The Peace Bell Horse Trek feels ready for its eight-month journey to Jerusalem next year. The Peace Bells Association will then set off from Berlin to the Holy City with a bell cast from military scrap. After the dress rehearsal - a tour from Dresden via Prague to Chemnitz - the organizers drew a successful balance. "What began as a symbolic peace mission developed into an inspiring journey of encounter, reconciliation and mutual support that deeply touched not only the participants, but also many people along the route," the organizers announced.
The journey led through demanding terrain that was a challenge for both the twelve horses and the people, they said. In total, the trek covered 480 kilometers and overcame 17,000 meters of altitude. 23,000 liters of water were needed to feed the horses, which equates to around one cubic meter per day. Important insights were gained for future stages on the way to Jerusalem.
"We want to send a powerful signal that there will one day be peace," said Helmut Kautz, head of the association, at the start of the current tour in Dresden at the beginning of August. Especially in times of uncertainty and helplessness, it is important to hold on to the promise of peace. "We want to meet people and celebrate reconciliation with them." At the end of the Second World War, no one believed that the Germans would once again get along with the world as they do now. "That's why we believe that peace and reconciliation will be possible. We want to bring the bell to a school in Jerusalem where Hebrew and Arabic are taught."
The Peace Bells Association sees itself as a non-partisan and non-religious initiative "that brings people of all backgrounds together to spread the idea of peace around the world with simple words". Since its foundation in 2019, the association has been organizing horse treks and has already transported a peace bell from Arnhem Bridge to Waterloo - two important sites in European war history.
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