Your D5495 Peacebuilders have been enthusiastic about Peace Poles for at least the past few years. There are estimated to be over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world dedicated as monuments to peace and, today, many grace the parks, schools, and business centers of Arizona communities thanks to the efforts of Arizona Rotarians.
As many of you know, Peace Poles originated in Japan in 1955 and are created and installed as a monument displaying the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” written in the several languages of each community. They have become the most recognized monument dedicated to peace in the world. For many, they represent the highest aspirations of peace and goodwill inherent in the human heart, symbolizing the hopes and dreams of the entire human family.
D5495 Rotarians have been planting Peace Poles throughout Arizona, and beyond. Some clubs choose to place simple poles in the ground, in schools, parks, libraries and public areas. Other clubs have commissioned poles that are displays of public art. Some poles are surrounded by flowers, and some include benches placed nearby. For a glimpse of some of the Peace Poles in D5495, see the Peaceful Places slideshow.
The UN International Day of Peace may have come and gone last month but, as one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus, championing Peace and Conflict Resolution is daily exercise for us. Peace Poles remind us and our communities to think, speak and act in the spirit of peace and harmony. If your club has planted a Peace Pole in the past year, we would love to have you share a photo and brief description. Send to peaceresources@rotary5495.org.
And… We believe there is plenty of room in Arizona for more Peace Poles - especially those dedicated to their communities by Rotarians. They can be purchased in several ways, including these vendors: https://www.worldpeace.org/shoppeace/; https://peacepoles.com/; http://shoppeace.org/peacepoleslands.aspx