Peace mural to be gifted to city

9 September 2005

Christchurch peace campaigners are to present the city with a ten metre mural painted in Cathedral Square to mark 60 years since the bombing of Hiroshima.

The calico mural, which will be presented to Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore by peace campaigner Dr Jeph Mathias, was painted by passersby as they travelled through the Square on 6 August.

Dr Mathias said the results from the commemorative day had been wonderful.  “Japanese passersby were moved to tears that Christchurch should remember their cities sixty years on,  Iraqi families painted in Arabic, and Christchurch people of all types shouted in colour against violence,”  he said.

Dr Mathias said he liked the fact that the mural was “not just by another collection of peaceniks” but was a statement of hope from ordinary people.  “Next year we will be asking the Council for 50 metres of calico,” he said.

Sponsors of the project included Christchurch City Council, Resene, Orana Park and Southern Encounter.

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