Peacehenge
Dedicated to peace and to peace-building
We are working – key collaborators and Board members – on developing Peacehenge, somewhat on the pattern and scale of Stonehenge, only there will be a central peace structure that will provide the monument with a strong vertical presence. Here is a conceptual design – on the path to the final design – by architect, David Mark Lane. Visitors will be able to travel in elevators to the top of the peace symbol and view the site from a viewing platform.
In addition to the traditional trilithons – vertical stones and a horizontal lintel bridging the vertical stones – that are a prominent feature of Stonehenge, we will have sculptures by individual artists using both traditional and modern materials.
We are planning for at least one of the sculptures at Peacehenge to be made from de-commissioned and disabled hardware and weapons, like ICBMs, tanks, howitzers, M-16s, AK47s, and say, elements of an F-15.
War itself will be represented by a large sculpture, embodying the shadow, whose effects have been so devastating over the millenia of human history.  War is compelling in some ways, and this sculpture will enshrine that quality, too. Advocating for peace is not enough.  There are wars that have to be fought – “just wars” – such as World War II, to preserve cultures and nations that manifest the values of justice and freedom that are crucial to uphold and protect. Peacehenge is not about pacifism, in that military intervention is sometimes required to uphold those values. It’s about avoiding war when possible, and ending war where human life is being sacrificed gratuitously, or the warfare is in the service of a political goal that is independent of defending justice and freedom.
The design of Peacehenge will be coordinated ahead of construction, with a call to artists from each of the seven continents to submit designs for sculptures that fit the overall vision. It will be an international monument.
Locations being considered include north of Santa Cruz, the high desert, and the Central Coast of California.  The land will be purchased, if it is not donated by an individual or an entity like a Land Trust.
In May, 2018 we received 501(c)3 federal tax exempt status as a non-profit corporation. Fundraising is a key part of the project. If you would like to support Peacehenge, click on the donate button on the home page, and make your donation. This is a unique and powerful way for you to support the cause of peace. Contributions are tax-deductible, to the full extent permitted by law.
The Peacehenge site will have an interpretive Visitor Center. Famous proponents of peace, such as Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Elie Wiesel, Mairead Corrigan, Betty Williams, the Quakers, Rigoberta Menchu, Rosa Parks, The Dalai Lama, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Desmond Tutu, John Lennon, Joan Baez, Malala Yousafzai, Beatrice Fihn, head of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad will have exhibits at the Visitor Center.
A Peacehenge gift shop and café will also be part of the Visitor Center.
There will be an Education Center, so individuals can come to Peacehenge and attend seminars on how to negotiate peace, avoid war, and deal with conflict in a way that leads to a resolution without violence. People will be able stay at a Retreat Center, the residential component of Peacehenge, located at some distance from the main monument, where there will be curated experiences, such as silent retreats.
There will be a Peace Pond and waterfall – a significantly soothing water element, representing gentleness and flexibility.
Peacehenge: a vision, a place, and a movement
Peacehenge 