The Story Behind the Picture | The United Nations Peace Bell: From Coins of 60 Countries to a Symbol That Rings Every September 21
At the heart of the United Nations headquarters in New York stands a bell whose significance is measured not only by its sound, but also by the story from which it was forged. It is the Japanese Peace Bell, one of the international organization’s best-known symbols of the call for peace. Today, September 21, it is associated with the observance of the International Day of Peace.
The image in this story shows the bell and its pavilion at the United Nations headquarters. Since arriving in New York in the 1950s, the bell has become a visual testament to a simple idea: peace is not made by governments alone; peoples can contribute to it as well.
A bell made from coins from dozens of countries
According to the United Nations, Chiyoji Nakagawa, who participated as an observer in the sixth session of the General Assembly in Paris in 1951, proposed creating a bell as a symbol of hope for peace. The bell was cast from coins and medals donated by representatives, public figures and individuals, including children, from more than 60 countries.
The United Nations Association of Japan presented the bell to the organization in June 1954. The tower that houses it was inspired by the Hanamido, a small Japanese structure decorated with flowers.
Why does it ring on September 21?
The United Nations says it is traditional for the bell to be rung twice each year: at the spring equinox and on September 21, in observance of the International Day of Peace. During the annual observance, the bell is used as a symbol of the call to halt violence and build a culture of peace.
The International Day of Peace itself was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1981, and was observed for the first time in September 1982. In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution establishing September 21 as the annual date of the observance and calling for it to be regarded as a period of ceasefire and nonviolence.
2026 message: Invest in peace
The 2026 observance carries the theme Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day. The United Nations stresses that peace goes beyond the mere absence of war to include security, dignity, opportunities and cooperation in daily life, while calling on individuals and communities to take practical steps that promote understanding and resist violence and hatred.
Thus, the image of the bell appears to be more than a snapshot of a landmark inside an international headquarters. The metal forged from contributions from different countries has become a symbol of an idea that remains as pressing as ever after more than seven decades: building peace requires a shared contribution, and a single voice can carry within it the imprint of dozens of peoples.
Sources
United Nations – International Day of Peace 2026: https://static.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
United Nations – History of the International Day of Peace: https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/the-history-of-the-International-Day-of-Peace
United Nations – The Story of the Peace Bell: https://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/2012/peacebell.shtml
Wikimedia Commons – Image information and license: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_Peace_Bell_of_United_Nations.JPG
