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April 21, 2003
Ten of the entrants to the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2003 are running as a team to raise awareness of homicide and support the creation of The Garden of Peace, A Memorial to Victims of Homicide in Massachusetts. Most of these enthusiastic runners have had personal experiences with homicide among their family or close friends. Running the marathon means more to them than just the challenge and love of the race. It is a statement of their concern for the terrible burden of homicide on our society. They represent some of the little known murders that occur daily, often without recognition by the public.
The Garden of Peace will be located on the newly developed plaza between the McCormack Building (One Ashburton Place) and the 100 Cambridge Street Building (formerly the Saltonstall Building), presently undergoing renovation. This memorial to victims of homicide, first conceived by Parents of Murdered Children, is supported by a statewide coalition of individuals, non-profit groups working to reduce violence, and public officials committed to creating an appropriate memorial.
The goals of the founders of the Garden of Peace are to:
- Commemorate victims of homicide
The focus of the garden will be a dry streambed containing smooth river stones inscribed with the name, date of birth, and date of death of sons and daughters of Massachusetts who have been murdered. This streambed originates at a black granite orb representing the grief buried in the hearts of those who have lost a loved one. The stream bed moves through the quiet garden culminating at a trickle of water falling into a pool from which emerges "Ibis Ascending", a sculpture created by artist Judy Kensley McKie of three ibis birds ascending skyward, representing hope.
- Support the survivors of these homicide victims
Until recent violent events (Oklahoma City, Columbine, 9/11), most Americans had no personal experience with homicide and felt safe. September 11 blew away that fantasy. As with the families and friends of these victims of mass acts of violence, the survivors of each individual murder will always feel an aching loss for the victims and for what they would have contributed to society. All of society is affected by the toll of these random acts of violence. This loss will be recognized by the Garden.
- Raise awareness of the terrible consequences and cost to society of these homicides
The first step in working to prevent violence is to increase public awareness of the sheer number of lives lost, people affected by homicide, and its cost to society
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**Homicide is the second leading cause of death of young people from 15 to 24
**There are approximately 20,000 murders a year in the United States - almost seven times the number of victims of 9/11 or equivalent to having almost seven days in a row of the victims of 9/11.
**If we built a wall like the Vietnam Memorial for murder victims, we would need a new wall every two and a half years.
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- Reduce the incidence of homicide through education
Murder is permanent, the victim never returns. A homicide survivor's life is forever changed and everything is measured by how life was before the murder and learning to live again after the murder. The Garden of Peace visually illustrates the magnitude of lives lost to random murder. Like the Holocaust Memorial and the Vietnam Wall, the Garden will motivate us to action to stop violence. Facing History and Ourselves, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, Stop Handgun Violence, Jane Doe, Inc., and Alpha Resource Center are some of the organizations interested in incorporating the Garden into their educational programs, walks, and vigils to prevent violence.
 
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