Rotary Club of Monroeville celebrates International Day of Peace

On Sept. 21 community residents gathered in Monroeville Community Park West around the park’s Peace Pole to observe this year’s International Day of Peace. The Rotary Club of Monroeville hosted the event and included special guests in the celebration.

Festivities began at 6:30 p.m. with a rousing performance from the Pittsburgh Steeline Drumline. Rotary president Gerry Maynard then took the microphone to welcome guests, thank them for attending and introduce state Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Monroeville.

Markosek began his speech by voicing his appreciation for the community and their work to bring residents together.

“I want people to come here and feel like they are a part of our community and our town,” said Markosek. “I feel like Monroeville does a great job with that, especially with these events.”

He shared his thoughts on the importance of peace.

“We need to treat each other the same,” said Markosek. “We come from different backgrounds, different states, different countries. We need to come together as one nation, one state.”

Diane Milowicki, chair of the event, then took the podium to introduce the next speaker. In line with the event, each presenter spoke on the importance of peace not just within the world or the community, but inner peace as well.

Mayor Nick Gresock shared advice and goals with the audience as he spoke about peace.

“We should be focusing more on our similarities than our differences,” said Gresock. “We all want the same things. We want to love and be loved and peace helps achieve that. Let’s all try to be better people, better neighbors and better friends.”

Between speakers, flutist Gemma Stemley performed “What the World Needs Now is Love,” by Burt Bacharach and ‎Hal David. Stemley is an author and musician known for her memoir “Finding Home: A Sentimental Journey” and her work in local communities.

A group of Gateway High School Students representing the Interact Club, which is sponsored by the Rotary, each took turns with the microphone as they quoted famous peacemakers throughout history including Martin Luther King Jr., Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (Mother Teresa) and Mahatma Gandhi.

Monroeville Police Chief Doug Cole was also a featured speaker. He reminisced about his life in the community and how he has watched it evolve over the years.

“I grew up here and I’ve seen this town change, and I believe it’s changed for the better,” said Cole. “People have different views, different opinions. It doesn’t mean they’re wrong, just not the same. We’re still one community.”

Milowicki then introduced Dr. Anthony Kane Jr., dean of students at Saint Vincent College and the event’s keynote speaker. As he was speaking, Interact Club members passed out candles to audience members for closing ceremonies.

Kane recently moved to the Monroeville area and will be working as an independent consultant with Gateway School District. He will educate staff members in the district about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, also known as DEI.

“One of the things that really drew us to Gateway was the opportunity and ability to raise a family here,” said Kane. “The opportunity and ability to put our children, our future children in a place where they will be more than just that kid or just that brown person, where they would not have to worry about not being a part of their school community.”

Kane continued to explain the reasons he and his wife chose to move to the area. He described a conversation he had with her earlier that day. She had shared her thoughts on peace and how they had chosen to move to Monroeville because it is a peaceful community.

“Our family can be in this space, be successful in this space and call this space home forever,” said Kane.

He left the audience with a message to contemplate, and a call to action:

“We all have an obligation to do something. It’s up to each and every one of us to decide what that thing is. Being kind to one another makes us good neighbors. Being kind to one another makes us tolerable. Being kind to one another makes us easy to love. I will ask you to choose to be kind.”

As the sun began to set, audience members had candles in hand to light the celebration. Three local faith leaders — Deacon Michael Kelly, Imam Abdul Aziz Suraqah and Som Sharma — led the audience in a prayer from each of their respective religions.

Milowicki then took the platform again and read “A Strategy of Peace” by John F. Kennedy. Stemley and Connie Allensworth closed the event with the song “Let There be Peace on Earth,” by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller, with audience members joining in by the second verse. The night was a picture of harmony filled with different voices and candles swaying back and forth to the beat of the music.