Watch as a blacksmith transforms guns into gardening tools on Thursday, March 27 at UMass Dartmouth.

The Episcopal Campus Ministry at UMass Dartmouth and the LeDuc Center for Civic Engagement are co-sponsoring a gun violence awareness event called Swords to plowshares: Transforming guns into garden tools.

Beginning at 12 p.m., there will be an introduction to the event followed by a demonstration using blacksmithing techniques to transform previously surrendered guns into garden tools and other symbols of hope.

With the demonstration presented by the New Haven based Swords to Plowshares Northeast, the blacksmith will be the Right Reverend James E. Curry, who is a founding member of Bishops United Against Gun Violence. UMass Dartmouth students will also be a part of the process.

This event is focused on reducing gun violence in local communities and to give participants the opportunity to convert weapons of death into tools of life by putting them to use for the betterment of the community as awareness is raised around senseless gun deaths.

This event, which is open to the public, will take place on the Campus Center Quad at UMass Dartmouth at 285 Old Westport Road from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.