IMAGINE PEACE

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About the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is an outdoor work of art conceived by Yoko Ono in
memory of John Lennon. It is situated on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland. [map]

The artwork was dedicated to John by Yoko at its unveiling on October 9th 2007,
John Lennon’s 67th birthday.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER symbolizes Lennon’s and Ono’s continuing campaign for
world peace  - which began in the sixties, was sealed by their marriage in 1969 and will
continue forever.

The words IMAGINE PEACE are inscribed on the Well in 24 different languages.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is composed of a tall shimmering tower of light that  will
appear every year and be visible from October 9th (John’s birthday) until
December 8th (the anniversary of his death).

In addition, the Tower will illuminate from Winter Solstice (December 21st – 28th),
on New Year’s Eve (December 31st) and the first week of spring (March 21st -28th).
It is lit from 2 hours after sunset until midnight, and until dawn on New Year’s Day.

More about the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER

One of the mesmerising features of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is that the strength,
intensity and brilliance of its light continually changes with the prevailing weather and
atmospheric conditions unique to Iceland - creating a clear pillar of light on a cloudless
night, beams irridescing with rainbow refractions in rain or snowfall, and brilliantly
reflecting off and through any moving layers of cloud.

The electricity for the light is generated entirely naturally - geothermally, from hot
water – at the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant.  This was one of the reasons for
situating the artwork in Iceland.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is closely connected to Yoko’s interactive artwork
WISH TREE (1981). The Wish Tree has been integral to many of Yoko’s exhibitions
around the world in museums and cultural centers where people have been invited to
write their personal wishes for peace and tie them to a tree branch.

Yoko has collected all the wishes – currently totalling over 750 thousand.
They are to be housed at the site of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.

You can send your wishes to the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER
by email to: wish@IMAGINEPEACE.com
or by post to: IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, PO Box 1009, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland.
or you can Tweet your wishes on Twitter to @IPTower

You can send as many wishes as you like, as often as you like.

‘Imagine all the people living life in peace’
John Lennon

‘A dream you dream alone is only a dream.
A dream you dream together is reality.’
Yoko Ono

On the map of the Earth planet, Iceland is a country situated in the northern
most part of our world. It is an ideal location from which to cover the Earth
with enlightenment and love.

Iceland is a magical and beautiful country. The electrical energy source for the
country and for the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is geothermal – water, instead
of oil. No pollution. No war. This is just one of the incredible situations that
creates the magic of Iceland.

Right now, light is what the world so desperately needs, since, in varying
degrees, we all live in darkness of fear and confusion of the polluted world.

This column of light in Iceland will not be extinguished. It is the eternal flame
we send out to the world and the universe to give light and warmth, and the hope
and conviction that our dreams can come true.

I hope the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will give light to the strong wishes of
World Peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration
and a sense  of solidarity in a world now filled with fear and confusion.

Let us come together to realize a peaceful world.

I dedicate this tower to John Lennon.
my love for you is forever.

Yoko Ono

THE LIGHT HOUSE

It was over 40 years ago when I conceived this idea of a LIGHT HOUSE made of light,
and listed it in my Conceptual Sales List.

Two hundred copies of which were sent out to people who followed my artworks.

LIGHT HOUSE
A house constructed of light from prisms,
which exists in accordance with the
changes of the day.

Yoko Ono,
Ono’s Sales List, 1965

In 1967, John Lennon invited me for lunch at his Kenwood residence in England.
It was about six months after we first met in my Indica Gallery Show in London.
He told me that he read about the Light House in my publication and if I would build
one for him in his garden.

“Oh, that was a conceptual light house! I’m convinced that one day, it could be built,
but I don’t know how to do it.” I said with a laugh.

“Oh, I thought the Americans had come up with something” was what he said.
And that was that.

I still marvel at the fact that John was touched by that particular concept in my
catalogue, and 40 years ago at that!

In 1967, for my Lisson Gallery show in London, I re-wrote the concept more succinctly.
This was the way I should have expressed the idea to John in Kenwood, instead of
laughing it off.

LIGHT HOUSE
The light house is a phantom house that is built by sheer light.
You set up prisms at a certain time of day, under a certain evening light which goes
through the prisms, the light house appears in the middle of the field like an image,
except that, with this image, you can actually go inside if you wanted to. The light
house may not emerge every day, just as the sun doesn’t shine every day.

Yoko Ono, 1965
Rewritten for Lisson Gallery, London, 1967

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER stands on a platform 17m in diameter.

Around the cylindrical Wishing Well, which is the frame for the column of light,
there is a platform faced with three types of native Icelandic stone - hyalite,
dolerite and basalt- in a striped mosaic pattern. At the centre of the platform the
light emerges from a cylindrical Wishing Well, 4m in diameter and 2m high.

The construction and installation of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER has been a
collaboration between Yoko Ono, the City of Reykjavik, the Reykjavik Art Museum
and Reykjavik Energy.

Languages

Viðey Island

The island of Viðey just outside Reykjavík Harbour is a historic place.
Archaeological investigations on the island in recent years have revealed evidence of
settlement as early as the 10th century. The ‘father of Reykjavík’ Skúli Magnússon
built the mansion and the church on the island in the late 18th century.

