Dear friends,
2009 is coming to an end and I am looking with joy and gratidue to the passing months. The project "Go Ganesha Go" has started its tour very successfully at the inner cypriote border in Nicosia in May 2009 and is now anchoring within Europe under the alternative name "Elephants for Peace". In 1985 in the small town of Schengen, Luxembourg the former enemy countries signed an agreement with started the abolition of its borders. To my knowledge this is unique in history! Freely countries choose to give up some of their autonomy and do open their borders to the former enemy. Letting go of the fear of the Other is the action par excellence in order to establish peace and harmony between countries. Again is shown that peace needs a symbol uniting power and peacefulness. The elephant is standing for this powerful peacefulness. Picasso's peace dove gets a strong partner. "Unity in diversity", said Nicolaus Cusanus in the 15 century, the key phrase for Europe and for world peace. The Schengen agreements will reach its 25th anniversary and therefore "Elephants for Peace" will display the new peace symbol on the former border, a small bridge over the river Mosel. In addition we will have concerts, workshops and a peace walk, while walking we will unite France, Luxembourg and Germany. All Europeans and those who favor these ideas feeling joy and gratitude for living under such favorable conditions are urged to come to Schengen on June 6, 2010 and express their wish for world peace.
In August the event will travel to Istanbul. Istanbul is the cultural capital of Europe in 2010. Istanbul equally has a bridge, uniting Europe with the Orient. This bridge will see an Elephants for Peace event, trying to transform European fear of the Orient into a moment of togetherness and joy.
Together with the elephant contribution waiting in Cyprus, they will travel to Jerusalem in 2011. Here as well we want to transcend what seems unsurmountable. Division is what we know, an image of peaceful and joyful togetherness will be a new image of theses regions.
In order to make all this happen I founded an NGO "Elephants for Peace Community" to better coordinate the events. You are kindly invited to become a member or support the effort. On the website there is equally a shop with articles that help support the events: www.efp-shop.com
We realized a beautiful calendar which shows elephant contributions for Cyprus which would be a beautiful gift for Christmas since it spreads the good news a year long in all different homes. (19.90 euro per calendar; by ordering 10 and more prize will drop to 12.90)
Please forward this mail to all your friends, that the movement will gain momentum at a time that it is most needed.
I am looking forward hearing from you,
Rose Marie Gnausch