Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum Celebrates 110th Anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s Nobel Peace Prize with Display of Medal and Russian Peace Conference Documents
In 2016 the Portsmouth Peace Treaty exhibit, “An Uncommon Commitment to Peace” expanded to include several new displays celebrating the 110th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Theodore Roosevelt. New artifacts include an authentic replica of the Nobel Peace Prize from the mint authorized by the Nobel Peace Prize Institute in Norway, furniture from the 1905 Treaty conference rooms at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and documents from the Foreign Ministry archives of the Russian Federation, including June 1905 telegrams discussing the invitation to participate in a peace conference.
Alexander Kuznetsov, Head of History and Documentation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, who attended the Treaty commemorations on September 5th presented copies of the documents from those archives, “selected in honor of the people of Portsmouth who have collected the history of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty conference, to enrich those archives.”
When presenting the gift at Wentworth By the Sea in September, Mr. Kuznetsov observed, “Being a diplomat myself, I haven’t seen many places in the world where the peace-making efforts of diplomats are so honored and remembered as in this city. These annual ceremonies have become an important part of the common historic heritage of Russian, American and Japanese peoples."
In 2016 the Portsmouth Peace Treaty exhibit, “An Uncommon Commitment to Peace” expanded to include several new displays celebrating the 110th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Theodore Roosevelt. New artifacts include an authentic replica of the Nobel Peace Prize from the mint authorized by the Nobel Peace Prize Institute in Norway, furniture from the 1905 Treaty conference rooms at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and documents from the Foreign Ministry archives of the Russian Federation, including June 1905 telegrams discussing the invitation to participate in a peace conference.
Alexander Kuznetsov, Head of History and Documentation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, who attended the Treaty commemorations on September 5th presented copies of the documents from those archives, “selected in honor of the people of Portsmouth who have collected the history of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty conference, to enrich those archives.”
When presenting the gift at Wentworth By the Sea in September, Mr. Kuznetsov observed, “Being a diplomat myself, I haven’t seen many places in the world where the peace-making efforts of diplomats are so honored and remembered as in this city. These annual ceremonies have become an important part of the common historic heritage of Russian, American and Japanese peoples."
Portsmouth celebrated the first Peace Treaty Day on September 5, 1906 and the dedication of a plaque on Building 86 at the Shipyard (above), with church bells ringing for a half hour at morning, noon and night. This year, the Seacoast (and beyond) celebrates Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day on September 5th with the ringing (for three minutes) of church bells, school bells.
The celebration of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day 2016 was underscored by the 2016 Governor’s Proclamation of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day, established by unanimous vote by the NH Legislature in 2010: that in 1905 “an uncommon commitment to peace became a common virtue” as "citizen diplomacy" -- the involvement of local people -- significantly contributed to the favorable outcome of the negotiations that earned President Roosevelt the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize; that New Hampshire is the sole example of a state honoring its citizens for the active role they played in fostering successful international negotiations, and that the residents of New Hampshire [should] observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities commemorating this important part of New Hampshire history. Portsmouth Peace Treaty Living Memorial cherry tree sites in Dublin, Hanover, Lancaster, Meredith and Manchester also participated in the bell-ringing.
In Concord, a Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day program in the Red River Theatre included a short peace concert by Alex Cook, singer, songwriter and muralist; a screening of “The Peace Treaty of Portsmouth: A Spiritual Perspective and a reading of the Governor’s Proclamation and bell ringing at 3:47 pm.
In Portsmouth, bells rang for three minutes at 3:47 pm immediately following a memorial salute from the Shipyard – at the exact moment the Treaty was signed 111 years ago. The new Consul General of Japan in Boston, Rokuichiro Michii joined the festivities at the Treaty historic marker outside the Piscataqua Savings Bank and Judge Calvin Page memorial (15 Pleasant Street) for the reading of the Governor’s Proclamation of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day. The Market Square event included representatives from the Portsmouth Public Schools, including some of the homestay exchange students who visited Nichinan, Japan (Portsmouth’s Sister City).
In Nichinan, representatives from the Mayor’s Office and schoolchildren from Nichinan Gakuen Jr-Sr High School also rang bells on September 5th to commemorate Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day.
