Just around the corner from the Perth Sri Chinmoy Centre, Woodlands Primary School started the day with an imaginative school assembly on the theme: "Space, the Final Frontier." Star Wars paintings were unveiled, a choir sang the hit song 'Star Trekkin’ (!) dressed in tinfoil space costumes… and at the end, the somewhat more down-to-earth voyagers of the World Harmony Run were welcomed, along with Terry Tyzack, Mayor of the City of Stirling.

In a way, the runners felt quite at home among this parade of alien beings and space travellers. The Star Trek TV series was set in a future where the peoples of Earth live in harmony, and try to find a friendly co-existence with other worlds. The World Harmony Run, of course, is founded on similar principles.

The choir also performed the World Harmony Run theme song - and did so extremely well, especially considering that they had only had half an hour’s rehearsal! Once again, Maleenendra Owens, one of the World Harmony runners (and a musician par excellence), took time off work to lead the choir.

After they performed their school song (a catchy piece, to the tune of the all-time classic "Incy Wincy Spider"), the students went out in the open and released balloons for world harmony into the blue sky. Thanks to the school and Mayor Tyzack for such a memorable ceremony!

The runners next visited Lake Monger Primary School, another shining example of Australian multiculturalism. In one class of 23 students, for example, 12 nations are represented! It was not only one of the most international schools, but also one of the most enthusiastic, as the children literally leapt at the chance to carry (or better still, run with) the torch. After a talk from the runners - about the value of different cultures and nationalities - the children showed their pride in their ethnic backgrounds, excitedly telling us that they were from Austria, Pakistan, Zambia… and many other nations.

Also present was the Mayor of the City of Cambridge, Marlene Anderton, who helped the runners in their (mostly impromptu) talk, and passed the Torch to each of the children so that they could make a wish for world harmony. From her example, it was clear that the dynamic enthusiasm of the Cambridge region does not stop with the children.

Mercedes College, in Perth, was different from many of the schools we have visited, in that it isn’t a primary school, but a Roman Catholic high school for girls. We addressed a group of Year 7 girls (all around 13 years old), explaining the main purpose of the run: to inspire normal people to work together for a more harmonious world.

We then gave them an exercise - but not one of the exuberant physical exercises that younger children enjoy so much. This was a creative exercise, as we handed them blank sheets of paper, and asked them to fill them with their own expressions of world harmony - through poetry, prose, drawings, or whatever else came to mind. Many of them had textas or coloured pencils, so they provided some colourful work. Some of their writings were equally beautiful:

Wandering in the shadows.

Alone in the darkness.

Waiting… when rescue comes.

Share the spirit, don’t hold back…

Bring World Harmony back into our world!

- Anon

A world without fear

Or broken mothers’ tears

A world that says “NO!”

To racism, that hurts the world so

A world without bombs and guns

With the continuous light of the Sun

A world with peace

… Continuous celebrations and feasts

Let it be so, a world of PEACE!!!

- Anon

One highlight was a banner, in which one group of girls each wrote their own words of harmony, and taped them together to form an inspiring work of art. This was clearly not just another school chore for the students of Mercedes College. Their faces shone as they allowed their ideas and dreams of harmony to flow on to the paper. As they worked, the World Harmony Run theme song played in the background - and by the time we left, a few of them were singing it like it was the latest Guy Sebastian record!

Some of the best of the impromptu artwork from Mercedes College will be taken to New York for the closing ceremony next month.

The day of World Harmony Run activities finished at Subiaco Primary School, where many of the students had already prepared their poetry and artwork in advance of the runners’ visit.

The ceremony was arranged by the school chaplain, Steve Jansz, who introduced several student presentations. Afterwards, we went to the oval, where the students each had a chance to hold the Torch and make a wish for harmony.

Many thanks to Leanne and Rory from Party Town. With their kindness and assistance this event has certainly taken off! (These guys supplied the helium canister used to fill the balloons.)

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