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Universal Peace Tour

Last Friday I attended the unveiling of the Jade Buddha. The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is the largest Buddha carved from gemstone quality jade. It was created from a rare boulder of translucent jade (called Polar Pride) which was discovered in Canada in the year 2000. The discovery was described as "the find of the millennium." The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is currently exhibited at Reddacliff Place (NOT King George Square, as stated in all of the promotional material btw) and will be touring the rest of Australia this year, with Sydney being the next stop-over in early July. Here is the Brisbane unveiling as I witnessed it.






A colourful onlooker preferring to view the proceedings from a distance


Many speeches to sit through first. Waiting, waiting... Here we go. Ta da!


And here's another photo. Looks a little odd and futuristic from this angle...


This statue is truly a spectacular sight to see in person. The tour of the Jade Buddha commenced in Vietnam early this year and it will depart from Australia early next year to travel throughout America and Canada. Tour dates and locations can be found here. The aim of the tour is to inspire everyone who sees the Buddha to reflect upon peace. A fascinating short film on the making of the Buddha can be found here. I'd be keen to see photos of the Jade Buddha in various locations around the world. Hopefully somebody will start a Jade Buddha for Universal Peace group on Flickr. Maybe they already have? I'll go check on that.


And how adorable are these!?! I won this cute set of gocco printed blank notebooks from talented artist and designer Valerie of Cabin + Cub. I can often be found lurking around Valerie's beautiful blog and Etsy shop admiring her artwork, so I was very delighted to win these! Oh happy happy joy joy! Thankyou Valerie xo
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Anonymous said…
You are so lucky to have attended the unveiling of the Jade Buddha! It's a beautiful sequence of photos from the day & I especially like the one of the paper doves! I'll have to check the link to see if the Jade Buddha will be touring my way. Congratulations on your win. Those notebooks are adorable!
June 24, 2009
Anonymous said…
Couldn't find my location on the tour list :(
June 24, 2009
keiren said…
Oh WOW!!! That Buddha is extraodinary!!! A great set of photos. I really liked the pics of the people because I don't think I've ever seen people pics on your blog before! Are all people in your city so colorful? ;D

Lovely books you won! You lucky thing!
June 24, 2009
cabin + cub said…
so happy you like the notebooks.. you should get them in the post very soon!
June 24, 2009
TheEye said…
omg... that is a wonderful statue... your blog post is so bright and colourful and BEAUTIFUL... loved the scene with the 'cyndi lauper'-ish colourful lady .... and the shot of the monks sitting on the chairs watching is spectacular...

thanks SO MUCH for blogging about this! I'd never heard of this before!!!!!
June 24, 2009
Alissa Nicolau said…
Very cool post. We recently had a friend pass away who was a buddahist. Her memorial service was very interesting to me. She would have loved this!
June 24, 2009
bobbie said…
How lovely and inspiring.
Nowhere near me listed so far. I would love to see this.
June 24, 2009
Cat Ludwig Studio said…
You are so lucky to have seen it in person! It is just beautiful. I will definitely see where it will be touring in the states.
June 24, 2009
Felix and Jayne said…
wow! that must have been awesome to have been there. amazing photos! and i love those notecards...cabin + cub is one of my favs!
June 24, 2009
picciolo said…
that jade looks beautiful! I bet it looks even better in person. And well done on your prize, gorgeous little notebooks!
: )
June 24, 2009
myan said…
what a cool post! fantastic shots too! thanks for sharing all the awesome things you get to see!

and congrats on winning those cute cards!:)
June 24, 2009
Sam said…
That jade buddha is very calming when you look at it. How does it do that? The jade is beautiful...I'll have to check and see when it's in Sydney. Thank you for the link! P.S. Those cards are very pretty! Great designs!
June 24, 2009
Bentley's Photoblog said…
You do get to see the BEST things! Awesome photos of the event! Will have to check if the buddha will be visiting my little town! Cool notebooks and lucky you to have won them!
June 24, 2009
Victoria said…
What a wonderful thing to witness. I checked the tour dates but unfortunately it won't be coming anywhere remotely near me. I am so happy that you got to see it and thanks so much for sharing the occasion with us!

