Participants in Bells for Peace on November 11, 2018 include, among some 60 others (left to right): Epiphany Chapel and Church House in Odenton, Maryland; Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC; the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle, WA; and The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, VA.

Bells of Peace gaining new participants nationwide

By Aaron Rosenthal
Staff Writer

More than sixty community participants have joined the US World War I Centennial Commission’s initiative, “Bells of Peace”. Americans across the nation will toll bells on November 11, 2018 at 11:00 AM, in honor of the service and sacrifice of the nation’s World War I veterans, led by tolling at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Joining the national bell tolling is an easy way for you to honor those who fought and died in World War I, and to learn about the Commission’s mission to build a World War I memorial in Washington DC. The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, started tolling bells in 2014, and we are proud to link our efforts with theirs.

As mentioned last week, the Washington Chapel at Valley Forge will be tolling for the Armistice with their National Patriots Bell Tower, and they are not alone.

The Epiphany Chapel and Church House in Odenton, Maryland, the Cameron Parish Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Sterling Virginia, and the City of Boyd in Minnesota, will all be joining in this commemoration. Museums and historical societies from all around the country also plan to participate, including the Miami Valley Military History Museum in Ohio, the Polish National Home of Hartford Inc., the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle Washington, and many more.

You or your organization can be a part of history to commemorate the centennial as well: just log on to ww1cc.org/bells and click “participate.” We will feature your organization’s logo on the page, and you can see more content by the World War I Centennial Commission. Resources include the Dispatch Newsletter, the Commission’s podcast, World War I related events, films, music, and more.

Aaron Rosenthal is a Summer 2018 Intern with the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission.