Peace Poles Promoting World Peace in the F-M Area

more than 20 have twenty have been placed in front of churches, businesses and homes

FARGO, ND — Peace poles are part of a project to influence world peace and right here in Fargo, they’re popping up left and right.

Over the past decade, they’ve shown up in front of churches, schools and many people’s homes.

“Does anybody remember how we got our peace pole? Did I go to K-Mart and get it in the clearance bin?” said Cathy Schwinden, social justice coordinator at Nativity Catholic Church.

Nativity Catholic Church received a peace pole in 2002, as a gift from the North Dakota Peace Coalition.

It features the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in English, Spanish, Arabic and Lakota to represent the languages spoken in the F-M area.

“The peace pole represents a reminder to all of us to work for peace,” Schwinden said.

Fifth graders at Nativity Catholic Elementary say they understand why the peace pole stands in front of their school.

“So there’s no violence, nobody stealing from anybody,” said Joshua Lefor, fifth grader at Nativity Catholic Elementary.

The Peace Pole Project started in Hiroshima during 1955, right after World War II. Now there are several all over the world.

Nativity Catholic Church is one of the first places in Fargo that received the pole, but now there are more than 20 in the F-M area.

Ron Saegers put up one in front of his home. After serving in the military for 28 years and seeing first-hand what war does to people, he’s become an advocate for world peace.

“Just because it isn’t in our own backyard doesn’t mean it isn’t impacting us in many ways,” Saeger said.

As a member of Veterans for Peace, Saeger says the organization intends to abolish war as a tool of diplomacy in international relations.

“A lot of people say that’s not possible,” Saeger said. “But as we found in many ways, everything is possible if we have a will to do it.”

Vicki Schmidt put up a peace pole at Faith Lutheran Church, in honor of her husband, Peter, who was a pastor there for 23 years.

She says achieving world peace is possible and it starts with the poles.

“You plant it and it grows and people see it and they appreciate it,” Schmidt said. “And maybe it sparks a little bit of a reminder for people that we must be peace-workers and peace seekers.”

Because in the end, that’s all we can hope for.

“I think we are blessed in our community to have such a safe and caring and loving community,” Schwinden said. “As a mom and a grandma, that’s what I want for my children, my grandchildren. I think that’s what all people in the world want.”