Recently, the global focus has been on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with Russia launching a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Gunfire can be heard locally, with fires raging and countless homes destroyed. Those of us far away can only see the situation through the news or online, with each piece of information touching our hearts. Last week, Yoko Ono posted on social media that the “Imagine Peace Tower” located near the Icelandic capital Reykjavik in the harbor of Kollafjorour will be lit up to show support for Ukraine and emphasize the call for peace. She wrote, “Remember, we are all one family. Think peace, act peace, spread peace, imagine peace. Together, we should turn the world’s axis towards peace.”
The “Imagine Peace Tower” lights up with a blue beam every year from October 9th to December 8th, illuminating the Arctic night sky. Conceived by multimedia artist Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon back in the 1960s, the light tower was completed in 2007. Even though Lennon passed away many years ago, his wife has continued to express love and peace to the world through art, just as Lennon did with his music singing “all you need is love” and “give peace a chance”.
Back in the 1960s when the two first met, Yoko Ono had already conceived the idea of building a lighthouse. Lennon was very supportive of her idea at the time, but the project was eventually abandoned due to its enormity. It wasn’t until Lennon’s death in 1980 that this project remained rooted in Yoko’s heart, becoming an unfinished promise between them.
Stop the violence, stop all wars. At IMAGINE PEACE TOWER @IPTower, Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland pic.twitter.com/1xaQf93AeS
— Yoko Ono ☮️ (@yokoono) October 9, 2013
It wasn’t until 40 years later in 2006 that Yoko Ono chose to start construction on her own, on October 9th, her late husband’s birthday, to complete this long-awaited project. A year later, the Light Tower was finally completed and named after Lennon’s most famous song “Imagine,” hoping to convey the power of love and peace to the world.
The Peace Tower is made up of 15 searchlights and prisms, which act as mirrors, vertically reflecting the light beams from a 10-meter-wide wishing well into the sky. The light usually reaches the bottom of the clouds, and can be seen with the naked eye penetrating the cloud layer, becoming a beam of light visible in the distance as well.
Yoko decided to light up the tower only on the most important days of Lennon’s life, including his birthday and death anniversary, as well as several selected dates throughout the year. Yoko said, “I realized that by contrasting these two symbolic dates, it can be understood the brevity of life and the eternity of the spirit. It reminds people how short and meaningful life is, even for those who did not enter John Lennon’s life.”
Because life is precious, we should guard peace even more. May this blue light illuminate every person in danger, so that everyone can safely get through this war.
Image source: twitter@yokoono, Hostelling International Iceland, website@imaginepeacetower, internet
