THE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP BELL

In the early 1990 s, after the review of several projects to provide a lasting legacy for the 50 ^{th anniversary of Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Community Foundation approved the realization of this bell, the International Friendship Bell, which is an expression of "hope for eternal peace, friendship and understanding among all peoples of the world". The funds needed for its realization were made partly by Oak Ridge, partly by its Japanese twin city, Naka-shi. It is a traditional Japanese bronze bell of 1,4 m in diameter and 2 m high weighing 3 750 kg. It was manufactured in 1993 by the Japanese founder Sotetsu Iwazawa (Kyoto) and delivered in October of the same year. On the outer side of the bell, the distinctive signs of Tennessee and Japan are found (flowers, trees and official birds) and important dates that marked the Pacific War (Pearl Harbor - 7 December 1941 and VJ-Day - 14 August 1945, Hiroshima - 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki - 9 August 1945). Ornaments are the work of an Oak Ridge artist, Susanna Harris. On the internal face of the bell, one can clearly see the name of the founder and the indication Made in Japan engraved.}