UCA celebrated its commitment to procuring peace as faculty and students came to dedicate the newly erected peace pole behind Schichtl Hall on March 3.
The ceremony kicked off with a reception held in Schichtl hall 112 where people began gathering around 4 p.m.
Snack food and cookies were provided along with beverages such as water and punch.
People sat or stood around having discussions about the event and some written poetry by UCA students was hung up like peace flags on a string between two pillars.
Members of the local Rotary Club joined the faculty and students for the dedication ceremony.
Some students from the Central Baptist College Rotary Club were also present and had a few words to say about the importance of these events.
“I think it’s the first step in a lot of many different steps to seeing peace in the world, you know, it starts local, and then it goes regional, and it goes district,” George Fitzgerald, president-elect at the CBC Rotary Club, said.
“Right now we’re just college students, but one day we may be a big CEO, and starting now in your efforts for peace may not be as impactful as they could be, but as a big-time business owner, or anything of that sort, so you can have more impact,” he said.
Following the reception, everyone gathered behind the building at the peace garden at 4:30 p.m. where the Dean of the honors college Patricia Smith offered an opening statement explaining that “this event is the opening kickoff for UCAS Sustainable Development Goals Action and Awareness Week.”
“So we have a series of programs going on this week devoted to elevating the UN Sustainable Development Goals on campus and in our community. The peace poll in general relates to sustainable development goal 16, which is promoting peace, justice and strong institutions,” Smith said.
This was followed by remarks from UCA President Houston Davis, who then introduced the Rotary Club of Conway-Morning President JD Gingerich, who spoke on the meaning of peace.
Gingerich said, “I think we’re all aware of those instances where the hate that exists in the world and maybe in our own lives, exists not because of what we know about someone, but what we do not know.”
He said, “While we are local clubs and doing local things here in Conway, we’re connected to Rotarians from all over the world, and have opportunities to work together to respond to needs and to build safer and more healthy, better-educated communities and to learn a little more about each other and about our respective cultures.”
Rotary District 6170 Governor Sherry Taylor then spoke followed by multiple student readings of their peace poems inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Remarks were then made by the Director of Humanitarian Projects for SETF Natalie Larrison about the effects UCA student support has had on Syria and its peace efforts.
Associate Dean of the UCA Honors College Leah Horton closed off the dedication with the hope that “going forward, UCA will also be known for peace.”
