Join in mass bell ringing event as part of Manchester International Festival 19

04 Jun 2019

Artist Yoko Ono is calling on the public to take part in the opening event Bells for Peace

From hand bells to bicycle bells, or even phone apps, people from across Greater Manchester and beyond are encouraged to bring a bell to Cathedral Gardens in the city centre at 6pm on Thursday, 4 July. 

Everyone is invited to join together for this one-off public art event, which will send a message of peace to the world and launch MIF19. It is free to attend and a limited number of specially engraved bells will be given out to the first few thousand people. 

In her invitation, Yoko Ono says: “People of Manchester (and beyond), come and join together to send a message of peace to the world. Bring a bell to Cathedral Gardens at 6pm on Thursday, 4 July and join our call for peace.

"The bell is a beautiful sound, a peaceful sound and that’s why it’s desperately needed now. More than ever we must come together to heal each other, and the world.

"The beauty of this piece will break the sky and more. Ring for peace! PEACE is POWER. I love you all."

Yoko Ono has been among the world’s most renowned and respected artists for over half a century. From her early bed-in collaborations with John Lennon in 1969, to her ongoing WAR IS OVER! campaign, Ono has boldly communicated her commitment to social justice throughout her career, creating works that blur the boundaries between art, politics and society. 

Bells for Peace is free and takes place in Cathedral Gardens at 6pm on Thursday 4 July. For more information, please visit Manchester International Festival - Bells for Peace. 

Image credit: Matthew Placek