Rotary Club of St. Marys unveils Peace Pole to mark centennial celebration

Past Rotary International president Jennifer Jones and Samir Zogbi, inbound Rotary Exchange student from Argentina, were on hand for the unveiling of the Rotary Peace Pole at the north end of the old quarry.

By Alex Hunt

The Rotary Club of St. Marys recently unveiled a Peace Pole installed in St. Marys soil to kick off the club’s celebration of a century of service.

On Oct. 14, The Rotary Club of St. Marys installed a Peace Pole in the Horticultural Society Garden at the north end of the old quarry. The unveiling signified the beginning of the next 100 years for the Rotary Club of St. Marys.

“This was just one of the projects we did this year to celebrate the centennial,” said Mark Oliver, past president of the Rotary Club of St. Marys “That was really the inspiration behind it.”

The evening featured speeches from several current and past Rotarians, including the first Rotary International female president, Jennifer Jones.

Jones made history as the first female president of Rotary International, breaking a century-old tradition in one of the world’s most prominent service organizations. Her election marked a milestone for gender equality within Rotary.

“A lot of them tend to look like this,” said Oliver. “It became a bit of a collaboration, the town helped, they came and dug the hole, put the post in. It was really a joint effort between the town, the Rotary Club, and the horticultural team. The idea has actually been in discussion since February.

“If you want to put up a Peace Pole, nothing’s stopping you. You don’t have to belong to a service club or anything like that.”

The Peace Pole initiative isn’t limited to Rotary members. Oliver said the poles are tied directly into Rotary’s values, promoting peace, unity and a stronger sense of community, while encouraging residents to make their surroundings a better place for everyone.

In Stratford, there are three poles installed on the grounds of Gallery Stratford by local Rotary clubs, illustrating how the initiative can inspire collaboration and civic engagement.

Oliver says Rotary International focuses on seven key areas, one of which is world peace. Each year, the organization hosts a Presidential Peace Summit, bringing together Rotarians from around the globe. Rotary holds a unique position among service clubs, as it has a seat at the United Nations.

The organization has a long history of involvement in global affairs, having played vital roles in establishing the League of Nations after World War I and consulting on the creation of the United Nations following World War II. While Rotary does not hold a voting seat, its presence and influence at the UN continue to reflect its longstanding commitment to promoting peace worldwide.

Coming up in November, 14 members of the Rotary Club of St. Marys are set to travel to Kenya as part of an international initiative focused on improving educational facilities. The group will visit a girls’ high school with 400 students and staff, where the current washrooms are limited to a cluster of outhouses.

“It’s really the realization of a project that we, as a club, dreamed up and wanted to make sure we completed. It feels amazing to see it come together,” said Oliver of the Peace Pole. “I’m proud to give this as a gift to the town, and I hope everyone enjoys it.”

The Peace Pole Project is a global initiative that spreads a message of peace and unity by placing monuments engraved with “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in different languages. With over 250,000 poles installed worldwide, each serves as a symbol of hope, encouraging compassion, understanding and connection across communities and cultures.