The Beirut Peacekeepers Memorial Tower will stand at 45 feet in the William R. Gaines, Jr. Veterans Memorial Park center and include three stories of interactive educational displays for visitors to read and reflect on as they climb upward. The tower will be a symbol designed to honor those who died in Beirut. To tell the story of the Peacekeepers’ involvement in the region, it will also provide a timeline of significant historical events from 1982-1984.
Within the structure, 241 rods will form a piece of installation artwork that plays with darkness and light, and reminds visitors of the 241 Marines, sailors, soldiers, and civilians who died in the Beirut bombing. Looking up, the rods form an oculus. This shape was intended to provide a bridge from the earth to the heavens, light shining through even the darkest of moments, bringing into full light the sacrifices of the peacekeepers.
The structure also embodies a “tower with a view of freedom.” Visitors standing on the apex of the structure will be able to take in vistas of the park itself, surrounding communities and Charlotte Harbor. As guests look out and observe the view, they are invited to remember the sacrifices of those who fought to secure and preserve our freedom.