The Icelandic Government presented the City of Reykjavík with Viðey on the city’s
200th Anniversary on August 18th, 1986.

Access to Viðey is by ferry from Skarfabakki harbour in Reykjavík.

How To Get There

Weekend winter schedule from October 1st 2008 to May 15th 2009:

From Skarfabakki pier to Viðey:
13:15 – 14:15 – 15:15

From Viðey to Skarfabakki pier:
13:30 – 14:30 – 15:30 – 16:30 – 17:30

Viðeyjarstofa Café is open from 13:30 to 17:00 on Saturdays & Sundays.

IMAGINE PEACE Trips
From October 9th to December 8th
Special Imagine Peace tours will be offered from Sundays to Thursdays at 20:00
from Skarfabakki pier.

The Viðey jarstofa Café will be open during the tour with light refreshments.

From October 9th to October 15th Yoko Ono offers free guided tours to Viðey at 20:00.
Call us on 533-5055 for further information.

From Skarfabakki pier to Viðey:
20:00

From Viðey to Skarfabakki pier:
22:00

Daily scheduled ferry from Skarfabakki pier in Sundahöfn harbour
from May 15th to September 30th 2008:

From Skarfabakki pier to Viðey:
11:15 – 12:15 – 13:15 – 14:15 – 15:15 – 16:15 – 17:15 – 19:15

From Viðey to Skarfabakki pier:
11:30 – 12:30 – 13:30 – 14:30 – 15:30 – 16:30 – 17:30 – 19:30 – 20:30

To Viðey from the Old Harbor in Reykjavík (Ægisgarður)
12:00

From Viðey to the Old harbour in Reykjavík (Ægisgarður)
15:30

The route 5 bus stops 300 m from the Sundahöfn harbor.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER photos on Flickr

Unveiling of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER
Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland: 9 Oct 2007

On October 9th, the day for the unveiling day for the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER,
people around the world were asked to join together to create a circle of peace.

Oct 9th 11.45pm Anchorage
Oct 9th 12.45pm Los Angeles
Oct 9th 01.45pm Guatemala
Oct 9th 02.45pm Chicago
Oct 9th 03.45pm New York
Oct 9th 03.45pm Montreal
Oct 9th 04.45pm Rio de Janeiro
Oct 9th 07.45pm Reykjavík
Oct 9th 08.45pm Liverpool
Oct 9th 09.45pm Europe
Oct 9th 10.45pm Baghdad
Oct 9th 11.45pm Moscow
Oct 10th 12.45am Karachi
Oct 10th 01.45am Dhaka
Oct 10th 02.45am Bangkok
Oct 10th 03.45am Shanghai
Oct 10th 04.45am Tokyo
Oct 10th 05.45am Sydney
Oct 10th 06.45am Vladivostok
Oct 10th 07.45am Suva
Oct 10th 08.45am Auckland
Oct 10th 09.45am Kiritimati

Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono Lennon, Ringo Starr & Olivia Harrison
at the unveiling of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER,
Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland.
(photo: TetsuRo Hamada)

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER: Dedication

I dedicate this light tower to John Lennon
my love for you is forever
yoko ono
October 9th 2007

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER: Unveiling Speech by Yoko Ono

All spirits of goodness of this magical land, of the planet, and of the universe,
thank you, thank you, thank you, for witnessing our humble gathering
for the unveiling of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.
They say, if all the people in China were to jump up and down at the same time,
the axis of the globe would shift.
Well, we are here together.
Billions of us.
Standing at the dawn of a new age determined to shift the axis of the world to health,
peace and joy by loving and caring for all lives on Earth.

Some of us are here physically, some are joining us in spirit.
Some of us are imprisoned, tortured, maimed and silenced, but they are also here today with us.
Some of us have passed away before being able to enjoy a new age of love and peace.
But we are all here today standing together with hope.

The light is the light of wisdom, healing and empowerment.
Even in the moments of confusion, fear and the darkness of your souls, hold the light
in your hearts, and you will know that you are not alone, that we are all together in
seeing the light of peace.

I thank the people of Iceland, for having given so much love to this tower from its inception.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER was visualized with love, and realized by love.
It is a gift from John and Yoko and the people of Iceland to the world.

I know that John is with us, too, in this land of Nutopia,
happy that the light tower is finally a reality after 40 years.

Let’s make a wish as the light goes on.

Let’s send light to each other and say I love you!

i ii iii

John, we love you!

Yoko Ono Lennon
October 9th 2007
At the unveiling of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER
dedicated to John Lennon by Yoko Ono on the occasion of his 67th birthday
on the Isle of Viðey, Reykjavík, Iceland
in the presence of Sean Lennon, Kyoko Cox, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison,
Vilhjalmur Vilhjalmsson (Mayor of Reykjavík) and 300 invited guests.

MESSAGE FROM YOKO ONO: October 9th 2007

Dear Friends
Thank you for adding your love and wisdom
to this very special day.
Together, we stand for peace for the world to see.

