The Peace symbol is 50 years old. A simple design that carries a powerful message, and it grew out of the personal despair of artist Gerald Holtom, a professional graphic designer who had been commissioned by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in 1957 to design their logo.
The source of the logo is a semaphore for the letters Nuclear and Disarmament, but also it’s a self portrait. Holtom said: "I was in despair. Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards in the manner of Goya’s peasant before the firing squad. I formalised the drawing into a line and put a circle round it.”
Although specifically designed for the anti-nuclear movement it has never been copyrighted. No one has to pay or to seek permission before they use it. A symbol of freedom, it is free for anyone to use, to display proudly.
I realize that this isn't the topic posted over at One Million Blogs for Peace, but this symbol, this simple symbol is universally a statement of peace. It crosses every language barrier. It crosses every religious barrier. When I see a Peace Symbol, I feel connected to a greater good. In the '60s, it was everywhere. We need to show it everywhere again.
Read more about the history here and get your own.
If you haven't signed up for One Million Blogs for Peace, you can do so HERE.
11 comments:
I had been told the sign was the footprint of a dove. Either way, it's important to keep it around and maybe someday we will have world peace
Wonderful post, Jood.
Great post. I never knew.
This is so interesting! I didn't know the origins of the peace symbol but figured it was an ancient symbol, like others are. I especially love the Goya reference!
I hope you're feeling well today, Ms. Diva :-)
great post! i didn't know all that back history. i totally forgot about tuesday post-for-peace. thanks!
Now that is cool. I never did look to check the origins of the sign. Way cool DivaJood.
Patricia, I remember being told it was a variation on a B-52 plane! Surprised me.
Peacechick, thank you!
Ahenobarbus, thanks for stopping by. I will come visit you later.
Tree, we all had various notions of how it came to be, but who knew? And yes, thank you, I'm feeling quite decent because I'm on meds for my liver.
Weezie, the memory is the second thing to go.
Donnie, I found this all by accident almost - didn't want to do their topics anymore.
True story: My dad, the ex-Marine, had a diamond encrusted peace symbol pendant made for my mom for their 20th wedding anniversary. Why? Because while my dad was being shot at and having his mind and body destroyed in Vietnam, his wife--my mom-- was toting around his daughter--my big sister-- in a baby backpack and protesting for peace. My dad always loved that my mom loved him enough to fight to end the war, no matter what the other Marine wives thought.
.... and I've been away so long that I wanted to say thanks for updating on your health situation. BabyGirl and I regularly ask God to heal you and protect you while saying her prayers at night, and Beanie's "pee pee in the pottie" story is terrific! Shortly after her second birthday, we bought her a pottie and BabyGirl would pee for me always..... the other duty in the pottie... not so much. But finally, as she neared her 4th birthday, we fixed that little problem and we haven't looked back since! Just tell your daughter to invest in plenty of Clorex wipes for her floor... sigh... I swear they always seem to somehow manage to hit the floor with some bodily fluid everytime.
Dearest Diva,
Thanks for the background on the symbol. I'd never read it before.
I have a precious friend whose cancer has metastasized to the liver, and she is in remission now. She does it all: chemo (she's off it currently), support groups, meditation, acupuncture, travel(!),Chinese herbs, even a visit to Depok Chopra's institute in La Jolla. The diversity of approaches has really paid off, and her quality of life has been greatly enriched, along with the remission.
I hold you in the warmth of my thoughts.
Tina, lovely story about your parents. They raised you well, and I see that you will do the same for BabyGirl and Li'l Man.
Lulu, my best to your friend - what I've got is so very responsive to meds that it merely falls into the category of annoyance.
I was surprised the symbol is 50 years old and then I remember I am almost 49 and it's been around since I was a kid.
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