‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’: Rotary Club unveils Peace Pole at Hermiston City Hall

By Griffin Beach on Friday, June 26th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

HERMISTON – Hermiston’s Rotary Club unveiled a Peace Pole in front of Hermiston City Hall on Thursday, bringing the organization’s goal of building a worldwide culture of peace to the center of the city.

“Mankind has never experienced full and complete peace, but today we’re one step closer,” said Gene Merwin, chair of the Hermiston Rotary’s Peace Committee, adding that the pole represents a small but significant step.

The roughly 7-foot pole displays the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in multiple languages. The phrase was coined by Japanese philosopher Masahisa Goi after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“The reason we would put this here is a reminder for us as a community that we need to be nice to each other,” said City Manager Byron Smith, also a Hermiston Rotary Past President. “We need to know our neighbors and help them when something happens in their life.”

Hermiston Rotary President Jesalyn Cole and Hermiston Mayor Doug Primmer at Thursday’s ceremony