Elephants for Peace
We are creating
Images Of Joy And Peace
transforming sites of Conflict into Images Of Today
that Create the Future We Desire.
Elephants for Peace is a civic non-profit art movement which seeks to make a difference by inviting people from around the world to contribute a found or original artwork or artifact in the form of an elephant. The elephant is a majestic figure of great size living in harmony with its surroundings. Here grandeur meets peacefulness. The Peace dove is given a strong partner living and walking on earth with us.
The contributed work is standing in for the peaceful attitude of the donor and are exhibited along with the persons name.
The elephant themed works travel the world as ambassadors of peace and are displayed in a gathering meant to stimulate a peaceful togetherness and transform the site into a place of joy.
On May 9 and 10, 2009. Go Ganesha Go Elephants for Peace produced the miracle and made peace visible and even tangible by transforming the dividing line of Cyprus into a place of joy and festive ambience. Citizens from both sides of the border met in a supportive setting, officials welcomed each other and cooperated to make the vision a reality. Some 600 elephant themed contributions were made including sculptures, paintings, photographs poems, music from participants from around the world were exhibited on both sides of the divide and for two days we transcended the obstacle of the checkpoint area.
In Cyprus never has an event tried to overcome the division by moving simultaneously from both sides towards each other. The idea to invite people to speak and make the desire visible through art and dialog was a successful enterprise. This is not art for the people but by the people and art not for art but for peace. The sense of participation and being part of an active egalitarian society is achieved through art.
In June 2010 Elephants for Peace will celebrate 25 years of borderless Europe in Schengen, Luxembourg. United Europe shows that peace and grandeur are inherently connected and condition each other. By dropping borders and fear peace reigns amongst the individual countries. Elephants for Peace will express and making visible the gratitude we are holding of being able to live in a peaceful and borderless region of the world. We are calling for elephant contributions to create elephant parades on the former borders between the three founding countries: France, Germany and Benelux. We will organize a peace walk through Luxembourg, France and Germany as well as a multitude of concerts and workshops.
You can participate by sending in an elephant contribution that will stand in for your desire of peace. The contribution will travel from Schengen to Istanbul.
Istanbul is European Capital of Europe in 2010. From the Schengen bridge, the former border between Germany and Luxembourg, the event will travel to the bridge uniting Europe with Asia, over the Bosphorous.
The fear and clash of civilization will be transcended by an event of Elephants for Peace. We are planning a concert and an elephant parade produced locally by schools, universities, institutions and private people merging with those sent over directly from Schengen and Cyprus.
In 2011 the event will travel to Jerusalem and onward to other countries.
We are looking forward hearing from you.
Rose Marie Gnausch Initiator and artistic director
