Bosnia Statue Project
Image by Richard Kidd
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The Children's International Peace-and-Harmony Statue
The Nightmare
In Sarajevo, on May 27, 1992, at 4:00 in the afternoon, a line of starving people formed outside a bakery hoping to get bread. Without warning, a mortar shell fell in their midst killing 22 innocent men, women, and children. One man saw this from his window and knew he had to do something. But what could he do? The following day he went to the crater left by the blast and opened fire. His weapon was his cello. His ammunition was his music. For 22 days, one to honor each of those who had perished, Vedran Smailovic, the principal cellist of the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra, played his cello while bullets flew all around him.
The Awakening
I first heard this story in January 1997, when I was ten. I knew I had to do something to keep the message of harmony alive and to bring awareness to the plight of the Bosnians. Mr. Smailovic's courageous actions brought the world's attention to Sarajevo. He was one man making a difference. He was all alone fighting a war with his harmony. The symbolism of harmony as the answer to war created a powerful image in my mind.
In an effort to call attention to the cellist, Bosnia, and the insanity of war, I set about organizing a cello concert with 21 cellists and one empty chair with a vase of 22 roses on it in honor of Mr. Smailovic and the 22 victims of the massacre. The concert took place at the University of Evansville in Indiana. Then, on the 5th anniversary of the Breadline Maasacre, I organized "Harmony in the Park," a vigil and memorial service in a local park. I made fliers and went all over town inviting people to attend-- especially musicians, artists, poets, and humanitiarians who could display their creative talents and energy as an answer to the destructive energy of war. In addition, I began writing articles about Mr. Smailovic, Bosnia, multiculturalism, social justice, human rights, and the need to replace war with dialogue in the newspaper that I publish, The Informer.
The Dream
In January, 1997, I wrote President Clinton to tell him my dream to send a peace statue from the children of the world to Bosnia, like France sent the United States the Statue of Liberty. The statue will honor the spirit of the Bosnian people, who refused to be defeated by ethnic hatred and who continue to welcome all ethnic and religious groups. The statue will honor the spirit of children around the world who want peace and harmony, not war and genocide, to prevail in the new millennium. Mr. Clinton wrote me an encouraging reply, and since then, I have been working hard on the Bosnia statue project.
Adult Believers
Many adults are interested in being part of this project. Laura Whaley, who was with the Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University and now teaches in Florida, is tireless in helping me promote the project. Canadian artist Deryk Houston and his wife Elizabeth Wellburn, whose book Echoes from the Square chronicles the courageous acts of Mr. Smailovic, have been so much help and encouragement! Bosnian Ambassador to the UN Muhamed Sacirbey is also helping to promote the statue.
Five celebrities have endorsed the peace statue. They are folk singer Joan Baez (click here to see "Joan and Me!"), Irish folk singer Tommy Sands, folk singer and composer Pete Seeger, concert cellist Yo-Yo Ma,and U-2 rock legend Bono.
Vedran Smailovic, May 1997, London. Photo by Canadian artist and my good friend, Deryk Houston
The Work
Sculptor David Kocka (Kotch-ka) began working on the idea in August 1998. Fra. Davide (or Bro.David) as I call him, is a very spiritual and philosophical man, a man of peace, and all of his work reflects this quality.
Sculptor David Kocka works on a clay model of the cellist of Sarajevo.
He graduated from St. Louis University, where he majored in sculpture and also studied philosophy and art history. Next he studied theology and art in Rome for three years. Then he earned his master-of-arts degree from St. Bonaventure University in New York,where his "guru" Thomas Merton, had previously taught English.
Mr. Kocka's work has won international awards, and several pieces are on permanent display throughout the United States. In addition to his obvious artistic talent, Mr. Kocka is a very knowledgeable of Eastern European culture and is of Russian heritage, which makes him uniquely qualified forh tis peace and harmony sculpture.
