A Sound That Unites Us: 30 Years of the Peace Bell in Vienna, March 2025

On March 12, 2025, a high-level event was held at the Vienna International Centre (VIC), Austria, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Peace Bell. The bell was donated in 1995 by the Drug Abuse Prevention Center (DAPC) and the Japan Sumo Association as a symbol of the shared hope for a world free from conflict and substance abuse.
 
This anniversary event marked an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of international cooperation in promoting peace and addressing the global drug problem.
 
More than 200 diplomats and UN staff attended the ceremony, including Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), H.E. Mr. Shambhu S. Kumaran, Chair of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and Ambassador of India to the United Nations in Vienna, and Prof. Jallal Toufiq, President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).
 
Ms. Waly emphasized that drug abuse and illicit trafficking pose significant threats to peace and stability, underlining the need for international collaboration. She described the Peace Bell as a powerful symbol of our collective resolve and aspiration for a safer, healthier world, and stressed the importance of keeping this symbol alive as a beacon of unity in the international community (Full speech here).
 
Ambassador Kumaran highlighted the complexity and urgency of the global drug issue, calling for multifaceted and cooperative responses. He reminded participants that each of them plays a critical role in this shared effort and stressed the importance of turning shared values into concrete action.
 
Mr. Akira Fujino, President of DAPC, reflected on the nationwide fundraising campaign initiated in 1993 that made the donation of the bell possible. He emphasized the significance of collaboration between the private and public sectors, and mentioned that another Peace Bell also stands at UN Headquarters in New York. He expressed hope that the Vienna Peace Bell will continue to be rung at major events, echoing the message of unity and peace.
 
In addition to the ceremonial ringing of the bell, the event featured Japanese cultural elements, including live music, a demonstration of Iaido (Japanese sword art), and the serving of Japanese sake. These activities added color and depth to the overall message of peace and drug prevention, and offered participants a deeper sense of cultural connection.