Advancing international understanding, goodwill and peace is the fundamental shared element of the mission statements of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, with Promoting Peace being one of our 7 Area of Focus.

Article by Rob McGuirk, Rotary Club of Melbourne

As a part of its work to promote and build peace, the Rotary Club of Melbourne created and designed a project to install four peace bells in the recently renamed Rotary Peace Park located at the corner of Anderson Street and Domain Roads, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne.

The bells recognise that peacebuilding is a collective responsibility and that every person can take Four Steps Towards Peace that contribute to making the world and more particularly their world a more peaceful place.

Each bell has engraved on its base one of the four steps which are to;

• Seek Peace Within                  

• Make Peace at Home                 

• Create Peace in Your Community            

• Foster Peace Between Peoples & Lands

The bells are available for members of the public to ring and as they do, make their personal commitments as to how they will take these four steps.

The bells are the first of their kind in the world as they are made from aluminium and constructed so as to produce harmonic tones. They were designed by Assoc Prof Neil McLachlan who also designed the internationally renowned Federation Bells located in Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. They were launched for the Rotary International Convention held in Melbourne in May 2023, and were the legacy project of Past Rotary International President Jennifer Jones. The project was created and managed by Rob McGuirk from the Rotary Club of Melbourne.

Melbourne’s Rotary Park was inaugurated in 1935 when the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris, planted its first tree. There are now over 60 trees and commemorations of notable Rotarians at various locations around the park. It was renamed as Rotary Peace Park in 2023 as a part of the bells project and to recognise Rotary International’s work in building peace.