People from 85 different nations, representing all walks of life and 70 different languages have already contributed a little bit of poetry to the project. Frank Rich, the Oahu Coordinator of the International Peace Poem Project, said that the contributions will continue to be collected, and will be added to the poem, which is already 25,000 lines long. Vicky Cayetano, first lady of Hawai'i, Candes Gentry, Miss Hawaii 1999, and performer Willie Nelson also contributed. Rich is also the Oahu coordinator for the project. Ethnic Studies professor Kathryn Takara said it is important for the UH community to contribute to the poem because Hawai'i has a reputation for being a center for ethnic harmony.
Peace is the resolution of a struggle between people.
Takara added that she will be there to contribute her two lines. The International Peace Poem Project started four years ago when Rich, then a teacher in Japan, decided to create the world's longest poem. The topic of the poem, naturally, was peace. It was the natural theme. Rich said there is a sense of unity about the poem because of the different voices represented.