Samuels Library Honored at Receipt of a Rotary District 7570 ‘Peace Pole’ as Part of Worldwide Effort to Foster Global Peace

At 2 p.m., the afternoon of Saturday, June 28, Royal Examiner was at Samuels Public Library at the Criser Road front entrance area in the Upchurch Children’s Garden for the dedication of a planted Rotary District 7570 Peace Pole. Arriving early, we first caught up with Rotarian and E. Wilson Morrison Student Advisor Michael Williams, who gave us a little background on the Peace Pole effort.

He noted that while Rotary is involved with the Peace Pole effort internationally, other organizations are also involved in a worldwide effort to aggressively offer peaceful discussion as an alternative to military action on matters of dispute.

Two perspectives of the Upchurch Children’s Garden, the first from the library’s main entrance/exit walkway toward Criser Rd., the second from directly in front of the bulk of the fenced-in Children’s Garden. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Williams told us he believed Warren County was the only area Rotary club currently with Peace Poles planted at all of the county’s elementary schools, five here, with the hope of having one at all nine public school grounds by this coming Fall.

“It’s just a reminder to people that because of all the different languages that are on it at the different schools they represent the languages that are spoken at those schools, and English of course is one of them and it says ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’,” Williams explained, pointing out that a translation of that sentiment expressed in English on one side of the four-sided Peace Pole, was expressed in three other languages on the other three sides.

In addition to English the Peace Pole planted at Samuels Library this day has Spanish, French, and Latin translations of the English sentiment of “May Peace Prevail on Earth”.

What, there’s more than 1 language here? The Samuels Library Peace Pole carries the same wish for global peace in 4 languages: English, Spanish, French, and Latin.

“The whole idea when people see it is to at least think that violence doesn’t have to be the default response when we have coflicts. And with children, which is my passion, it’s to help them understand that whether they walk by it or have a conflict, they can go outside and have a conversation. And it can just be a tangible reminder that there’s something besides violence out there to help resolve conflict,” EWM Student Advisor Williams told us.

Williams directed us to Rotary District 7570 Governor Bret Hrbek. Hrbek was to be the first keynote speaker introduced by Warren County Rotary President Ellen Aders.

WC Rotary Club President Ellen Aders launched the dedication event, introducing successive speakers, Rotary District Governor Bret Hrbek, and Samuels Library Board of Trustees President Melody Hotek, below, patiently awaiting her turn.

Hrbek told us that the Peace Pole initiative is a Rotary International effort to try and help bring various peoples and nations to the table of discussion of mutual interests and ways to solve conflicting interests through discussion, rather than military aggression.

“It started in Japan after World War II in memory of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki (nuclear) bombings. And then the sentiment spread across the world,” Rotary District 7570 Governor Hrbek said of the Peace Pole origin. “And this year we’ve planted about 50 Peace Poles in our district,” which he noted runs from Winchester to Greenville, Tennessee, and over to Danville, adding, “Stephanie Urchick, who is our president (Rotary International), she charged all the district governors around the world to take this issue on and for our clubs to plant these as a way to commemorate and meditate and think about peace and what we need to do to come together as a people and a community.”

During his public comments Hrbek observed that Rotary International has grown into a worldwide organization with 1.4 million members based in “nearly every country in the world.”

And while he noted he wasn’t naive enough to think the planting of Peace Poles could create peace around the world, he added that he did believe the initiative, “Can help start discussions worldwide that could lead to a change in the mindset of people,” and hopefully leaders, around the world that could reduce the impulse to begin that discussion with hostile military action.

“I don’t believe we can teach peace,” Hrbek observed of the Peace Pole initiative, however adding pointedly, “What I do believe we can set up is the institutions and framework for peace to actually happen.

“And that happens through dialogue, it happens with communications, and it happens through the institutions like libraries, and schools, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, and other governmental organizations and non-profit organizations.”

Well, we know Samuels Public Library personnel are listening, as Samuels Board of Trustees President Melody Hotek followed Hrbek to the microphone. She began by greeting attendees to the Upchurch Children’s Garden for the Peace Pole dedication.

She then acknowledged that she had not been aware of the scope of the Peace Pole movement and expressed gratitude for being included by Rotary District 7570 in its distribution of them.

“The Peace Pole is a gift made possible by the generosity and vision of the Warren County Rotary Club. We value our partnership with the community, non-profits, and businesses. And we’re honored that the Rotary chose Samuels Public Library as the home for this meaningful symbol as part of their mission to promote peace and conflict prevention,” Hotek told those attending.

Hrbek addresses the shaded gathering of Peace and Samuels supporting patrons on a sizzling early summer afternoon. Cold water and other treats were offered to spectator battling the early summer heatwave. Below, Hotek thanks Rotary for the honor of being included in its worldwide Peace Pole initiative.

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