Guest Editorial: Come help dedicate the new Peace Pole at Croton Landing on Sat May 16.

"Peace Poles carry the universal and all inclusive message of peace: May Peace Prevail on Earth."

by Sherry Horowitz

Saturday, May 16, is the International Day of Living Together in Peace. The Village will be observing the day with a Dedication Ceremony to acknowledge, welcome and dedicate Croton’s Peace Pole.

Peace Poles carry the universal and all inclusive message of peace: May Peace Prevail on Earth. This message brings people of all faiths, backgrounds and cultures together, transcending our differences and uniting us in our common humanity and our shared spirit of goodwill. Peace Poles spread this message throughout the world. They stand eight feet tall with their message inscribed in 12 languages. Peace Poles are found throughout the world; on every continent and in over 200,000 communities.

In 2024, the Croton Arts & Humanities Advisory Council suggested that the Village purchase a Peace Pole. The Village agreed, our Peace Pole arrived in 2025 and was “planted” in Croton Landing last fall. Croton’s Peace Pole is unique to our community because of the 12 languages on the Pole, one is Lenape, the language of the indigenous people who lived on this very spot hundreds of years ago.

The Peace Pole is iconic. It is an affirmation of our community values, which are expressed in the Village’s statement of welcome, inclusion, compassion and respect for all people who live, work and visit Croton. It is a physical reminder of the care and concern we have for our neighbors, our community and our world. And its presence establishes a safe and beautiful space for quiet contemplation.

The Dedication Ceremony will begin at 3:00 with a Peace Parade starting at the Croton Landing parking lot closest to the comfort station, and proceeding to the Peace Pole, which is located past the soccer fields, where the paved pathway divides. Our parade will feature singing and the playing of instruments. To that end we will have a total of 60 tambourines, maracas and kazoos to distribute to the first 60 children who arrive; kids who miss this opportunity, and adults of all ages, are encouraged to bring their own musical accompaniment!

At the Peace Pole site, there will be a short program of history, poetry readings, including one poem written especially for the event, and live sing-along music. The Ceremony will end with a drum circle at the Landing, on the banks of the beautiful Hudson River, in front of the comfort station. If you don’t have a drum, don’t be deterred; drum-like options will be provided!

We hope you will join us to celebrate the strong and deep connections we have to each other, and to nature, that bring us together in peace.

Sherry Horowitz is a former Croton-on-Hudson trustee and a current member of the Arts & Humanities Advisory Council.

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Editor’s Note: The Chronicle routinely publishes notices of community events. Please send flyers in jpeg or compatible format (not PDFs) to TheCrotonChronicle@gmail.com

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