Few words could be more powerful for Australians than those of Turkey's first president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, inscribed in 1934 on a memorial plaque in Gallipoli.
Ataturk's poem addressed the mothers of fallen Australian soldiers included the line "having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well".
Soon it will appear - in English and Turkish - on an additional memorial to be installed at Lone Pine Park in Leura, thanks to a project by Central Blue Mountains Rotary Club, inspired by Leura resident and Katoomba Rotary Club member Tom Colless.
The heritage-listed memorial park contains sandstone entrance gates built in 1920 and a list of names of 71 Leura men who served overseas during World War I, including 14 killed in action.
A row of plane trees provides a tranquil link to a pine tree planted by returned Diggers in July 1919 in nearby bushland.
The new memorial will consist of two young pine trees to be planted on each side of the existing pine, plus a large sandstone plinth set in a grassy spot near the entrance gates.
The plinth will have brass panels containing Ataturk's poem and a sculptural plaque designed by Wentworth Falls artist Terrance Plowright that portrays generals from Australia and Turkey shaking hands.
Mr Colless said his idea for the new memorial came from a memory of playing in the park when he was nine.
"An old gentleman by the name of Charles Dash - who was once the local mayor and had a relative, Frank Dash, that was killed at Gallipoli in August 1915 - told me that the memorial pine tree was planted from a cone (seedling) brought back from the battlefields of Gallipoli," Mr Colless said.
"It's fascinated me ever since and I just thought to myself, what more can we do about this? It was then I decided I wanted it to be a memorial for peace."
He has invited the Turkish ambassador to plant one of the pines with Katoomba RSL president Brian Turner at an opening ceremony on April 18.
"We will also be inviting school students ... and Rotary will provide them with specially-made commemorative coins that feature the Handshake of Peace."
A council spokesperson said a final determination on the site will be made at the next council meeting.
The project's estimated cost is $40,000, with $5000 to be provided by Central Blue Mountains Rotary Club, $10,000 from a NSW government grant and the remainder to be funded by Mr Colless, Katoomba Rotarian Philip Hammon and from donations by the public.
To donate to the project email: tc@colless.com.au.