Miniature Wax Models
The Children's International Peace-and-Harmony Statue will depict five children-- the oldest being about fifteen and then decreasing in size/age. The children, representing different ethnicities, are on a make-shift bridge holding hands; but the bridge is broken and one of the children is reaching very far to grab the other's hand. The lead child (the 15-year-old) has two sticks in his hands which he is playing like a violin. The sculpture portrays the sense of innocence of childhood. The kids run, jump, and have fun with a carefree attitude and no ulterior motives. The youth have no need for adult intervention and sophistication. They don't need a "real" violin, they can make their own. Through this innocence and simplicity of childhood camaraderie, the cultural divide, depicted by the broken bridge, is about to be spanned as the young people reach out for each other. Thus, the statue represents the Spirit of Multiculturalism, the Spirit of Harmony, and the Spirit of Children and symbolically reveals that the union of these three spirits forms a cultural bridge to peace.
The Structure and Recognition
In October 1998, I founded The Cello Cries On, Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation to unite young people to work across dividing lines (such as race, religion, ethnicity, etc.) for human rights, social justice, multiculturalism and peace. The peace statue is a tangible symbolic outcome of this mission. I am very pleased and honored that in April 1999, The Cello Cries On, Inc. was accepted into the United Nation's "WE THE PEOPLE'S' peace initiative.
I feel very honored that in 1999, I was one of seven international youth to receive the "1999 Global Youth Peace and Tolerance Award" presented at the United Nations.
In 2000, I received the "Culture of Peace" International Peace Award presented to me by the Japanese Ministry of Culture and Education at the World Peace Celebration in Tokyo. The Goi Peace Foundation invited me to spend two wonderful weeks in Japan where I spoke to school children and youth groups and participated in a round table discussion for television.
In 2001, my work to promote peace, conflict resolution, and cultural diversity was honored by the American Community Schools when I was selected the recipient of the "ACS International Peace Prize." The prize involved a trip to London and an opportunity to talk with keynote speaker Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner from Northern Ireland.
Young People Get Involved
The statue has become a catalyst drawing young people from different cultures, races, ethnic groups, and religions together to discuss and work for peace. Youth in the US and around the world are getting involved.
I had the pleasure of addressing the youth and meeting Rabbi Joseph of Temple B'nai B'rith of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in October '98. They are a great group of kids. The sixth graders decided to donate their class offering for the entire '98-'99 school year to the peace statue.
Students from Ridgeview Elementary in Ashtabula, Ohio, and students from Kingsville Elementary in Kingsville, Ohio, determined to earn money for the statue as a way to invest themselves in world peace. They studied the history of Yugoslavia and the plight of the Bosnians. They made fliers and wrote a "script" so they could explain the project and the idea of harmony as an answer to discord to their fellow students. Then they sold colorful paper chain links and named their fundraising project "The Chain of
Hope." They watched the chain grow. Together the schools connected a chain 5,700 inches long and collected $500 for the statue, which shows that kids are dedicated to working for peace. Their project also shows what young people can achieve when we are motivated ...and these guys were motivated!
Fourth grade students from Grantsville Elementary and Accident Elementary in Maryland did a Christmas fundraiser for the statue, which they called "Angels for Peace." The kids studied the war in the former Yugoslavia and read Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic. Then they made "Angels for Peace" out of card stock. Early in December 1998, they officially began their fundraiser by issuing angels to anyone who donated money to the peace statue. The donors then got to write their names on "their" angels and add them to the bulletin board display in the school library. Donors, including students, parents, and teachers, sent $160 toward the realization of the peace statue. On the day before Christmas vacation, as a climax to the fundraiser, a local cellist played for the entire student body. This was a very moving project with a very appropriate climax.
Stephen Bach from Riverton, New Jersey, was very touched by the idea of a peace statue for Bosnia. He organized a holiday basketball tournament at Riverton School and raised $515.00!
Statue Ambassadors are located around the world. Currently, Amanda Link in Indianapolis is exploring grant possibilities and fundraising ideas. Julie
Henderson is doing a fantastic job organizing several fundraisers in the San Francisco Bay area. Greg Martayan is supporting the statue in the Los Angeles
area. Emily Kumpel is working on a fundraiser for the Boston area. Lauren Smedley has worked hard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, planning fundraising
activities, and Erin Moore is doing great things as our representative in Las Vegas. Gennifer Davis from Ohio is putting together fantastic ideas and using her
networking talents. Nicole McLaren is the point person in Jamaica. Felipe Garcia Landa took charge of the project in Mexico and collected lots of signatures.
