A symbol of the steadfast American commitment to defending Ukrainian sovereignty, the Solidarity Bell was commissioned by the National Bell Festival and cast entirely from spent munitions, like bullet casings, recovered from the war in Ukraine. Follow along on our journey as we collect materials, design the bell, and cast the newest addition to our nation’s soundscape.
Sourcing Materials
Image: Brass bullet casings litter the ground after the Armed Forces of Ukraine engage Russian soldiers in battle. Countless munitions and ordnance have been expended during 1,000 days of invasion.
Image: A handful of brass bullet casings amassed at a military training facility outside Kyiv, Ukraine, are lined up before being melted down to cast the new bell. Courtesy: Oleksandr Lokot.
Composite image: Furnace operators at the Sayamat metalworks company and foundry in Vyshneve city in the Bucha Raion (district) of Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, smelt brass bullet casings to form solid ingots for transport.
Designing the Bell
Composite image: Designs for the bell, weighted under a wax mold of the canons, are drawn up at the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry in Asten, Netherlands (left). The bell is inscribed in Ukrainian on the obverse and English on the reverse with a fragment of a poem by Taras Shevchenko: “Truth will triumph! Freedom will arise!” Around the shoulder, also in both languages, is the familiar Ukrainian national salute and battle cry: “Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes.” The blank false bell is completed at the bell foundry (right). Courtesy: Joep van Brussel.
Image: A false bell is decorated in wax with inscriptions in both English and Ukrainian. A ring of tridents, the state emblem of Ukraine, encircles the shoulder.
Image: The false bell is used to create an outer mold. The inner mold is set into this shell, creating a gap uniform in shape and thickness, into which molten metal will be poured.
Casting the Bell
Composite image: Ingots of brass, formed from the smelting of spent bullet casings in Ukraine, arrive at the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry in Asten, Netherlands (left). A furnace operator at the bell foundry tosses ingots into the molten ore.
Composite image: Molten brass is poured into the bell mold at the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry in Asten, Netherlands (left). The mold is chalked with the words “Washington” (the destination city) and “Ukraine” (the bell project) to distinguish it from other foundry projects as it cools.
Composite image: The bell is broken from the mold and cleaned with a wire brush.
Image: The Solidarity Bell, ready for shipping to the United States for the 2025 National Bell Festival.
Want to hear the Solidarity Bell ring? Head to the 2025 National Bell Festival and join the tintinnabulation as we ring in the New Year!
The National Bell Festival would like to thank Oleksandr Lokot for leading the collection of brass bullet casings, Maryana Golovchenko for coordinating logistics and the transport of raw materials, and Joep van Brussel for stewarding the design and manufacturing of this bell.
Cover image: The Ukrainian bell is cleaned after casting at the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry in Asten, Netherlands. Courtesy: Joep van Brussel.