Were you able to get up close? Did the jade have a translucent quality to it? Very curious about the process in its creation...I will have to watch the video!
June 24, 2009
lisa said…
I must see this in person!!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with these gorgeous photos. Lisa xo
June 24, 2009
High Desert Diva said…
What a sensational piece! Lucky you to see it in person.
June 24, 2009
Judi FitzPatrick said…
Wow, that is an amazing statue. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Congrats on the win, the cards are adorable.
Peace, Judi
June 24, 2009
XUE said…
Hey T ! Great cheery shots. I do enjoy the one of the lady with the pink hairdo!
June 24, 2009
Martha said…
How awesome! You know this entry would be great to link up to my Color Carnival! :-)
June 24, 2009
Unknown said…
Congrats on the win T. What a magnificent Buddha...which reminds me now of the trip to Bangkok when I saw the Emerald Buddha but pictures were not allowed in the temple, I'll do a post on this one day...I like the guy with the pink hair..doesnt get any funkier than this. I'd don one too but I am such a boring person, but definite a great attention grabber for sure :P Time flies too fast T..and it's Wednesday now..but HEY...weekend's coming. And, it's winter already *groan*, let's hope it speeds away..and when I read you writting abotu winter, it reminded me of your 'grumbling' post last year about the cold...tata for now...love/M
June 24, 2009
Amanda at 32˙North said…
Hi Harriet! Thank you for the kind comment you left on my interview with Tracy. I agree with you wholeheartedly: her kind personality shines through on her blog and in her work. I'm so pleased to have met her in blogland.

I'm loving your buddah shots!
June 24, 2009
Little Dickens Designs said…
That is so amazing. I'd like to see it in person too. I'll have to see where in the States it will be.
June 24, 2009
Tracy said…
That Buddha is beautiful... I keep going back to look at it. Being a Buddhist practitioner, I really appreciate this post. That ceremony much have been inspiring to witness. Thanks for taking us along! :o) Those cards are wonderful--such terrific colors! Happy Days :o)
June 24, 2009
ARTISANNE DESIGN said…
Wow, I love your colourful pics! :0)
June 25, 2009
Margaret Gosden said…
Can't wait for her to come to New York!
June 25, 2009
Chubby Chieque said…
Congrats for your win... Hmmm... I thought it was a giant CAKE §:-)
Cool & so colourful.

Winter? That's not for us. Our summer is temp is bet 23-27 and that's hot up here.

Wish you can visit me during our winter, huh? Almost -30 below zero. He he... can't you handle the real winter?

Well, am grumbling of cold summer days and you vice versa. Anyways, nice to hear & see you even not the SSS time.

xoxo
June 25, 2009
Chrisy said…
Thank you honey for sharing your sighting of this gorgeous buddha...your photos are fab...
June 25, 2009
Catherine said…
what a beautiful object...such a shame I cannot photograph it here in Mexico City...
June 25, 2009
Lisa's RetroStyle said…
He's beautiful! I watched the video and had a quick look at the website. I'll go visit him when he comes to the states. I don't see any Michigan dates yet...but Florida next winter sounds good:D
He looks so dark. I'll have to look at the website more to see if they explain about his painting. Is his body painted too? Or is it just the lighting. Or maybe Jade oxidizes or something.
His display pedastal is lovely also.
I'll want to see him in Australia too of course. I wonder when he is due to return to his final home? I'll have to investigate that.

Those cards are darling! You're always winning something you lucky girl! I wish I had artistic talent like that:{ I'll have to go check out Valerie's blog & shop. I think I'm procrastinating again;0
June 25, 2009
Trudy said…
How cool is that?

I've been enjoying your blog. I would love for you to come and visit my blog as well, www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com .

My 8 year old daughter has her own sewing blog. If you would like to see what she's up to, go to www.sewingsister.blogspot.com . She is currently learning how to hand sew. In a few weeks she will start learning how machine sew. She is very excited. Her six year old brother is also featured on her blog. He has been sewing right along with us. It's been a lot of fun sharing this with them.

Regards,

Trudy
www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com
June 25, 2009
Shannon said…
As of yet.... nothing in my neck of the USA!! I'll keep an eye out, because I would LOVE to take part! :)
June 26, 2009
Gabbi said…
Such an interesting event! Thank you so much for sharing... and your cards are adorable, great win! :)

Hope you have a lovely weekend.xo
June 26, 2009
Monica said…
That looks beautiful. It's great that you got to go.
June 27, 2009
please sir said…
Wow - looks like quite an exciting event!
June 27, 2009
Chubby Chieque said…
It's an enjoyable w/end here as the weather will be fantastic. Saturday is 25deg & Sunday is 30deg. An unusual warm for a swedish summer. We planned to go for picnic but am not really like to have suntan so, I bring my umbrella §:-))

Hope you have an enjoyable w/end. Hope to see you soon. I have to get my cam ready to take every shadows I meet §:-))

xoxo lots...
June 27, 2009
Anonymous said…
I love the little paper peace doves, so pretty. Congrats on winning those cute cabin + cub notebooks. I checked out Valerie's blog and Etsy shop. I see why you lurk.
June 27, 2009
Gemma Wiseman said…
I had no idea about this jade buddha being here in Australia! Your shots present it wonderfully! What a memorable unveiling! Lucky you!
June 28, 2009
sunnymama said…
Looks like a lovely event and your pictures are beautiful :)
June 28, 2009
Anonymous said…
Wonderful tour idea. Thanks for sharing this with us. I'm glad to know about it now.

Paz
June 29, 2009
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