Meeting with World Harmony Run representatives.

We are very grateful to the President of the European Council for meeting with our team today and we invite you to watch the video his office produced of the meeting.

We had two important meetings today in Brussels, the political capital of the European Union. We always love coming to Brussels, because it is the home of the European Parliament. We have made it a tradition to pass our Torch to the members of the European Parliament since 2006, because we feel we are both striving for the same goal: a peaceful and harmonious European society.

At 10 a.m. we were expected by the newly installed president of the Council of the European Union, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, who welcomed us outside his office to greet the runners and offer a message of encouragement to the World Harmony Run.

Mr. Van Rompuy was extremely kind and forthcoming to us. In his thought-provoking speech he said, “To run for the soul of mankind is action as well as philosophy. Your action is one of faith, hope and charity. It is an action of love. I do hope that the voice of your message, the voice of your action, will be heard and recognized.”

We presented Mr. Van Rompuy with our Torch Bearer Award in recognition of his own efforts for consensus, stability and harmonious cooperation between the member states of the European Union. His task as president of the EU is enormous and requires tireless dedication and skill, both of which he has in abundant measure. We are deeply honoured and grateful for his encouraging words.

Mr. Van Rompuy is also a poet and writes beautiful ‘haikus’, short poems of three lines. Therefore we also presented him with a book containing a selection of aphorisms by Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the World Harmony Run.

Mr. Van Rompuy accompanied us a few steps outside, carrying the Torch. After we said goodbye we ran a few blocks to the building of the European Parliament. where our next ceremony would be held.

"To see video from the meeting with Mr.Herman Van  Rompuy, go to EU President's website at: http://vloghvr.consilium.europa.eu/?p=1874

   Meeting with World Harmony Run representatives,  23 June 2010,  The World Harmony Run is a global torch relay, seeking to strengthen international friendship and [...]   

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We built up a photo exhibition with pictures from the Run in various parts of the globe, as a nice backdrop for our function. At 12:30 various MEP’s (Members of the European Parliament) and their assistants came out to join the meeting.

After a short introduction the international team ran into the ceremony, applauded by all the MEP’s present. Our team captain Dipavajan presented the World Harmony Torch to Ivo Belet, MEP for Belgium who represented Mr. Buzek, the President of the European Parliament, who was not able to attend today. Mr. Belet gave a glowing speech, lauding our initiative and admiring Sri Chinmoy for his many contributions to world-peace in the fields of sports, poetry, art and music.

Mr. Belet receives the Torch on behalf of the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Jerzy Buzek.

We then presented the Torch Bearer Award to a special friend of ours in the European Parliament, Mr. Jan Brezina from the Czech Republic. Mr. Brezina ran with us on our very first visit to the European Parliament in 2006 and made it possible for us to hold our first ceremony here, which over the years has become a recurring tradition. Mr. Brezina was visibly touched and gave a warm-hearted acceptance speech.

We then invited all the MEP’s present to come to the fore to receive the Torch and say a few words to our international team. First was Mrs. Esther de Lange from The Netherlands (above), who said she felt the European Parliament and the World Harmony Run really have the self-same goal. She commented that it would be a good idea if the MEP’s would run themselves once in a while to remain fit and healthy. She promised to join us next year as a runner herself.

Mr. Richard Falbr from the Czech Republic spoke encouraging words as well.

Next was Mr. Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, MEP for The Netherlands, who is a great sports lover especially in the field of football (soccer). He quoted a famous Dutch football coach who said that ‘football is war’. But this ‘war’ was a positive and sportive one. “How good it would be if we could fight our wars only on the sports fields and not on the battle-fields,” Mr. Gerbrandy concluded. We heartily agreed with him.

Mrs. Judith Sargentini, also from The Netherlands, commented that she just started running herself. “I thought running would be a lonely sport, but it turned out it isn’t. There is always someone to run with you,” she said. Complimenting our initiative, she also promised to join us running next year.

Angelika Werthmann, MEP for Austria, was all smiles during the entire ceremony.

We presented Mr. Belet (on behalf of the European Parliament) with our certificate of appreciation.

We concluded with a spirited run alongside the parliament building. We are so grateful for the kindness and goodwill of all the MEP’s who attended the ceremony today. And we will definitely return next year to keep them to their promise to run with us through Brussels.

And we concluded with a group picture with all the MEP’s who were still there (some had had to leave the ceremony earlier due to other engagements).

We're also happy to be able to introduce the International Year for the Rapproachment of Cultures to Brussels. You can see the logo left on our banner. This is a UNESCO and UN initiative which the World Harmony Run supports. And what better place to bring cultures together than here at the European Parliament in the heart of Brussels, Europe's capital?

We gave all the MEP's attending a rose and some Belgian chocolates.

Thank you Brussels, for a wonderful and inspiring day!

...running out of Brussels...

...bicycle paths everywhere...

reaching Booischot

...a dinner on the field....

A big "Thank you" for supporting the WHR!

– Abhinabha

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Distance: 51 km

Team Members:
Dipavajan Renner (Austria), Luis Angel (Guatemala), Zach Saltzman (USA), Manjula Lecourdier (France), Sergey Sydenko (Ukraine), Natalia Lehonkova (Ukraine), Rifkat Gimadeev (Russian Ferderation), Zoltan Theobald (Hungary), Vlado Kulisek (Slovakia), Susameepan Kalbitzer (Germany), Jatnasheel Moser (Germany), Abhisar Laza (Czech Republic), Abhinabha Tangerman (Netherlands), Rabinath de Lange (Netherlands), Stefanie Thys (Luxembourg), Marylene Fouquet (France)

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

Gallery: See more images!

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