Northwestern Dedicates Peace Pole on Oct. 30

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - More than 30 people chanted “let peace prevail on earth” in response to each reading for the dedication of a peace pole on the campus of Northwestern Health Sciences University on Oct. 30. Readings came from Matt Hanson, president of the student Senate; Lisa Franczak, president of the employee council; and Norman Horns, MD, vice-president of faculty senate. Mark Zeigler, DC, president of Northwestern, had provided the introduction and closing for the ceremony.

The pole, which is made from Western red cedar, is a public representation of the University’s designation as an “International Peace Site” by the World Citizen, Inc.

“Peace is more than the absence of war. It means we actually need to be active,” said Melvin Giles, a representative of the World Citizen Organization and attendee at the unveiling ceremony. “I can’t think of a better institution for a peace pole, because Northwestern actively promotes health.”

The unveiling took place next to the flagpole in front of the University facing 84th Street. Each side of the pole carries the message “May peace prevail on earth” in a different language, according to Kathy Allen, assistant dean of the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MCAOM). “We chose Chinese, English, German and Cherokee as the four languages,” noted Allen.

The pole will eventually be moved to the new courtyard that is being created in conjunction with the Wolfe-Harris Center for Excellence, the new 48,000-square-foot addition being constructed on the south side of campus.

Peace sites are places where people involved are committed to:
* A peaceful, healthy, and non-violent world;
* Human family values and cultural understanding;
* Studying and considering non-violent conflict resolutions at every level;
* A healthy, sustainable ecosystem;
* Human rights and economic justice; and
* Learning about the United Nations, its achievements, and how it can be improved.

Both public high schools in Bloomington – Jefferson and Kennedy – have been designated as international peace sites, along with several elementary schools and churches. The city of Bloomington was designated as an international peace site in September 2007.

For more information about the peace pole or the University’s designation as an international peace site, visit the World Citizen organization’s Web site at www.peacesites.org.

Northwestern Health Sciences University offers a wide array of choices in natural health care education including chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, human biology, and integrative health and wellness. The University has more than 900 full-time students on a 25-acre campus in Bloomington, Minn.