Soldiers, civilians start bid for world’s longest peace mural

MANILA, Philippines - The walls of Camp Aguinaldo, the usual target of militants who spray them with words of protest, will soon be transformed into a long peace mural.

About 1,500 civilian volunteers and soldiers yesterday painted on the walls of the military camp, kicking off a bid to create the world’s longest peace mural.

The dusty walls along EDSA Santolan, Boni Serrano Ave. and Corinthian Gardens will soon be filled with images of the 1986 people power revolution and different sectors working together to promote peace and development.

“The purpose of the project is to build the culture of peace. We are using the walls to convey the message to the public so they’ll be aware that everybody is a stakeholder of our peace efforts,” said Maj. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the Armed Forces 7th civil-relations group.

The peace mural will span about four kilometers, way longer than the one-kilometer peace mural in Chile, the current record holder.

Cabunoc said the mural facing EDSA Santolan alone is already 1.1 kilometer long and is enough to beat the one in Chile.

The painting sessions started yesterday and were attended by about 1,300 civilians and 200 soldiers led by Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista.

Organizers are hopeful that vandals will spare the peace mural, which is intended to showcase Filipino nationalism and unity.

“The peace mural is not owned by the armed forces alone. Civilians also painted it and they (vandals) should remember that it embodies the expression of the people, their honest intention to work peace,” Cabunoc said.

“This should be respected by ensuring the integrity of the artwork,” he added.

The project is made possible by the Asia America Initiative, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Dolphins Love Freedom Movement and the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Cabunoc said more painting sessions will be held on June 1 and on June 8. Organizers, who are still seeking volunteers for the project, aim to launch the mural on June 15.

Cabunoc said the peace mural can also help promote tourism.

“If this project lands in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest peace mural, more people will be excited to come and visit the place,” he said.