What is the Ribbon International?

The Ribbon is made up of countless panels of cloth each showing peoples desire for disarmament, a healthy environment or for peace. The original theme of the Ribbon "What I cannot bear to think of as lost forever in a nuclear war." The concept originated with Justine Merritt in 1982 while living in Denver, CO. She requested friends and relatives to create their representations of cloth segments using sewing, painting or any other suitable medium. The panels measured three feet by one and a half feet with a tie on each corner so that they could easily be joined together. The idea spread rapidly through places of worship, schools and organizations. The first Ribbon events were held in the United States and Japan. They culminated on August 4, 1985 commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the nuclear bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On that day eighteen miles of Ribbon panels were joined together in Wash., D.C. and in Hiroshima the A-Bomb Memorial Dome was encircled with Ribbons. Since then the Ribbon has become an ongoing project in countries around the world.

The Ribbon

The Ribbon