‘Making Peace’ is a traveling exhibit that is being shown in Toronto at the moment. It was produced by the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and was first shown in in 2010 as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to IPB. It’s purpose is to promote peace as well as educate and inform.
It can be seen until the end of June on Front Street East in the Canary District (by Corktown Commons, east of the Distillery District). In Toronto, the exhibit involves short four-sided pillars that line the sidewalk and each side of every pillar has a photo with a description or a quote from a famous person. There is also a temporary gallery in an indoor space ‘loaned’ to the exhibit by one of the developers in the Canary District.
below: A painting in progress by Ford Medina showing Nelson Mandela in five colours. These colours carry over into the outdoor exhibit and each colour represents the five main elements that IPB considers necessary for peace:
1. disarmament and nonviolence (purple)
2. conflict prevention and resolution (red)
3. economic and social justice (orange)
4. human rights, law and democracy (blue)
5. environment and sustainable development (green)
below: The display extends into Corktown Commons. Here the pillars are green as this is the section for the fifth element named above, the environment.
below: Photo by Ribeiro Antonio. The words that accompany this photo are: ” On 25 September 2015, the 193 countries of the UN agreed to an historic plan of action, entitled ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. This plan contains 17 goals with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues. These include ending poverty and hunger, improving health education, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans and forests.” If you are interested in this, there is more information on the UN website.
below: Blue is for human rights, law, and democracy and here you have an old black and white photograph of Sylvia Pankhurst (1882-1960), a British campaigner, apparently taken when she was in Australia speaking out on behalf of woman’s rights as part of the Suffragette movement. The Suffragettes (or Women’s Social and Political Union or WSPU) was founded by a small group of women in 1903, including Sylvia, but during WW1 Sylvia was expelled from the WSPU because of her pacifist views and anti-war actions. Her sister Adela shared similar views – she immigrated to Australia where campaigned against the First World War.
below: Two photos. The one on the right, of the woman holding the flower in front of the armed soldiers, was taken at a Peace March against the Vietnam War in Washington DC in 1967. The photo on the left was taken in 2001 and is the back of a Kamajor fighter in Sierra Leone. They played a role in the civil war that occurred in that country between 1991 and 2002.
below: A couple of the red pillars on Front Street with the blue sculpture, “The Water Guardians ” behind them. The images on the closest pillar are of inside the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem as well as UN peacekeepers in Bosnia.
below: Closer to home, this pillar celebrates the work of the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation. Working with the city as well as with community groups, businesses, and individuals, they help to increase Toronto’s tree cover.
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” Gandhi
below: Homeless migrant worker, China
The exhibit continues until mid-September.
as I walk Toronto 