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Peace Pole At The King Center

On Saturday, June 20, Rotary District 6900 made history in one of the most meaningful locations in America — planting a permanent Peace Pole at the entrance to the Peace & Meditation Garden at The King Center in Atlanta, just steps from the tomb of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Eternal Flame that bears his legacy.

The dedication ceremony was led by Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo, who joined district members, representatives from the City of Atlanta, and The King Center for the unveiling. The gathering was a testament to what Rotary looks like when it operates at its best — local commitment backed by global leadership, united around a single, powerful message.

At the base of the pole, a bronze plaque carries the words of Dr. King himself: “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” In that spirit, the pole’s message — May Peace Prevail On Earth — is inscribed in four languages chosen by the City of Atlanta: English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, welcoming a world that gathered in Atlanta this summer for the FIFA World Cup.

This installation was the capstone of a district-wide effort launched during the 2024–25 Rotary year. Inspired by a challenge from then-Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick, District 6900 planted more than 50 peace poles across metro Atlanta and the southwestern half of Georgia over the past year — in parks, at schools, and in front of libraries. This one, an eight-foot granite post at one of the most visited civil rights landmarks in the world, stands as the most significant of them all.

The pole will endure long after the ceremony. Every visitor who walks through the Peace & Meditation Garden — whether they come from Atlanta or the other side of the world — will pass a message placed there by the men and women of Rotary District 6900. That is the lasting impact of service done well: not just what it accomplishes today, but what it says about who we are for generations to come.





Posted by Gordon Owens
June 20, 2026

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