Welcome To Our Website
Garforth is Home to England’s 1st World Peace Flame Monument
Our Mission
Is to inspire and encourage others to live peaceful, kind and happy lives by offering them ideas and tools to help them become the change they wish to see in their community, world and future.
Our Work
We are a very small community volunteer group passionate about promoting the ethos of the World Peace Flame within our community and beyond.
We are dedicated to engaging with all our schools with peace projects and promotion of peaceful conflict resolution as we truly believe our young peacemakers of the future can be the change we wish to see and make a huge difference for peace.
Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire
The Garforth World Peace Flame was created on 28th April 2017 and is housed within the Diamond Jubilee Garden, Aberford Road, Garforth. It is the only World Peace Flame monument where you can take a small candle lit from the flame to use and pass on.
Garforth World Peace Flame - Candle Lighting
The energy of the World Peace Flame is retained within the wick of each candle/lamp. Once re-lit it can be passed on to create further World Peace Flames. On the left below are small World Peace Flame tea light candles pre-lit from the World Peace Flame. On the right below the lighting of the Garforth World Peace Flame by our community representatives.
Latest News & Upcoming Events
Wonderful Breaking News of The Leeds City Centre World Peace Flame Monument
The Leeds World Peace Flame Monument was unveiled on 21st March 2024, in Park Square by The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Al Garthwaite. Leeds has now become home to the 1st city centre World Peace Flame Monument in the UK.
Other dignitaries present included Dr Kuldip Kaur Bharj, OBE DL, from the Lord Lieutenant’s Office, the King’s Representatives in the County, who unveiled the information lectern next to the monument.
We were also delighted to have Cllr David Blackburn, the Chairman of Leeds Peacelink/Mayors For Peace, representatives from The World Peace Flame Foundation and Garforth school children giving readings. We were entertained by Garforth Community Choir and Garforth Ukulele Players (GULP).
As Garforth, Leeds is home to England’s 1st World Peace Flame monument, and the nearby village of Scholes the 2nd, this is a wonderful reflection on our city to be home to all 3 in England at this time.
The unique monument has been lovingly fabricated by a local company, Three Create. It houses a stunning solar powered, wooden, replica miners’ lantern, made by another local craftsman, Turned Art Nice Again, so it is totally sustainable.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Al Garthwaite said: “Leeds is a culturally diverse city that actively uses city diplomacy to promote peace and unity, thrives as a City of Sanctuary, and I’m proud to say, is a member of Mayors for Peace.
Therefore, I was thrilled to unveil the first World Peace Flame to be hosted in a UK city centre. This locally crafted thought-provoking monument will be a fabulous addition to an already beautiful part of the city and complement the city’s peace trail well.
I look forward to people learning more about peace and to taking energy for the flame to work toward a better, more peaceful world.”
Information leaflets and free World Peace Flame tea light candles are available for anyone to take, from the Leeds Central Library on The Headrow. Every candle you light from one of these flames becomes another World Peace Flame.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to raise the money to fund this incredible peace initiative, you are all a very special part of it.
6th Annual Peace Lantern Walk
Thanks to everyone who attended this event. We had a lovely walk along the Garforth Schools’ World Peace Trail, it even stayed dry for us! We had home-made lanterns together with other candles and lanterns brought along. We left World Peace Flame tea-lights on the country peace stones for many of the countries currently facing difficult situations and made dedications for peace at our Garforth World Peace Flame Monument.
Coronation Peace Tree Project
Keepers of the Peace Flame (once a month)
Recent School Projects
- The Coronation Peace Tree Project 2023 dedicated to H.M. King Charles III. We are delighted to announce that in May, the then Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant and Councillors Field and McCormack planted and unveiled trees and plaques in each of our 6 schools.
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Creation of the Garforth Schools’ Peace Flag 2022, which has also been presented to the then Lord Mayor, Cllr. Bob Gettings JP and the Lady Mayoress Cllr. Lesley Gettings, who has granted permission for it to be displayed in the Leeds Civic Hall.
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Creation of the Garforth Schools’ World Peace Trail 2021.
- Peace Art Project 2020.
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Keepers of the Peace Flame (one per month).
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Annual Peace Lantern Walk (Remembrance Week).
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United Nations International Day of Peace dedications at the Garforth World Peace Flame.
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Environment days and tree planting.
The World Peace Flame
In July 1999, 7 flames of peace were lit on the continents of the world and flown to the UK to be united into one and become the World Peace Flame. It is a universal symbol for global peace and unity.
World Monuments
In April 2002 the first World Peace Flame Monument in the world was installed outside the Peace Palace, The Hague in The Netherlands, home of the International Court of Justice. There are now many World Peace Flame Monuments around the world. In 2003 the first UK monument was created in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales (pictured below).
Garforth Peace Project… Activities
The Coronation Peace Tree Project 2023
In 2023 we set the schools the task of creating an indoor eco-peace tree made of up/re-cycled materials and invited every pupil to make a leaf with words to represent peace and/or what the King meant to them. The results, as always, were astounding! Such wisdom from our young people. We had a leaf exchange event where all the schools attended and gifted Peace leaves to each other, so every school has a link with all the others.
