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The Big Book: Pages for Peace Project is coming up on four months since its exhibit opened to the public at the Prescott School Community Center in Groton, MA. After preparing and decorating the space for the exhibit, as well as assembling the Big Book itself, Big Book volunteers and student peacemakers had the privilege of opening the doors of the Exhibit to the public in early September. In the time since, we have had the privilege of hosting a number of events and group visits on top of our typical free walk-in hours on Tuesday-Friday 2pm-5pm and Saturday 10am-1pm.

Some of the events and groups hosted in the space thus far have included a Big Book Veterans’ Day Reception, a special Holiday Open House, a Cub Scout Den from Groton’s Pack 12, and a gathering of peacemakers who helped create the Big Book. Below is a small collection of photos from the assembly process and events. To see more pictures and to keep up with the Big Book, be sure to follow us on Instagram or Facebook at Instagram.com/pagesforpeace and facebook.com/pagesforpeace.

Big Book: Pages for Peace is presently on display at Prescott School Community Center  in Groton, MA

The Big Book: Pages for Peace Project will be exhibited for an extended period between September 2019 and June 2020 in Groton, MA.  The Big Book (12 feet by 20 feet when open including 1071 pages) will be displayed along with various original artwork, an interactive kiosk of the virtual book, and other collected artifacts.  The exhibit will be held at the Prescott School Community Center, 145 Main Street, Groton, MA. Following an open house on September 21st from 11 am to 3 pm in celebration of the International Day of Peace, the Big Book exhibit hours will be Tuesday through Friday 2 pm to 5 pm and Saturday 10 am to 1 pm and by reservation for schools and other groups. The exhibit is free and open to the public with ample parking available.

Started in 2004, the Big Book: Pages for Peace Project began with a group of Groton Dunstable Middle School students and their belief that children have the power to make a difference in helping to create a more peaceful world. With the support of teacher Betsy Sawyer, students started a letter writing campaign and received thousands of letters, artwork, and poetry on the subject of peace. In turn, a giant peace book was designed and built over the course of the next twelve years with much support from the local community and the generosity of individuals and groups far and wide. Big Book: Pages for Peace has traveled to the United Nations, JFK Library, Providence Civic Center, and the Mariposa Museum. This awe inspiring exhibit piece filled with messages from people all over the world has returned home to be placed on display for the public to enjoy.

Please contact info@pagesforpeace.org for more information or to schedule a school or group visit. To learn more about the Big Book: Pages for Peace Project, please visit our website at  www.pagesforpeace.org.

The Pages for Peace Foundation was privileged to sponsor David Hogg, at a recent speaking engagement at the Bull Run Restaurant. As a survivor of the Parkland school shootings and co-founder of the March for Our Lives movement, Hogg is one of the most compelling voices of his generation. His call to “get over politics and get something done” challenges Americans to stand up, speak out and work to elect morally just leaders, regardless of party affiliation. Passionate in his advocacy to end gun violence, David’s mission of increasing voter participation, civic engagement and activism embraces a wide range of global issues. His inspirational message of using empathy and education to build a world that protects and serves all of its citizens was embraced by a sold-out crowd of hundreds including adults and students from the community.

The following is from the article “World’s largest book about peace on display” published in the Monadnock Ledger, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here.

The Big Book: Pages for Peace exhibit, featuring the world’s largest book about peace, opened July 11 at the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough. The exhibit will run through the end of 2018.

The Big Book exhibit has a big goal: to share a profound message of hope and peace and engage young people, teachers, and visitors of all ages in thinking about how to build a more peaceful and sustainable world. At the heart of the exhibit is the Big Book itself, which measures 10 feet by 20 feet wide when open, with over 1,000 larger than life pages. Visitors can see the book, turn its pages (it takes two people), or use a high speed digital kiosk to visit chapters or individual pages more quickly. Continue reading “The Big Book at Mariposa” →

Front (Peacemakers): Ella H., Michael S., Anne Polaski
Back (Selectmen): Alison Manugian, Barry Pease, Becky Pine, Jack Petropoulos, Josh Degan

Members of the Pages for Peace Foundation, including student peacemakers, attended the March 12th meeting of the Groton Board of Selectmen to display a bronze plaque recently awarded posthumously to Betsy Sawyer by The Peace Abbey of Millis, MA, for her outstanding efforts in peace education. Betsy’s tireless work to help her students create the biggest book in the world on the topic of peace has been an inspiration to students and adults alike. The plaque will be installed on the walls of Pacifist Memorial Park in Sherbourne, MA this spring. The park was created in 1994 and its statues and walls honor both well-known and unsung peace activists, including Mother Teresa, Margaret Mead, Dr. Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Albert Schweitzer, John Lennon, Sojourner Truth and over 60 others. Continue reading “Betsy Sawyer Peace Plaque Award” →

On September 21, 2016, dozens of middle schoolers marched down Groton’s Main Street after classes let out. They were on their way to the Prescott School for the community-wide ceremony in honor of their late teacher and fellow peacemaker, Mrs. Betsy Sawyer, who lost her battle with Leukemia in April, 2016.  The Groton and Dunstable Boards of Selectmen made proclamations formally designating September 21st, International Day of Peace, as Betsy Sawyer Day in Groton and Dunstable.

This community ceremony downtown was one of four celebrations of her life and legacy that day, and commenced with the ringing of a Peace Bell. Continue reading “First Annual Betsy Sawyer Day!” →

On October 20, PFP board members Anne Polaski and Drew Gentile travelled to NYC to attend the Peace Boat’s “Floating Festival for Sustainablility” which was held in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information to celebrate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The foundation has been working with our NYC partners Jean Trudel and Kelly Egan to explore the possibility of having the Big Book travel around the world next year on the Peace Boat and this event was the perfect opportunity to tour the boat and learn more about its mission.  Continue reading “Peace Boat trip to NYC, Oct 2016” →

Global Education Webinar 2016

The story behind the making of Big Book: Pages for Peace has generated growing interest in global communities and the Board of Directors is pleased to share two recent opportunities that have featured our project this fall: Childhood Explorer magazine and the 2016 Global Education Conference.   Collaborating with educational initiatives is a major goal of our foundation as we continue to spread the message of creating a more peaceful world.

Childhood Explorer is an online publication that focuses specifically on the experience of childhood around the world. Its pages feature informative and inspirational stories about childhood and about projects and campaigns that provide quality education, care, and support to children and youth in diverse communities and circumstances.  Continue reading “Pages for Peace Story Featured World Wide!” →