San Miguel de Allende Rotarians and Community Gather for International Day of Peace

Members of San Miguel de Allende’s four Rotary clubs and community members of all ages will gather Sunday, September 20, at noon at the Peace Pole in Parque Benito Juárez to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace.

The community celebration, held one day before the United Nations observance on Sept. 21, will bring residents together around a shared message of peace, with songs, reflections and messages focused on strengthening peace within the community.

Participants are invited to wear white and join the ceremony, which will include the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” expressed in six languages and communication forms: English, Spanish, Otomí, Nahuatl, Mexican Sign Language and Braille.

The Peace Pole, installed in Parque Juárez in 2017, is a four-meter cantera-stone monument created as a symbol of peace and unity. Its message in multiple languages reflects the cultural diversity of San Miguel de Allende and its location within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The monument also holds a time capsule containing messages, drawings by children and hopes for peace from members of the community. It was placed beneath the Peace Pole in 2017 and is scheduled to be opened on Sept. 21, 2067 — 50 years after its installation.

The event reflects Rotary’s longstanding commitment to peace. Rotary incorporated the advancement of peace and international goodwill into its constitutional objectives in 1921. Today, promoting peace is one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, supported internationally through initiatives including the Rotary Peace Centers, which have trained more than 1,900 fellows since the program began.

For San Miguel de Allende’s Rotary community, the Sept. 20 gathering is an opportunity to connect Rotary’s global commitment to peace with local action.
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“Peace begins with the actions we take in our own communities. This gathering is an invitation for San Miguel to come together, listen, reflect and find new ways to build and maintain peace around us.”

“May Peace Prevail on Earth”

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