The symbol of Peace, like so many existing symbols in humanity, has represented a great importance for almost all cultures. This has always been the case, since symbols are part of man’s communication, and this is demonstrated by the first evidences of human life: hieroglyphs, for example, that already existed when not even language or languages were shaped to achieve fluent communication. That is why today you will be able to learn about its origins, meaning and the different images that this symbol icon of man has represented, as it has been for a long time, the symbol of Peace.
To begin, it must be understood that a symbol is an image, a letter, a diagram, a drawing, etc., which has as its purpose to represent an idea, either a brand or an object; but that expresses a sensation, that communicates to the public a pertinent meaning without great texts or words. For this reason, symbols are so important in any language or civilization.
If you glance through a dictionary, the first thing you find as a concept of the word symbol is: “Rhetorical figure of thought by means of which a reality or concept normally of a spiritual nature is expressed through a different reality or concept, among which a correspondence relationship is established, so that when the symbolic concept is named, the real concept is suggested or evoked”; likewise: “A sign that establishes a relationship of identity with a reality, generally abstract, that it evokes or represents”.
However, the important thing is to keep in mind that from its origins, humanity has been full of symbols and even today despite the existing languages, symbols are still of great importance and are still used to promote ideals, campaigns, protests, for education, among other manifestations. So it is normal to find an endless number of symbols that fill the history of man such as: symbols of the apocalypse, satanic, scientific, chemical and electric symbols, the symbol of Peace, among others.
Now, humanity has always been in search of love, happiness and peace, three points that are somehow the reason for life, but this has only been a chimera through time because wars do not stop repeating, love is not something that manifests itself among men in a common way and happiness is absent if peace and love are not really achieved. However, the search is maintained and that is why men throughout history have had the symbol of peace on the table and have developed a variant of symbols that have been changing according to times and nations.
Therefore, if we talk about the symbol of peace and its meaning, the first thing to know is that there are about eight to eleven different signs that have been known over time and that are part of different historical moments and of different civilizations that have sought to promote it. To begin, the symbol of peace represented by the dove: regarding to this one there are several stories about it; one is that when the Flood ended, a dove with an olive branch in its beak arrived at Noah’s Ark as a sign that they would all be welcomed back to earth. This dove had been released by Noah and returned as a demonstration of God’s acceptance to the earth again.
Thousands of years later, the famous painter Pablo Picasso made a drawing of several pigeons on a poster to promote the World Peace Congress in 1949. After this, the international fame of the pigeon with an olive branch in its beak was total, becoming an icon of this symbol. However, a symbol much more representative than the dove of peace, is the famous CND circle or colloquially, the inverted trident surrounded by a circle. This graphic invention was popularized in the 60s with protest movements and has endured with great success due to the simple design and visual impact that it caused from the first moment.
This graphic was designed by Gerald Holtom for the British organization that originated as a protest against the Aldermaston nuclear weapons factory. This organization devised a campaign against nuclear disarmament and from there the logo or symbol that would be much more known in America arose, thanks to an anti-nuclear activist very close to Martin Luther King, who traveled there. From here, its use went to the struggles against racism and later against the Vietnam War. This anti-war symbol, in its beginnings, was later adopted by the so-called hippies and punks of the 70s.
Likewise, in the Soviet invasion of Prague, during the war in Bosnia, in the protests of the Mothers of May in Argentina, in the protests of Paris in 1968 and in the environmental campaigns has been the logo, the most widely used symbol and recognized as a symbol of Peace, in such a way that nowadays it is also found printed on shirts, T-shirts, earrings, charms, watches, in any type of prints for notebooks, folders, shoes, caps, among others.
Another well-known symbol of peace is the calumet or pipe of peace. Many indigenous civilizations, from North America, have had in common the sharing of this ritual of group smoking with the modality of passing the pipe from person to person; generally the council of the tribe met to smoke it in ceremonies when two opponents needed to dialogue or as a bond of friendship, of brotherhood between peoples. For these tribes the act of smoking was a superior way of holding talks with which a link between the human and the divine was established. On other occasions, the shaman of the tribe simply used it to ask for the well-being of all, establishing a direct dialogue with the spirits.
Next, another element very confused with the symbol of peace is the one created in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, as it was the cross of Nero. This inverted cross has really represented a mockery towards Christianity since the Middle Ages; it is said that the hippie movement took and confused the CND circle as a flag or symbol of their protests, when the chosen symbol was really the inverted cross of Nero, in which San Pedro died and the one that represented the mockery towards Christ promoted by Satanism.
This has created a huge confusion about the origin of the upside-down trident enclosed in a circle, supposedly created in 1958 by Holtom, who, having not patented the graphic as his creation, left open the possibility of any confusion about it. In addition, there is a theory that in the 60’s the group of the Illuminati implanted this symbol to create such confusion, since they sought the opposite of peace with it, and because of its great similarity to this sign – that of peace-, it was possible for people to use it thinking of good, when in reality it was to activate evil on earth.
Now, a sign made with the index finger and middle finger imitating a V has also become a symbol of peace. Its original meaning and that has remained until these days was born between the First and Second World War, when the English, the French and other fighters, opposed to the Germans, used it as a sign of camaraderie and strength in places occupied by the Nazis. At present, that symbol is still a sign of camaraderie, a greeting that indicates love and peace; on the other hand, one cannot help explaining that the emulation of the V was due to the correspondence of the first letter of the word Victoria in French, English and Flamenco.
For its part, the symbol of the international red cross is also a sign of meaning related to peace. Its use is guaranteed by the Geneva Convention of 1949, where it emerged as an emblem of international humanitarian rights. This symbol is so powerful worldwide, that those who wear it must be respected and considered as a representative of the movement, which seeks to work and collaborate in the humanitarian work of any circumstance of disaster and armed conflict.
In such a way that this movement highlights the voluntary work, the universal solidarity towards the prevention of health and well-being of the man in the tragic moments, consequences of natural and war disasters.
A very peculiar symbol used, similarly, as a sign of peace is the cultural symbol of pax. Its image is a brown circle with white background and three central points that represent art, science and religion. This symbol has been used in large cultural and scientific buildings to protect them from the destruction of wars; it has also been a flag of peace in demonstrations that defend scientific, historical and cultural discoveries. It should be noted that this is a very old Asian sign.
Like the cultural symbol of pax of Asian origin, it is the paper crane, popularized by a Japanese boy who was ill with leukemia due to the radiation of the nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. Before dying, he dedicated himself to build origami cranes; this symbol took on a paramount meaning with respect to peace. Sadako Sasaki, two years old, made Japan take this image with great respect and consideration, so the paper crane became a true symbol of peace.
Finally, the olive branch, originating in ancient Greece, represents the end of a conflict and therefore peace. It was used as part of the awarding for the Olympic winners, and also brides wore them as decoration in their outfits; this symbol has great correspondence with the dove of peace. The truth is that the symbol of peace is constantly used and renewed by social, political and all kinds of movements that seek the good of humankind; likewise, and for this reason there will be an infinity of objects, figures, sculptures, among others that honour this search for man, that is peace.
ALFA