The Riverhead Town Board is considering where to place a Rotary-sponsored “peace pole,” a multilingual monument intended to serve as a visible statement of unity and peace.
Rev. George Dupree, immediate past president of Riverhead Rotary, explained the peace pole concept at Thursday’s Town Board work session. Dupree described the proposed installation as a roughly 7-foot post, with “May peace prevail on Earth” displayed on four sides in selected languages, along with a Rotary logo.
Dupree and board members discussed possible town-owned locations, with an emphasis on a visible site that won’t be disrupted by planned downtown construction. Dupree suggested the Peconic riverfront, “somewhere along the River Walk” area, while board members also raised other public gathering locations as possibilities.
The message would appear in four different languages commonly spoken in the community: English, Spanish, Polish and Ukrainian. Council Member Ken Rothwell asked if a braille option is available, and Dupree said it is.
Dupree said Rotary would order the peace pole, with an estimated lead time of about eight weeks, and then coordinate with the town on final placement and installation.
What is a peace pole, and why Rotary supports them
Peace poles are monuments that display the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” in the language of the country where they are installed, typically alongside several additional languages associated with the host community.
The Rotary Peace Poles website describes the message as “an affirmation of peace,” tied to Rotary’s broader goal of fostering a culture of peace. The site also recommends holding a dedication ceremony when a pole is planted — often on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21.
The phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” was authored by Masahisa Goi of Japan after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, according to Rotary International. Peace poles have been installed worldwide, with “over 250,000” in every country, according to the Rotary Peace Poles website.
Rotary International, which describes peace as “a cornerstone” of its mission, says its peace-building efforts include service projects and programs intended to address underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension and unequal access to education.
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