Lifting Peace Off the Ground Butterfly Project
Lifting Peace Off the Ground is a community art project inspired by the late Muriel Duckworth, whose lifelong commitment to peace reminds us that ordinary people can—and must—shape extraordinary change.
We are all living under the ongoing threat of nuclear mass destruction. At a time when governments are investing in projects of escalation and domination, this project calls instead for a return to diplomacy, imagination, and care.
At the heart of this installation is a human-shaped shadow, representing the devastating horror and suffering experienced in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where lives were incinerated and communities forever altered.
That shadow will be gently covered with handmade butterflies, created by community members.
Butterflies are symbols of transformation, resilience, and beauty – all of which are essential if we are to rewrite the narrative toward peaceful solutions to conflict around the world.
How to Participate
We invite you to contribute a butterfly made from any textile material, including:
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fabric scraps
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embroidery
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felting
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fabric paint
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mixed textile techniques
Size guide: up to 8 × 8 cm (with flexibility—this is a community project, not a rigid one).
If you’d like to take part or learn more, please email
📧 winkler.kathrin2@gmail.com
Together, stitch by stitch, we can lift peace off the ground.
Please submit for August 6, 2026 but any butterflies received during 2026 and beyond will be added.
In peace.
Peace Pavilion at the Deanery
A Place for Reflection, Connection, and Peace in Action
The idea of a Peace Pavilion at the Deanery began as a shared imagining — a quiet but intentional space where people could gather, reflect, and hold peace at the centre of community life.
About a year ago, conversations between the Deanery, the Sheiling, Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace, and Eastern Shore 4 Palestine planted the seeds for what this space could become. With the help of architecture students, that vision took physical shape last summer in the Deanery woods, where a small Peace Pavilion was built as a place of rest, dialogue, and possibility.
A Growing Partnership
NSVOW is honoured to be part of this evolving partnership. We contribute banners, posters, and presence, and we are deeply inspired by the care, creativity, and values held by the Deanery community.
Many who knew Joan Smith will remember her as an extraordinary seamstress and quilt maker. Her donated quilts now cover all the beds at the Deanery — a quiet, tangible reminder that peace work is often carried through care, craft, and generosity. That spirit lives on in the Peace Pavilion.
A Living Space, Not a Finished Idea
The Peace Pavilion is not a completed project — it is a living space.
It offers room to imagine:
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Peace workshops and reflective gatherings
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Small retreats rooted in listening and restoration
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Vigils, conversations, and creative responses to the world as it is
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Moments of pause during larger community events
As Deanery Director Kim shared with us, “The need for peace actions and inspiration is stronger than ever as the war rhetoric continues to muddy minds and waters.” The Peace Pavilion exists as one response to that need — modest, grounded, and open-ended.
The Pavilion in Community Life
The Peace Pavilion is woven into the rhythm of the Deanery’s programming. During events such as SeaLight SkyLight, visitors are invited on short guided walks to the Pavilion throughout the day, offering moments of quiet reflection alongside celebration, art, and science.
Rather than standing apart from community life, the Pavilion invites peace to walk alongside it.
Looking Ahead
We see the Peace Pavilion as a place where relationships deepen over time — between organizations, neighbours, artists, activists, and those simply seeking a moment of stillness.
We look forward to continuing to imagine what this space can hold, together.
SeaLight SkyLight: The Winter Solstice Edition
Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 10:00 PM
SeaLight SkyLight is a celebration of science, creative arts, and the natural world, inspired by Ship Harbour’s spectacular dark night sky and the magic of ocean bioluminescence.
This annual, family-friendly festival brings together live music, astronomy and art workshops, environmental displays, and a candle-lit procession to the waterfront for performances — and, fingers crossed, a glimpse of glowing waters beneath the stars.
What to Expect
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Live music and creative performances
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Astronomy activities and night-time telescope observation
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Art and science workshops for all ages
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Environmental displays and hands-on learning
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A candle-lit procession to the waterfront after dark
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Guided opportunities to experience the Peace Pavilion
The Peace Pavilion
Throughout the day, visitors are invited on short guided walks to the Peace Pavilion in the Deanery woods — a quiet space for reflection and connection that has become part of the Deanery’s evolving peace-centered programming.
These gentle pauses offer moments of stillness alongside the celebration, inviting peace to walk alongside curiosity, creativity, and community.
(You can link the words “Peace Pavilion” here to the page you just created.)
Food & Accessibility
Noor’s Mediterranean Restaurant will be on site with delicious food available for purchase from 1:30 PM – 7:00 PM.
SeaLight SkyLight is an alcohol- and drug-free event.
The majority of festival activities will take place indoors, with the exception of:
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Guided walks to the Peace Pavilion
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Outdoor field activities
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Night-time telescope observation
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The candle-lit waterfront procession
Please dress warmly and be prepared for outdoor movement.
This is a rain-or-shine event.
Stay Connected
A detailed schedule will be shared closer to the event date.
Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and our website for updates.
You can download a PDF of the poster here.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased through the Google registration link here.