Rotary Peace Communities & Friendship Monuments
#1. Port Washington, Wisconsin, was the third city in the world to be officially recognised as the first Peace City in the United States of America on 15 August 1995. The event was initiated by Mike Milas & Barrett Genson.
#2. Honolulu, Hawaii USA became the first Peace City in the Pacific through the official introduction on 23 February 1996 and was initiated by Moto Nishimura, Geoffrey Little and Gene Grounds.
#3. The City of Los Angeles, California # 11 (14 June 1996) Los Angeles was declared the eleventh `Rotary Peace City’ and conducted the first `Rotary Peace City’ Conference June last under the Chairmanship of Past President Paul Warner of the RC of East Los Angeles.
Photograph (Left) was taken on the occasion of the declaration of the County and City of Los Angeles, California, June, 1996, as the world’s eleventh `ROTARY PEACE CITY’. Note the presence of members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Pictured are the assembly of distinguished Rotarians, Civic and Government personalities who officiated on the day in front of the Rotary Peace City monument situated in the Student Park of the East Los Angeles Community College.
At rear left is Past President Angela Warner – Rotary Club of East Los Angeles D5300 (Past President Angela is the wife of Special Ambassador Past President Paul Warner, Chairman for the Rotary Peace City Conference and prime mover of the Los Angeles Rotary Peace City initiative). Wearing distinguished beard and standing left of Past President Angela then 1995/96 President of the Rotary Club of East Los Angeles, Rotarian David Beltran. Past President David is a distinguished Los Angeles Veterinarian and valued Rotary colleague. In the foreground are Japanese Rotarian Special Ambassadors Motonobu (Moto) Nishimura and Hirofumi (Hiro) Ohnishi of ECC Foreign Institute, Osaka, Japan Standing on the far right is President of the East Los Angeles Community College Ernest H.Moreno.
Almost centre foreground (with beard) is `father’ of the Peace City Project, Past President Tony Quinlivan of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga-Kooringal D9700, Australia. Standing rear under the `E’ in sunglasses is Mayor Peter Dale of Wagga Wagga Peace City.
Four Conference `Peace Ambassador Awards’ were presented to the recipients pictured with another ten awarded at an evening presentation dinner held during the Conference. Among the very distinguished recipients were the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Polepfor Chairman `The Smiling Policeman’ is about to have his official Police `Akubra’ hat flung into the Pacific Ocean by an exuberant fellow Rotarian (thanks pal).
Pictured presenting the `Los Angeles Rotary Peace City Peace Ambassador Award’ to Sheriff Sherman Block, County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, on the occasion of a Sheriff’s Deputies Graduation at S.T.A.R. Centre. Standing by Sheriff Block is Chief G. Steve Simonian of Montebello Police Department,.
acknowledgements to Police & Law Enforcement professionals Fellowship of Rotarians
#4. Milledgeville, Georgia #4 in USA. The Milledgeville Rotary Club (established 1937) was instrumental in creating the first Rotary Peace Community in the U.S.A. on 5 September 1995, in Baldwin County in Milledgeville. The following year, through the efforts of the club, The Peace Monument, located at the right front of the Baldwin County Courthouse, was dedicated. Each year in February Rotary International observes World Understanding Month, and in 2009, the club combined the Peace Day observance with the 104th anniversary in the community.
acknowledgements to Milledgeville Rotary Club members and webmaster
#5. Mill Valley, California was registered on 30 April 1999, sponsored by RC Mill Valley, D5150 and initiated by Jeffrey Reiss, San Rafael.
#6. San Rafael in Marin County, Ca, was inducted into this world-wide group on 1 January 2001 under the guidance of RC San Rafael, D5150 and initiated by Jeffrey Reiss
The University of South Carolina Upstate (USC).
The USC Upstate Rotary International Peace Park is a beautiful six-acre park taking shape on the campus of the University of South Carolina Upstate. Once completed, this park will be a place to relax, contemplate, watch, wish and pray for peace and understanding. And it is the job of Landscape Services to make sure that the plants and trees thrive in this developing environment.
The Upstate Rotary Peace Park is made possible by a unique partnership between USC Upstate and four Spartanburg area Rotary Clubs (North Spartanburg, Spartanburg West, Inman and East Spartanburg) and was officially dedicated on April 17, 2008. The park already boasts nearly 400 newly-planted trees, a seeded lawn with sprinklers, various gardens, park benches, walking paths an outdoor classroom amphitheatre, a conifer collection, shrub roses, ornamental grasses, two boardwalk/bridges and a fountain in the small lake.
acknowledgements to Rotary Peace Cities.
posted by RGHF Webmaster Greg Barlow. April, 2009. Updated July 2011.