Where we began
The story of Armed with the Arts Inc.
Story told by our Founder, Sue DiCicco
“In December 2012, I began a journey. Like everyone else, I was stunned and horrified to hear of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut. Mass shootings had become commonplace in America. Each time, the country became enraged. Each time, our politicians engaged in loud and polarizing debates, looking for answers. Each time, no solutions were offered. No changes were made. No plan was enacted. This particular shooting seemed at a whole new level. Twenty children, 6 and 7 years old, were gunned down, along with six of their teachers, and the shooter’s own mother. The heinous nature of the crime prompted me to believe we could no longer wait for our politicians to find solutions. I began to wonder what each of us could do to stem the tide of violence that was sweeping our world. I have spent my life working as an artist, first as an animator and later as an illustrator of children’s books. My experience in those fields led me to feel confident I knew how to engage people, especially children, in a fun way. How could I translate that into an actionable plan, something that could unite people and create more understanding? I posted my thoughts to Facebook. Soon, an active dialogue began. Among the participants was my long time friend, Deborah Moldow. Deborah also happened to be a co-chair of the International Day of Peace NGO Committee at the United Nations. “Why don’t you create a project for Peace Day?” she wondered.
For several days, I retreated to my studio and began to explore possibilities. How could I share my love of art with children, while at the same time bring them all together in a vision of peace and understanding? I set my mind to creating a large, inclusive art event, something everyone, everywhere could do. This limited my choices. No special brushes, scissors, or paints could be required. Many groups around the world may not have access to those. The project needed to be universal in its appeal, and something that could be easily shared with others. I learned to fold origami as a child and always had a love for Japan, its culture, and elegant aesthetic. I knew the origami crane and that it was a symbol of peace for many in the world. What if I invited every child in the world to fold a crane, write a message of peace on its wings, and then offer a way for them to trade it with another child somewhere in the world? With the power and the potential of the Internet, and my friends involved in Peace Day behind me, I launched my idea, now called The Peace Crane Project, shortly before Peace Day in 2013. My friend and videographer, Rubia Braun stepped in to make a seies of videos for our launch. Quickly, classroom and community groups around the world began to join in, taking the project in directions I could never have dreamed, connecting in ways beyond my wildest hopes.
Teachers and community leaders soon found they could make the Peace Crane Project part of their curriculum and activities all year long. In 2015, the Peace Crane Project began hosting exchanges every day of the year.
Today, as I type this in December of 2016, over two million children have participated, meeting other children, learning geography, practicing their writing, strengthening their hand-eye coordination, and building an appreciation for all the people and cultures of the world.”
If you would like to join the Peace Crane Project and trade cranes and greetings of peace with other students all around the planet, visit my website: www.peacecraneproject.org
