim of filling the entire space as a monument for peace...with about a million paper cranes to fill up the 'paper crane wall.' Owned by car dealer Hiroshima Mazda Co., the tower will house souvenir shops, offices, rental conference rooms & other facilities. Admission to the observation deck is 1,700 yen ($16.80) for adults. 'We hope the tower will become place for people to contemplate peace,' a Hiroshima Mazda representative said."

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September 24, 2016 - National Musuem of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC), Smithsonian Institution, The Mall, Washington, DC (USA). Under discussion since 1915. Architectural design announced April 14, 2009. "Will memorialize and honor the victims of slavery and provide their descendants a concrete place for remembrance and reflection. A place of refuge and introspection for all people to contemplate the past, present and future with the hope of finding answers and hope." Described on page 14 of "A Traveller's Guide to the Civil Rights Movement" by Jim Carrier (2004). MUSUEM SLAVERY WASH_DC

October 2, 2016 - Gandhi Statue of Peace, Central Park, Davis, California (USA). "A 6-foot-3-inch, 650-pound gift from the Indian government, installed on the UN’s International Day of Non-Violence, has so far been anything but peaceful. What would have been Gandhi’s 147th birthday Sunday put one of the most revered figures of the 20th century on trial as about 75 protesters from throughout Northern & Central California -- many of them Sikhs with grievances against the Indian government -- accused Gandhi of racism, genocide & rape -- everything from the perpetuation of India’s caste system to the creation of the Islamic State... [In his dedication address] Mayor Robb Davis said “Welcome to Davis, Mr. Gandhi, can you become their friend as they hurl their vitriol [referring to the protesters]? We welcome you with some fear and ask you to shield us from the brokenness of our world...” The mayor went on to warn both sides not to indulge in narcissism & asked them, as Gandhi did, “to engage as peacemakers turning the other cheek again and again and again.”

October 3, 2016 - Hiroshima Tree, on grounds of United Nations, Ariana Park, Geneva (Switzerland). "Gingko sapling was planted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Master gardener Chikara Horiguchi represented Green Legacy Hiroshima (GLH) at the ceremony... GLH has been established to safeguard & spread worldwide the seeds & saplings of Hiroshima’s A-Bomb survivor trees. It is hoped that many partners will join this initiative & become active ambassadors in their countries of Hiroshima, its peace message & its green legacy."

October 4, 2016 - "Statue of Dr. George Simkins," Greensboro, North Carolina (USA). Simkins was a "longtime civil rights activist & Greensboro dentist, who served as the president of the Greensboro Branch NAACP from 1959 to 1984. In 1955, Simkins & several other Black men were arrested for trespassing after they played nine holes at the all-White, city-owned Gillespie Park Golf Course. He and the others appealed their convictions all the way to the US Supreme Court, which ruled against them by a 5 to 4 vote. NC Gov. Luther Hodges later commuted their sentences... The statue was presented by the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation & the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro."

October 7, 2016 - Höfði Reykjavik Peace Centre, Reykjavík (Iceland). "Opened by the University of Iceland & the City of Reykjavík... The objective of [the center] is to support Reykjavik in its mission of becoming a city of peace."

October 27, 2016 - Gilded Scroll of Abolition, Wilberforce Monument (qv), Hull (England). "Held in William Wilberforce’s right hand on top of the monument... The scroll was double gilded in 23.5 carat gold leaf that will last throughout this century & into the next, seeing out the tercentenary of abolition! This continues to create a talking point as more people notice the glint of gold, raising the profile of the efforts of all those involved in the abolition movement & bringing prominence to the most important aspect of the story..." SLAVERY

November 11, 2016 - "Armistice - A Memorial to Peace," Veterans Memorial Hall & Museum, 211 North Main Street, Rockford, Illinois (USA). "A new historical memorial... Our dedication ceremony will mirror one of the first citywide Armistice programs which occurred in 1933. [It] will include as much of the original 1933 event elements as possible -- a moment of silence at 11 AM, an address from 16th District Congressman Adam Kinzinger, a 21 gun salute by Rockford Detachment 083, Marine Corps League, and the playing of taps... The site grounds will be adorned with poppies created by Easter Seal kids similar to the 1933 ceremony. The Memorial will honor Veterans & educate the community of past Armistice/Veterans Day events at its location [and] inform visitors about the Civil War Statue mounted on a Column from Rockford’s original Carnegie Library..."

