Oelwein Rotary Club has joined over 250,000 other communities that have installed Peace Poles aimed to spread peace across the globe.
Monday during their weekly meeting, members of the Club gathered in Depot Park to install the pole that displays several languages with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth.â€
The pole’s message is an affirmation of peace, and the Club hopes that its placement will further Rotary’s goal of building a culture of peace throughout the world and the community. Oelwein’s pole will be added to a map of the world’s Peace Poles and is among only four other cities in Iowa with dedicated poles.
According to Rotary International, Peace Pole ceremonies accompany the planting of the pole and are typically held annually at its location. The International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, is often the chosen date.
The message inscribed on the pole was authored by the late Masahisa Goi of Japan after the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in WWII.
An interactive map of the world’s Peace Poles can be found by going to , scrolling down and clicking on “Peace Poles map.”
