Civic Reception, Canberra

The World Harmony Run entered Canberra two days ago with a ceremony at Parliament House, showcasing the city's status as Australia's national capital. Today's main reception, hosted by the Chief Minister's office of the ACT Legislative Assembly, revealed another side to Canberra: a city and a community, multicultural and multi-faceted.

Beginning at Stage 88, in Canberra's beautiful Commonwealth Park (site of the famous Floriade), the team ran into Civic Square, to the sound of haunting didgeridoo music. The Minister for Multicultural Affairs, John Hargreaves, representing the Chief Minister and ACT Patron of the World Harmony Run, Jon Stanhope, then welcomed the runners.

(After they each announced their respective nations, he joked that it sounded a little like the Eurovision Song Contest.)

"Today, with the arrival of the World Harmony Run torch, Canberra, which literally means 'meeting place', is a meeting place of dreams and hopes for a better world," he continued. "Passing it from hand to hand, through over a hundred nations around the globe, the torch carries with it a symbol of harmony, international friendship and understanding. The World Harmony Run is a striking legacy of its founder, the late Sri Chinmoy, who dedicated his life to demonstrating how sports can unlock the true potential of the human spirit."

Three Torch-Bearer Awards were offered at the ceremony. First was our National Patron, Bob Randall (a former Canberra resident), who had already treated us to a song at the Reception.

He was followed by two local figures who, while perhaps not as well-known, certainly encompass both the inspiration of running and the importance of harmony and friendship.

Rad Leovic, 81, had run with the team from Stage 88 and carried the Torch into Civic Square.

Rad arrived in Australia in 1952 as a refugee from Yugoslavia, and has since championed the cause of multiculturalism. Most of all, he was honoured today as an athlete: one of Canberra's best-loved and most dedicated runners, duathletes and triathletes, and a world champion n his age group of 80+. He is proof of the attitude, espoused by Sri Chinmoy, that age is no barrier to athleticism or progress.

The final Torch-Bearer Award at the ceremony went to Dave McInness, local businessman, and a legend of the Canberra running scene.

"The enthusiasm, intensity and passion that Dave applied to his running, he expresses through everything he does," said World Harmony Run co-ordinator Prachar Stegemann. "Dave is receiving the Torch-Bearer Award not only for the inspiration he has shared through his passionate love of running, but especially for his attitude to life."

Five MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) who were present at the Reception – nearly one third of the whole Assembly of 17 members – put their political differences aside to join in holding the Harmony Torch together: Richard Mulcahy (Independent), Mary Porter AM (ALP), John Hargreaves (ALP), Bill Stefaniak (Liberal Party) and Dr Deb Foskey (ACT Greens). 

The ceremony finished with a rendition of our theme song by the World Harmony Run team. Though Prachar warned the audience that "we're runners, not singers," our performance, ably accompanied by Rathin Boulton on guitar, sounded remarkably good.

After the ceremony, informal Torch-Bearer Award presentations were made for John and Dawn Wilson, and for Canberra dentist and endurance athlete, Lachaln Lewis.

– 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)

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