Monday, December 26, 2016 - "Monday's Monument" #98 = Children of the World, Nordkapp (Norway) = Last peace monument selected & posted in 2016 by SAPC webmaster Susan Ives, San Antonio Peace Center (SAPC), San Antonio, Texas (USA), in a continuous weekly series started on Monday, May 4, 2015. NB: "Monday's Monuments" are displayed on individual web pages & are thus difficult to visit in serial order. Ms. Ives & the SAPC offer no comprehensive guide to this impressive collection (so far as I can tell). Click here for more about Ms. Ives.

December 28-30, 2016 - Comfort Women Monument, Busan (South Korea). On a sidewalk near the Japanese Consulate. Symbolises hardships endured by tens of thousands of Korean women, who were forced into servitude by the Japanese military during World War II. "The bronze, life-size statue, of a girl in traditional Korean dress sitting in a chair, [was] raised without permission on [December 28], removed by police, received many protests, & then reinstated [on December 30] on the order of Busan's mayor "a year after the two countries said they had put that emotional issue behind them... Japan’s vice minister for foreign affairs, told the South Korean ambassador in Japan that the statue 'went against the spirit of the Japan-South Korea agreement concluded at the end of last year and is extremely regrettable,' adding that it would have an 'unfavorable impact on the relationship between Japan & South Korea, as well as disturb the security of the consulate...' Dozens of identical statues have been put up in South Korea since 2011, when the first one, placed near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, caused a diplomatic uproar. But the statue in Busan was only the second to be installed near a Japanese diplomatic mission." /// Image shows protestors at the statue surrounded by police. WW-II COMFORT_WOMEN-ok

==== N.B.: Following monuments were announced for 2016 but have not yet been confirmed. ====

Date? 2016 - Ashgabat International Airport, Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). Shaped like a peace dove. TURKMENISTAN

2016? - Statue of Emmeline Pankhurst, Manchester (England). "Emmeline Pankhurst has won the vote to be the subject of the first woman to be honoured with a statue in Manchester for over 100 years. She received more than half of the 5,301 votes cast in an online poll. Mrs Pankhurst was a leading British women's rights activist who led the movement to win the right for women to vote & is widely considered to have been the most influential woman of the twentieth century."

///////////// FOLLOWING PROJECTS MIGHT RESULT IN DEDICATIONS IN 2016 //////////////////////////////

Future - Great Smoky Mountains Peace Pagoda, Newport, Tennessee (USA). Under construction by Atlanta Dojo, Nipponzan Myohoji. Right image shows the existing Teramori House & larger Forest House. Click here for speech delivered at the Ceremony for the Enshrinement of Sacred Relics on October 8, 2011.

August 1, 2014 - Construction volunteer Ralph Hutchison, Coordinator of Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA), during concrete pouring for the Smoky Mountains Peace Pagoda while wearing a "Presente!" t-shirt he designed in 2000 for School of the Americas Watch protests at Fort Benning, Georgia.

2015? - Peace-building and Conflict Resolution Centre (PbCRC), near Lisburn (Northern Ireland). At site of Maze Prison (used to house paramilitary prisoners during the "Troubles" from mid-1971 to mid-2000). "Maze Peace Building" by Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind who designed Berlin’s Jewish Museum "& several other conflict-inspired buildings."

2015? - Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (IDCR), University of Essex, Essex (England). "World-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind has been chosen to design a landmark building in the UK to house a new international institute working towards democracy and conflict resolution around the globe. The new Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (IDCR) at the University of Essex will build on the University’s 40 years of practical and academic expertise in the field of human rights, justice and governance, and become an international beacon for democracy. It will be the largest purpose-built institute for independent research and policy analysis in these areas, drawing on Essex’s experience as the top ranked University in the UK for social science research. Daniel Libeskind, who won the competition to design the master plan for the new World Trade Center site in New York, has designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, and the Danish Jewish Museum in Copenhagen. He received a Master’s degree in the history and theory of architecture at the University of Essex in the 1970s..." /// "Following the news in 2010 that Daniel Libeskind was to design a 'landmark' building for the UK’s University of Essex, it has been announced that the plans have been abandoned. What was known as the Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (IDCR) 'was intended to become the "anchor" to a new Knowledge Gateway research park at the university’s Colchester Wivenhoe Campus.' According to a spokesman, 'the IDCR ceased to operate as a separate institute from 31 July 2013' resulting in the proposed building being shelved."

