Part of CITYarts' program Young Minds Build Bridges, the project Pieces for Peace consists of workshops where students create artwork for CITYarts' Peace Walls, a Traveling Exhibtion, and an Online Exhibition.
Peace Walls
CITYarts currently has three Peace Walls around the world in Harlem, New York, 
United States, Karachi, 
Pakistan, and Jaffa, 
Israel
Peace Wall in Harlem, New York City
In 2005, CITYarts celebrated its 37th year with the Pieces for Peace Mosaic with Youth from Around the World at the Jacob H. Schiff Playground in Harlem, New York. It stretches 213 feet (65 meters) and incorporates artworks submitted by youth from around the world. It was designed to build bridges of cultural understanding and to encourage youth to become active participants in shaping their future.
The Creative Process
Over 1,000 community volunteers and international youth participated in creating this mosaic. The creative process was led by artist Peter Sis, artist fabricator Dakota Warren and a team of artist assistants R.B. Mor III, Angie Loo, and Chia Yee.
Volunteer Testimonials
"As the kids within the neighborhood grow up they can have something to look at and enjoy rather than looking at graffiti or defaced walls. I feel that the mosaic brings a great deal of positive energy to the neighborhood. I enjoyed working on the piece; now I can actually show people how I have physically contributed to my community.
"The best thing about this project is how the entire community was involved in building it. A product of the environment, the CITYarts mosaic will continue to be a symbol of growth, unity, and stability in our neighborhoods.” Antonia Singleton, 16 | Frederick Douglass High School
International Summer Youth Residency
In the summer of 2007, youth from around the world meet to work on the Peace Wall in New York.
Peace Wall in Karachi, Pakistan
"The mosaic was a refreshing experience, an experience which makes you proud of yourself. It makes you realize that there is so much you can do for this world and makes you feel proud of it. It makes me proud because I contributed towards making my country better looking and beautiful and maybe what I did was not even a drop in the bucket – but it still counts. It has affected me in a very strange way – it has made me think about things other than myself." Saba Zaman, 16 | The Lyceum School, Karachi, Pakistan
Peace Wall in Jaffa, Israel
After two years, CITYarts has completed its Mosaic Peace Wall in Jaffa, Tel Aviv. The mosaic is the fourth Peace Wall in the world and the first in Israel through CITYarts' "Pieces for Peace" international youth art project.
Under the direction of two artists, one Jewish and one Arab, art workshops were held in Jaffa, Tel Aviv and took place at the home base of the after school programs – at 35 schools, the Arab-Hebrew Theatre of Yafo, the Peres Center for Peace, and others. The artworks created by youth influenced the maquette that was designed by the two artists with final input of our leading collaborators and CITYarts' Executive & Artistic Director, Tsipi Ben-Haim. The maquette was then transferred onto the wall in Ajami/Gabalia with the full collaboration of over 800 neighborhood youth and the workshop participants through our educational partners.
Sponsors for the project include: Allianz, Badr Jafar, Nina & Daniel Libeskind, Club Hotel, and News Corporation
The completed Peace Wall Ribbon Cutting Celebration, April 2011
The Peace Wall Mosaic, process 2010
View More Photos Here.
Traveling Exhibitions
Pieces for Peace has traveled all over the world. We've been in five different countries.
United States Venues
Queens, NY |
International Venues
Munich, Germany |
St. Anna’s School
iEARN International Youth Conference
Museo Fundación Cristóbal
European Parliament
Association Memoire de l'AvenirPIeces for peace workshops
Youth have participated in numerous workshops in schools and recreation centers where they brainstorm peace imagery and create their unique 6 x 6 in artworks. Find out how to set up a workshop here.
Pieces for peace Anthem
In June 2007, St. Anna-Schulverbund, a school in Germany that participated in Pieces for Peace, collaborated with CITYarts to create a “Pieces for Peace” song. This song was performed during the opening of the exhibition at the Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany.
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One by one
They come touch your hearts,
One by one
They open the minds.
Rise wonder, surprise, and tears.
Their spirit moves your soul,
They bring your dream to life.
They are the light, the light of tomorrow,
Pieces for Peace, Pieces for Peace.
One by one
A circle they form,
One by one
They’re all holding hands.
In all colors from ‘round the globe,
Like a rainbow of wishes and thoughts,
They plant the seed of hope.
They are the light…
Lyrics by Tsipi Ben-Haim |
Music by Peter F. Schneider |
Arranged by Christian Schneider
Bigband and Choir of Günter-Stöhr-Gymnasium, Munich/Icking |
Conducted by Christian Schneider, Susanne Pausch
Vocals: Fenja Lukas
Recorded and mastered at Realistic Sound Studio, Munich |
By Florian H. Oestreicher |
Sponsored by Allianz
© 2008, St-Anna-Schulverbund Icking, Germany (music)
© 2008, CITYarts, New York, USA (lyrics) all rights reserved
Special Thanks to Allianz for Sponsoring the “Pieces for Peace”Anthem
Online Exhibition
Below are a selection of works from around the world.
Launch CITYarts' Online Mosaic
Using the online mosaic, you can search for names easily.