Violence is preventable, not inevitable™

Firearms are major contributors to crime and societal violence - they are used in forty percent of homicides worldwide. Gun violence is one of the two leading causes of death for young people across the United States. Guns cause more deaths of young people than cancer, AIDS, heart disease or vehicle crashes. The prevalence of small arms misuse, both in conflict and crime, contributes to major economic costs, reduced economic opportunities and human suffering.

The mission of the Art of Peace Charitable Trust (AOPCT) is to prevent and eradicate the proliferation of small firearms and weapons of destruction through innovative and durable approaches to arms reduction. In partnership with law enforcement and government agencies, AOPCT collects street weapons, processed decommissioned nuclear missile casings, land mines, parts of cluster bombs and other arms, melts them down and casts epic, inspirational sculptures called Peace Angels from the molten metal mixture, using a unique proprietary process.

The magnificent Peace Angel sculptures will be installed in significant locations as powerful symbols of the transformation of our civilization from a culture of violence to a culture of peace and man's ability to overcome irreconcilable differences. These sculptures are created to endure in perpetuity as cultural icons of peace, generating a velocity of action and of hope for humanity, while representing mankind's commitment to peace in our time.