An article from Paul Horton, Rotary Club of Collingwood
The Peace poles project has been a journey of 2 years plus. As a new club president of Collingwood Rotary, it was seen as a way of promoting the values of Rotary in an inner city context, linked to our reintroduction of Rotary Youth exchange.
The combination of Inbound and Outbound students, In the period from July 2024 to May 2026, has seen Collingwood support four students from Italy, Spain and France.
For both our Inbounds, the Senior part of Collingwood College (Wurrun) played host to the students and solidified the great partnerships Rotary can create it the local and global communities.
In discussing the prospect of incorporating the Peace Poles project with Rotary Exchange, senior staff at the college embraced the ideals of worldwide Peace. In discussions, they reflected on the journey many of the students and their families at Collingwood College had taken. Students from more than 46 Countries are represented at the college and the initiative of recognising this diversity was born. To connect the students and their native tongues to the project, the word “Peace” was translated into all 46 languages.
The Peace Poles have given Rotary a presence that captures every spoken language at Collingwood College. The poles are created from recycled materials reflecting the importance of protecting our environment; they are numbered and are now connected to a worldwide network promoting peace.
My genuine thanks to our Team members James, Mecca, Andrew and Bruce. The school has been pivotal in the delivery, thanks to Lori and the school staff for the support.
This is a great result.
