Peace Poles - May Peace Prevail on Earth

By Fumi Johns Stewart

I often felt conflicted as a child. My father's country, the United States, had fought a war with my mother's country, Japan, which ended with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.  I just could not fathom the reason why such an atrocity could happen especially between the two nations of my ancestors that flowed in my bloodstream.  My wish was to serve one day as an ambassador of peace to bridge and bring healing to the two cultures of my heritage.

My wish was soon ignited in a big way when at the age of 21 I saw a bumper sticker with these five simple words:  May Peace Prevail On Earth.  When I learned that this peace message and prayer was authored by the late poet, philosopher and visionary Masahisa Goi of Japan back in 1954 the impact was profound and deep. This was the moment my mind and heart merged as one unfolding a pathway to peace which I still follow passionately to this day.

I'm sure many of you have seen or heard of the message and prayer, May Peace Prevail On Earth.  There is now an international movement around this message which was started by Founder Goi in Japan many decades ago.  I was fortunate to be involved in the early days of planning on how to introduce the peace movement to the international community from Japan. 1986 became a pivotal year in which the first World Peace Prayer Ceremony was organized in Los Angeles, in commemoration of the United Nations International Year of Peace. A few years later, The World Peace Prayer Society was incorporated in New York as a non profit organization with the mission to spread and promote the peace message, May Peace Prevail On Earth.

One of the most cherished projects of the World Peace Prayer Society is the planting of Peace Poles by citizens around the world. Peace Poles carry the message, May Peace Prevail On Earth.  If you have not seen one I hope you do some day soon. Since the planting of the first Peace Poles in Japan starting in the mid 1970's (read Hideo Nakazawa's story), the Peace Pole Project is now an international movement with an estimated 200,000 Peace Poles standing in almost every country on earth. It could be the most well recognized peace monument on earth.

Peace Poles have often been referred to as acupunctures of the earth.  They are powerful visual symbols and vehicles to convey the message of hope, inspiration and healing beyond borders and cultural differences.  On the subtle level, Peace Poles create a grid of light on earth which positively  influence the destiny of humanity. They have been planted in significant locations such as the Giza Pyramids, Machu Picchu, the World Bank and the Pentagon as well as in private gardens, schools, businesses and places of worship.  

Lately, the power of our words, thoughts and intentions seems to be growing exponentially as more and more global citizens awaken to the divine spark within humanity.  Each Peace Pole dedicated on this beautiful earth adds to the resonant energy field of infinite truth, wisdom and possibilities as the message, May Peace Prevail On Earth is anchored deep in the hearts of humanity.

This year, with your support, we are excited to shift the Peace Pole Project to a whole new level.  Along with our Summer of Peace partners, we would like to encourage you to carry the Peace Pole spirit throughout the Summer of Peace leading up to September 21st with BeThePeace, one of the largest annual global meditation events on the planet in celebration of the International Day of Peace.

Help activate the Peace Pole Grid on the International Day of Peace!

An extensive campaign will be made to invite our global peace community to gather around a Peace Pole - craft your own or purchase a Peace Pole.  The idea is to use the Peace Pole as an icon to activate the spirit of peace through the Peace Pole Grid on September 21st, the International Day of Peace.  Peace Poles come in various sizes from desktop version (6”, 8”, 17”)  to a full size 6-8 feet version.  You can even choose to print a May Peace Prevail On Earth sticker (links below) and glue it to a piece of stick or wood.  We also have a paper cut out of a Peace Pole which you can craft with your family and friends.

A Global Teleconference/Webcast on September 21st

On September 21st, we will come together to perform a powerful act of planetary acupuncture by sending energy through all the Peace Poles around the planet!  A free global teleconference/webcast is scheduled as part of the Summer of Peace and the BeThePeace event linking participants everywhere for a guided meditation to activate the peace grid.  On the teleconference, we will be connecting with hosts around the world who are gathering around their Peace Poles.

For general information on the Peace Pole Project - where to order your Peace Pole, how to make one, youth project, translations, etc… - click here. 

The Peace Pole Project is an activity of The World Peace Prayer Society a non profit organization with the mission of spreading the universal message and prayer, May Peace Prevail On Earth through various activities.  www.worldpeace.org

Fumi Johns Stewart is Executive Director of The World Peace Prayer Society promoting MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH activities worldwide.  Originally based in Japan, she was instrumental in introducing this peace movement to the world in the early 1980’s.  She initiated The Peace Pole Project in the US and opened the Society headquarters in New York. Fumi also serves as US representative of the Mt. Fuji Sanctuary and the Goi Peace Foundation in Japan. She currently lives in San Francisco and travels extensively to spread the message of peace. www.worldpeace.org