Despite the gloomy weather and rain, UCLA students gathered on Friday to stand for peace during the dedication of a peace pole in the center of campus.
The 8-foot-tall limestone pole stands in Meyerhoff Park, the open grassy space directly in front of Kerckhoff Hall.
The words “May peace prevail on Earth” are inscribed on the pole in the 14 most-spoken languages in the United States: Arabic, English, Farsi, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
Other peace poles stand throughout the world; however, many are unique in the languages they represent.
According to the World Prayer Peace Society, more than 200,000 peace poles may be found in 180 countries.
However, UCLA is the first major American university to dedicate an on-campus peace pole, according to the UCLA Newsroom Web site.
Chancellor Gene Block spoke at the dedication ceremony in support of students’ initiative for peace.
“It’s terrible weather, but we all recognize that, rain or shine, we are here for an extremely important purpose,” Block said.
He went on to say that peace is an active process that involves “compassion, understanding and a willingness to recognize that all human beings are the same.”
Finally, Block encouraged students to acknowledge this pole and work toward world peace actively.
Homaira Hosseini, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, said that UCLA’s students are dedicated to “forging peace within themselves and the world after they graduate.”
She asked why peace is only seen as a response to destruction and sorrow and called for a “global redefinition of peace,” to return it to its original meaning.
The true meaning of peace, she said, is a conscious effort that must be pursued regardless of turmoil.
“War prompts peace. But why can’t peace summon itself?” Hosseini asked.
Hosseini encouraged students, in light of the university’s economic and diversity crises, to volunteer for their communities, including those represented on the pole.
Next, she introduced Ben Moore, the third-year political science student who initiated the idea of bringing a peace pole to UCLA.
Moore thanked Associate Vice Chancellor Robert Naples, who supported the peace pole and “pushed to get it through.”
Moore called the pole a “testament to the future of our country and the spirit of UCLA.”
He said that peace is not just an abstract concept between governments; instead, it is a “positive energy that people emit when they take pride in what they do.”
Peace poles around the world are a testament to the fact that their community makes peace a priority, he added.
Moore said peace is a “bottom-up” force and encouraged listeners to promote peace in their everyday lives.
After Moore’s remarks, Hosseini and Block untied a green ribbon from the peace pole to signify its official dedication.
To complete the event, students recited the pole’s inscriptions in their native languages.
Finally, participants welcomed the peace pole in true UCLA style: with an 8-clap. Instead of the normal “Fight, fight, fight” at the end, the crowd cheered “Peace, peace, peace!”