April 29th of every year since the mid-1940s has been celebrated as National Peace Rose Day. The Peace Rose was first developed by French horticulturist Francis Meilland in 1939. When he realized that the Germans would eventually invade France, he decided to send clippings of his new rose to his friends in Italy, Turkey, and the U.S.

Each country that received the rose called it by a different name. In France, it was known as Madame A. Meilland; in Italy, it was known as Gioia; and in the U.S., it was known as the Peace Rose.

The History of National Peace Rose Day

On April 29, 1945, the Conrad Pyle Company announced the trade name “Peace,” and each Peace Rose would be given to each delegate at the first meeting of the UN. These roses were passed out with the hope that the Peace Rose would influence men’s thoughts and lead to everlasting world peace.

Fun Facts About Roses

Below are some fun facts about roses that I would like to share with everyone just now learning about National Peace Rose Day.

• Roses are some of the oldest flowers in the world and date back over 35 million years.
• The oldest living rose bush grows on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany.
• Rosewater has been used since the Middle Ages in foods and is still added to jams and jellies to this day.
• Some rosehips have high concentrations of vitamin C.
• Red roses symbolize love and romance, while white roses symbolize purity, innocence, and spirituality.
• Yellow roses indicate friendship, and pink roses indicate grace.

Observing National Peace Rose Day

On this day, people are encouraged to give their friends, family, and neighbors Peace Roses. It’s also a good day for people to cultivate their own rose garden or learn more about the Peace Rose. People can also use the hashtag #NationalPeaceRoseDay to spread the word about this holiday and to hopefully spread peace throughout the world.