UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
06/16/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/16/2021 11:33
Tribute to Dani Karavan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our UNESCO Artist for Peace Dani Karavan. The artworld is witnessing the departure of one of its most distinguished sculptors, and our Organization a valuable ally and friend. His monumental sculptures made him a great artist in the service of peace and humanism - an artist who shared in every way the values and ideals of UNESCO.
The famous Israeli artist and sculptor Dani Karavan was designated UNESCO Artist for Peace in July 1996, in light of his contribution to the promotion of peace through his sculptures.
In December 1993, Dani Karavan participated in the international meeting 'Peace, the day after' organized by UNESCO in Granada, Spain. This meeting brought together for the first time a large number of Israeli and Palestinian intellectuals and artists, in order to establish a cultural dialogue and support the peace process.
Following this meeting, Dani Karavan created an environmental sculpture in UNESCO's garden entitled 'Square of Tolerance', to symbolize the dawn of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. At the inauguration in May 1996, he paid tribute to the role played by Yitshak Rabin, Israeli Prime Minister murdered in 1995, in the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. This environmental sculpture, composed of a massive olive tree surrounded by grass, earth, sand and water is an invitation to meditation and continues to awaken contemporary consciousness of UNESCO's fundamental aspiration for peace.
In his capacity as a UNESCO Artist for Peace, Dani Karavan participated in 1997 at the Nuremberg Prize, a demonstration for tolerance, human rights, peace around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East.
Through his other creations, notably in Berlin to commemorate the massacre of 500,000 Gypsies by the Nazis, Dani Karavan has never ceased to work to reveal our common humanity. As such, he will continue to guide UNESCO and the entire family of Goodwill Ambassadors in their work for peace.
We will not cease, together with all those who have been touched by his work and his personality, to keep his memory alive - for although he leaves us today, his work and his personality, to keep his memory alive - for although he leaves us today, his legacy remains.