The "Wings of Peace" Statue was gifted to the city of Dixon by Nick Tanev, a native of Bulgaria, who experienced first-hand the oppression of his homeland with the presence of Germany during WWII and the invasion of Russia after the war. Mr. Tanev lost his business and assets to the state.

After 14 years of applying for immigration, Tanev came to Chicago with his family in 1963 and began a number of successful enterprises.  In 1978, the Bulgarian immigrant decided to have a sculpture created for both Bulgaria and the United States that would acknowledge his roots and celebrate his U.S. Citizenship. The project titled "Wings of Peace" and "Freedom" would symbolize the hope that the East and West could come together and live in peace and freedom.

Mr. Tanev chose Dixon as the site of the US sculpture in appreciation for President Ronald Reagan's work to bring freedom to Eastern Europe.

The statue was dedicated on August 25, 2000.  It is on display at the Wings of Peace Memorial Park with a scale model of the Berlin Wall painted three murals representing graffiti symbols of freedom.