Mercer Island participates in Peace Pole project

Poles were raised at the SJCC and in Rotary Park on Dec. 20.

December 19, 2017 2:00 pm

The Mercer Island Rotary helped install two new “monuments to peace” on the Island on Dec. 20, as part of the international Peace Pole project.

A peace pole is a hand-crafted monument that displays the message and prayer, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” on each of its four or six sides, usually in different languages.

There are tens of thousands of peace poles in 180 countries all over the world, said Jennifer Sells, director of communications for the Rotary.

“They serve as constant reminders for us to visualize and pray for world peace,” she said. “When you plant a peace pole in your community, you are linking with people all over the world who have planted peace poles in the same spirit of peace.”

Following the bomb threat at the Stroum Jewish Community Center (SJCC) in February, the Rotary committee decided that they would be the first to receive a Peace Pole.

Rotary members, SJCC staffers and students in the early childhood school attended a ceremony to raise the pole on Wednesday morning, which featured speeches and songs. The second pole was placed in Rotary Park.

The poles were installed with the help of Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Director and Rotary member Bruce Fletcher.

Each pole stands approximately 6 feet high, and contains eight languages in the engraving. The SJCC chose English, Hebrew, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, French and Hindi, Sells told the Reporter.

“Raising peace poles in our community signifies that all those who enter are reminded that the establishment is also dedicated to that effort,” she said.

Rotary is planning to raise more poles around the Island, as funding allows.

See www.mirotary.org for more information.

Mercer Island Rotary members Bo Darling, Orm Sherwood, Claudina Campbell and Beth Baska pose next to a peace pole, installed in Rotary Park on Dec. 20. Rotary is planning locations for more. Katie Metzger/staff photo