About the Project

Mural Arts was honored to work with one of the nation’s cultural treasures: poet, activist, and educator Sonia Sanchez. The project—Peace is a Haiku Song—engages the Philadelphia community and beyond in an exploration of the haiku as a vehicle for peace and urban transformation.

This exciting project culminated in a mural honoring Sanchez as a celebrated practitioner and teacher of the haiku. The mural is inspired by Sanchez’s belief that the haiku form is inherently non-violent in its intent and structure and engenders beauty, serenity, and brief reflection.

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Peace Is A Haiku Song first began with Sanchez’s instructional discussion at The First Person Arts Festival in November of 2011. One year later, the project includes poetic messages of peace on bus shelters and subway platforms, painted sidewalk messages, beautiful haiku benches and a new mural at Broad and Christian Streets by Parris Stancell and Josh Sarantitis.

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