Back in the 1960's and 70's, the Peace Symbol was an important emblem of the anti-war and counter-culture movements.

But before that, it was used by a different group. Originally it was designed and used as Britain's logo for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), in protest of atomic weapons research. If you look closely at the Peace Symbol, you can see the stylized letters "CND" that create the design.

Another secret meaning is also embedded in this motif:
Gerald Holtom (who was a conscientious objector in addition to being the Peace Symbol's designer) said, "I was in despair. Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards in the manner of Goya’s peasant before the firing squad. I formalised the drawing into a line and put a circle round it."

* The Peace Symbol has intentionally never been copyrighted.

* No one has to get permission or pay a fee to use it. A symbol of freedom, it's free to everyone.