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When people glimpse the new Peace Pole gleaming beneath the soaring trees of Mililani High School, former Ukraine resident Valeriya Kamphaus hopes the tranquil sight will move people to pray for peace — but also to act.
For the Odesa native who has lived in Mililani since 2013, the constant worry about loved ones fleeing or stuck amid the fighting back home is agony. She says there are numerous things Hawaii residents can do to support people in and from Ukraine who are affected by the Russian invasion, and most require no money, only time and compassion.
When people see the Peace Pole, Kamphaus said, she hopes they will remember: “You can help! Giving a Ukrainian a hug today makes a difference. Letting them know they are welcome, they are supported, that you feel their pain, makes a difference.
“If there is a child (from Ukraine) in your school, make sure they feel welcome. If there is a neighbor that has a (Ukrainian) family, make sure they are taken care of. If you see a community fundraiser or event and you can participate … come help us organize it, come join us. And, of course, if you have something to share, to send to Ukraine,
do contact the Ukrainian community and send resources.”
Kamphaus was among dozens of adults and students, including two other families from Ukraine, on hand for the Tuesday dedication of the Peace Pole.
The 7-foot, white vinyl column is printed with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in eight languages evoking Hawaii’s particular constellation of ethnicities and cultures: English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Samoan, Tagalog, Spanish, Korean and Mandarin. At the edge of the school campus, just few hundred feet from the intersection of Meheula Parkway and Hookelewaa Street, the location on the promenade allows students and passing motorists to easily view it.
Planning for the monument actually began half a year ago, long before the Russian-Ukrainian war began. The Peace Pole was donated by the Rotary Club of Mililani Sunrise, meant to celebrate the club’s 25th anniversary.
But “the unfortunate invasion of Ukraine makes this Peace Pole even more meaningful now,” said state Sen. Michelle Kidani, who is a member of the club. “When we started planning, we had no idea what would happen in Ukraine. It touches my heart that we can all be here together in peace.”
The monument is an official part of the global Peace Pole movement, and the second one on the Mililani campus. The Peace Pole Project was founded by the late Masahisa Goi in the wake of the destruction caused by World War II and the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. More than 250,000 Peace Poles have been erected across the globe, according to the Peace Poles website, as an “internationally recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing in vigil in silent prayer for peace on Earth.”
For Kamphaus, who is an American citizen now, the wish for peace and the worry for her loved ones in Ukraine are profound. Most of her family was in Kramatorsk but had to evacuate, and they have sent some children to safety in Poland and then Germany.
“The men in my family are in territorial defense, and the women are staying there to support,” she said. “There is no safe place.”
She said the public is invited to join members of the local Ukrainian community to show support at weekly gatherings; the schedule can be found in the “Hawaii Stands With Ukraine” page on Facebook.
In her speech at the Peace Pole dedication, Kamphaus said she is grateful to Hawaii for making her family feel welcome. She added, “They say it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a world to save a nation. I hope there will be peace.”
The monument was adorned with an orchid lei and blessed with prayers and a minister’s sprinkle of water. The crowd of educators, community leaders and children from the area joined their voices to sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”
“During this time of global unrest, our goal in planting this Peace Pole is to instill hope in you,” Rotary Club President Paul Nakachi said. “We hope that every time you pass the Peace Pole, you will give a silent prayer for peace in our community, in our nation and in our world.”
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