FOLLOW THE PENGUIN. HELP BUILD PEACE.
A little penguin with a BIG mission.
San Jose is coming together to complete the SEEDS OF PEACE monument, an inspiring new civic landmark coming to Arena Green West this December.
Before the Peace Penguin takes his place in the monument, he is making his way around San Jose, visiting businesses, organizations, and community spaces to spread the message of peace and help close the final fundraising gap.
FOLLOW HIM. TAKE A PHOTO. SHARE THE MESSAGE. MAKE A GIFT.
We are 94% funded, with just over $ 200,000 left to raise.
Every stop, every share, and every gift brings us close to complete
San Jose's monument to peace.
Unveiling December 2026
San Jose Businesses For Peace
Local businesses helping build something lasting for San Jose.
In partnership with the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Businesses for Peace invites local companies to help complete the Seeds of Peace Monument and stand together behind a message of hope, unity, and community.
Businesses making a gift of $ 5,000 or more will be recognized on a special Businesses for Peace plaque displayed at the Chamber offices celebrating the companies that helped bring this civic legacy to life.
Together, San Jose businesses can make a powerful statement that peace, community, and civic leadership begin right here at home.
Why Your Gift Matters
Every gift brings us closer. Every gift becomes part of this lasting legacy of peace.
The Seeds of Peace Monument began with the long-standing friendship and creative partnership between philanthropist Diane Brandenburg and sculptor Mario Chiodo, united by a shared belief in the power of art to inspire peace and connect humanity.
Diane's extraordinary generosity and Mario's artist vision brought the monument to life. That vision has grown into a public-prifvate partnership with the Rotary Club of San Jose and the City of San Jose, brining together philanthropy, art, civic leadership, and community around a shared message of peace.
Now San Jose has the opportunity to carry that vision forward by completing the monument's permanent home and enuring its message will endure for generations.
Your gift helps complete:
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Site Construction and Landscaping
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Lighting and Installation
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Donor Recognition
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Long-Term Care and Maintenance
HELP US FINISH IT
We are almost there.
Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations are invited to be part of the final chapter of this community campaign.
Give at any level.
Leadership gifts of $ 10,000 or more confirmed by September 18, 2026 will receive permanent on-site recognition.
All other gifts may be made through October 30, 2026 and will be recognized on the campaign website.
Donations are made through Rotary Club of San Jose, Community Partner and Fiscal Sponsor
The Seeds of Peace Monument
At its center is an 18-foot bronze Mother of Peace, looking over seven figures representing the continents of the world, a powerful expression of our connection to one another across borders, cultures, and generations.
Symbols and words of peace from around the world are woven throughout the sculpture, reminding us that while our languages, histories, and traditions may differ, we share a common humanity and common hope for a more peaceful world.
Created by renowned sculptor Mario Chiodo, the Seeds of Peace Monument is both a work of art and a call to action, inviting each of us to consider the role we play in building peace in our families, our communities, and our world.
Its permanent home will be at Arena Green West in San Jose, directly across from SAP Center, creating a place where people from near and far can gather, reflect, learn, and be inspired.
San Jose, California
Arena Green West
Corner of Barack Obama Blvd and W Santa Clara Street
Across from SAP
A Civic Gateway Anchored by Art, Sport, and Community
The location of the Peace Monument, Arena Green West, is more than an open space. Located at the corner of Barack Obama Boulevard and West Santa Clara Street, directly across from the SAP Center, it stands at the vibrant crossroads of culture, entertainment, and civic life. With natural sightlines, accessible paths, and an intimate amphitheater, the site offers an ideal setting for reflection, public gatherings, and performances.
Stay tuned for more details on partnerships and activation of the site, including the Starting Arts’ new Shared Arts Space on N. Almaden Boulevard at Sharks Way. The natural amphitheater at Arena Green West will host performances, educational programs, and public events led by local arts organizations. The Peace Monument will serve as a striking visual and symbolic backdrop, linking creative expression with civic purpose and transforming the landscape into a living canvas for San José’s cultural identity, grounded in peace, empathy, and belonging.
