Dear Friends, 

Twenty-two years ago, today I was on my way to work in lower Manhattan when my subway jolted to a sudden halt. I walked outside and the first thing I saw was a building on fire. 

There was fear and confusion and, even in those early hours, failure to comprehend the horror of what was happening around us. In the aftermath, we were faced with impossible questions: How does a nation of mothers and fathers explain this to their children? Who picks up a car that has sat for weeks at a train station? Now, decades later, with an ever-growing number of Americans who have no personal memory of the attacks, we ask ourselves: what is the legacy of that day? 

I remember the lines of people outside of hospitals to donate blood. Dust-covered strangers embracing. Firefighters, construction crews, steamfitters and welders who drove hundreds of miles to search for survivors and clear away rubble. I sensed an almost primal instinct to help, to comfort, to show our profound difference from those who had visited such horror upon us. In our darkest hour, millions of Americans brought light and support to those in need. That day, and for some time afterwards, we were family. 

Twenty-two years ago, nearly three thousand innocent people perished on September 11.  Many of us in Southwest Connecticut lost loved ones, neighbors, and friends. Today, we remember them. We honor them best by remembering the spirit of unity that arose from the ashes and reminded us of our common humanity. That feeling that we are deeply obligated to each other’s welfare— that is what I hope endures.

Sincerely, 

Jim Himes, Congressman

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH

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On June 11, 2023, we planted a Peace Pole in the Garden, a 15-minute walk from the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. The exact location is the backyard of the organization ONE HUMANITY INSTITUTE where NINA and DOMEN are active.

This trip to the Auschwitz was a three-day mission to transform darkness into light in Auschwitz, with an intention of prayer and divine spark.

On the first day, each of the participants looked at themselves, they looked at the darkness within, then they let go of it and transformed it into light.

In the morning of the second day, each participant quieted his or her mind through prayers, poems, andmeditation. We also had a chance to introduce Divine spark IN and prepared the visit to Auschwitz with a prayer for “May Peace Prevail on Earth” world peace.   In the afternoon, all the participants carried out their mission to enter Auschwitz as a medium of light and experience the place as a divine spark.

On the third and final day, we planted a Peace Pole in the backyard of ONE HUMANITY INSTITUTE, a 15-minute walk from Auschwitz.

Shortly before planting the Peace Pole, each of us reflected on our experiences and wrote our thoughts and messages we wanted to convey to the next generation on a mandala. These were then tied together with ribbons and placed inside the Peace Pole with their hopes and prayer.

At the ceremony to plant the Peace Pole, Yuka explained the activities of May Peace Prevail On Earth International( MPPOEI), and then each person stood in front of the Peace Pole and had time to pray and put their thoughts into it.

Finally, the group formed a circle, joined hands, meditated, and had a quiet moment. Then they prayed three times in unison for peace in the world, in Poland, and in each of us, and the ceremony ended with great love.

Rika Saionji Yoshikawa
May Peace Prevail on Earth

Address 
Fuerte Architechs Stolarska ul.5 32 400 Oswiecim Poland

The Peace Pole is an 8-language, 4-sided pole made in Allanton, Scotland
English, Japanese, Polish, German, Hebrew, French, Ukrainian, and Russian.

The post Peace Pole planted next door to Auschwitz at the One Humanity Institute in Oświęcim, POLAND first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

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It took a long time, mainly because of the Corona crisis, before the partner cities of Marl could meet again. Now the time had finally come:  delegations from Krosno, Kuşadası, Zalaegeszeg, Creil, Pendle and Bitterfeld-Wolfen found their way to Marl and celebrated a weekend together with friends.

In Marl, a colorful and varied, but also culturally valuable program awaited guests. So it was off to the Schulte-Scherlebeck farm, where, among other things, there was not only an insight into asparagus cultivation and harvesting, but also the first strawberries could be tasted, as well as the asparagus in various variations. “After this long break, I’m really looking forward to seeing you again and I’m excited to see what’s new in our twin towns,” said Werner Arndt, welcoming the guests at the start. At the dinner that followed, Marl Mayor had a very special surprise in store: As a gift, he presented, among other things, a small Peace Pole with the words “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in the respective languages ​​of the partner countries.

