Clarington will be the recipient of a Peace Pole on September 21. A message “May Peace Prevail On Earth.” is inscribed on the pole in eight languages.
The Peace Pole will be dedicated at a public ceremony at the new Zoo Lands park, 45 Barley Mill Cres. on September 21, the International Day of Peace, at 2 pm. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The 2-metre-high pole is intended to inspire unity among people of all cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. It’s message was authored by the late Masahisa Goi of Japan after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and is now an international message of peace, with over 250,000 Peace Poles planted in nations worldwide.
Over 20,000 of the white vinyl poles have been installed by Rotary Clubs around the globe, the latest being gifted to Clarington by the Bowmanville Rotary Club as a feature of the newly-opened park on the former Bowmanville Zoo lands. It’s message of Peace will be inscribed in English, French, Ojibway, Mandarin, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic and American Sign Language.
Message of Hope and Unity
“We wanted to truly reflect the world and our community,” says Bowmanville Rotarian Joe Solway, who led the project. “Peacebuilding is one of the seven areas of focus for Rotary, and what better way to reflect that than with this message of hope and unity. When we approached the town about the project last spring, the mayor and staff gave their full support.”
“Our residents will soon unveil a wonderful symbol that says, in more ways than one, that Clarington is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community for everyone,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster, who will be attending the dedication ceremony. “I want to thank the Bowmanville Rotary Club for this wonderful contribution to our newest public park. It will serve as a reminder that while we have much to be proud of, there is always more we can do to foster understanding, strengthen inclusion, and build an even more peaceful future.”
Bowmanville Rotary Clubs’ Past President, Rebecca Grieve, guided the acquisition process. She says the club is excited to be part of Bowmanville’s new park. “We’re proud to contribute the Peace Pole as a lasting symbol of peace and unity for our community. As Rotarians, we believe in creating spaces that bring people together.”
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