in this intriguing garden in the Oise, the gardeners come from all religions

Permaculture plots, tall grass, bare trees, all at the foot of building blocks… Both complex and labyrinthine (a bit like the world), the Garden of Peacein the Saint-Jean district of Beauvais (Oise), is not necessarily to its advantage during this winter period.

If it doesn't really look like “a beautiful French garden”, with well-ordered paths, it is no less “living”, defends Marijke Chaineaud, the president of the Jardin de la Paix, born from the collective ” Believers united for peace.”

“Some will say it is not maintained. But it’s a garden that we love. We have here 80 different varieties of plants. Perennials, fruit trees, climbing roses… As well as great biodiversity. Birds come to nest there. We also have hedgehogs, mice and maybe even rats! (smiles) »

It’s a place where you feel good, where you feel at peace. A place where we can come together when everything is going wrong in the world. A place for meetings, exchanges and testimonies.

By chance of the calendar, it is this Friday January 17, 2025, the date of signing of a ceasefire in Gaza, that the City of Beauvais renewed the provision agreement of this garden, managed for ten years by the association “Garden of Peace”.

An olive treea symbol of peace, was planted there when it was launched, “at the end of urban renewal”, remembers Mayor Franck Pia, while the war was raging in Iraq.

“Interreligious dialogue”

10 years laterthe instability of the world (war in Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, etc.) makes this project more useful than ever to unite religious communities.

At the origin of this project was the desire to establish an interreligious dialogue and I am happy today to be able to renew this agreement which has expired.

-

The elected official brought together representatives of the main religious communities of his city in his office for this anniversary. I have Hassan Youness, the father Florent, the pasteur Rémi Monnier and Bernard Frech, president of the Jewish consistory of Beauvaishad responded.

For Franck Pia, this green space presents both a cultural and religious dimension. “We wanted to make it a place for spontaneous gatherings where we could socialize and express our feelings in the event of conflict. »

10 years later, bet paid off.

This garden is a vector of peace. Every time an attack is committed against a community, we gather there. Like when a man shot dead Muslims in New Zealand in 2019. This is our way of showing that Beauvais does not agree with all of this.

7 volunteer gardeners cultivate the land and peace

Beyond the religious aspect, this garden maintained all year round by a team of 7 volunteer gardeners, “whether it rains, winds or freezes”, is also a vector of transmission.

“We invite children there to teach them what peace is, while showing them how we work to the rhythm of nature,” describes Marijke Chaineaud.

This green space also represents a boon for residents of the Saint-Jean district, since they are invited to pick the orchard fruits of these “sowers of peace” when the good weather returns.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.