A memorial plaque was unveiled at the Peace Pole.

After the intensive exchange over a leisurely lunchtime snack, we continued straight to the town hall, where Mayor Werner Arndt unveiled the official commemorative plaque together with the guests at the Peace Pole.  “As it is commonly known, Peace Poles exists in around 250,000 cities worldwide. In Marl we would like to set up another duplicate every year in exposed places. And maybe we can encourage our partner cities to do the same,” says Werner Arndt.

What I truly love is that Marl created their own desktop Peace Poles to gift to the representatives of Marl’s twin towns in Turkey, UK, Poland, Hungary, and Germany.

I was told that the delegations from the above countries were very happy to receive their Peace Poles.

Submitted by:
Dagmar Berkenberg, MPPOEI European Office

The post Town of Marl presents their twin towns with a mini desktop Peace Pole-Marl, GERMANY first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

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We received an honorary visit from Mr. Marcial Jesus from Valparaiso, Chile at the Goi Peace Foundation/ May Peace Prevail on Earth International office. Marcial is practicing and teaching Aikido in his country. My colleague Taku, Takuhiro Uesugi, in the Fuji area joined and welcomed him together. They have Aikido in common and it was Marcial’s Aikido master who sent Taku an email and requested to meet Marcial.

My other colleague Tatsuru Tatsuru Nakayama also joined online and he helped us with the Spanish interpretation. He is an Aikido practitioner, too!

Marcial talked about his passion for Aikido and teaching the culture and spirit of Japan through Aikido.  Wow!

He also shared the Peace Pole planting event in November which Taku joined online. The location was the cultural center in Valparaiso, a prison during Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Many innocent people were killed, missing, and imprisoned for over 30 years. The local people want to keep the memory of this sad history and Marcial and his group decided to plant a Peace Pole as a memorial monument.   They prayed together sincerely for peace in the future in Valparaiso and Chile.

Marcial also talked about the native Chilean called “Mapuche” that he wants to make peace with the Mapuche people. He was sad over the fact that the Mapuche people do like the Chilean people because they took the legacy of Mapuche throughout the history.  He also had a Mapuche friend when he was very young, so that is another reason he wants to make peace with the Mapuche people.  We heard that Valparaiso, a famous picturesque, beautiful city has a big favela and Marcial worries himself about it. He is involved in a community project.

Marcial brought us a famous Chilean wine Casillero des Diablo, a beautiful photobook of Chile, nice postcards of Valparaiso, and a special bookmark which he made, and his girlfriend wrapped, especially.  The bookmark is written in Mapuche, Spanish, and English, and written are the words,  “May Peace Prevail On Earth” on each one.

We all had a very nice conversation and enjoyed the meeting.     We look forward to having future collaboration and keeping in touch.

Ti Kemelen Melepu Ti Mapu Mo

Che la paz prevalezca en la tierra

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The post Honorary visit from Marcial Jesus from Valparaiso, Chile at the Goi Peace Foundation/ May Peace Prevail on Earth International office – JAPAN appeared first on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

The Peace Pole is located 5 kilometers (approximately 3 miles) from Lake Constanz. The lake is situated where Germany, Switzerland, and Austria meet.

I was told there is a bench placed next to the Peace Pole, so that a visitor has a comfortable place to sit during summer months to enjoy the peace symbol.

May Peace Prevail on Earth

Dagmar Berkenberg, MPPOEI
Germany office

The post Peace Pole planted in Berchtersweiler – Germany first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

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Dear colleagues,

Latter part of December-2022, Dr. Thönnes, Mayor of Nottuln in Germany, announced he had planted the first of four Peace Poles in this community. 

On January 13^th, 2023, the first Peace Pole planting took place outside the Townhall. 

The remaining three Peace Pole plantings are scheduled to take place this year as well. 

Approximately seventy people attended, despite inclement weather.

Mayor, Thönnes spoke to the attendees about the Peace Pole Project.

