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A Monument for Peace and Liberty

Three years ago, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began – and the country’s future as a democratic and free state in Europe remains under threat. The European security order is more fragile than it has been for a long time. At the EUSTORY Next Generation Summit in autumn 2024, four young people expressed their longing for a sustainable peace order on the continent with a special kind of monument.

In view of the ongoing war, the four-person concept team from Ukraine, Armenia, Germany and Italy wanted to carve a joint message of peace in (virtual) stone and show: War and peace in Ukraine concerns us all.

Within three days – with the support of experts from Körber-Stiftung, the Hamburg Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe and Scavengar AI – an augmented reality monument was created with the help of digital assets and 3D models. The idea: as a place of dialogue on peace and justice, with ring-shaped seating, a network of the term ‘light’ in different languages, covered by wings as a symbol of freedom, the virtual building is intended to invite people to pause, to exchange and interact with others in different places.

The monument was conceptualised during a workshop at the EUSTORY Next Generation Summit 2024. In cooperation with Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe and Scavengar.

Get Involved!

The special fact about it: the memorial called ‘Light’ can be set up by anyone, regardless of location – a contribution to transnational remembrance and democratic participation in shaping public space.

So far, the monument has been placed in front of the Latvian National Library in Riga, in the Park of Victory in Yerevan and in front of Körber-Stiftung’s headquarter in Hamburg – and perhaps in your hometown soon? We invite everyone to send us their video with another location for the monument, stating the place where it was erected.

This is how it works:

  • download the free app ‘Scenery’ (download in the AppStore; iOS device is required)
  • open the experience via this link and ‘erect’ the monument
  • record a short video of the monument in your chosen environment via screencast (instructions here)
  • if you like, send the recording to eustory@koerber-stiftung.de

Riga, Latvia

“Peace is light, symbolizing life, unity and hope”

Sofia, 21

concept team /Ukraine

At the EUSTORY Next Generation Summit 2024 in Riga, a team of four 18- to 24-year-old participants from four different countries designed the peace monument – and ‘erected’ it in front of the Latvian National Library.

Hamburg, Germany

Right on the harbour, between the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district and modern HafenCity, Körber-Stiftung’s headquarter is located.

On the occasion of the third anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion and as a plea for a just and sustainable peace order for Ukraine, the EUSTORY programme team ‘erected’ the augmented reality peace monument on the foundation’s forecourt and made it tangible via this video.

Yerevan, Armenia

As a member of the concept team, 19-year-old Hovhannes erected the peace monument in his hometown, the Armenian capital Yerevan.

In the Victory Park, which houses a military museum and a 50 metre high monument to Mother Armenia, the augmented reality monument to Hovhannes forms a contrast as a sign against war and for peace.

In cooperation with