With the tragedy unfolding in the Ukraine, it is somewhat fitting that Sebastopol Primary School is home to Ballarat's first Peace Pole.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sebastopol was named by Ukrainian miners who came from Sevastopol to Ballarat during the gold-rush to seek their fortune.
The miners had just come from the Crimean War and said the mining blasts reminded them of the sounds of shelling during the 11-month siege of Sevastopol.
Last week, Sebastopol pupils held a minute's silence for the children of the Ukraine as the Peace Pole was installed in their school grounds.
They are committing to thinking about peace and each year the school will have an event that will remind children that the Peace Pole is there and what it's there for.
- Dr Lynne Reeder, Compassionate Ballarat
The Peace Pole has the words 'May Peace Prevail on Earth' written on it in four languages - English, Maori, Ukrainian and Wadawurrung - all languages of significance to children at the school.
"Children today are very aware of what's happening around the world and I think a good thing about this is it gives them a meaningful opportunity to really connect with the children on the other side of the world in a way that's doing something specific," said Dr Lynne Reeder, co-convenor of Let's Talk Peace Ballarat.
"They are committing to thinking about peace and each year the school will have an event that will remind children that the Peace Pole is there and what it's there for."
There are almost 200 peace poles planted in schools across Australia, and more than 250,000 across the world.
Dr Reeder said the Peace Poles, which were an initiative of Rotary, provided a tangible resource and reminder for children and also came with resources for the school and activities that children could complete to encourage peace.
"It's not just about putting a pole in the ground, it's about providing a space where children can reflect on peace and be given the resources to think," Dr Reeder said.
Sebastopol Primary School principal Michelle Wilson said she was looking forward to supporting her students in learning about how they can bring peace to an unsettled.
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