A Statement from
Diane Brandenburg
Upon waking one Sunday morning in 2024, a seed of thought reached out and asked: “What can I—we—do to stop war?” And when our individual conscience is awakened, what do we do with it?
What kind of world are we bringing our children into? Are we raising our sons and daughters to be ready to fight—and die—for the defense of our country?
A statement I once read by the late, great anthropologist Margaret Mead came to mind: “When are we going to devise a system that creates peace instead of war?” That was the seed thought. And it began to grow.
San José has grown from its grassroots beginnings into what it is today known throughout the world as Silicon Valley. Once called the Valley of Heart’s Delight, it has always carried a spirit of abundance and possibility.
So why can’t this city, with all it represents, be the one to start a Peace Movement? And how can we bring this thought to life? That is what the Seed of Peace Movement can stand for. A movement that can grow, expanding from our city to others, and then to the world.
The City of San José, California, is standing up and declaring: “We want peace, not war.” And now, a monument is being planted at the grassroots level, from where it can grow—seeds of peace.
Diane Brandenburg's Vision & Gift
Diane Brandenburg has long helped shape the heart of San José through her vision and generosity. Her leadership and philanthropy have strengthened the city’s cultural and civic life, from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the Children’s Discovery Museum to numerous local initiatives that nurture learning, creativity, and connection.
The value of giving back was instilled early in Diane’s life by her parents, a doctor and a nurse, who taught her that generosity is one of life’s true accomplishments. She has carried that spirit forward through her deep commitment to children, education, and the arts, supporting organizations that create opportunity and foster compassion both locally and globally.
Guided by her grandfather’s words, “Always do your best, and then do a little better,” Diane reminds others,
“If you see something that would make a difference, don’t just talk about it. Get up and do something. One drop of water combined with others can make a pond.”
The Peace Monument is a reflection of that belief, a private gift to the City of San José created to inspire unity, understanding, and peace across generations.
About the Rotary Club of San Jose:
Founded in 1914, the Rotary Club of San Jose is a key service organization with over a century of community impact, including contributions to infrastructure and support for over 280 local organizations.
It is the 7th largest Rotary Club in the US. More information is available at www.sjrotary.org.
Community Partners
Project Lead Partner
Rotary Club of San José
Other Community Partners
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
Jamestown
Little Italy San Jose / Josh DeVincenzi Melander
Sharks Sports and Entertainment Group
Local Artists, Educators, and Civic & Cultural Leaders
Symbolism
The Seeds Of Peace Monument features a central figure holding a dove and olive branch, surrounded by seven figures—six children representing each inhabited continent and a penguin for Antarctica—symbolizing a global call to peace. The monument incorporates cultural symbols from around the world, forming a powerful expression of shared humanity. It will also include educational elements and spaces designed for public engagement.
Mission
“When will we learn to create peace as effectively as we create war?” — Margaret Mead
Inspired by this powerful question, philanthropist Diane Brandenburg envisioned a monument that would speak to the urgent need for peace in our time, a bold reminder that building a more peaceful world begins in our own communities. That vision has been brought to life by renowned sculptor Mario Chiodo, whose design calls us to action through powerful imagery and universal themes of unity, justice, and shared responsibility.
In a time marked by global unrest, deepening divisions, and rising anxiety among young people, the Seeds of Peace Monument offers a timely and transformative vision. It calls us to remember our shared humanity, and to choose peace not as a passive hope, but as a collective responsibility.
This monument is a beacon of hope. It calls us to elevate peace as a conscious choice and a community value, something we nurture, celebrate, and pass on. This is not just another public artwork. It is a legacy project. A symbol for future generations. A place to gather, remember, learn, and grow.
San José is the heart of Silicon Valley, known for innovation, diversity, and forward-thinking leadership. It is a city that has long valued civic art and public space as tools for connection and dialogue. With its rich multicultural heritage and its role as a global hub of ideas, San José is uniquely positioned to host a monument that speaks not only to one city, but to the world.
Located at the confluence of natural beauty and civic engagement, the Seeds of Peace Monument will find its home in a setting where past, present, and future intersect. In San José, we are planting a seed of hope in fertile ground, where the message of peace can be amplified, embraced, and shared for generations to come.
