Weapons spring to life

The British Museum and Christian Aid have jointly commissioned Mozambican sculptures entitled the Tree of Life and the Throne of Weapons. Unveiled at the Museum on February 3rd, the works have been created from implements of war used over decades of internal strife but now transformed into art to promote peace and the end to the arms race. Throne of arms © Gabrielle Hamm The project is part of a programme to encourage people in Mozambique to exchange their AK-47s, pistols and rocket-propelled grenade launchers for tractors, sewing machines, bicycles and other tools generating livelihoods instead of fear and death. The tree of life has been brought to the UK to carry a message of hope and new life. Christian Aid has been supporting a Mozambican organisation, Transforming Arms into Tools, which claims to have collected over 600,000 weapons from former soldiers. The programme may become a model for other regions in Africa. ------ The Tree of Life can be seen in the Great Court of the British Museum until 28th August; admission free Christian Aid photo gallery of the sculpture from raw materials to completion Report by Gabrielle Hamm of OneWorld UK

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