The Pagoda Peace Park
Flame of Hope Pagoda Peace Park
International Peace Center in the Heart of the Japanese Alps
The Flame of Hope travels around the world, but it needs a home to come back to. Everybody will be welcome to visit the Flame of Hope at the Pagoda Peace Park.
If you wish, you can also take part of the Flame with you. For example, you can plan a Shikoku – which means to take the Flame of Hope with you on a pilgrimage and pray at each place you pass by. You can unite any sacred flame you know of or discover with the Flame of Hope.
The Pagoda Peace Park will honour the spirits of those killed by atomic weapons. The Hiroshima Flame, which has been burning since the atomic bomb was dropped on the city in 1945, has been united with the Flame of Hope.
Hibaku trees will be planted in the park to symbolize the birth of a new and bright future from the ashes of the negative past. The Hibaku trees are the kind of trees that survived the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
The Pagoda Peace Park will be a center to promote a world free from all weapons and war.
By visiting the Flame of Hope, people will feel the prayer power of the world. The Pagoda Peace Park acts as a “power hub,” a place to feel the power of prayer of all humanity and be healed.
Implementation Plan and Use of Funds
The Pagoda Peace Park is built next to the Buddhist Wadaji International Nembutsu Dojo in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture in Japan.
The pagoda is a stupa, but is also a place of prayer for people from all over the world — we want to transcend religious boundaries. We plan to recruit volunteers from all over the world to work together to create the park.
All funds raised for this project will be used for the construction of the Flame of Hope Peace Pagoda Park. If the amount of money raised exceeds our goal, we will invest the extra funds into peace education resources for the park.
Implementation Schedule
April 2020: Production of the pagoda roof and frame at a woodworking factory
October 2020: Pagoda walls will be made (self-built, using earthbag construction)
October 2020: Pagoda roof will be put in place and outer walls will be plastered
October 2020: Planting the Pagoda gardens
November 2020: Pagoda interior fittings and stained glass window production and installation
December 2020: Pagoda mosaic floor installed, ceiling painted
May 2021: Completion of the Flame of Hope Pagoda Peace Park!
The Rakukei Hoyo — A ceremony will be held upon completion of the construction, which will include the installation of the Flame of Hope and planting of Hibaku trees.
Final Thoughts
Our goal is to light the Flame of Hope in the hearts of children around the world! We look forward to meeting many more people who share this deep wish.
In the words of Helen Keller:
Your wish for peace and unification for the future of the world, and the action you take to achieve it, is the “hope” of our world.
The world will change when the Flame of Hope is lit in all people’s hearts!
Share the Earth, Happiness, and Freedom!
