Rotary Park & Peace Prayer Pole Monument, Saskatoon

Nestled on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River near the Broadway Bridge, Rotary Park in Saskatoon is not only a favorite spot for picnics, tennis, and sunbathing-but also home to a unique international symbol of harmony: the Peace Prayer Pole Monument.

This striking vertical sculpture, created by local artist Doug Bentham, carries a simple yet profound message-“May Peace Prevail on Earth”-inscribed in four languages: English, French, Cree, and Japanese. A nighttime gas flame atop the pole offers a warm, flickering tribute to the global tradition it represents, part of a movement that began in Japan and has since placed peace poles in over 160 countries.

First installed in 1998 at the park’s highest point, the monument fell victim to a riverbank slump just a year later. The Meewasin Valley Authority and the City of Saskatoon worked together to rebuild and relocate the structure to a more stable, lower area of the park. The renewed Rotary Peace Plaza was officially rededicated in 2002, becoming a permanent site of reflection and community gatherings.

Surrounding the pole is a carefully arranged circle of engraved bricks, each bearing the name of a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate-from Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa to Desmond Tutu and Lester B. Pearson. New laureates are added each year, making this plaza the only site in the world to continuously honor Nobel Peace Prize winners in this way.

A collaboration between Saskatoon’s five Rotary Clubs, the Nutana Community Association, SaskEnergy, and Meewasin, the plaza stands as a powerful local gesture toward a global vision of peace-quiet, enduring, and open to all.