DAYTON — In the hustle and bustle of a busy NATO Assembly already underway in Dayton, visitors can participate in these various artistic and historical exhibits throughout the city.
“Think Freedom” at Dayton Arcade
Renowned artist Edina Seleskovic is bringing her artistic gifts to Dayton for the installation of “Thinking Freedom at the Dayton Arcade rotunda.
News Center 7’s Xavier Hershovitz visited the art display inspired by Seleskovic’s story as an exchange student. The Bosnian-born artist said she came to the U.S. in 1991. Seleskovic said she couldn’t return to her home country after the school year was over because a major war had started in Bosnia.
Thirteen years ago, Seleskovic was finally able to return to Bosnia, and that’s where the idea for the project came from.
On each of the metal doves featured in the exhibit, people’s answers to the question “What does freedom mean to you?” are written on them.
“I realized that art and culture can be messengers. They can be connectors. They have permission to cross borders and barriers,” Seleskovic said.
Installation began May 18 and was first open to the public on Wednesday. The exhibit is free and open to the public during select times May 21-31.
“By combining art, history, and community engagement, we hope to honor the past, celebrate the progress made, and inspire future generations to continue striving for peace and unity,” a spokesperson for Culture Works said on their website.
For more information, visit https://cultureworks.org/think-freedom-dayton/
Sanctuary for Peace at Christ Episcopal Church
The Christ Episcopal Church on West First Street in Dayton is hosting a “Sanctuary for Peace,” a community gathering to offer prayers for peace and maintain a vigil for peace during the NATO Assembly.
The event is open to people of all faiths.
The church is located near the center of the secure zone of NATO Village, but Christ Episcopal Church said their church ‘will not stand empty.’
“This event is for everyone in the community who wishes to offer words of encouragement and support for the work of peace, both through NATO and throughout the world,” a spokesperson for Christ Episcopal Church said on their website.
Guided prayers will be offered at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. each day from May 22 to May 26.
For more information, visit https://daytonchristepiscopal.com/peace/
Dayton Around The World Exhibit at Old Montgomery County Courthouse
This exhibit will feature artifacts and stories that celebrate everything to do with Dayton’s legacy. It will celebrate the Wright Brothers’ groundbreaking inventions and innovations in aviation. It will celebrate the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords. It will also contain historical items from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
“By opening the doors of the Old Montgomery County Courthouse to the public, we’re not only honoring the past, but we’re making it accessible and relevant to the next generation. This is especially important for our young people. When students walk through these halls and see exhibits that showcase both local innovation and natural history, they can see themselves as part of that ongoing story,” Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice said.
The exhibit will be open throughout the NATO Assembly and will remain open to the public from May 27 to May 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The courthouse’s first floor will be open for tours.
Concert for Peace at Schuster Center
World-renowned conductor Marin Alsop will stand in front of the Sarajevo Philharmonic and the Dayton Philharmonic and lead them through a ‘once-in-a-lifetime musical event that unites cultures and celebrates the power of peace.’
In a showcase of how ‘music transcends boundaries to inspire harmony and connection,’ the two philharmonics will come together for one night only at the Schuster Center on May 29 at 8 p.m.
The philharmonics will perform Bernstein’s ‘Candide Overture,’ Vaughan Williams’ ‘Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis,’ and Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No. 5.’
For more information, visit https://www.daytonlive.org/events/concert-for-peace/