From Weapon to Classroom Symbol: The Medieval Mace Now Teaching Students About Democracy

An initiative started by Australia’s Speaker of the House aims to stem the decline in understanding of politics by the nation’s youth.

The mace sits in Australia's parliament. Courtesy of David Batt

Once a medieval weapon of authority, the parliamentary mace is now being reimagined as a teaching tool to help schoolchildren connect with democracy.

A number of replica parliamentary maces are making their way across federal Australian electorates in an effort to help educate young individuals about Australian democracy.