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Peace Pole
May Peace Prevail On Earth
Que la Paz Pervalezca en la Tierra
At Mír Vládne na Zemi
Zav Kom Muaj Kev Thaj Yeeb Nyob Rau Lub Ntiaj Nov
At 7 p.m. CDT, 17 June, 1997 Girl Scout Cadett Troop 464
installed a Peace Pole in the North High Bridge Park, St. Paul, MN, USA. Rita
Heine is one of the leaders, and her husband, John, carved the lettering in
the cedar pole. The pole itself is12 feet in length, twelve inches square. The
workmen Capital Fence, Inc., Mike Tafinger, Deano Nitty, and Chris Byrnes,
helped the troop install the pole. Lori Vos made small labels for small
replicas of the Peace Pole which were distributed at the ceremony.
Peace Pole unveiled June 17, 1997
It is our hope that while a Native American language was not
represented on the pole, that the symbolism of the Peace Pole may be
recognized from the cultural tradition of West Coast Native Americans. While
the Plains Indians did not have totem poles, our Peace Pole may reflect these
original inhabitants of St. Paul. Totem poles were carved from trees of cedar,
as was ours. Totem Poles often were raised to celebrate an accomplishment;
ours is raised in the promise of peace.
Our languages are English, Czech, Hmong, and Spanish. While
English is the current lingua franca of St. Paul, Czech was one of the first
immigrant languages of the neighborhood, and Hmong and Spanish more recent
additions. The construction of this park is on neighborhood's efforts toward a
peaceful world.
 "More
that 100,000 peace prayer poles already have been planted in more that 160
countries, as well as at the United Nations, where the Society has been officially
recognized and awarded status of a Non-Governmental Organization. Approximately 50
peace poles have been planted in Canada, including ones in Yellowknife and
Edmonton.
"The purpose of the Peace Prayer Pole is to encourage people to visualize, pray
for, and work for world peace. The founder of the World Peace Prayer Society,
Japanese poet Masahisa Goi, believed that thoughts, works, and actions radiate
vibration and energy, and that as an increasing number of people begin to think
and live in the spirit of the prayer, "May Peace Prevail on Earth," a
transformation would take place in global consciousness that would help bring
about peace and harmony within out personal lives, as well as in the world at
large.
"In the midst of this, it is hoped that the message, "May Peace Prevail on Earth,"
will remind us of our common goal, thus sowing seeds for the political, economic,
and social change that is so desperately needed in order to bring about a just,
healthy, and peaceful world."
Peace by Ann
Williams
World Citizen Centre (WCC) Website
http://upanet.uleth.ca/~WORLDCITIZEN/issues/peace.htm
6/17/97 |
