Introduction

Art and Peace is a project and line of work developed in Gernika-Lumo (Bizkaia, Basque Country), declared by UNESCO as "City of Peace", by three institutions involved in cultural activities and to the causes of Peace. These three institutions (Gernika Peace Museum Foundation, Gernika Gogoratuz Foundation and Gernika Cultural Center) decided in 1999 to start a research, education and diffusion initiative on the close relationship between art and Peace, on all forms of art, and from the perspective of art, it is possible to contribute not only to culture but to the construction of a culture of Peace in the world.

From the very beginning, these three institutions have worked hand in hand with two artists (William Kelly, Australia) and Alex Carrascosa (Basque Country) materializing the following activities:

- International Exhibition "Art towards Reconciliation" (1999-2000)
- Installation "Plaza of fire and light: place of the peacemakers" (2001) ©William Kelly
- Participation in the international project "Kids Guernica" (2003)
- I International Congress on Art and Peace and didactic workshops
- Installation "Passages of Peace" ©William Kelly
- Exhibition "Humanist Art: symbolic places" ©William Kelly
- II International Congress on Art and Peace (2005)
- III International Congress on Art and Peace (2007)

In 2003, after the conclusion of the 1st International Congress, the participating artists from all around the world wrote up the GERNIKA STATEMENT OF ART AND PEACE.

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