Years ago, IWagePeace brought the Barrett family company resources to the community through a project called Painting for Peace where participants are actively involved in the concept, design and creation of peace murals with a message. IWagePeace invites the community at large to a public facing location to hand paint the murals which tell the story in few words and vibrant artwork. We have completed seven signs, the most recent “HOPE”, August 6 2023 as part of Interfaith Service Day. Once completed, the peace murals are posted on locations along Connecticut highways where they are seen by 100s of thousands of viewers each day, promoting a call to goodwill and action.

On August 6th we hand painted our seventh IWagePeace Painting for Peace billboard mural. With this sign, we are sending the message that those from diverse faiths and no faith, can collectively gather to serve others, listen to and learn from one another and celebrate together. Understanding one another breaks the barriers of division bringing HOPE to our todays and HOPE to our children's tomorrows. IWagepeace engaged in exploratory discussions with Interfaith Service Day partners and service project reps to develop an overarching theme and it’s accompanying visual artwork for the peace mural. Based on these discussions, Bruce and artist/muralist Russell Rainbolt collaborated to develop the final copy our theme "HOPE" for the canvas. Russell projects the final copy and draws it by hand on a giant 14’ x 48’ canvas. He then marks the canvas with color coded directions to ready for painting by Painting for Peace volunteers. After the canvas is laid flat in the Barrett Outdoor Communications shop to dry thoroughly overnight, the shop crew posts the mural on a busy CT highway location where our  message of “HOPE” is viewed by hundreds of thousands of passer-bys each day.  

Learn more about "Hope" and Interfaith Service Day 2023

On Sunday August 7th 2022, we hand painted our sixth peace billboard mural as one of seven volunteer projects on the second Interfaith Service Day in New Haven. This event brought a diversity of people together in fellowship and goodwill. Through the media and our billboard we sent to thousands of viewers the message we are one people, that we have nothing to fear from our differences, and that in fact, our differences make us a strong, vibrant, and dynamic community. We do not need to agree on all things to work together. We can disagree on doctrine and theology, while respecting, learning, and enjoying one another!

Learn more about "Serve Pray Heal" 2022

On Sunday August 7th 2022, we hand painted our sixth peace billboard mural as one of seven volunteer projects on the second Interfaith Service Day in New Haven. This event brought a diversity of people together in fellowship and goodwill. Through the media and our billboard we sent to thousands of viewers the message we are one people, that we have nothing to fear from our differences, and that in fact, our differences make us a strong, vibrant, and dynamic community. We do not need to agree on all things to work together. We can disagree on doctrine and theology, while respecting, learning, and enjoying one another!

Learn more about "We are all in this together" 2019

On July 10, 2018 over 30 Israeli, Palestinian and US teenagers joined teens from mosques, synagogues and churches on the New Haven Green to hand paint a 48 foot billboard sign declaring "We Welcome Refugees" and to send a message of respect and tolerance. The visiting teens were participants in the Jerusalem Peacebuilders' Service Learning Program, an initiative that brings together visiting Israeli, Palestinian, and American youth ages 15-16 for nine days to study their own faith traditions, explore each other's diverse backgrounds, and develop peacebuilding skills while volunteering at local community organizations in New Haven. The billboard design was inspired by a 2017 NYT times photo study called “Refugees Made Visible.”

"A passion for peace in the Middle East drives our mission and partnerships power our program. Painting for Peace on the Green combines both. Our young Israeli and Palestinian leaders are proud to work with the interfaith community in New Haven and our partner Barrett Outdoor Communications to honor religious difference and to share their belief in the sanctity of all human life,”

Rev. Nicholas Porter,
Executive Director of Jerusalem Peacebuilders 

Our Painting For Peace event was held on a beautiful summer weekend at Jerusalem Peacebuilder's Acer Farm in Brattleboro, Vermont. IWagePeace empowered Muslim, Jewish, and Christian high school youth from Israel, Palestine, and the United States to design and hand paint a mural for an interstate highway sign on I-95. The project was designed in partnership with an interfaith fellowship of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian youth, Kids4Peace. As part of the IWagePeace Combatants for Peace Tour, we travelled to Vermont for the youth retreat weekend. The youth at the camp were thrilled at meeting adult fighters from their own nations who found a path to peace. Together, they hand painted the 14x48 foot billboard sign of their design reading “Peace in Jerusalem is Possible.” IWagePeace Inc, Kids4Peace, and the Combatants For Peace ended the retreat by visiting the Bridgeport Rotary Club to share their experience. The sign, with viewership of 100,000 per day, remained on I-95 for the entire summer and shifted to I-84 in the fall of that year and is still posted on various Connecticut highways.

