Monument will represent values, beliefs, and diversity of community
By Staff Reports
Photo by Marty Cheek
Janet Leach gives the peace sign on the grounds of where the proposed Peace Pole will be located in the Civic Plaza near the library.
The pursuit of global peace is a dream that has come about slowly throughout the span of history. Morgan Hill resident Janet Leach wants to help the cause by initiating the Peace Project in the South Valley and inspiring people to join together to promote a unity of humankind.
The locally-based project was inspired in part by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the resulting American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Leach said.
“Further events occurred that kept pushing me towards action and wanting change (such as) the community reaction to the South Valley Islamic community, various local shootings, violence issues, and racial profiling by local police,” she said.
Leach and other activists organized the first peace rally in Morgan Hill on Jan. 27, 2007. In 2008, she visited a peace park in Santa Barbara and saw her first peace pole, a hand-crafted monument that displays the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” on each of its four or six sides, usually in different languages. The minute she saw it, she knew she wanted to create one in Morgan Hill. One possible location for installing the peace pole is in the grassy area next to the Morgan Hill Library where the Sister Cities monuments are installed, she said.
The Morgan Hill Peace Project’s goal is to build peace and seek to promote non-violence in our community through action, behaviors, and commitment, Leach said. There are three components to the project: the signing of a peace pledge; installation of a peace pole; and continued pursuit of peace in Morgan Hill with workshops and discussions.
“I want to be a peacemaker and for me this means promoting social justice and valuing diversity,” she said. “The Peace Project will bring people together in our shared humanity to take a stand for human rights, equality, and fair distribution of community/world resources.”
A peace pole will help remind people about the ongoing goal of global peace, she said, because the monument represents the values, beliefs, and diversity of a community. The type of pole that might be installed in Morgan Hill will depend on fund-raising efforts. One choice is a basalt column style monument that may possibly be created by Los Gatos-based artist David Middlebrook who has created “park art” monuments in public spaces all around the world, Leach said. An estimated cost of his work for Morgan Hill is $30,000 including installation, she said. Other poles are available for purchase for between $125- $7,000 in various materials from wood to limestone.
The El Toro Culture, Arts and Library Council has approved the peace monument. The Morgan Hill City Council has approved the site to be near the library on the grassy area to the left of the library.
Overall, Morgan Hill residents have been very positive about the project, Leach said. Some people have already given her donations towards the purchase of the pole. Others have agreed to support the Peace Project’s efforts by signing the Peace Pledge or to be involved with the Peace Project committee.
“My passion for this project is in the fact that no matter who we are we can come together for peace regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, belief, political affiliation, ability, social class, socioeconomic situation, background, or group affiliation,” Leach said. “I have a dream that the Peace Project will spread this passion to others.”