He went on to announce that the four Peace Poles, which will stand vigil in this community, should be a motivation for community members to stand up for peace!

A local coffee shop owner in the area learned about the new Peace Pole that just had been planted, and announced that his coffee shop (close to a touristic site) shall also have a Peace Pole planted there! 

It will be glorious to have five Peace Poles in this community, so close to Münster. 

In Münster, ( an independent city in Germany) a Japanese delegation, Sonoko Tanaka, Peace Representative, and I planted a Peace Pole in 2018. 

Mayor Thönnes, proudly announced that Chodiez, which is Nottuln’s, sister city in Poland,  will also plant a Peace Pole this year.     Nottuln sponsored the language plates for their Peace Pole.

May Peace Prevail On Earth

Dagmar Berkenberg, MPPOEI, Germany office

The post Peace Pole planting in Nottuln Friedenspfahleinweihung – Westfälische Nachrichten, GERMANY first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

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Fürstenfeldbruck – In January it will be 30 years since Dagmar Berkenberg dedicated her professional life to the service of world peace. The now 61-year-old became aware of the position of the foundation, which translates as “May Peace Prevail On Earth International”, through a newspaper advertisement. The Japanese Masami Saionji, who is still chairwoman of the organization, had come to Munich with her family to establish a European office.

Dagmar Berkenberg was working in the tourism industry at the time and was actually happy there. But she immediately felt addressed by the organization, whose foundation stone was laid in the 1970s by a contemporary witness of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. “The goal was to send a positive message to the world so that a second Hiroshima would never be possible again,” explains Berkenberg.

This is done symbolically, for example with the help of signs or Peace Poles – tall, narrow 4-sided wooden obelisks bearing the message of peace on all sides in different languages. The woman from Bruck ensured that around 1000 of these Peace Poles were set up in public spaces throughout Germany. According to the organization – which operates in the USA as a non-governmental organization and in Germany as an association – there are around 250,000 worldwide. As silent admonishers, they should call on everyone who looks at them to peaceful coexistence. It’s about creating awareness, explains Berkenberg. “Everyone should ask themselves: What can I personally do for peace today?” Because this begins with each individual.

So far, there is not a single Peace Pole in the Bruck district – the nearest ones are in Gilching (Starnberg district) and Geltendorf (Landsberg district). Years ago, a mobile obelisk designed by an artist from Bad Tölz toured the region with the message of peace. Berkenberg would have liked to set it up permanently on the monastery grounds Fürstenfeld, but due to unclear responsibilities and apparent lack of interest, nothing came of it.

The Bruckerin has print templates of the peace message in the computer in all languages of the world. This year, in addition to German and English, Russian and Ukrainian were in demand. When we look at the news and in view of the war of aggression in Europe, don’t we occasionally find ourselves in a crisis of meaning? “Yes,” says Dagmar Berkenberg. “I’d be lying if I said no. But I always get back to the top quickly.”

Many positive encounters with people who are also committed to a better world help her. She often goes to school classes, with cards with all 196 country flags in her luggage. Each child receives a map and is called upon to visualize the corresponding country. Then the cards are placed mandala-shaped on the floor in a small ceremony, so that you have the world in all its colorfulness in front of you. To this end, a wish for peace is expressed. “It has great power,” says the 61-year-old, who also works in refugee aid.

Dagmar Berkenberg will not give up hope that patiently spreading the message of peace will make a difference, no matter how terrible the world situation may be. Because she also feels the effect of her work in herself. “I’m not who I was 30 years ago. I have become more peaceful inside.

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Steps leading up to the home of Larry & Peggy Tomaszek welcome all in the spirit of peace.  Peggy is a member of The Peace School in Chicago, IL and is committed to spreading the message of peace!

 Thank you Peggy and Larry.  

The post Spreading Peace “One Step at a Time”  Chicago, Illinois – USA first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

The post Spreading Peace “One Step at a Time”  Chicago, Illinois – USA appeared first on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

MPPOE International has had a long connection with Euroknowledge.  In 2007, Fumi attended an event in Washington DC making a strong connection with the organisers, and in 2018, Fumi, Nicole, Patrick and Masami Sensei attended an event in Paris to hold a flag ceremony.