On the New Haven Green, Peacemakers from area mosques, synagogues, and churches broke the myth that Muslims, Jews, Christians and others cannot work together for peace. Inspired by the documentary film "The Billboard From Bethlehem" the multi-denominational group hand Painted For Peace their own mural for posting on billboards on the interstate highways of Connecticut. This was our second Painting For Peace project. The artwork was conceived by "Peace by Peace", a group of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian medical students at Yale University. Artist Russ Rainbolt used their drawings to prepare the canvas and Bruce suggested the phrase "We Refuse To be Enemies." Peace by Peace sponsored a festival of healing the same afternoon and IWagePeace organized teams of painters from area mosques, synagogues and churches, raising $6,000 for The Combatants For Peace.

On Memorial Day weekend of 2007, IWagePeace Founder Bruce A. Barrett, with artist Russell Rainbolt, joined 100 Israeli and Palestinian children along with former Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian armed resisters to hand paint a giant 48-foot long peace mural in the occupied West Bank. The 48-foot billboard returned to the United States to visit a mosque, a synagogue, and a church, before being displayed on busy American highways. Their journey with the hand painted sign is documented in this award winning film "The Billboard From Bethlehem" featuring the Combatants for Peace. The documentary has screened internationally and received four film festival awards including the Mandavi Award for peace and cultural understanding.

View the documentary and learn more about "The Billboard from Bethlehem"
Our Other  IWagePeace Messaging Campaigns
IWagePeace Classic
"The Classic"

I Wage Peace.Org has been flying on CT Interstates since it's introduction in the Spring of 2006. The sign burns one clear message: Peacemaking is patriotic, active, and the duty of every American. The flag used for the first IWagePeace sign was flying at founder Bruce Barrett's home on a sunny day. He immediately knew what he wanted. This campaign flies on our interstates regularly in our area.

Santa Wages Peace
"Santa Wages Peace"

 This campaign refocuses the "Santa" brand back to his powerful roots as a loving Peacemaker. In 2007 and years following in December, we displayed this sign on I-95 in Stratford. Bruce's daughter Sarah made Santa, the reindeer, the snow, star, and trees from construction paper. Artist and muralist Russell Rainbolt arranged the images for the sign copy and allowed Sarah to help him hand paint the sign. We use this sign to reclaim the seventh century Saint Nicholas as the peacemaker he was. 

They Voted to Allow Torture
"They Voted To Allow Torture"

This ad ran in two locations on I-95 and RT 84 in October and November during the 2006 Congressional elections. The sign was mentioned in two congressional debates and received national press coverage on NPR and "The Factor". Of the four candidates, Johnson and Simmons were not returned to office. This was a powerful image expressing our anger with those who supported the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Artist Russell Rainbolt hand painted the Abu Ghraib image. We are grateful to our partner Reclaiming The Prophetic Voice for their input.

We're All in this Togetheer
"We Are All In This Together"

The wealth of our planet is immeasurable, but to whom much is given, much is expected. As peacemakers, we take care of each other by taking care of the planet Earth.  We are citizens not only of our nation and cities; we are Global Citizens of the Planet Earth. "We're all in this together" is an awareness campaign that fosters our sense of global community. Driving on the highway one night, founder Bruce Barrett realized we needed an iconic sign for global citizenship. His daughter Sarah and him laid out the copy. The sign makes a regular tour on the interstate highways of Connecticut.

IWagePeace is a Connecticut 501(c)(3) not for profit that inspires and educates Americans about peacemaking through creative interfaith gatherings, community service projects, public displays of art, and more.  Our work is made possible by your spiritual and physical presence.  We hope you'll join us.

Thank you for being part of the IWagePeace community.

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