Dedication of the International Peace Garden
Vallarta Botanical Gardens/Jardin Botanice Vallarta
I was blessed to attend the dedication of the Cheryl L. Wheeler Internatonal Peace Garden of Mexico, a once in a lifetme event that occurred on Thursday, February 16, 2017. It is my hope that this article will not only help you understand why the garden is so special, but it will also convey the spirit of that event in such a way that it becomes a part of your heart and soul, permeating your everyday life. In so doing, the spirit of peace that existed that day will be multiplied and spread throughout the world, until the whole world is filled with peace and solidarity. For when that occurs, peace will reign and there will be no more war!
The Garden and Why It Was Chosen
Being chosen as the International Peace Garden of Mexico is a great honor, because the International Peace Garden Foundation (IPGF) only selects a single garden to represent an entire country, and not every country has an International Peace Garden. Paula Savage, President of the IPGF, shared with us that the IPGF travels the world fostering the ideals of peace, reconciliation, tolerance, justice and respect. And that they search to transform our everyday world into a compassionate family free of racism, hatred, violence and misunderstanding, using flowers as their instrument for this mission.
The Vallarta Botanical Garden is known to be a place of calm, comfort and healing of body, mind and spirit. The Cheryl L. Wheeler International Peace Garden of Mexico is a breathtaking gem located within the greater whole, nestled on the slope leading to the Interfaith Chapel, Nuestra Senora del Jardin (Our Lady of the Garden).
This garden embodies the harmony and unity that we all so deeply desire. It accomplishes this by growing plants from the Mediterranean and the Holy Land (where several of the leading world religions were born), side-by-side with Mexico’s native plants and wild flowers. It reminds us that at the heart, we are more alike than we are different, and that we can live and work together toward our common goals.
But the IPGF had more reasons to choose this beau1ful and inspiring Garden to represent Mexico. Paula noted that Puerto Vallarta is known to be a leader in Mexico for respecting diversity of cultures and human rights. And that in its 61 years as a founding member of the United Nations, Mexico has made substan1al contributions to the UN in areas such as peaceful settlement of disputes, struggle against apartheid, promotion of disarmament & halting climate change. Mexico has resorted at different stages of its history to the peaceful solution of controversies.
Paula also provided this information about Mexico - it is one of 17 countries in the world that are mega diverse when it comes to flora and fauna, being home to 26,000 species of flora. It stands second to world ecosystems with 34 unaltered ecosystems, 17 sanctuaries and protected areas for flora and fauna. She stated “We celebrate the bio-richness of this country. We commend Mexico’s commitment to the preservation & conservation of its coastal ecosystems including the preservation of its seven species of sea turtles laying their eggs on Mexican shores.”
The Dedication Ceremony
The Dedication Ceremony reflected the IPGF’s ultimate goal of fostering world peace, because participants from five different religions (Catholic, Jewish, Iranian Tribal, Zen Buddhist, and Wixarrika) participated in perfect harmony, while attendees from around the globe looked on in agreement. Sandy Pad wrote a song that states “Love in any language, straight from the heart. Pulls us all together, never apart.” I believe that same could be said for peace. Read on to hear about key events that I feel contributed to this extraordinary day, and that give further insight to how we can all move forward toward world peace!
Cheryl Wheeler, the Benefactor for the International Peace Garden of Mexico, has wanted this garden for 7 years. She spoke from her heart about her desire for world peace. It was easy to see how she translated that desire into a wonderful oasis of peace for all of us to enjoy. Cheryl stated “My family hopes this garden will serve as a place to come reflect and experience the peace and joy that you crave in your life. Please come here ofen, at least in your mind, and draw on the beauty to give you the strength to be peaceful with your daily words and actions.”
Cheryl also explained the meaning behind the 12 Painted Tiles that form the walkway through the garden leading to the Interfaith Chapel. Each tile has a different Spiritual Principle that she strives to model her life afer. Each one is written in both English and Spanish, again reflecting that theme of unity, and it also has a picture of the flower that corresponds with it. As we reflect on these Spiritual Principles, we can see how each is needed to move toward a life of peace, and what be,er place to reflect on these principles than here in this garden.
HONESTY, HONESIDAD, FAITH, FE COMMITMENT, COMPROMISO COURAGE, VALOR, INTEGRITY, INTEGRIDAD, WILLINGNESS, COMPLACENCIA HUMILITY, HUMILDAD, REFLECTION, REFLEXIÓN FORGIVENESS, PERDÓN, PERSEVERANCE, PERSEVERANCIA SPIRITUALITY, ESPIRITUALIDAD SERVICE, SERVICIO.
Marina de Los Santos, who represented the Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de la Costa, led the Roll Call of Nations. The crowd was amazed at the diversity of the backgrounds of the attendees, yet it reflects the diversity that exists within the Puerto Vallarta Area. As each country was named, the atiendees from it raised their voices stating “Vivo la Paz” (Long Live Peace) in their own dialect. When the voices from so many countries raised together with that single desire, it provided a glimpse of what World Peace would look like!