Rooting for peace at the Sonoma State Peace Tribute, Rohnert Park, California, USA
November 14, 2025
Sonoma State University hosted a heartfelt Peace Tribute ceremony honoring the campus’s commitment to peace, resilience, and global understanding.The event marked the installation of three Hiroshima peace trees and Peace Pole; symbols deeply rooted in a decades-long global movement for a world free of nuclear weapons.
The installation of the three peace trees, which are descendants of a tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and the multilingual Peace Pole symbolize SSU’s dedication to global harmony serves as a living reminder of humanity’s resilience after tragedy.
For Nayeli, the peace ceremony was not just symbolic but personal. “These trees and this Peace Pole are reminders for all of us, students, staff, and community members—to choose peace in our daily lives,” she said.
As the event concluded, attendees stood beneath the newly planted young trees, listening quietly to the wind move through their leaves, and a gesture of collective reflection and hope. The Peace Pole, inscribed with the message “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in different languages, now stands as a beacon on campus—a testament to the generations of peacebuilders, from Hiroshima to Sonoma County, who continue to plant seeds for a more compassionate world, free of nuclear fear.
Daisy Martinez