In January 2008, ROCKS invited Jeffrey Reiss, a Rotary Special Peace Ambassador. He described for us the movement across the world to set up Peace Poles and Peace Gardens, and to have cities declare themselves ‘Peace Cities’. The Poles can be a small as 2 metres high and as tall as 10 metres, with materials ranging from hard wood to granite. A striking example is the 10metre high black granite pole in Pattaya, which is one of 68 Peace Cities in the world.
Jeffrey then spoke of the plan to set up a pole and garden by the entrance to Wat Lamai School. The pole was to be a 2.5 metre high, and made of local hard wood. It would have plaques in Thai and English proclaiming ‘May Peace Prevail upon Earth’, and garden would be in the shape of a Buddhist Wheel and filled with marigolds.
On Friday, 11th January, the children and staff gathered in the area of the garden to hear dedications from Adèle Smith, President of ROCKS, followed by Jeffrey Reiss, and then a student from the school who asked for peace for all children, animals and plants. And finally the Abbot from a Wat in the nearby mountain, who had been educated at the School, spoke and dedicated the pole to lasting peace. It was a simple but very moving ceremony. The children responded by waving flags of all the countries of the world, that they had made themselves.
Following this moving event, President Adèle spoke with the Headmaster and Khun Bee of Wat Jaeng School, with who ROCKS have very close ties following all the construction work carried out with them. They were very happy to have a Peace Pole and Garden in their school, and plans were made to install it on 22nd February, the day before ROCKS 5th Anniversary.
The ceremony was well attended by students, student’s parents, local dignitaries, Rotarians and Friends. A beautiful garden had been laid out in preparation for the Pole, and speeches were made by the Headmaster, Khun Bee, President Adèle and the Deputy Mayor. The event attracted much publicity and was later featured on Samui Channel, a local television station.

ROCKS hopes to ‘roll out’ Peace Gardens in other Temple Schools in Samui.