This event in London was a great opportunity to bring the vibration of Peace and Divine Light into this place of historical political power.  

The members of the Goi Group gladly supported us by sending prayers and INs of focus and light, and through the work of the Guardian Deities and Guardian Spirits of all of the prayer members, the Divine Presence was anchored in the heart of London’s political Centre. Thank you!

We brought a traveling peace pole, and this caught the attention of many of the people we were destined to meet.

On arrival at reception, a lady (Kirsten Engvig, founder and CEO of Women’s International Networking) came up to us, pointed at the peace pole and said ‘I was just talking about this!’

Apparently, someone had admired her pearl necklace, and she was telling them about an amazing lady in Japan who had given it to her, when she noticed Masami Sensei’s profile in the conference brochure, and was just saying, ‘That is her!’, when the next thing she noticed was the peace pole.  She was so happy and delighted to make the connection, and in her 2-minute award acceptance speech, she talked about this synchronicity.

The peace pole caused a lot of interest, mainly among the women award recipients, and we were able to present them with desk top peace poles.

We had been invited, at the last minute, to hold a short flag ceremony, and had prepared the small postcard size cards for this.  Unfortunately this did not happen, mainly because the panel discussion went way over time, and everything was rushed after that.  

We were able to make good connections with some very interesting and inspiring people and wait to see how this unfolds into the future.

All through the event, I was aware of, and could feel all the prayers and light coming through our physical vessels from all over the world.  We had been warned ‘to be flexible around the programme!’, and that things might not pan out as we thought, and this was exactly what happened.  However, I was filled with conviction that we were in the right place at the right time, and we would meet the right people.  We also had a laugh amongst ourselves and a really fun day. 

‘All is perfect and complete.  Nothing is lacking.  Perfectly accomplished.  Daijojyu’

Infinite gratitude and love for all the collaboration in raising the consciousness of humanity.

The Divinity of Humanity is reawakened

May Peace Prevail On Earth

The post Masami Saionji receives Peace Award from Euroknowledge – London, England first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

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Inauguration of Ballarat’s First Peace Pole at Sebastopol Primary School. We pause to reflect on peace with the children who are our future.

About this event

Sebastopol Primary School students and staff members will celebrate the planting of Ballarat’s first Peace Pole with members of Ballarat Council, Compassionate Ballarat, Let’s Talk Peace Ballarat, Rotary International, Ballarat Interfaith Network, and the wider Ballarat community, as part of Harmony Fest. Peace and harmony are practiced hand in hand.

“A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message May Peace Prevail on Earth in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are estimated over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world dedicated as monuments to peace.”

It is very fitting that Sebastopol is the first school in Ballarat to plant a Peace Pole – as Sebastopol was named by miners who had just come from the Crimean war, saying that the mining blasts reminded them of the sounds of shelling during the 11-month siege of Sevastopol. 167 years later the children of Sebastopol Primary School will be reflecting on peace. “May Peace Prevail on Earth” is inscribed on the Peace Pole in Wadawurrung, English, Māori and Ukrainian.

“Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire, awaken and uplift the human consciousness the world over. Peace Poles are now recognized as the most prominent international symbol and monument to peace. They remind us to think, speak and act in the spirit of peace and harmony. Stand as a silent visual for peace to prevail on earth.” [http://worldpeace.org/peacepoleproject/]

(Proof of vaccination status will be required of all ceremony guests. Thank you very much for your cooperation)

We acknowledge this ceremony will be held on the traditional country of the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin nation and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We extend our respect to any First Nation people who will join us. We always remember that First Nation children played, danced, sang and learned together where our school stands.

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.
If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.

Laozi

The post “Let’s Talk Peace.”  The inauguration of Ballarat’s first Peace Pole, Ballarat, Victoria, AUSTRALIA first appeared on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.

The post “Let’s Talk Peace.”  The inauguration of Ballarat’s first Peace Pole, Ballarat, Victoria, AUSTRALIA appeared first on May Peace Prevail On Earth International.