design launch celebration
The Calgary Community Peace Pole Committee hosted a very successful design launch celebration on May 22, 2008 at Eau Claire Market. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the progress so far on the peace pole project and to attract wider participation in the creation of this magnificent sculpture and the peace charter associated with it.
Cree elder and celebrated peace activist Doreen Spence welcomed everyone to the event, sharing “Peace to me is when every living creature can live upon the land without being disturbed, that they are allowed to live in peace and harmony.”
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| Doreen Spence holding a gift she won in a donation prize draw. | Alderman Druh Farrell |
City of Calgary Alderman Druh Farrell “commends the Calgary Peace Pole Committee for living out their commitment to peace and building strong connections between many diverse communities in the city.” She listed the involvement of various City business units and stated that the project is accepted and celebrated by the City of Calgary.
Architects Marc Boutin and Ron Choe from Marc Boutin Architecture presented and described the design of the peace pole. “Our challenge as architects was to come up with a form and an aesthetic that would speak to all people, all people’s aspirations when they thought about the peace pole and peace. All of us no matter where we come from, or what we believe in, or geographically speaking how we are connected to the earth - what unites us is that we all exist between sky and earth. That was the guiding principle - to create not just a form or a sculpture but a place where people could come together to share their ideas and discuss peace, come together as a community.”
“The earth grows up, along and extends out into a metaphorical tree where people can gather around.” The tree is made up of two stainless steel plates, within which the word peace in various languages will be laser-cut. The plates will both reflect light and allow the light to pass through. Above the steel plates is the canopy of glass that is lit by LED lights to give the pole another quality when it is lit at night. The text ‘engage’ is cut out of granite to allow spaces where people can sit and have solitude moments, or gather one-on-one or two-by-two – with a large bench to allow a larger group to congregate. “The word ‘engage’ was debated quite ferociously by the Committee….it is not enough to say that you are interested in peace but that we all act upon that thought. We wanted to be a catalyst for people to engage in this process.”
Michael Embaie, president of the Southern Alberta Heritage Language Association (SAHLA) and the African Community Association, and member of the Peace Pole Committee addressed the multi-lingual aspect of the peace pole. “This year, 2008, is a very special year - the United Nations international year of languages, so how fitting this project is.” SAHLA schools as well as volunteers from the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society have helped to translate the word peace into the many languages which will be written on the peace pole.
Michael Gretton, volunteer president of the United Nations Association Canada – Calgary Chapter and also a member of the Peace Pole Committee, informed the audience that 2008 is the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. He reminded us that peace is interwoven throughout the many issues facing citizens of the world and the programs designed to address those issues - including the eight Millennium Development Goals of the UN.
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| Previous donors to the peace pole project. | Diane Janzen (Project Ploughshares Program Coordinator) accepts a cheque from Vinay Dey (treasurer of the Northeast Calgary Eyeopener Lions Club) on behalf of the Peace Pole Committee. |
The Peace Pole Committee began formally fundraising for the project the middle of April 2008 to add to funds that were previously donated in order to cover the costs of pole construction, installation, landscaping, unveiling ceremony and a 25 year upkeep deposit with the City of Calgary. The value of the project is estimated to be $100,000 with a significant portion of this coming from in-kind donations from the architects, consultants, suppliers and sub-contractors. At the design launch event 14 organizations delivered cheques for amounts that had been pledged in the last month, contributing $7,600 in total. The Committee continues to solicit both financial and volunteer support for the project as it moves into a construction phase this summer. This design launch celebration was made possibly in part through a Neighbourhood Grant from The Calgary Foundation.
MC’s Julie Hrdlicka and Taleb Assef provided excellent guidance to the evening, giving the audience background information on peace poles and the Peace Pole Committee. Calgary musicians Barry Luft, the Raging Grannies, Anthony Burbidge, and Ligia Portal and Pedro Torres provided entertainment to the approximately 100 attendees.
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| Barry Luft | Anthony Burbidge |
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| Ligia Portal & Pedro Torres |
The Peace Pole Committee thanks all who participated in this event and invites you to mark your calendars for September 21, 2008 for the unveiling celebration!