This Sunday was a special one for the international World Harmony Run team. Two villages at the Austrian-Slovenian border invited us to a ceremony to connect the two communities and strengthen the friendship between the people of the two nations.

To our great joy it was snowing today. We had a short meeting in the centre of Graz and around 1pm our small caravan of 4 cars started the journey to the border.

Runners came from Germany and Hungary to participate in the event

In the Austrian village Klöch we met the mayor and a group of cheerful children who in spite of the rainy-snowy weather came to meet us. They were excited to hold the torch which symbolizes the friendship and harmony.

First the walkers started the journey to the border, and soon our small group of runners followed them with the torch and the flags.

The runners on the Slovenian side were running at the same time from Cankova to the border, and the two teams arrived at the same time to the bridge that connects the two countries.

The brass and reed band was waiting for us with cheering music while the two mayors greeted each other with a handshake and holding the torch triumphantly showing the friendship of the two villages and symbolically the friendship of the two countries.

The children were preparing performance for us: they recited a poem in Slovenian as well as in German and sang us songs.

The two mayors had a heartfelt speech and after that the children invited all of us who were present there for a short singing play. We also sang the hymn of the European Union: everybody in his or her own language.

On the bridge a plaque was dedicated that says in Slovenian and Austrian: "Sri Chinmoy Harmony Bridge".

At the end we were invited for hot tea to warm us up, and a campfire was also made. The campfire was lit by the Austrian and Slovenian mayors with the World Harmony Run torch.

What a nice way to finish the day and to celebrate the Sri Chinmoy Harmony Bridge at the Austrian and the Slovenian border!

---

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

Gallery: See more images!

< WHR Austria 2007 < Iceland 1 September