A number of peace symbols have been used in various cultures and contexts, one of the most ancient being the olive branch. The symbol of the dove and olive branch was used by early Christians and was later adopted as a secular symbol. It was popularized by Pablo Picasso in 1949 and became widely used in the post-war peace movement. In the 20th century the peace sign as it is commonly known today was designed for and adopted by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The V hand signal and the peace flag became international peace symbols.
Read more about Peace Symbols: The Broken Rifle, The White Poppy, Roerich's Peace Banner, The Peace Sign, The Peace Flag, The V Sign, Paper Cranes, Fire, Shalom/Salaam, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words peace and/or symbols:
“The name of peace is sweet, and the thing itself is beneficial, but there is a great difference between peace and servitude. Peace is freedom in tranquility, servitude is the worst of all evils, to be resisted not only by war, but even by death.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)
“The twentieth-century artist who uses symbols is alienated because the system of symbols is a private one. After you have dealt with the symbols you are still private, you are still lonely, because you are not sure anyone will understand it except yourself. The ransom of privacy is that you are alone.”
—Louise Bourgeois (b. 1911)