Today a total of nine schools were on the program, all in London. Our international team has grown to gigantic proportions in the last few days, due to the fast approaching finale, taking place tomorrow! We had a total of 40 runners - an unprecedented number.

We split up the big team into two halves, one half covering five schools, the other half four.

At the start of the day around 8:30, each team went its own way.

Team A - white van report by Abhinabha:

The White van team, still 20 men and women strong, started off in Fitzjohns Primary School in the borough of Hampstead . The children were all eagerly awaiting us in a beautiful, spacious room and afterwards ran with us in the schoolyard.

They seemed to really enjoy our presentation and all made a wish for world-harmony.

Since we had only one van at our disposal for 20 runners, a big group had to be out on the road running all the time, since only 9 people fit into the van. It was fun to run with such a big group, even though the pace had to be adjusted frequently to make everybody happy. Usually the runner with the torch goes out too fast, a well-known experience among seasoned harmony runners. That’s just what the torch does to you though; it gives you this extra energy boost!

After a good 4K we arrived at Hargrave Park Primary School. We climbed the stage to face the green sea of children looking at us with anticipation. Our language game really excited them and our little skits attracted bursts of laughter as some of us were falling over on the ground, being pushed or shoved. ‘Was that harmony?’ we asked, ‘Noooo!!!’ was their infallible answer. Naturally we concluded the presentation with a schoolyard run and the passing of the torch.

From Hargrave Park it was only a mile to Gospel Oak Primary School, our third stop over of the day. The teachers showed a video of the Run before we started our presentation. The video is a great way to see what our Run is about, as it provides plenty of visual background. After our presentation we all went outside to hold the torch. Ten children were chosen to do a small relay around the schoolyard with the torch, circling the other kids.

We covered another 5K before arriving at the Carlton Vale Infants School. There we got a unique surprise as three teachers were playing on drums and all the children were dancing in the schoolyard!

As this is an infant’s school the kids were all 4 or 5 years old and extremely cute. We delightedly clapped along and some of us couldn’t resist joining the exuberant dance.

We were then treated to a nice lunch in the school’s cosy cantina. We barely fit into our seats, as they were designed for the infants, but we somehow managed. The mayor of Brent borough was also present and joined us at the dinner table. She was so delighted to be there and later ran a lap with the head teacher around the playground.

Carlton Vale is an old acquaintance of ours and this was about our fourth visit to the school. The always receive us with open arms and go out of their way to make the reception special. This time they had made beautiful banners for our visit and also introduced the Monitor group and the Friendship squad, two groups of children whose tasks it is to keep harmony in the school and on the playground.

We are so grateful to head teacher Barbara Doherty for making the reception such a wonderful experience for all of us. We hope to see you all again!

Our last school of the day was the Christ Church Primary School, again in Hampstead. This time we had the teachers running around the schoolyard and all the children screaming with joy as they watched their teachers running with the torch. The school buildings were extremely beautiful and the little schoolyard, bathed in the afternoon sunlight, was a perfect place to finish our school-run today.

We paid a visit to the house of the great Indian poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, when he lived in London in 1912. Some of us are great fans of Tagore and absolutely love his poetry.

Also we drove up to Abbey Road, where we took the famous picture, which really needs no further explanation. Suffice it to say that this will probably become the cover of the World Harmony Run album, if there is ever going to be one.

Tired and satisfied, we withdrew for dinner and late evening work on our computers in the very pleasant Palmers Lodge youth hostel. We thank the manager of Palmers Lodge for giving us a generous discount on our lodgings.

Team B - silver van report by Abhichal:

Today, the penultimate day of the 2006 World Harmony Run, was a celebration by way of London schools. The International Team was split into two and the Silver van began the day by running from Swiss Cottage in North London to Rhyl Primary School in Chalk Farm where the runners were welcomed into the assembled crowd with a beautiful song.

Later after the team had sung the Harmony Run song, the children sang another song that was among the best that I have ever heard in all the years I have been running this event. The words were projected upon the wall for all to read but it was clear that this song was well known by all the children. The power, confidence and brightness of the singing carried an extra dynamic that lifted the whole energy in the room to a new height, surprising as it was beautiful. This will remain as one of the highlights of my sojourn with this year's Run.

Even though the presentation was cut a little short, the team was still pressed for time and sent out a team early to make their way closer in toward the center of the city at Christopher Hatton Primary School.

We climbed for what seemed like ages up and up until finally we could hear the excited children’s voices and we jogged into the hall to a tumultuous welcome. Today seemed to be a day the children found their voices. After the presentation we all continued climbing up to the roof - surely the most stairs in a school. Here after the children ran with the torch they introduced us to the game of Champ which they ably demonstrated but before we had chance to show them our skills we were off back to Camden and to St. Michaels CE which is on Camden St.

This school had scheduled a class to represent the school and were quite knowledgeable about the geographical locations of the runners - a little game we play where the children guess where the runners come from by working out which language the runner is using.

They were inspired to test us with the same game and we found it quite difficult to guess their origins, especially the little girl from Eritrea. Each child later made a wish for harmony, which was another very touching experience as their sincerity was palpable.

We were treated to lunch at this school for which we were very grateful.

The final school of the day was some way off in Kentish Town and we passed through the streets with occasional greetings and cheers from passers-by and white van drivers.

Every school is different and sometimes we are able to give hi-5's and today it seemed like every child in the school held the Torch and then ran past us as we lined up with our hands extended and they ran past us slapping our hands with joy and excitement in their eyes.

Every moment holds the possibility of surprise and this was a great way to bring our official day to a close before we took off to discuss the plans of our finale tomorrow at the British Museum in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London.

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Team Members:
Ondrej Vesely (Czech Republic), Payodhi Strmiska (Czech Republic), Andrea Fidrmuc (Slovakia), Nurari Merry (England), Amelia Lloyd (England), Stephen Guy (England), Balavan Thomas (England), Sanjaya Spettigue (England), Devashishu Torpy (England), Sahadeva Torpy (England), Abichal Watkins (Wales), Dhavala Stott (Scotland), Bhauliya Moss (Scotland), Laurence Idrissi (France), Sonia Bailles (France), Daniel Bailles (France), Abhinabha Tangerman (Holland), Sabine Meyer (Belgium), Marc Schrader (Germany), Angela Muhls (Germany), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), Sabine Paal (Austria), Edi Brodtrager (Austria), Martin Leitner (Austria), Dipavajan Renner (Austria), Erika Pongracz (Hungary), Zuzana Tobolkova (Czech Republic), Bakul Keaney (Ireland), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Franco Bossi (Italy), Roberto Boscaini (Italy), Romano Ferrari (Italy), Sylvia (Italy), Sara (Italy), Francesco Morianni (Italy), Hemabha Jang (South-Korea), Salil Wilson (Australia).

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

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