The symbols for kindness and peace contain deep meaning and have been used throughout history to represent these noble human virtues. In this article, we will explore some of the key symbols associated with kindness, compassion, and peace, looking at their origins, significance, and contemporary usages.
The Dove
One of the most ubiquitous symbols of peace is the dove. In many cultures and religions, the dove has been used to represent peace, harmony, innocence, and affection. Doves have been revered as messengers from the divine and symbols of the human soul since ancient times.
Some of the key associations of doves with peace and kindness include:
- In Ancient Greece, doves were linked to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Doves pulled her chariot and symbolized romance, fertility and femininity.
- In Christianity, the dove is used to represent the Holy Spirit. It appears during key moments like Jesus’ baptism and became a symbol of God’s presence, innocence, and purity.
- In Judaism, doves were used for sacrifices at the Jerusalem Temple. Their release signified hope for the future and God’s forgiveness.
- In Buddhism, the release of doves symbolizes freedom from earthly concerns and the soul’s journey to nirvana.
- The dove was the sacred animal of Astarte, an ancient Middle Eastern goddess of war and fertility who evolved into a figure of peace.
Today, the dove remains a prevalent icon of peace, often depicted with an olive branch in its beak. The olive branch represents abundance, glory, and spiritual rewards. Doves are released at monumental events like the Olympic Games to symbolize hope for harmony between nations. Picasso’s lithograph, La Colombe, cemented the dove as a universal emblem of peace in the aftermath of World War II.
The Olive Branch
As we saw above, olive branches are closely linked to dove imagery as symbols of peace and hope. On their own, olive branches also carry deep meaning, used to confer goodwill, reconciliation, fertility, and moral uprightness. The olive tree provided food, oil, and medicine to ancient civilizations, linking the olive branch to essentials like life, health, and family.
Some key historical moments where the olive branch became significant include:
- In Greek mythology, the gods would offer an olive branch to end hostilities.
- The Romans believed olive branches symbolized their defeat of Carthage and offered them as tribute to the gods.
- Early Christians used olive oil lamps in sacred ceremonies, elevating the olive branch as a symbol of Jesus’ message.
- During the 18th century, British and American colonists waved olive branches to celebrate the end of hostilities during the Revolutionary War period.
Today, the olive branch remains a prominent emblem of harmony, often depicted with a dove. World leaders and organizations frequently incorporate olive branches into messaging about seeking reconciliation, promoting unity, or ending conflict.
The Peace Sign
The peace sign is one of the most recognizable modern symbols representing peace, harmony, and the anti-war movement. Also known as the peace dove, broken cross, or Nero Cross, its simple design has proliferated across pop culture.
The origins of the peace sign date back to 1958 when British artist and peace activist Gerald Holtom designed it for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protest march. The symbol incorporated semaphore signals for the letters “N” and “D” which stood for “nuclear disarmament.” It also represented a person in despair with arms outstretched downward.
The symbol quickly caught on within the anti-war movement, and its meaning expanded beyond solely anti-nuclear efforts. By the 1960s, the peace sign was an iconic emblem of both the hippie counterculture and the larger push for peace, love, and harmony. It remains globally recognized today as a shorthand for peace, freedom, and human progress.
The White Feather
Though not as ubiquitous as the dove or olive branch, the white feather has served as an important symbol of pacifism and kindness. In Britain, the white feather dates back to the 18th century when people would gift white feathers to soldiers heading off to war as tokens of bravery and honor. However, by the early 20th century, some pacifist groups would hand out white feathers to shame able-bodied men not enlisted in the military, labeling them cowards.
This practice declined during World War II when conscientious objectors adopted the white feather as their own symbol of nonviolence. For them, the white feather embodied ideals like purity, moral courage, and commitment to peace. Leaders like Desmond Tutu and Gordon Wilson who promoted reconciliation and nonviolence in times of conflict were also gifted white feathers as symbols of their message.
Though not as ubiquitous today, for many the white feather remains an important, if contested, representation of pacifism, nonviolence, and adherence to one’s ethical beliefs amid social pressure.
The Peace Wheel
Based on the ancient Dharma wheel in Buddhism, the peace wheel represents the eternal cycle of spiritual change and the unity of all life. It contains a variety of symbols representing ideals like equality, liberty, environmentalism, and human rights sitting upon a wheel of peace. At the wheel’s center sits a peace dove.
The modern peace wheel can be traced to the 1950s when an Italian artist combined the Dharma wheel with world federalist symbols to advocate for global government and law. But it wasn’t until 1986 that the symbol gained prominence, when the World Peace Prayer Society popularized the peace wheel at the UN International Day of Peace.
This launched the peace wheel as a inclusive, international symbol of hope and harmony. The wheel strives for a holistic peace that connects the self, society, and the planet. It represents the continuous human endeavor to create a just and peaceful world.
The V Hand Sign
The simple V hand sign with the index and middle fingers raised has become one of the most recognizable hand gestures worldwide. In the 1940s, the V sign was adopted by the Allied forces during World War II as a visual symbol of the impending victory for freedom and peace. Winston Churchill helped popularize the gesture as a sign of defiance and hope.
During the 1960s, the V sign was embraced by counter-culture and anti-war movements. Protesters flashed the hand sign during marches and rallies as a symbol of peace. Figures like Aristotle Onassis and John Lennon helped ingrain the gesture in pop culture and collective consciousness.
Today, while its original wartime meaning has faded, the V hand sign continues to signify peace, freedom, and triumph. It maintains a special place within the lexicon of emblems representing human hope and harmony.
The Rainbow Flag
While commonly associated with LGBTQ pride and advocacy, the rainbow flag also carries a broader symbolism of peace, love, diversity, and inclusiveness. Building on ancient meanings of rainbows as bridges between earth and sky, contemporary rainbow iconography often represents human harmony, creativity, and community.
Key aspects of the rainbow flag as a symbol of peace include:
- Its inception at the 1978 San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade, as an emblem of LGBTQ diversity and acceptance.
- Its placement alongside peace signs and “PACE” words at protests against nuclear weapons and war.
- Its omnipresence in pop culture as a colorful symbol of joy, hope, and open-mindedness.
- Its invocation by organizations like Greenpeace and Cooperative for Education to demonstrate inclusivity.
- Its common usage in children’s programming and culture to teach lessons of diversity and kindness.
For many, the rainbow flag has moved beyond its specific ties to communicate broad ideals of peace, compassion, diversity, and human dignity.
Conclusion
From ancient mythical associations to enduring symbols like the dove and olive branch, the icons and imagery tied to peace reveal the diverse ways humans conceptualize and communicate this noble virtue. While their origins and meanings vary, these symbols all speak to universal hopes and ideals like empathy, understanding, freedom, life, and harmony between people and the planet. Their continued relevance in art, politics, and culture reveals their ability to transcend time and place to represent the human aspiration for a just, equitable, and peaceful world.