We gifted each school a tree to plant in their grounds, they chose either oak or silver birch trees. All the trees were unveiled in a ceremony at each school over 2 days. We were honoured to have the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds attend to carry out one ceremony, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant another and 2 of our ever supportive Local Councillors to do the other 4. Both days were enjoyed by pupils and staff at each school as well as the dignitaries, who were all kind enough to spend time with pupils after each ceremony.
The final stage of the project has been to set the children the challenge of planting as many trees as they can within the community, with their families or groups they are involved with. We will be adding them all up at the end of the year!
The Project is dedicated to H.M. King Charles III in his Coronation Year.
Peace Art Project (2019/2020)
Children drew around their hands and stated what peace means to them in one hand and what they can do to contribute to that peace, in the other. Over 500 pieces of inspiring and thought provoking art were put on display for our community to enjoy.
Garforth Schools' Peace Flag (2022)
Over 700 pupils at our 6 schools created a flag representing what peace and their school meant to them. These were displayed for the public to vote for their favourite from each school. The winning 6 were joined together to create the Garforth Schools’ Peace Flag.
On the 31st July 2022 it was unveiled by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant for West Yorkshire (the Queen’s representative in the County) & one of our local Councillors. It is dedicated to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in her Platinum Jubilee Year.
The Lord Mayor’s Visit 2023
The Lord Mayor and her consort visited in July to celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of the Garforth Schools’ World Peace Trail, the 1st anniversary of the Garforth Schools’ Peace Flag and the 24th Anniversary of the world Peace Flame. They joined members of the community in walking the Peace Trail, ending at the Garforth Peace Flame monument where quotes for peace were read out. They were very impressed with the whole project and how the community, particularly our schools are involved. They were entertained by Garforth Community Choir and Garforth Ukulele Players and both thoroughly enjoyed their visit.
The Garforth Schools' World Peace Trail (2021)
All our schools were involved and children painted a peace stone with a flag to represent every country of the world. They also researched interesting and fun facts about each country and created a fact sheet. The peace stones are now set in an 8 stage trail starting at Garforth Academy, ending at the Garforth World Peace Flame Monument.
On the 31st July 2021, the Garforth Schools World Peace Trail was officially opened to the public by our 3 dedicated Local Councillors, and walked by our community. It is dedicated to HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Kindness Box
Shortly after the Garforth World Peace Flame was installed a beautiful wooden box (a kindness box) was placed near it by a young girl. She had placed small gifts inside together with a note asking people to take and if possible leave a small gift for others. Two further kindness boxes were added by other children and we now have a larger combined Kindness Box to accommodate the constant exchange of gifts. This is regularly used by our children and the community.
Presentation of the Garforth Schools' Peace Flag
On the 18th November 2022 some of the children who created the Garforth Schools’ World Peace Flag presented it to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds (see picture).
Peace Cake Bake-off 2023
Other Projects & Events We Have Been Involved In
Over the years we have been involved in many projects and events around Leeds and Yorkshire and continue to be so. We have gifted over 70,000 World Peace Flame tea lights to members of the public, that’s a lot of peace!
The Annual Interfaith Peace Service
We are part of Concord Leeds Interfaith Fellowship, where we have been involved with the Annual Interfaith Peace Service for over 15 years. At the service a candle is lit by representatives of every faith in the city, from the World Peace Flame and for all the people of Leeds by the current Lord Mayor.
Holocaust Memorial Day (H.M.D)
The World Peace Flame is present at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki Memorial Day
We are part of Leeds City Council Peacelink group, including Mayors for Peace and the annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial Service.
The World Peace Flame On Display Locally
The World Peace Flame has been on public display in various prominent locations, including York Minster, Leeds Museum, Royal Armouries, (Leeds and The Tower of London), Leeds Discovery Centre and Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University).
Beacon Lighting
On the 2nd June 2022 the Platinum Jubilee Beacon in Millennium Square, was lit by the Lord Mayor of Leeds from the World Peace Flame, to honour H.M. The Queen in her Platinum Jubilee Year. It was the only beacon in the Commonwealth to become a World Peace Flame. A very fitting tribute to our now, sadly late, beautiful Queen and her devoted, unwavering life of service to love, peace, unity and kindness for all.
In 2012 the Wakefied Beacon for H.M. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations was lit by the Queen’s representative for West Yorkshire along with Cynthia Dickenson from Concord Leeds Interfaith Fellowship.
Happy Kids Resources
♥ Kids Book
How To Feel Good... Even When I Don't
♥ YouTube
Fear To Love Videos
These videos were born out of the desire to help people recognise their emotions as they experience them and empower them to change how they feel in the moment through a series of 90 second videos to calm, settle and balance.
♥ Coaching
Communication For Kids with Beth Turner
Children’s lives happen one conversation at a time and in ‘The Comms Hub’ my mission is to help children learn how to be clear and confident communicators so they can thrive in every single one of them.
Location of the Garforth World Peace Flame
The Diamond Jubilee Garden, Junction of Aberford Road & Oak Road, Garforth LS25 1PX.