Peace Pole Planting – Planetary Healing Artists, Rotary Albert Park in Victoria – Australia

May 26, 2023

Another sentinel of peace planted into the womb of Mother Earth.

The weather was forecast to be a wet, windy, and very cold almost winter’s day. These were not ideal conditions for an outside event. However, I kept the vision of fine weather in my mind and heart and so it came to pass.  A little windy but the sky remained mostly blue throughout the event. Even when the grey clouds crept across momentarily, I told everyone the sky was still blue and the sun was still shining above the grey. They seemed to respond amusingly.

Planetary Healing Artists initiated this peace project.  They approached City of Port Philip for a location. While waiting on a response from the City, they invited the Rotary Club of Albert Park to work together to find a location.   Rotary offered the Rotary Park at St. Kilda Foreshore.  

This was an ideal location on the busy foreshore between Luna Park, restaurants, spas and the yachting club and life saving club.   It would be seen by many. 

As I approached the venue that afternoon, there was already a flurry of people setting up banners, flags, sound systems; and the choir was going over their preparations.

Coincidently, there was an international conference of the Rotary Club in Melbourne that weekend, so some of the international Rotarians attended the ceremony as well as many members of the Albert Park Rotary.

The ceremony began with beautiful singing from the Peace Choir under the direction of Jeannie Marsh. 

Pier Zamburro gave a beautiful acknowledgement of Country.

Maria Jevic, president of PHA then welcomed everyone and invited each guest to speak.

Cr Robbie Nyaguy spoke on behalf of the CoPP Council

Mark Davies, president of Albert Park Rotary Club, spoke about the Peace Pole initiative i.e., 100 Peace Poles to 100 schools to mark Rotary’s 100 year centenary.  (This Peace Pole was not part of that 100 Peace Pole project.) 

Maria then invited me to the podium. I spoke about the beginnings of the message of May Peace Prevail On Earth, Mr. Masahisa Goi, the seed of thought,  Kotodama, the significance of Peace Poles; about there being no discrimination against any  languages chosen for a particular Peace Pole; that even if a language/country was not represented, every language, country and person would receive the energy of the message as we are all one humanity and love is inclusive. 

Religious leaders were invited to speak a few words of peace:
Bhakta Dase – Hindu
Dilnaz Billmoria – Zoroastrian
Rev. Dr. Coralie Ling – Christian
Dr. Diane Bretherton & Richard Orjis – Quaker
Carrie Rohlanke – Buddhist
MJ Bentley – LGBTIQA+ Community

Also, native tongue speakers proclaimed Peace in their language:
Dora Psimaris – Greek
Kham Ananda – Mandarin
Mohammadd Alauddin Howlader – Indian

Guests were next invited to write a message of peace on a paper cut out seed and plant it into the womb of Mother Earth, to germinate, grow and spread the energy of peace.  While this was taking place, the choir sang two more lovely songs.

Once the seeding was done, the Peace Pole was planted and set into place while I performed the Purification In and Divinity In.  I invited people to follow me if they liked with the Divinity In and some did. 

The ceremony ended with acknowledgements of gratitude, lots of photo opportunities, more singing and refreshments. 

All the speakers spoke from their hearts of oneness of the human family, connectedness, and the awareness that peace starts within. 

It felt like we were all in accord in our hope for a peaceful world.

The whole event had a lovely, friendly, warm, respectful, joyous, and loving atmosphere. Many comments were made afterwards: “Such a beautiful event,” “I felt something in my body when you did the In,” “I had a healing of the heart.” It seemed to me that everyone left with a smile and light heart.

Facilitated and written by:
Silvana Benacchio
International Lecturer
Byakko Shinko Kai

Submitted by:
Jenny Funston
Peace Representative, MPPOEI in Australia
“I Create Peace”, “May Peace Prevail on Earth”