BIRTHDAY THOUGHTS 2007

We stand on this beautiful planet enjoying
the sunrise, the sunset, the change of seasons
the oceans, the mountains, the clear sky
and the lovely towns and cities we’ve created together

We cherish the moment of peace and quiet
We cherish the moment of having fun
We cherish every moment of warmth and love
We laugh, we heal, and we embrace

With what we’ve learnt and experienced
With our wisdom and the sense of unity
We protect our world from destruction
For our hearts beat in unison
Even when we fight with one another

We breathe for life
We’ll survive
Remember: we are one

A big hug and kiss to each one of you
I feel privileged to share this time with you
Thank you for being in my life
at times as teachers, as angels, as friends
always as blessings, always with love
Without you, I would not be

Today is the beginning of our joyful lives
Let’s dance together in our hearts
and play the game of life
In love

We breathe for life
We will survive
Remember:
We are Love

Please make sure you join us in spirit
on the day of the unveiling of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.
All you have to do is visit www.IMAGINEPEACE.com
and send your wishes which will go directly to Reykjavík.
We will all be together on that day.

They say that if people in China all jumped at the same time,
the axis of the globe will be shifted.
Well, we are shifting the axis of the world to peace by our unity.

I love you!

Yoko Ono Lennon
October 9th, 2007

P.S. Happy Birthday, John! Happy Birthday, Sean! i ii iii

PRESS FROM 9 OCT 2007

BBC
BBC TV – Video!!
CBC Canada
Daily India
Fox News
Guardian Unlimited
New York Times
TV3 New Zealand
E! Online
Malaysia Star
Reuters
The Press Association

Message from Yoko Ono: 9 October 2008

9 Oct 2008

To the People of Iceland

Today, on the birthday of John Lennon, please join me in praying for peace
and stability for our planet. At 8:00 pm, as IMAGINE PEACE TOWER becomes
illuminated on Viðey, let’s come together in thought and in action, letting
the power of light and our prayer make darkness and confusion disappear.

As my gift to the people of Iceland, for the week starting on October 9,
I would like to offer free boat trips to the island of Viðey so that as many
people as possible can experience IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.

with love, yoko

Yoko Ono
9 Oct 2008

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER / JOHN LENNON STAMP: Iceland, 9 October 2008

Stamp designed by Örn Smári Gíslason

The stamp is printed by Joh. Enschedé Security Print in Haarlem Holland.

The size of the stamp is 48.00 x 30.00. 10 stamps in a sheet .
Printing process of stamp: 4 colour offset and UV ink (John Lennon image) and
phosphorus (glow in the dark effect) on the light column (Imagine Peace Tower).
Additional printing colurs are Pantone silver on stamp selvages.
Designer: Mr. Orn Smari Gislason an Icelandic designer.

Stamps, stamp sheets & First Day Covers are available to buy from the Iceland Post Office here.

New technology has made it possible to include a “hidden” image of John Lennon
on the stamp; printed with a combination of UV ink and phosphorus, the stamp will
seem to glow in the dark, echoing the visual impact of the actual IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.

The hidden John Lennon image in UV ink.	First day cover
The stamp sheet	Imagine Peace

More about the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER stamp by designer Örn Smári Gíslason here.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER: A silent memorial.
8th December 2008

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER: The Book

The Iceland Post Company recently published a book on Yoko Ono’s
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER in cooperation with the artist. The tower was
erected on Reykjavík’s Viðey island on October 9, 2007, in the memory
of her late husband John Lennon.

The 100-page book, simply entitled IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, contains a
wealth of information on Ono’s project.

In the book, the artist describes how the idea of the Peace Tower was
born, how she and Lennon met and why they decided to fight for world
peace together.

Photographs from Ono’s private collection are also included in the book,
along with a host of other photographs and illustrations of the Peace
Tower, Viðey island and its surroundings.

The book, available in Icelandic and English, comes with a bonus DVD and
a sheet of stamps depicting the Peace Tower, which were released by the
Post on October 9 this year.

The book is distributed by Heimur, the publisher of Iceland Review,
is available from Heimur webstore here and from Iceland Post here.

More information about the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER here.

Links

Watch the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER documentary
Email your wish to the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.
Tweet your wishes via Twitter to @IPTower
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER photos on Flickr
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER Book
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER Icelandic Stamp
www.IMAGINEPEACE.com

Make a wish & email to: wish@IMAGINEPEACE.com
or, on Twitter, DM @IPTower
to send your wish to IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, Viðey Island, Reykjavík, Iceland.

More info: http://bit.ly/iptower
Live Earthcam feed & image archive here.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is an outdoor work of art conceived by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon.
It is situated on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland [map], powered entirely by Geothermal Energy.

The artwork was dedicated to John by Yoko at its unveiling on 9 Oct 2007, Lennon’s 67th birthday.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER symbolizes Lennon’s and Ono’s continuing campaign for World Peace,
which began in the 1960s, was sealed by their marriage in 1969 and will continue forever.

At night, the Earthcam images are 30 second exposures updating every 5 minutes.
Visit the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER Earthcam Control Center & Image Archive here.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is currently only illuminated on the following dates: