A new bell will soon ring in the gardens of the World Center for Peace in Verdun (Meuse). She came out of her mold, this Saturday, November 19, 2022, like her two cousins, a German and a Luxembourger. Also made from shells, these bells symbolize Franco-German friendship.

These are very special bells. They each weigh a hundred pounds. On the manufacturing side, bronze, but also fragments of shells from the First World War. A whole symbol, through this alloy, to celebrate peace. “Basically, bells were melted down to make weapons for war” recalls Maren Morawski, German coordinator of the project. “Here, the idea is really to reverse the process by using war waste to make bells for peace.“

Manufacturing took place in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. And it is no coincidence that the country of the three borders was chosen. “Here, we are at the center of Europe, in its heart” continues Maren Morawski, “and with everything that’s going on, from Brexit to the war in Ukraine to the borders that have been closed with Covid, it’s very important to raise awareness about peace in Europe.“

It is a question of marking the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty of 1963, of this friendship which unites us because it has been able to overcome the weight of wars

Philippe Hansch, Director of the World Center for Peace

The project, baptized “All 4 Peace”, consists in manufacturing three bells which will be installed in Mamer in Luxembourg, in Sarrebourg in Germany and in Verdun in France, in Global Peace Center. “Our desire is to have a Franco-German bell in Verdun” confides Philippe Hansch, director of the World Center for Peace and French representative of the project. “This is to mark the 60th anniversary of the Elysee treaty of 1963, of this friendship which unites us because it knew how to overcome the weight of the wars.“

On each bell, there are patterns that are unique to it. If the Luxembourg bell highlights a dove of peace, the French bell favors the historic handshake between François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl in 1984.

The three bells of peace will be presented together on May 7, 2022 in Schengen in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. They will ring on May 9 for Europe Day in Luxembourg, France and Germany.