Philadelphia- March 2, 2005: Just as the original Statue of Liberty was a joint effort of two nations to create a symbol of our appreciation of freedom, so is this new 30ft Lady of Liberty. Commissioned by Mathew and Chris Sinaee of Clackamas, OR, this 30ft miniature is certainly no small feat. Made from 750 lbs of foam coated in fiberglass the Statue weighs just under a ton. It took 3 craftsmen 3 months to assemble the 200 cross-sections and it will ship this week in two 16 foot pieces. Designer, Bruce Konefsky, of The Theme Factory, will fly out to meet it on site. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country the Sinaee brothers have constructed the pedestal the Statue will rest on, like 130 years ago, when the US was responsible for the base and France the Statue. Matthew and Chris Sinaee were born in Iran and have studied in both Turkey and Canada. For 20 years they have lived in the United States with great success. Now as partners in a commercial shopping center in Oregon, they are looking to construct a monument to bring all people closer together. Inspired by the International Peace Arch which stands one foot anchored in American soil and the other in Canadian, it is the first monument built and dedicated to world peace. In this crucial time in history these two Iranian brothers feel the need to create another token of peace and to acknowledge the opportunities this country has provided them.
Eric Bernstein
LIBERTY
Freedom For All Nations
Freedom For All People
Let Freedom Ring
(the plaque that will be mounted on the statue)
statue shown with artists Desi Kirby, CJ McElroy, and David King.