Two Peace Poles were officially unveiled outside the Caroline Springs Library at noon on Friday, 13 June 2025. The poles display phrases such as “May peace prevail on Earth” in English, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Arabic, Hindi, Maltese, Tagalog and Macedonian, reflecting the languages spoken in Caroline Springs and the wider Melton region.
Rotary Club Caroline Springs President Ronald Moss said the Peace Poles are designed to embrace the diverse local community. “English is not the main language in Caroline Springs or Melton – it’s actually Punjabi. So that’s one of the languages on the peace pole at the Caroline Springs Library. “It’s the start of a much longer process of trying to build peace within ourselves, families, and unity because, you know, the West is growing very, very fast.”
Attending the event was the Mayor of Melton, Steve Abboushi, Luba Grigorovitch MP for Kororoit and Steve McGhie MP for Melton, City of Melton councillors, Lara Carli and Kathy Majdlik. Local representatives were joined by Rotarians and guests including Wendy Mason from the Caroline Springs RSL and Peter Berg from Rotary Safe Families. The idea to install Peace Poles came from a Peace writing competition started by Rotary Caroline Springs with six local schools participating. The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs then took the concept to the Mayor of Melton City Council.
The Peace writing competition was partially funded by a grant received from the Modeina Community Fund. In 2024, 21 successful Modeina Community Fund recipients received a share of over $30,000.
The first Peace Pole was erected in 1955 by Masahisa Goi in the aftermath of World War II, promoting a message of international harmony. Since then, over 250,000 Peace Poles have been installed in nearly every country. The phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” featured on each pole, has become the project’s central motif. “‘May Peace Prevail On Earth’ is an all-inclusive message,” Ronald said. “It is a meeting place of the heart, bringing together people of all faiths, backgrounds and cultures to embrace the oneness of our planetary family.”
In Australia, Rotary has promoted Peace Poles as part of its peacebuilding activities, with installations in schools, parks, and community sites. The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs has plans for additional Peace Pole installations at other local parks and reserves. “To me, I think it’s the start of a journey of peace-building, this is just the beginning,” Ronald said.