Prabesh Poudyal has collected signatures and money in Nepal. Lama Jurdy from Lebanon has miraculously been able to fill 8 pages with signatures and collect
money from her friends even though the people of Lebanon have critical problems of their own regarding issues of war and peace. Nusrah Wali is the voice of the
"Cello Cries On" in Nigeria and Morocco. Sasha Galetsky handled the statue project in Ukraine. And Terah DeJong has promoted the statue project in
India and Madagascar. Spyros Tzelepis represents the statue in Greece while Nick Moraitis is our voice in Australia. Ria Leilani Baldevia is a strong
force for the statue and for peace in Guam and Korea.
In September 2000, 13-year-old fundraising phenomenon Michael Munds signed on as CFO of The Cello Cries On, Inc. and is now planning ways to raise
substantial amounts for the statue. Michael lives in Colorado and is known nationally for the tens of thousands he has raised for charity.
Y4PY2K
The statue is giving youth a voice to express their desire to live in peace in the new millennium. It has evolved from an "end" in itself to a "beginning"... a way to get
all of us interested in and working together for peace, a way to promote multiculturalism and internaional understanding. These things are the stepping stones to
peace. Thus, in this sense the statue truly is a peace-and-harmony statue.
To help accomplish our goals, I formed Youth for Peace in the Year 2000, a delegation of international youth (representing 14 countries/ 6 continents) who meet
on-line to discuss issues of nonviolence and multiculturalism and to plan fundraising projects. We will travel to Sarajevo when the statue is unveiled to meet with
Bosnian youth, representing the major ethnic groups. We will determine how we can best help Bosnian youth rebuild their lives and their country on a foundation of
diversity and harmony. I met with the Bosnian Ambassador to the UN in November 1999, and he agreed to help in finding the Bosnian youth to be part of this
international summit and to assist in making arrangements for us in Bosnia. Amanda Link, as Director of Youth for Peace in the Year 2000, set up our listserv and
will take the lead in setting up the summits.
The Cello Cries On, Inc. salutes all youth everywhere who know how important it is to "invest a piece of yourself in peace."
The Ohio students in the photos above started out making a paper Chain of Hope, but they did much more. They have started a human chain of hope that must and will stretch across the world. Working together we can earn the money to send a statue to Bosnia and a mesage to the world that says kids want peace. I invite young people (and parents, youth leaders, club leaders, and/or teachers who will help) to be part of this human chain of hope. Joining our HEARTS IN ACTION we will fight the destructive force of war with the creative energy of our HARMONY.
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THE STUDENTS OF RIDGEVIEW AND KINGSVILLE SCHOOLS IN OHIO.....
ISSUE A CHALLENGE TO CLASSROOMS/YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD TO CREATE A CHAIN OF HOPE AND RAISE MORE THAN $500 IN A TWO-MONTH PERIOD!
IF YOUR CLASS, YOUTH GROUP, CLUB OR NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS TO JOIN WITH OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE IN 2001 AND 2002 TO CREATE A CHAIN OF HOPE, CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
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How Can YOU Get Involved?
Become a Statue Partner in Peace by making a donation to The Cello Cries On, Inc. a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization (address below)
Become a Statue Ambassador by spreading the story of the cellist of Sarajevo and the messge of harmony into your school and community while doing a fundraiser for The Children's International Peace-and-Harmony Statue.(Click here for additional fundraising ideas).
Become a Y4PY2K Ambassador by first becoming a Statue Ambassador (see above) and then by applying by email stating your reasons for wanting to be a Y4PY2K Ambassador and listing any experience in peace buildingas well as any other pertinent info.
Questions? Comments? Need more info? Want to make a donation? Want a petition? Then contact...
Jason Crowe jdc@sigecom.net or The Cello Cries On, Inc./ P.O. Box 441 / Newburgh, IN 47629-0441
Nearly $25,000 has been raised for the statue!
Work on the sculpture began in the fall of 2001!
We need YOU to help us raise the remaining $25,000,
which will enable us to erect our statue,
a concrete symbol of our desire for peace
and our willingness to work toward that goal
while we are "just a bunch of kids."
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