Imagining a Peaceful World

Peace Flags provide you with a special way to express some of your important ideas and hopes for the world. In words or pictures, you can display wishes for yourself, your family, friends, community, or the world. Taken together Peace Flags describe a better, more peaceful planet for us all.
Peace Flags were inspired by the Prayer Flags of Tibet. According to ancient tradition, the prayers printed on the flags are carried on the wind. The traditional flags are blue (for sky), white (for air or clouds), red (for fire), green (for earth) and yellow (for water).

1. Select your fabric square. (If you would like to follow the tradition of the Tibetan flags, you can make a set of five (5) flags.) Use markers or paint to write and draw on the flags. Please protect any surface you work on. Markers and paints may come through the fabric. We also suggest that you tape down the flag with masking tape as you work; this keeps the square in place.
2. When you prepare to create your flags, relax and enter the peacefulness of your heart. Spend a few minutes in that quiet space to think about how you would like the world to be better.
3. Write or draw your messages on the flags. Leave a small (say, one inch) margin at the top to fold the flag over twine.
4. When you have finished, fold the top edge of each flag over twine or rope, and glue or sew the folded edge of the flag. If you like, you can hang them in the traditional order of blue, white, red, green and yellow.
5. Peace Flags may be hung outdoors or in. Hang them wherever you or the people around you will see them and be inspired by them every day.
6. Outdoors the words will gradually disappear, and the fabric will eventually shred. You may leave them up as long as you like, and bury or burn or compost the shredded fabric.

The flags will provide you with a visual reminder that we live in one world and all share similar hopes and dreams. They also help you to focus on how you would like to work for peace.

“We are all peacemakers”

For more detailed information on making Peace Flags or for making the Flags with a group, click here.