Story of how the World Peace Flame was created
7 flames from across the world
The World Peace Flame (WPF) has been burning since July 1999, when seven flames, lit by eminent peacemakers on five continents, were flown by military and commercial aircraft to the United Kingdom.
- The European flame was lit by Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld, Princess of the Netherlands and flown to the UK by the Dutch Royal Air Force.
- The Canadian flame was lit in an ancient sunrise ceremony by a First Nation Chief.
- The Asian flame was lit at Gandhi’s memorial in Delhi. The fire was taken from the eternal flame which has been burning there since 1947.
- The Australasian flame was lit by representatives of the Aboriginal people and housed in a miner’s lantern donated by the Olympic Committee. It arrived in Britain after an epic 6-day flight, courtesy of the Australian Air Force.
- The American flame was lit on the sacred summit of Pike’s Peak in Colorado.
- The Middle Eastern flame was lit in the ancient cultural hub of Bahrain.
- The African flame was lit in Kenya in the Rift Valley
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- The American flame
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- The Australasian flame
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- The Canadian flame
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- The European flame
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- The Asian flame
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- The Middle Eastern flame
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- All the Flames together
United into one…
On 31st July they were brought together and united into one flame in Bangor, North Wales. It has now been lit in every country of the world. The flame is still being passed from person to person and lit by thousands of people daily as a dedication to peace.
The now legendary World Peace Flame, a universal symbol for global peace and unity, is bringing hope to millions of people worldwide.
‘The World Peace Flame unites ancient and modern cultures by expressing the fundamental aspirations of both – the hope for peace.’
Former Federal Minister, Australia
The WPF is a symbol of peace, unity, freedom and celebration. We believe in the essential freedom of the human spirit to create peace at any time under any circumstances—a view shared by the millions of people who have lit the WPF as a symbol of this dream.
Our aim…
The World Peace Flame is dedicated to achieving peace through a process of education and the practical support of grassroots peace initiatives. We aim to inspire people everywhere that the individual plays a crucial role in creating peace at every level.
Our dream is as simple as it is ambitious: to light an eternally burning World Peace Flame in every major city or decision-making centre in the world. It is a dream we’ve cherished since 1999 when we created our first Flames of Peace on five continents around the world.