At the end of June a new piece of art was added to First Federal Park in downtown. The Peace Pole Project was started in Japan by Masahisa Goi who dedicated his life to spreading the message, May Peace Prevail on Earth. Mr. Goi was greatly saddened by the destruction caused by World War II and the atomic bombs that fell on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the United Nations International Year of Peace in 1986, supporters around the world began to plant peace poles in their communities across the United States and the world.
The Peace Pole was sponsored and supported by the Rotary Club of Lincolnton. Previous president Robin Radovich had the vision and led the rotary board to approve the idea. Now president Cliffe Brumfield led the efforts in getting approval form the city, ordering the pole and had the city install it. Mrs. Radovich gave a speech on the day of installation remarking, “We are doing more than placing a symbol in the ground. We are planting a vision…The Peace Pole we install today is not just a milestone. It is a testament to our ongoing commitment; to be a beacon of hope, a source of unity and a force for good in the world.”
Peace Poles are a symbol seen all around the world, with more than 200,000 poles standing in almost every country. May Peace Prevail on Earth.
