19. Stone Quakers’ Peace Pole

Updated on 16 February 2021

In May, 2016, representatives from local schools, churches and societies joined with Stone Quakers, Staffordshire, to unveil a Peace Pole.

A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in the language of the country where it has been placed, and usually three to thirteen additional translations.

On the Stone Quakers’ Peace Pole this message is repeated in Polish, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu and Braille.

Peace Poles began in Japan, 1955 and The Peace Pole Project today is promoted by The World Peace Prayer Society as well as other groups and individuals.

The first Peace Poles outside Japan were constructed in 1983. Since then, more than 100,000 have been placed around the world in over 180 countries. Peace Poles are not ‘anti-war’ but more ‘pro-peace’. They are more about trying to resolve differences through justice and mutual respect.

Peace Poles appear in the gardens of several Meeting Houses, for example this dove carving appears on a Peace Pole in Nottingham, England.

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The 20^th of the Quakers in 50 Objects is the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize

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^{Images from stonegazette.co.uk and nottinghamquakers.org.uk}