National Civilian Memorial Unveiled

National Civilian Memorial Unveiled

The UK’s National Memorial to Civilians affected by War has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The bronze memorial was dedicated to the unknown, nameless and voiceless victims of conflict.

On Monday 24 June the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire Mr Ian Dudson, together with the Right Reverend Bishop Michael Ipgrave and the Pity of War Charitable Trust, unveiled the memorial in the presence of a large gathering from many organisations, faith backgrounds, and military representatives. The day also saw pupils from St Stephens school in Fradley sing a beautiful rendition of ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon.

The sculpture, a 6ft Bronze entitled ‘The Pity of War’ sculpted by internationally renowned sculptor Peter Walker honours those, past and present who have lost their lives or are affected by war and conflict throughout the world.  The artwork portrays the pity of war through the removal and abstraction of features, representing this symbolically through the simplistic portrait of a young child, eyes bound and mouth silenced.

Speeches were given by the Pity of War Trust, the artist Peter Walker, The Bishop of Lichfield The Rt. Rev. Dr Michael Ipgrave, and the Lord Lieutenant Mr Ian Dudson, before the school children assisted in unveiling the bronze artwork to reveal the striking and poignant memorial.

This international project has also seen small scale versions for the memorial installed in the Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis; Limburg an der Lahn, Germany; University Church in Oxford; Chester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Winchester Cathedrals, and St Martin in the Fields, London.  Chester Cathedral's Pity of War sits in the south transept.

For more information click to pityofwar.org or visit The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.