PETERSBURG, Va. — Members of the Petersburg Rotary Breakfast Club completed the installation of a Peace Pole in the small flower garden outside the Petersburg Public Library on Thursday morning.
The pole promotes the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in four different languages: English, Hebrew, Spanish, and Arabic.
Club members believe that the Peace Pole, which is part of a global initiative that includes over 250,000 similar poles in 52 countries installed by Rotary Clubs, is a fitting symbol for their diverse community.
“I want them to think about unity and how we can come together as a community,” Petersburg Breakfast Rotary Club President Rick Maddox said.
The pole features additional symbols, including representations for Veterans for Peace and the LGBTQ+ community as well as a message in Braille for the visually impaired.
The installation coincides with the upcoming International Day of Peace on Sept. 21. The monument aims to inspire unity among people of all cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds.