Imagine Peace Tower, Memorial site in Viðey Island, Iceland
Imagine Peace Tower is a memorial on Viðey Island in Iceland, consisting of a white stone plinth and fifteen upward-facing searchlights. The combined light beams form a column that reaches several kilometers into the night sky above the sea when conditions are clear.
Yoko Ono unveiled the monument on October 9, 2007, in honor of John Lennon, whose birthday fell on that date. She chose Iceland because of its use of renewable energy and its geographic position between North America and Europe.
The name comes from John Lennon's song and appears carved into the white stone base, with each language keeping its own script. Visitors walk around the plinth and read the same message in dozens of alphabets, including rarely displayed ones such as Tibetan or Cherokee.
The light appears each year from early October to early December, usually visible after nightfall in clear weather. Viðey Island lies off the coast of Reykjavík and is reached only by ferry, with visitors needing warm clothing for windy conditions.
More than half a million handwritten wishes from people around the world rest beneath the installation in a collection Yoko Ono has maintained for decades. Many of these letters come from children and contain drawings or personal messages to Lennon.
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