A large cross made from barbed wire from the Demilitarised Zone along the 38th parallel border between the two Koreas will serve as the icon of World Youth Day and of the new Korean generations’ desire for reconciliation.

Barbed wire can be transformed into a strand woven with love and hope. Through the patient craftsmanship of an artisan, that material—a symbol of division and hostility—can be reborn as a cross, a symbol of sacrifice, love, and peace. This transformative process will run from 2026 to August 2027, when World Youth Day—the major gathering of young people celebrated by the universal Catholic Church—will take place in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

That event, which will bring young people from across the globe to the Korean Peninsula in a diverse assembly of many languages, nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures, aims to focus on the painful division between North and South Korea.

Separated since 1953 by a border that keeps apart a people who for centuries shared the same history, culture, and language, the frontier along the 38th parallel is currently marked by a buffer zone known as the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)—a three-kilometre-wide strip of land that enforces the separation and is characterised on both sides by dense, sprawling networks of barbed wire.

Some of this wire is now being removed and given new life; it will form the “Cross of Peace,” a monument intended to transmute the wounds and pain of division into a symbol of reconciliation. Standing approximately five metres tall, the cross will be crafted through the collaborative efforts of many hands. It will be presented to young people from around the world during World Youth Day in Seoul and blessed by the Pope.

 “The initiative aims to invite young people to transform symbols of separation into a sign of peace, prayer, and hope – both in public life and in their personal lives,” stated a release from the Archdiocese of Seoul.

And so, the work has begun: hundreds of young Korean volunteers and members of the Together Walking Foundation—the creators of the “Barbed Wire Cross” project—are hard at work using pliers, anvils, and hammers. The project involves hand-crafting and weaving barbed wire to form a large cross, which is scheduled for completion in April 2027.

A dedicated workspace has been set up in the courtyard of Myeongdong Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Seoul; here, young artisans take turns working the metal under the expert guidance of master blacksmiths with years of professional experience. Work proceeds every Sunday, and as participants handle their tools – shaping 50-centimetre scraps of barbed wire and integrating them into the cross’s massive structure – they also experience a spiritual journey.

Prayer accompanies the labour, allowing the artisans to blend manual work with contemplation; they reflect on the personal and societal wounds that mark individual lives as well as the nations and peoples of the earth, all while praying for peace.

Archbishop Chung expressed this hope: “Just as the cross—once an instrument of execution—became a symbol of peace and reconciliation through the Resurrection of Christ, may this cross become a symbol of love on the Korean Peninsula. By God’s grace, harmony and peace can emerge from conflict.” Another initiative highlights the youth’s commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula—a recurring theme throughout World Youth Day: the “Wind of Peace” pilgrimage. This event sees young people from around the world marching along the inter-Korean border to reflect, pray, bear witness, and call for peace.

The Korean Church views the pilgrimage—and the entire World Youth Day event—as an opportunity to inspire young people with hope and courage, to reignite their vitality, and to awaken their potential. The goal is to keep alive in the hearts of young Koreans—as well as those from other nations—the desire for peace, so that they may always and in all circumstances, be “builders of peace.” (Paolo Affatato/PM)