///////////// FOLLOWING MONUMENTS HAVE UNCERTAIN STATUS //////////////////////////////

Future - Mosaic peace sculpture, Oak Cliff, Texas (USA). "Fifteen years after a stranger was shot and killed in front of her home, artist & Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Karen Blessen is still spreading peace through art with her non-profit organization, 29 Pieces. Blessen has just finished the summer sessions for Piece 24, a workshop for high school students to collaborate on model sculptures. Working with the themes of respect & compassion, Piece 24 is a public art project that will put a three-dimensional, 16-foot-tall mosaic sculpture in Oak Cliff."

Future - Jordan River Peace Park - Lower Jordan River (Israel & Jordan). "Six miles south of the Sea of Galilee... Includes the Old Gesher compound, three historic bridges dating from the Roman Byzantine, Ottoman & British periods, a 14th-century inn from the Mamluk period, the Peace Island [sic], the abandoned Palestine Electric Company hydroelectric power plant, a British police station, an Ottoman customs house & an historic train station & railway.. Said to be the first peace park in the Middle East."

Future - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Monument, Garden of Nations, UN University of Peace, Cuidad Colon (Costa Rica). "Liberian youth have initiated a project to erect a monument of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the Garden of Nations on the campus of the University of Peace in Costa Rica, in Central America. The initiative is dubbed: "Put Ma Ellen There!" The Garden honors prominent citizens of the world who, in their own ways, have contributed to the ideals of world peace. According to an Executive Mansion release, the youth said the level of transformation that the country has experienced since Madam Sirleaf's presidency, especially youth development and the improvement of Liberia's image abroad, are just a few of the many reasons driving their proposal. The youth pointed out that if President Sirleaf's monument is erected in the Garden of Nations of the University of Peace, she will be the first sitting President ever to have one placed there. Former President Eduardo Montalva of Chile is the only President among 19 peace advocates whose monument is in the Garden, for his role in building world peace."

August 29, 2013? - Munich Massacre Memorial, Yud Alef Square, Tel Aviv (Israel). Commomorates massacre of 11 Israeli atheletes at the Munich Olympic Games on September 5, 1972. Photo by Dr. Avishai Teicher. (Yud-Alef is used in Hebrew numerals used to represent the number 11.)

Fall 2012? - "The Dialogue Iconostasis for World Peace," Sagrado Corazon 14, Colonia San Antonio, Cieneguita (Mexico). Four kilometers from center of San Miguel de Allende. A large curved wall of icons commemorating teachers such as Jesus, Buddha, Muhammed, Copernicus & Confucius, displaying an array of deities & symbols, 40 prayer wheels & more. Measures 3.35 meters by 10.5 meters (11 feet by 32 feet). The work of iconographer Mary Jane Miller, painting in egg tempera, & her husband, Valentin Gomez, whose hammered silver adorns the work. "A destination for quiet reflection. Invites us all to step thru the boundary separating the human from the divine & encourages all your members to listen again to the eternal truths which hold the keys to peace on earth." Now available to be seen at any time, but a permanent home is being sought in Mexico, e.g the expo center in Guanajuato or a newly constructed space for groups to meet in which would be dedicated in the Fall of 2012. Information courtesy of Mary Jane Miller.

M U S E U M

December 2012? - Global Peacebuilding Center (GPC), US Institute of Peace (USIP), 23rd Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC (USA). Formerly called Public Education Center (PEC). Official ground breaking for new USIP headquarters building took place June 5, 2008, twenty-four years after the creation of USIP. The facility will consist of a training center for professional conflict managers, conference space for public and private meetings, office space for USIP staff, and a 20,000 square foot PEC. Building was opened & space for the GPC completed in 2011, and the space was completely empty when left image made on Nov. 1, 2011. Entry #1169 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001). Discussed by Tom Flores (2008). Click here for the Wikipedia article.

