The Rotary Club of Potsdam dedicated a new Peace Pole on September 21, the International Day of Peace, at Garner Park in Potsdam.
“A Peace Pole is more than just a marker in the ground — it is a universal symbol of hope,” said Potsdam Rotary President Christina Delorenzo. “Around the world, in more than 250,000 places, Peace Poles carry the message ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ in many languages. And today, that message stands here in Potsdam, as a gift from the Rotary Club to our community.
“We chose to plant this Peace Pole because it represents what Rotary is all about: bringing people together across cultures, backgrounds, and generations to create lasting change. It symbolizes unity, reminds us that peace is a shared responsibility, and reflects Rotary’s global mission of peacebuilding and goodwill.”
“We chose to plant this Peace Pole because it represents what Rotary is all about: bringing people together across cultures, backgrounds, and generations to create lasting change. It symbolizes unity, reminds us that peace is a shared responsibility, and reflects Rotary’s global mission of peacebuilding and goodwill.”
Delorenzo was joined by Village of Potsdam Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke, Potsdam Rotarian Mary Sue Foster, Rotary Area Governor Michael Griffin and Clarkson University international student Saidamir Egamberdiev in dedicating the new monument.It features the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in four languages: English, French, Mohawk, and Mandarin, the second most widely spoken language in Potsdam.
“As we look at this pole, I hope it will serve as an incantation or a prayer that wordlessly floats to the right ears, hearts and minds in our world, to whisper a message of peace. There are four languages represented here, and I hope others see it and silently translate it themselves into 40 more—because we are all interconnected,” said Jacobs-Wilke. “We must recognize that there is more than enough love to go around in this world. If you can, and when you can, use your voice. Speak to those in power. Speak for those who cannot. Tell those in power the impacts of their actions on the many innocents across the world, and show them how to lead with character and a heart for lasting peace.”
Griffin said that peace is not just an idea to Rotary, but is at the heart of its mission. “When people create peace in their own communities, it can spread across regions and even across the world,” he said. “Here in Potsdam, our Rotary Club is part of that effort. Through service projects, scholarships, and fellowships, Rotarians address the root causes of conflict: poverty, lack of education, discrimination, and inequality. And that is why today’s dedication matters. A peace pole is more than a symbol. It is a reminder that peace is possible — that it begins right here, among us, in our community.”Egamberdiev shared his experiences as an international student in the United States and Potsdam for the first time.
Foster performed a land acknowledgement, recognizing that the Peace Pole was being installed on the traditional lands of the Mohawk Nation.
Delorenzo closed the ceremony by thanking the speakers. “Together, they remind us that peace is both a community responsibility and a global calling,” she said. “As we dedicate this Peace Pole, let’s hold onto that message: May Peace Prevail on Earth.”