Interfaith Service and Breakfast

The inner message of the World Harmony Run is oneness: oneness on all levels of our existence. This morning the running team started their day at McKillop House, for an Interfaith Welcome for the Harmony Torch. The program, which focused on the underlying harmony between the world's religious and spiritual traditions, featured silent meditation, sublime music and prayers offered by representatives of several faiths.

Hemanshu Pota representing the Hindu faith, Venerable Thich Quang Ba, from the Buddhist Temple next door and several friends of McKillop House offered moving and encouraging words for the runners, emphasising the spiritual dimension of the quest to nurture the flame of peace within the hearts and minds of all peace-lovers and peace-dreamers.

A scrumptious pancake breakfast under a clear blue sky fuelled the team's appetite for the running ahead.

 

'Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms' Relay

'Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms' are focal points for peace, reminders from our everyday lives to keep the flame of peace constantly alive in our hearts and minds.

Over 1200 parks, trees, monuments, buildings, natural wonders, cities and nations have been dedicated to join this global family.

Here in Canberra there are several diverse 'Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms', which were joined together as a garland today with the World Harmony Run carrying the torch from one to the next. Not only are the Peace-Blossoms program and the World Harmony Run both inspired by Sri Chinmoy, they also share a common goal. So on this morning with no formal commitments, it seemed appropriate to spend a few hours bringing the torch to each of the Peace-Blossom locations.

To reach the first destination, a few of the braver runners tackled the infamous 'Push-Bike Hill', a dirt track up the flank of Black Mountain to reach Telstra Tower, which was dedicated as a 'Sri Chinmoy Peace Tower' in 1995. The authorities kindly allowed the entire team access to the upper viewing platform of the tower, with its magnificent 360 degree views of the entire region.

A welcome jog to the bottom of the mountain brought us to the National Botanic Gardens, dedicated as a 'Sri Chinmoy Peace Gardens' in 1993. Here we were graciously greeted by the Garden's Director, Anne Duncan, then taken on a quick guided tour of some of the Garden's superb extraordinary collection of Australian native plants, including its magnificent rainforest gully.

Many famous people have held the World Harmony Torch and even some animals, but today was the turn of one of the world's most extraordinary plants – the Wollemi Pine. Known as a "living fossil," the Wollemi Pine was only recently discovered, having been thought to have been extinct for many millions of years. Its discovery was likened at the time to finding living dinosaurs roaming around!

Following the cycle path beside Lake Burley Griffin and across Commonwealth Avenue Bridge we came to Hyatt Hotel Canberra: the world's first (and only) 'Sri Chinmoy Peace Hotel' – and Canberra's only 5-star establishment, also dedicated in 1993.

From the Hyatt, it was a further jog alongside the lake, pausing for photos at Yaralumla Bay, site of the annual Sri Chinmoy Triathlon Festival, where some of our team became quite friendly with a few of the local residents.

From here it was only a few more kms to the Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile in Westbourne Woods, one of the secret treasures of Canberra.

This measured mile, employed both as a training course for athletes and as a peaceful haven for walkers and lovers of serene beauty, saw the culmination of our relay today with a 2 mile (3.2 km) race between members of the team.

The results showed a very healthy fitness level and a good indicator for the journey ahead around the rest of the continent!

We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to Carol Laing from Christchurch (pictured with fellow New Zealander ) for their creative inspiration and oneness-support for the Team during their time in Canberra over the past few days.

– Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

 

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We next had a joy filled visit to Taylor Primary School this afternoon. The team's visit was organised by John Muir, a young enthusiastic teacher who arranged a thunderous welcome for us with all the children cheering loudly as we ran into the assembly hall.

 

These children were full of life and energy. Part of our presentation was two short plays in which the children had to guess whether they displayed harmony or disharmony. They were right on the mark and called loudly with delight. We also thought the children one of our mottos – "Harmony begins with me" – which they repeated with such gusto that you could see some of the teachers in the back placing their hands over their ears!

Then it was time for complete silence as the children closed their eyes and tried to feel harmony in their hearts. The contrast of sound and silence is amazing. We then invited up four students who received recognition for their outstanding achievement of displaying harmony and friendship within the school. They each held the torch and made a wish for harmony.

 

As we left the assembly hall the children gave us a fantastic farewell shouting: "Run! Run! Harmony Run! Run! Run! Harmony Run!"

Straight after the school a few of us made our way to ABC Radio Canberra (666 2CN) for a live interview. Edi Serban from Romania and myself (Colm Magee) from Ireland joined presenter Louise Maher in the studio. Louise kicked off the interview by giving an overview of the run in Australia and then asked us an array of bright questions.

 

Louise was a really cheerful presenter so it was very easy for us to get into the flow of the interview. We spoke about the message of the run, life on the road and about its founder Sri Chinmoy. Louise acknowledged the undertakings of Sri Chinmoy and the effect of his inspiration in Canberra with the several Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom plaques that have been erected and the many public athletic events every year organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

The interview wound up with a warm farewell from Louise and best wishes for our journey ahead.

– Colm Magee (Ireland)

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TEAM B

After the Botanic Gardens ceremony, Team B departed for a visit to the nearby town of Queanbeyan, for a meeting with the Mayor of Queanbeyan, Frank Pangallo, and members of the Queanbeyan City Council. Clr Pangallo is serving his final term, after 17 years as Mayor, and is a familiar face to long-term Harmony Runners. This time, however, he met a team in which most of the members were on their first visit to Queanbeyan – and their first visit to Australia, for that matter.

Queanbeyan is a proudly multicultural town (the Mayor himself hails from Italy), and the Council building includes a display of costumes from different nations. The Councillors talked of their pride in the town. Despite all the different ethnicities and religions, they live in enviable harmony.

We then visited Bungendore Public School for an assembly. Bungendore is a wonderful country town, a favourite place for Canberra residents to escape on weekends, sitting down for a Devonshire tea or freshly-baked pies. The school was very enthusiastic. From the moment we ran in with the Torch to the time we said goodbye, we were greeted with rapturous applause.

We finished the day at one of Canberra's lesser-known treasures: a cafe serving exclusively chocolate in its many forms. After all, inner harmony is important on all levels of our existence!

– Noivedya Juddery (Australia)

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Team Members:
Prabhakar Street (Canada), Edi Serban (Romania), Standa Zubaty (Czech Republic), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Runar Gigja (Iceland), Marichi Clarke (Australia), Misha Kulagin (Russia), Dima Lehonkova (Ukraine), Colm Magee (Ireland), Angela Muhs (Germany), Anubha Baird (Australia), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), (New Zealand), Julie Anderson (Australia), Peter Elliot (Australia), Rathin Bolton (Australia), Noivedya Juddery (Australia), Amalendu Edelsten (Australia), Prachar Stegemann (Australia)

Harmonemail:
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Gallery: See more images!

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