M U S E U M

"Before 2011" but postponed - Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA), 615-14th Street, NW, Washington, DC (USA). "Will be the premier institution in the USA dedicated to educating American and international audiences about the Armenian Genocide and its continuing consequences. Visitors will come to understand the Armenian Genocide as the prototype for modern crimes against humanity, including the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur." See Video & Website.

M U S E U M

2012? - Desmond Tutu Peace Centre & Museum, Roggebaai, Cape Town (South Africa). Will include a Peace Table by George Nakashima (qv). Archbishop Desmond Tutu received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize.

Late 2013? - Womens Suffrage Monument, Nashville, Tennessee (USA). "Alan LeQuire has been hired to do the Nashville one, and I want him to do Memphis' also." Information courtesy of Paula Casey, Memphis, TN, 21July 2013.

Late 2013? - Womens Suffrage Monument, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee (USA). "I am spearheading a monument in Memphis also. The 19th Amendment passed in Nashville due to a united Shelby County delegation." Information courtesy of Paula Casey, Memphis, TN, 21July 2013.

Late 2013? - Womens Suffrage Monument, Knoxville, Tennessee (USA). " Wanda Sobieski has been responsible for the first one in Knoxville and is working to get another one by Alan LeQuire of Harry Burn [1895-1977] and his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn. Knoxville will have two" Information courtesy of Paula Casey, Memphis, TN, 21July 2013.

Late 2013? - Womens Suffrage Monument, Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA). "We are hoping to get a monument in Chattanooga." Information courtesy of Paula Casey, Memphis, TN, 21July 2013.

M U S E U M

2014? - Peace Museum, Attari (India). Also see http://www.museumofpeace.com/ . From Times of India, May 8, 2013: "A peace museum celebrating divided Punjab's shared architectural, cultural & culinary heritage is coming up at Attari near the India-Pakistan border. The double-story museum spread over 6,000 sq feet is expected to be opened early next year and will showcase items aimed at dispelling myths & promoting peace. 'It will help the youth understand the strong bonds their elders shared before the partition,'' said Amanbir Jaspal, 27 [top image], the brains behind the fusion museum. In answer to a question, he said it is not going to be a holocaust museum revolving around bloodshed during the partition. 'Instead it will display strong bonds different communities shared before the partition,'' said Jaspal, a post-graduate from the Norwegian School of Economics. 'It will help people forget the past and move ahead by touching hearts.' It was while escorting friends and relatives to the beating Retreat Ceremony at the Wagah border [click here for video] that he was struck, and troubled, by the jingoism and near hysterical nationalist fervour on display that he found out of sync with the camaraderie and bonhomie he experienced on his visits to Lahore. This led to questions about the partition of India, its terrible aftermath and lingering consequences, and to the realisation that the region does not even have a memorial to one of the most cataclysmic events of the sub-continent - the partition of India. It was this yearning for peace and friendship, particularly among the youth on both sides of border that gave birth to the idea of a Peace Museum, says his father D. S. Jaspal (contact him with inquiries or comments at dsjaspal@sify.com)... The recently established Sarhad [middle image] is a food and culture park, barely 1.5 kms from the border on the Amritsar-Attari national highway... Pakistan's internationally acclaimed truck artist Haider Ali has painted two Indian mini trucks at Sarhad [bottom image], which also boasts some exquisitely designed furniture and ceramic screens created by master craftsmen from Lahore. The Peace Museum design takes inspiration from buildings in Amritsar and Lahore's walled cities. The brickwork, parapet design has been borrowed from old buildings of Lahore while floor patterns from Amritsar's Golden Temple and Dera Sahib Gurdwara. The museum will have three sections - 'saada Punjab' (our Punjab),''sada-tuhada Punjab' (our and your Punjab) and 'umeedan-da-Punjab' (Punjab of Hopes). It is aimed at creating a sequence of events for the visitors to understand the pre and post-partition Punjab."

