What is a Peace Pole? Bourne and Sandwich group plans 3 on public land
Three Peace Poles, sponsored by the Bourne and Sandwich Rotary Club, will be installed on Cape Cod as a "call to action."
"I hope the poles can be a silent, visual reminder to embody peace and harmony," said Beth Griffin, the chair of the club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Peace Poles are small, white pillars with the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth," an affirmation of peace that's displayed in the language of the country where it's placed, said Griffin. The message "May Peace Prevail On Earth" was authored by Masahisa Goiof Japan after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Peace Poles often have peace affirmation translations in three to seven additional languages that are meaningful to the host site, said Griffin. The overall goal, she said, is to build a culture of peace and inspire unity among people of all cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
The Peace Poles are a project of Rotary International.
Where will the Peace Poles be on Cape Cod?
The Bourne Select Board approved the installation of one Peace Pole at its May 14 meeting and the Sandwich Board of Selectmen approved another on May 16.
"There are a lot of towns that have begun doing Peace Pole projects across the country. We saw that and thought it could be a great DEI initiative," said Griffin.
The Rotary Club will also be presenting the Peace Pole project to the board of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library on June 6. If the project is approved, a third Peace Pole will be installed on library property.
While Buzzards Bay Park has been a suggestion of where one of the Peace Poles could be placed, said Griffin, location decisions are still pending. Each pole will be inserted into a concrete base, she said, and a granite stone will display the year of incorporation.
What other languages will Cape Peace Poles feature ?
English, Wôpanâak and Braille languages will be used on the Peace Poles, said Griffin. "These languages very much represent Cape communities," she said.
In the fall of 2023, Rotary Club members began approaching Wampanoag Tribal Nations to gain permission to use the Wôpanâak language on the Peace Poles. Griffin said she reached out to Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribal Chairwoman Melissa Ferretti, who was president of the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project at the time. Ferretti is also a member of the Bourne Select Board.
Jessie "Little Doe" Baird, a founder of the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, told Ferretti that there was no word in Wôpanâak that translates to "may peace prevail on Earth," said Ferretti. But Baird said that wunahtyâôkanuch means "let peace prevail."
"I have never seen other Peace Poles before but I felt like this was such a great idea," said Ferretti. "It's an important way to bring Cape communities together."
Once Peace Poles are installed and mounted with the different languages, Griffin said the Rotary Club will hold a ceremony and community event. Peace Pole locations will also be added to the national Rotary Club's Rotary Peace Poles Map.
Why Peace Poles?
The Rotary DEI Committee, said Griffin, wants to build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to support peace efforts. The Peace Pole project is just one of many things the committee and the Rotary Club does overall to make a difference in the Cape community, and promote peace and conflict resolution, said Griffin.
"It feels good to be a part of positive message that needs to be heard," said Griffin. "We are all different human beings and I hope everyone can embrace the Peace Poles and hold meaningful conversations about peace."
Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Rotary Club on Cape Cod joins international effort with Peace Poles
