A perfect centerpiece, a Statue of Responsibility is unveiled as part of the Freedom Festival events and displayed at the corner of University Avenue and Center Street on County building grounds. Dedication and ceremony was attended by several dignitaries and local leaders.
For Immediate Release, July 4, 2016, Mapleton, Utah—Responsibility Foundation (www.ResponsibilityFoundation.org). On Monday, July 4th at 11:45 a.m., the location at University Avenue and Center St. in Provo became the next site of the Statue of Responsibility. In a historical collaboration between Provo City, Utah county, and the Freedom Festival Committee, the statue was commissioned as a representation of the commitment to Responsibility of citizens living in Utah County.
Beginning several months ago, planning for the surprise unveiling of the statue immediately following the Grand Parade was done to add a special feeling to the day’s festivities. The unveiling took place on the northwest corner of the Utah County Planning and Zoning Building.
The backdrop of the statue, a frenzy of shouts and excitement from the festival, was quieted for just a moment in solemnity for the occasion. The Statue of Responsibility pays tribute to responsibility we have to our fellow human beings. With both liberty and responsibility, true freedom ensues.
The 6 foot statue, created by Mapleton sculptor Gary Lee Price, features a hand reaching down and a hand reaching up clasping at the wrists. “It’s about people coming together, people helping people. At different points in our lives we are either the hand reaching down to help or the hand reaching up for assistance.” This feature in original form, was commissioned in 1997 to represent the human connection and human spirit through the depiction of two hands clasped in unity. It was inspired by the vision of Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor who went on to publish Man’s Search for Meaning, a nationwide bestseller and one of the top ten most influential books in the United States, according to the Library of Congress.
Cast out of stainless steel, the structure permanently sits atop a 4 foot pedestal. It is a smaller replica of the 300 foot cast aluminum sculpture that the Responsibility Foundation has planned to be built in a major West Coast city by 2020. The Statue of Responsibility will bookend the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast. Together these internationally renowned icons will remind us that “Freedom makes a requirement of every human being, with Freedom comes great responsibility.” – Eleanore Roosevelt.
The dedication program included remarks by Gary Lee Price, Gov. Gary Herbert, Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson, and Provo Mayor John R. Curtis (among others).
In conjunction with the unveiling, the group also held an emotion consecration of the nine names of Utah County resident who have been killed in war zones, adding them to the Utah County War Memorial. This memorial sits on the northeast side of the Utah County Planning and Zoning building. Standing in the hot sun Monday, those in attendance were encouraged to remember the sacrifices all of our military personnel. They have given and continue to give, their lives, limbs, lost relationships, and parts of their souls to preserve the freedom American celebrate this Independence Day.
(For more about the Statue of Responsibility and the Responsibility Foundation, visit www.responsibilityfoundation.org.
About Responsibility Foundation
Responsibility Foundation is responsible for encouraging responsibility around the globe. The advancement of the Statue of Responsibility, a 300-foot monument is one of the initiatives of the non-profit organization. The statue, the symbol of the movement, will be constructed on the west coast of the United States within the next 3-5 years to stand as a beacon of hope for coming generations. The Statue represents one of the most important characteristics to secure the future of our country and world: Responsibility. For more information about the Statue’s story, or to participate or make a contribution to the program, visit StatueOfResponsibility.org or email Info@ResponsibilityFoundation.org. #StatueOfResponsibility
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PR Contacts:
A.J. Rounds
Responsibility Foundation
801-368-1823
info@responsibilityfoundation.org