Peace pole dedication at Mt. Calvary AME in Seaford Oct. 25

The 2020 Peace Pole will be dedicated at Mt. Calvary AME Church in Seaford at 11 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 25.

The Rev. Idola Batson invites everyone to attend this special event to be held directly after the parking lot praise worship service, which begins at 10 a.m.

Attendees must wear masks. Daniel Hopkins will offer a special song of peace, and Francene Joseph will read her peace poem. Batson will officially accept the peace pole, and  Emma Trammell will deliver a special message.

Peace Poles are found all over the world. They were initiated in 1955 by a Japanese woman, Masakisa Goi. Through this simple device, she hoped to help promote peace and understanding among the peoples of the world. The movement has spread, and peace poles with a variety of designs, and sponsored by various organizations and individuals, are found in different spots ranging from parks, to churches, to sites of destruction and tragedies.

Wherever peace poles are found, their meaning and purpose are the same: They stand as silent witnesses to the universal human desire for peace and harmony.

This will be the fifth Peace Pole planted in Sussex County by Mac Goekler, a member of the Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, and a longtime peace activist. Goekler’s vision is a vast field of peace poles all over Sussex County to remind people to envision and work for peace and justice. Each pole has the words, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” printed on its sides in four different languages.

The peace pole dedication caps off Peace Week Delaware, which took place with virtual events Oct. 3-11.