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of Geneva
Peace monuments

With my colleague Oleksandr Svirchevsky, I went there by de Sellon himself. Only a few researchers are aware that it
to photograph this unique monument. In addition to is one of the most significant peace monuments in the history
commemorating the 1st congress of the Société de la Paix, of Geneva and Europe.
the obelisk also bears a message about how to safeguard Evelina Rioukhina and Oleksandr Svirchevsky
general and permanent peace. We saw the engravings, Photos © Oleksandr Svirchevskyy
corresponding to the Henry Barnard’s description, as well
as others:
“La Société de la Paix fut fondée le 1er Décembre 1830 par J.-J.
de Sellon, citoyen de Genève, Comte du St Empire. Il consacra
ce monument à l’inviolabilité de la vie de l’homme l’an 1832.”
«Heureux ceux qui procurent la paix car ils seront appellés
enfants de dieu.» «Dieu ne veut pas la mort du pécheur mais sa
conversion et sa vie.»

One side is dedicated to the kings and queens who
advocated peace in the world and in Europe, and were
opponents of the death penalty. There are also names of
politicians who dedicated their lives to peace in Germany,
Austria, America, and Russia. The monument mentions
important figures such as William Penn, Casimir Perrier,
Edward Livingston, Nicholas de Flue, William Wilberforce,
Elisabeth, the US states of Maine & New Hampshire
(«ont aboli la peine de mort l’an 1837»), Duke Leopold of
Tuscany, Victor de Tracy, Charles Lucas, Cesare Beccaria,
Grohmann, Frederick Guillaume of Prussia, Henry IV of
France, the Duke of Sully, François Fenelon, and the Duke
of Sussex.

This monument can be visited today at the Cemetières des
Rois, but nobody seems to know that it is not a grave, but a
monument to non-violence and peace, conceived and erected

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L D I P LO M AT - D I VA