CONNECTICUT
USA
(2005
World Peace Prayer Society Report)
Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
On
Wed, Sept. 21st, my wife and I, along with numerous members of our
community and over 100 children and their teachers from three of our
local schools dedicated a Peace Pole in our front yard.
What
follows is a short "testimonial" of the dedication. We have
also included a few digital pictures of the event, along with a copy
of the certificate that was presented to the school children and honored
guests.
"May
Peace Prevail On Earth"
Sincerely,
Robb Sauerhoff & Gail Ostrow
===================================
Peace
Pole Dedication Ceremony September, 21, 2005
The Peace Pole was planted on September 11th
as a symbolic gesture in memory of the lives lost on 9/11. We than
held a dedication ceremony on September 21st, to honor International
Peace Day. Over 120 adults and children from three local schools gathered
at the home of Gail Ostrow and Robb Sauerhoff, in the Black Rock section
of Bridgeport, CT to dedicate the peace pole. All of the children
came bearing signs and banners praying for peace.
Honored
guests included Aye Aye Thant, daughter of U Thant, former Secretary
General of the United Nations (1961-1971) and President of the U Thant
Institute, which initiates dialogue to promote a spirit of one world;
Ms. Sovath Nhar and Timothy Chhim, Cambodian-Americans; Ms. Pat Blossom
and Bob Sato, Japanese-Americans; Boris Katzenberg, Israeli-American;
Tom Mulligan, our local Alderman; family, friends and neighbors; and
teachers and students from nearby Black Rock School, St Ann’s School,
and Black Rock Preschool.
At
approximately 11:00 am, the school children, carrying their colorful
posters and banners, some even wearing peace sign hats, rounded the
corner and paraded down Bartram Avenue accompanied by their teachers.
With
everyone assembled in front of the peace pole, we learned about the
origin and history of the peace pole and The World Peace Prayer Society.
We were then taught how to say “hello” and “peace” in the four languages
on the pole: English, Hebrew, Japanese, and Cambodian by native language
speakers from each country.
A
letter from U.S. Congressman Christopher Shays was read to the assembly.
The peace pole was blessed by everyone’s
prayers for peace for all the cities and countries of the world. Three
newly hatched Monarch butterflies were released. And then each person
placed a small stone at the base of the peace pole upon leaving as
a symbol of remembrance.
Each
of the teachers was presented with a miniature peace pole for their
classrooms. Each class and honored guest received a certificate based
upon a printout of the "Peace Prayer in Many Languages"
commemorating the event and thanking them for their participation
in the dedication ceremony.
Our
local Channel 12 News was on hand to film the event and conduct a
short interview with Gail and Robb, which aired on the news a number
of times that evening.
Southbury, Connecticut, USA
Students
Mark Day
Students
gathered around the peace pole at Rochambeau Middle School in Southbury
recently, celebrating the International Day of Peace by sharing with
each other their reflections on the meaning of peace.
Monita
Leavitt's sixth-grade class looked on as Virginia Porter-James's eighth-grade
art enrichment students shared their peace posters and explained the
symbolism behind their Matisse-inspired works of art.
2005
World Peace Prayer Society Compilation
PICTORAL
ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS PEACE DAY EVENTS
May
Peace Prevail
On Earth
