There’s something about Elizabeth City’s waterfront that attracts people seeking peace and inspiration. We see it all the time, from the boaters who dock at Mariners’ Wharf for a day or two’s rest before cruising on to their next destination, to the strollers, picnickers and painters who seek pretty vistas at Waterfront Park. Now, when friends and visitors come to our Pasquotank River shores, they can reflect on something else to complement our tranquil waterfront views – a Peace Pole, erected and dedicated Nov. 13 by the Elizabeth City Morning Rotary Club. Introduced in 1955 by a Japanese Monk, Masahisa Goi, a Peace Pole is a tower made of various materials (wood, metal, vinyl, stone) and marked with characters that spell out “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” usually in languages that are meaningful to residents of the region where it stands. The Rotary Club selected Nov. 13 to dedicate their pole because it was both World Kindness Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day. And they chose to have the following languages represented on their creation: English – language of the first European settlers, the famed “lost colony” of Roanoke Island French and Portuguese – spoken by the early explorers of our coast Hebrew – the world’s oldest living language, representing all religions Tuscaroran – spoken by one of the tribes living in our local Albemarle region Russian – spoken by many newcomers to our region, and for the pilots who came to Elizabeth City during World War II for training on American airplanes Vietnamese – celebrating the community that has grown beside our waterways since the mid-20th century One more thing, the Elizabeth City Morning Rotary Club was inspired to place this beautiful peace pole at Waterfront Park in celebration of its 30th anniversary this year – and the 30th anniversary of Polio Plus, the club’s international signature project, striving to eradicate polio throughout the world. There are more than 200,000 peace poles placed across the globe today. Some have famously been placed at the North Pole, Hiroshima, the Pyramids of Giza and the Vietnam War Museum. Next time you’re down by our waterfront, view the Peace Pole in our neck of the woods and take a moment to collect a tranquil memory by the water’s edge.
There’s something about Elizabeth City’s waterfront that attracts people seeking peace and inspiration. We see it all the time, from the boaters who dock at Mariners’ Wharf for a day or two’s rest before cruising on to their next destination, to the strollers, picnickers and painters who seek pretty vistas at Waterfront Park.
