On July 10th, 2024, Paul Pecha asked the Waterloo Park Board to accept Waterloo Listens’ request to install a Peace Pole in one of Waterloo’s parks. Their answer was… YES!!! Then, on September 14th, the beginning of “Peace Week,” a group of thirty-five, including members of Waterloo Listens, the Waterloo Lions Club, the Waterloo Police Department, and Marge Francois’ family, gathered around that Peace Pole at Lakeview Park to witness its dedication to local peace-maker Marge Francois and its blessing by Father Linus Umoren from Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
Now, the Peace Pole stands as a reminder to visitors of the park to promote peace in the community and in the world. Dedicating the Peace Pole at the beginning of Peace Week was appropriate, because Peace Week culminates on the UN-designated International Day of Peace on September 21st, when people around the world observe a minute of silence at noon as part of a worldwide peace wave.
The Peace Pole Project is organized by May Peace Prevail On Earth International, an organization which has been involved in a number of global peace-building efforts over the past few decades. There are more than 250,000 Peace Poles worldwide that proclaim “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in multiple languages. This message was authored in 1955 by Masahisa Goi of Japan, a man who was greatly affected by the destruction caused by World War II and the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Today, a Peace Pole is an internationally recognized symbol of the hope we all have for peace on earth. The website WorldPeace.org states that a Peace Pole is a symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth.
Those at the dedication ceremony offered their own definitions of peace, such as “unity,” “harmony,” and “mindfulness.” Peace is most generally thought of as the absence of war and violence. While we can all think of many examples of war and violence occurring all around the world today, it is difficult for us to have a direct impact on ending those wars.
But a community like Waterloo can also have its own kind of peace, in the form of a strong economy, equality, inclusiveness, environmental stewardship, and a welcoming environment that promotes healthy living and the well-being of all its residents. These qualities align with the goals of many of our community organizations and leaders. That is why Waterloo Listens has donated this Peace Pole to the community, and why we hope that it will remind all who see it to do their part to promote peace in Waterloo and in the world.
The Peace Pole was dedicated to Marge Francois, a member of Waterloo Listens and many other organizations in our community, and a person who was famous for promoting peace. Marge passed away shortly after the Peace Pole was installed, but Marge left her mark on this community, having organized events like “Give Peace a Dance” at HSS earlier this year to celebrate the peace keeper, Martin Luther King Jr., and to recognize the peace represented by the diversity in our community. And now, this Peace Pole is another marker of Marge’s contributions to the community.
At the dedication ceremony, Fr. Linus, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, offered a prayer over the gathering and blessed the Peace Pole. Many Waterloo organizations that promote peace in our community attended the dedication ceremony. One such organization is the Waterloo Lions Club, and so, Lion Amanda Chase spoke about their past president, Marge Francois, and her contributions to community peace. Another such organization is Human Support Services (HSS), and Stephanie Moore, VP of Mental and Behavioral Health at HSS, offered some thoughtful words on peace in our lives and in our community. Mary Gardner, president of the Waterloo Park District, which approved this Peace Pole and which does so much to make each of our parks a welcoming place for environmental stewardship and our health and well-being, thanked Waterloo Listens for taking the initiative to place a Peace Pole in Waterloo. Finally, on behalf of the many members of Marge Francois’ family that were in attendance, Jay Francois thanked everyone for the kind words that were shared about his mother, Marge.
While this peace pole currently proclaims “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in English, German, Russian, and Chinese, it will soon also do so in French, Spanish, Japanese and Miami-Illinois, the four languages that received the most donations from supporters of the Peace Pole.