The celebration of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day 2016 was underscored by the 2016 Governor’s Proclamation of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day, established by unanimous vote by the NH Legislature in 2010: that in 1905 “an uncommon commitment to peace became a common virtue” as "citizen diplomacy" -- the involvement of local people -- significantly contributed to the favorable outcome of the negotiations that earned President Roosevelt the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize; that New Hampshire is the sole example of a state honoring its citizens for the active role they played in fostering successful international negotiations, and that the residents of New Hampshire [should] observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities commemorating this important part of New Hampshire history. Portsmouth Peace Treaty Living Memorial cherry tree sites in Dublin, Hanover, Lancaster, Meredith and Manchester also participated in the bell-ringing.
In Concord, a Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day program in the Red River Theatre included a short peace concert by Alex Cook, singer, songwriter and muralist; a screening of “The Peace Treaty of Portsmouth: A Spiritual Perspective and a reading of the Governor’s Proclamation and bell ringing at 3:47 pm.
In Portsmouth, bells rang for three minutes at 3:47 pm immediately following a memorial salute from the Shipyard – at the exact moment the Treaty was signed 111 years ago. The new Consul General of Japan in Boston, Rokuichiro Michii joined the festivities at the Treaty historic marker outside the Piscataqua Savings Bank and Judge Calvin Page memorial (15 Pleasant Street) for the reading of the Governor’s Proclamation of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day. The Market Square event included representatives from the Portsmouth Public Schools, including some of the homestay exchange students who visited Nichinan, Japan (Portsmouth’s Sister City).
In Nichinan, representatives from the Mayor’s Office and schoolchildren from Nichinan Gakuen Jr-Sr High School also rang bells on September 5th to commemorate Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day.
Portsmouth Delegation Visited Sister City of Nichinan, Japan
Baron Komura, the lead Japanese diplomat at the peace conference that ended with the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty in 1905, was born in Nichinan. In 1985, on the 80th anniversary of the Treaty, the Mayor of Nichinan reached out to Portsmouth to suggest a formal Sister City bond to strengthen the friendship begun in 1905. Then in 1986 a delegation of 21 Portsmouth citizens – including the late Mayor Eileen Foley who would become the city’s Ambassador to Nichinan -- traveled to Japan to ratify the formal agreement. The City of Nichinan also funded the planting of the first cherry trees around South Mill Pond in Portsmouth as an enduring Sister City symbol.
In April 2016, a delegation of 11 Portsmouth High School students and 8 adults traveled to Nichinan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of that Sister City agreement, hosted by Mayor Kyohei Sakita who visited Portsmouth last September to celebration the Treaty 110th anniversary. The students will also reciprocate the dozen-plus Sister School visits exchanged with the Nichinan Gakuen Junior-Senior High School since 1997.
The Portsmouth delegation included Portsmouth High School principal Mary Lyons and her husband John; PHS teachers Laura LaVallee and Brendan Harrington; parents Perrin Long, Julie Maher-Long and JoAnn Warren; and Stephanie Seacord, director of public affairs for the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum. Students include Claire Warren, Benson Cao, Lane Cheney, Iain Cutter, Parker Griggs, Ana Musto, Emily Raymond, Christopher Simon, Jackson Smith, Kevin Szmyd and Alvin Zhang.
Baron Komura, the lead Japanese diplomat at the peace conference that ended with the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty in 1905, was born in Nichinan. In 1985, on the 80th anniversary of the Treaty, the Mayor of Nichinan reached out to Portsmouth to suggest a formal Sister City bond to strengthen the friendship begun in 1905. Then in 1986 a delegation of 21 Portsmouth citizens – including the late Mayor Eileen Foley who would become the city’s Ambassador to Nichinan -- traveled to Japan to ratify the formal agreement. The City of Nichinan also funded the planting of the first cherry trees around South Mill Pond in Portsmouth as an enduring Sister City symbol.
In April 2016, a delegation of 11 Portsmouth High School students and 8 adults traveled to Nichinan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of that Sister City agreement, hosted by Mayor Kyohei Sakita who visited Portsmouth last September to celebration the Treaty 110th anniversary. The students will also reciprocate the dozen-plus Sister School visits exchanged with the Nichinan Gakuen Junior-Senior High School since 1997.
The Portsmouth delegation included Portsmouth High School principal Mary Lyons and her husband John; PHS teachers Laura LaVallee and Brendan Harrington; parents Perrin Long, Julie Maher-Long and JoAnn Warren; and Stephanie Seacord, director of public affairs for the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum. Students include Claire Warren, Benson Cao, Lane Cheney, Iain Cutter, Parker Griggs, Ana Musto, Emily Raymond, Christopher Simon, Jackson Smith, Kevin Szmyd and Alvin Zhang.