Thanks to a group of young artists and support from an Episcopal community ministry, there's an unusual new peace symbol gracing the corner of a busy Columbus thoroughfare.

On a beautiful spring day during the community's first SpringFest, participants, leaders and friends of the Thompson-Pound Art Program (TAP) and some onlookers gathered April 26 at Broadway and 12th Street for the unveiling of their Unity Piece, called a Peace Tree.

The Thompson-Pound Arts Program is a multicultural, interfaith summer arts program for children sponsored by the Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry, Inc.

"When the children in TAP created this Peace Tree in the summer of 2007, Columbus became part of an international effort to create peace in the world," said TAP director Debbie Anderson. "Along with this Peace Tree in Columbus, there are Peace Trees in Toronto and along the border between Pakistan and India."

Each of the 400-lb. tree's stainless-steel leaves bears designs of peace created by the student artists, known as "TAP-pers." The leaves were welded onto the trunk by Kendrick High School teacher Chris McGrotha and students Reuben Fields and Arthur Thomas.  The tree was designed by Garry Pound, James Decker and Tim Vinson.

Anderson challenged the community to join the world in the celebration of Peace Day "to remind us that we can be a part of creating and maintaining peace in the world-not just by saying ‘I want peace' or ‘I believe in peace,' but by joining the TAP children who say, ‘I am a peacemaker.'"

The celebration around the Peace Tree was followed by a courtyard reception hosted by Columbus Bank & Trust.