The Statue of Peace “Ari” must remain in public space!
Korea Verband deeply regrets that the District Office of Mitte continues its attempts to displace the Statue of Peace “Ari” from public space instead of ensuring a permanent solution for its preservation. The District Assembly of Mitte (BVV) has already decided multiple times to keep the statue at its current location. Not least, the District Office of Mitte’s own party (decision by the Berlin Greens) as well as numerous residents have called for the permanent presence of the Statue of Peace in Berlin-Moabit.
After the meeting between the District Office of Mitte and Korea Verband on July 14, 2025, it became clear that the District Office of Mitte wishes to publicly present itself as the savior of the Statue of Peace, while at the same time creating regulations that threaten this and other artworks in the long term.
The housing cooperative Unionplatz Tiergarten eG has shown solidarity and offered an alternative location on its property in case the district initiates eviction proceedings. Korea Verband explicitly thanks the cooperative for this offer. Nevertheless, this has always been regarded only as an emergency solution; neither the cooperative nor Korea Verband aims for a relocation of the statue.
Korea Verband’s position
In a press release dated August 15, 2025, the District Office of Mitte argued that the offered location would in no way be inferior to the current one in terms of structure, visibility, and integration into the neighborhood. Korea Verband firmly rejects this portrayal.
The statue must stand in a public streetscape in order to unfold its artistic and political impact; the grounds of a private housing cooperative are not appropriate.
Moreover, the District Office of Mitte’s current representation omits a decisive point: the proposed alternative location is only limitedly usable for political rallies and assemblies. The current location serves as a place of mobilization and networking for various migrant and feminist movements and communities in Berlin-Mitte. Relocation would undermine this central function and significantly weaken the visibility of the movement around Ari.
You can read our full statement of rejection here (German):
Geschwärzt_20250811_Korea-Verband-vs-Land-Berlin_dka_Mitteilung.pdf
Why public space is indispensable
A plot of land may be publicly accessible – but that does not make it public in a societal sense. The District Office of Mitte plans to move the statue onto private property. Just as public discourse about sexualized violence is often pushed into the private sphere, here too there is the threat that confrontation with the subject will disappear from public space.
The Statue of Peace “Ari” must remain in public space so that remembrance of those affected by sexualized violence remains visible, undeniable, and present in society. Only then can it fulfill its purpose: to raise awareness, to commemorate, and to take a public stance. Public authorities must develop and implement appropriate measures to combat sexualized violence – this responsibility cannot be transferred to a housing cooperative.
District Office passes “Lex Ari” – a setback for artistic freedom and culture of remembrance
With its newly adopted practice of permitting artworks without a competition procedure in public space for only two years, the District Office of Mitte has created a regulation aimed specifically at the Statue of Peace, which also endangers other civil society artworks.
Artistic freedom does not mean: two years and then gone. Korea Verband advocates for strengthening art and civic remembrance in public space, not for its restriction or planned disposal.
It is troubling that District Mayor Stefanie Remlinger now seeks to portray herself as the savior of the Statue of Peace. In reality, it is within her power to recognize the statue as a memorial in public space and to secure it permanently. Yet to this day, the District Office of Mitte has not presented such a proposal.
Background
The Statue of Peace “Ari” commemorates the so-called “comfort women” – women and girls who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese military during World War II – and honors the courage of the survivors who made their stories public. Installed on September 28, 2020, by Korea Verband e.V., the statue enjoys broad support from civil society. It is a memorial against sexualized wartime violence and a symbol of migrant remembrance culture as well as civic engagement.
Its continued presence is a sign of urban responsibility: public places must provide space for critical remembrance, especially when it is uncomfortable. Those who displace such sites refuse to confront historical guilt and deny marginalized perspectives their visibility. Relocation into private space would symbolically silence survivors and send a fatal signal to them and to all who fight worldwide for human rights and justice.
The presence of the Statue of Peace “Ari” reinforces the claim that public spaces belong to everyone – including those whose histories are often ignored or deliberately suppressed. “Ari” is not just a monument but part of a living remembrance movement that has fought for its place in the cityscape. This place must not be surrendered.
For press inquiries, please contact Korea Verband’s press representative:
Bianca Halliday
bianca.halliday@koreaverband.de
For legal inquiries, please contact our attorney, Paul Hothneier, directly:
Tel.: +49 30 446 792-16 (Assistent: Ms. Thilow)
E-Mail: hothneier@dka-kanzlei.de
Photo by Miyeon Choi, taken on August 17, 2025, at the Statue of Peace