The very name of Hiroshima evokes in us painful memories as well as a powerful promise of preservation of harmony and peace. Thus, the Japanese course of the World Harmony Run could probably not have a better starting place than the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Here the team, made up of runners from Mongolia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Japan, was heartily welcomed at the opening ceremony by the head of the Department for Peace Promotion, city of Hiroshima, Mr. Teshima.

Mr. Teshima reading the message from the mayor of Hiroshima

Harashita introduced the World Harmony Run and we held one minute silence. Then Jarmila from Czech Republic offered flowers at the Peace Memorial.

Offering flowers at the Peace Memorial

Mr. Teshima read out a message written for the World Harmony Run by the mayor of Hiroshima city, Mr. Akiba, and Pramiti read out the message from the Nagasaki mayor. Shortly after, carefully observed by several TV and newspaper reporters, Mr. Teshima lit the torch that was going to glow on the roads of Japan for the next ten days.

With members of the Running Club after the ceremony

Right from the start our running crew was strengthened by the presence of twelve enthusiastic runners from Seniors' Running Club of Hiroshima in orange uniforms, led by Mr. Kanao. Mrs. Takebayashi from Hiroshima Athletic Association was also present. We circled around the Park and headed for the city.

A lap around the Peace Memorial Park

Running through Hiroshima city

This day, we had visits to three elementary schools in our schedule. A very sweet heart-resonance was present at the Hakushima Elementary School. With seventy-two children with beaming faces and glowing souls we exchanged soulful performance offerings. The children played on their recorders and sang and our team presented a program about harmony.

A message to the Run from the children of Hakushima school

We also exchanged pictures that were drawn by Mongolian school children with the pictures that the Japanese children had prepared.

Exchange of pictures

At the end of the happy meeting, we ran with the children in the school yard holding the torch. The 45 minutes were so short!

Minirelay in the school yard

Hakushima elementary school pupils

Another nice experience came at Noboricho Elementary School where seventy 4-grade students greeted us with a great pomp. We had a joyful time at the school. Their teacher prepared prints about our run and about harmony for the children, so they were well prepared.

Everyone in Noboricho school wanted to hold the torch

We liked the visit to Noboricho school

The 6-graders from Motomachi Elementary School under the skillful guidance of their sensei surprised us with a powerful and lively Soran dance performance and we sang the World Harmony Run song for them in return.

Children from Motomachi school listening to our presentation

Powerful Soran dance

A sweet point to a day filled with joy derived from heart-felt oneness was done by enthusiastic runners' families Yano and Kakihara who joined us in the suburb of Higashi-Hiroshima and accompanied us all the way to our first day's goal in front of Saijo station.

Mr. Yano with his daughter participated for the first time

The crew wishes to express its deepest gratitude to all the teachers, students and runners who offered their goodwill to humanity by participating in today's course and programme of the World Harmony Run 2008 in Japan.

Distance: 43 km

Team Members:
Erdenebaatar (Mongolia), Erik (Slovakia), Gunarashi, Harashita, Jarmila (Czech), Jyotirmala, Karel (Czech), Ombo (Mongolia), Pramiti, Tsogo (Mongolia), Vikshanam (Mongolia)

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