Фотографии Знамени Мира. Патент.

Dear Friends,

We all forget that to Roerichites the most important use of the Banner was its designated purpose, as the sign of the Roerich Pact, a legal treaty signed in 1935 in Washington, in the presence of the President of the United States. That Banner immediately became the property of the world. It was intended to be flown over all sites of cultural importance, everywhere on the planet, to protect them from destruction. The Roerich Pact is a treaty still in force. It never died.

Also, about ten years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama declared a Year of Peace, and chose the very same Banner to be its symbol. There are beautiful photographs of hundreds of joyous Tibetans, all waving the Banner. Many people who made pilgrimages to Dharmsala to see His Holiness presented Banners to him.

In the New York Times was published a photo of the American astronaut with two Russian cosmonauts on the Mir space station. On the wall behind them was hanging the Banner of Peace. It was there as a sign of international cooperation. We in New York provided the Banner, and the Russians installed it in the space station.

There are photos from the early conferences to plan for the Roerich Pact, in Burges, in Montevideo, in Washington. All of them have the Banner prominently displayed in them.

And certainly, here at the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York, the Banner flies proudly on its pole in front of the building. It has been there since it was given to us by Nicholas Roerich himself, the founder and honorary head of our Museum.

The list is endless. The Banner can never belong to anyone. The Banner can never be controlled by anyone. It is a force of nature, it is more than all of us, it is the Banner of the Lords. Even though we hold the first registered trademark of this symbol – or maybe because we hold that legal right – we invite everyone in the world who loves the Banner and everything it stands for to fly it, proudly. Hang it on your walls, hang it from your windows. It belongs to all of you.

Daniel Entin, Director
Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York
e-mail director@roerich.org