In Nagykőrös the team is received by the mayor and the head of a school with his team with water, coffee and nice cakes. In no time some 250 children with red, white and green balloons (filled with helium) start singing the WHR song for us. They are eager to run with us and so are the doves that fly over their heads in the sun. The Indian Summer here in Hungary is amazingly beautiful.

Children with balloons singing the WHR song

River of enthusiastic children with colourful balloons

Everywhere in Hungary the children wait for us at the beginning of their cities. In Cegléd we visit 5 schools. The first school listens seriously to all speeches: though all children are very vivid and interested they stand still and listen intensively. After a round on their play grounds they join us to the next school where all the children are waiting for us in the sun. They all hold the torch and together we run to the next school (a secondary one). Since all children prefer to sprint we are a bit early and get the opportunity to run a few rounds on their sporting grounds. A representative of the pupils welcomes World Harmony Run and of course we seize the opportunity to sing our World Harmony Run song and even though most of us are better runners than singers nobody covers his ears.

The ceremony the fourth school presents is certainly the most exciting one ever: the girls are very good modern dancers wearing shiny bright costumes. Among these a little Cruella de Ville dances to her cruel “Cruella song”. And even though the lyrics go that she can only be happy when she makes someone feel sad, she radiates the opposite.

The torch is run to the next school and even though it is still before 10:00 already more than 1000 children have joined us to run with the World Harmony Run. This is very inspiring.

Modern dance performance

Music band

When our team with children run into the official Peace Village of Tapiószele we are all enthusiastically greeted by the inhabitants. The village is full of flowers and charming houses - nice atmosphere. The children and runners get some water and salted cookies and after a very kind speech by the mayor all run back to admire the Peace Blossom monument.

Along the roadside in Farmos is a group of kids. Waiting for the runners they embellish their T-shirts with the Hungarian World Harmony Run sticker. Laughing and running the whole group passes through the village with more and more children joining. Since it is around noon and rather warm one of the boys stops running, but supported by the runners in the back he is inspired to continue to the end with all the others. Smiling broadly he waves goodbye to the runners.

In Nagykáta the mayor gives an insightful speech to our team, greatly expanded with the local children. He trails back the word Harmony to ancient Greece and describes different meanings attributed to it. He talks about universal harmony, from harmony in the depths of our hearts to harmony in the entire Cosmos. The sun is shining brilliantly now, making the square’s fountain sparkle and shimmer in gold.

Kids along the road waiting for the World Harmony Runners

In Szentmártonkáta the mayor also delivers a most beautiful speech about peace and harmony to us and the children. Then we can snack on refreshments before we leave with our third lunch bags of the day. Well, we’re in Hungary…

At a nice green corner the children who shall run with us in Tóalmás start with quite some questions as who is the fastest runner, do you have family in Hungary, how we manage to run so much, if somebody runs the whole distance and if we like Hungary.

In Zsámbok our runners visit a very beautiful school, named after a famous female Hungarian writer. The schools in this area are painted in bright colours and have plenty of light thanks to many glass windows. The singers perform a very happy version of the World Harmony Run Song with energetic movements. Other children read their own poems on harmony and peace aloud. This school just organised a meeting with representatives (teachers and pupils in total 5 per school) from all surrounding countries. There are competitions in singing, plays, drawing etc. This school won the Socrates, a prize for special projects from the EC. There is a very nice atmosphere. The children have designed wooden panels to carry their drawings on the run.

Children running with the World Harmony Team in Zsámbok

The small village of Dány receives us with tea and sandwiches. Majorette girls in white deliver a good performance. All small children run with us to the end of the city. A lot of villagers greet us and wave, and an old woman blesses us in Hungarian.

After a wonderful run with over 150 people we are treated as very specials guests in Isaszeg. There is so much spirit in the children's dances. Dressed in beautiful costumes they are a colourful sight. A teacher tells us later that the boys were hesitant at first to join in this special performance, but tonight they did not show that. It is a wonderful performance.

And so a day with thousands of beautiful children comes to an end.

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