2014 - Peace Memorial, Veroli (Italy). 99 kilometres southeast of Rome. "Emphasizes the ties between Italy & United Nations (UN) member countries while recognizing the UN's values of peace & brotherhood. The Government of Italy invited UN member states to contribute to a peace memorial that is to be fashioned from mineral samples. The Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Development, today highlighted Canada's contribution of an exceptionally rare piece of Canadian granite to be featured in a new Peace Memorial being constructed in Italy. 'Canada is proud to be part of Italy's new Peace Memorial,' said Minister Oliver. 'Our contribution underscores our commitment to freedom & democracy. It will stand as a lasting symbol of Canada's vast natural resources.' As minerals represent a country's geography, terrain and resources, Natural Resources Canada selected a specimen of granite from the Acasta Gneiss, an outcrop in the Northwest Territories that forms part of the Canadian Shield, the geological core of the North American continent. With an estimated age of 4.2 billion years, the Acasta Gneiss is the Earth's oldest known rock. This is the first time that Canada has sent a sample of rock from the Canadian Shield for use in a UN-related project. Since its inception in 1945, the UN has built over 2,000 peace monuments in order to preserve the memory of an event in a physical & permanent way [sic]." UN COLLECTIONS ITALY 2014 RECORDS

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2012 - Voted down! - World Peace Monument, Gfoehl (Austria). "VIENNA (AFP): A small Austrian town will carry out a public survey on a planned Buddhist stupa billed as Europe's biggest 'world peace monument' after some locals expressed unease, the mayor said on Wednesday [Dec. 14, 2011]. // The town council in Gfoehl in northern Austria decided on late Tuesday to carry out a public consultation in February on whether they are in favour of the stupa, set to be 37m high and 25m in diametre. // 'We plan to listen to what people have to say and then the council will decide,' Mayor Karl Simlinger told AFP, saying 21 members of the 23-member body supported the project. // 'There have been a few letters in favour and against, but on the whole people are in favour... This is something that would be good for tourism and the economy in Gfoehl.' Next to the monument in the eastern outskirts of the town will be a 600 sq m building with accommodation for monks and nuns as well as meditation rooms, according to planners." /// Image published with story but appears to be illustrative only.

Future - Peace Corps memorial, First & C Streets, NW, Washington, DC (USA). "To honor fallen Peace Corps Volunteers. Proposed by National Park Service. On Nov. 15, 2014, the Advisory Neighborhood Commission that covers that little patch of land voted unanimously against the memorial’s placement there. The group isn’t against the idea of the memorial, they just want to protect their pocket park, says ANC 6C commissioner Daniele Schiffman. 'I can see how the Park Service would think it’s a good thing to put memorials all over our neighborhood, but we want to preserve open space,' she says." /// Click here for monument website. /// Click here for Wikipedia article. /// Image shows the proposed site.

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Future - National Museum of American Diplomacy, George C. Marshall Wing, US Department of State, Washington, DC (USA). "Plans are nearing their final stages, & designers went crazy in drawing up the interior display panels for the new US Diplomacy Center: Renderings show Richard Serra-like display panels for Hall I. According to the project narrative, these 'U-shaped enclosures [will] receive visitors to the Department & the world of diplomacy.' It's like soft power in museum form! According to a pre-solicitation just posted by the GSA, the whole shebang is budgeted somewhere between $18 & $24 million." [Washington City Paper, May. 17, 2011] /// "There aren’t many things that unite every living former Secretary of State, pundits & academics, Republicans & Democrats, as well as AFSA & State Department management. One thing that does is the 'United States Diplomacy Center,' the museum of American diplomacy that currently has a staff of seven working on plans, over $1.0 million in dedicated private funding sitting in the bank & 20,000 square feet of vacant prime space in the newly renovated east wing of the Main State building, all just waiting to be used. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting..." [Anthony Holmes, Foreign Service Journal (FSJ), American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), May 2007] /// "The diplomatic museum concept has been around for at least 12 years, yet very little has happened. In the meantime, the Marine Corps built a snazzy museum at Quantico and, I hear, the Army is about to break ground on a new museum at Fort Belvoir. What is it that prevents the State Department from making this happen? A museum at State is a great idea and long overdue..." [Douglas R. Keene, Foreign Service Journal (FSJ), American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), July-August 2007] /// "We are working with management to increase public awareness of our profession, such as fuller use of the oral history project & projects related to the creation of a Foreign Service museum." [Daniel Hirsch, Foreign Service Journal (FSJ), American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), June 2011] /// Bottom image shows site as of November 1, 2011, with no evidence of any museum construction.

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