User:Gtrelski/sandbox

International Peace Belt


The International Peace Belt is a living symbol of the peaceful unity of all nations.

Creation
In the summer of 2003, Wendy Black Nasta (a Connecticut based jewelry designer) and her apprentices Katie Rosenblatt and Margaret Sola began working on the belt. They designed and built a sterling silver belt draped with coins and gems representing, to date, 155 countries.

When it was completed 115 countries were denoted with the ultimate goal of one day having all 191 countries represented.

Caretakers
The International Peace Belt relies on caretakers and volunteers to travel from one destination to the next.

Wendy’s cousin Sara Morgues and friend Meghan Uhrich were the belt’s first caretakers. The pair were traveling to India to attend the Golden Jubilee for World Peace honoring the 50th birthday of Amritanadamayi (Aka Ammachi), a saint and guru from India. Sara offered to carry the belt and have it blessed by Ammachi. The belt would up being worn by a person from Ammachi’s ashram and led the peace procession of 150,000 people, thus taking on a life of its own.

Foundation
While in India, there was an interest in raising funds to pay for the extended travel of the belt. It was then that Wendy officially established the non-profit foundation Artists for World Peace to raise money for the ongoing travels and missions of the International Peace Belt.

The foundation has grown into a registered 501(c)(3) Non Profit organization, raising funds for grass roots organizations in communities around the world through the arts. The Children of Peace program was created to pay for the living and educational expenses of children all over the world.