Europe

Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican, Wales

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In 1991, the first Soviet Peace Run was inaugurated in the Kremlin in Red Square. Some 5,000 runners joined in the start of the Run.

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The 1999 European Run started in Lisbon, Portugal, on 1 January and ended in London on 31 December to celebrate the Millennium.

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         Italy

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Greece    

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     Slovakia

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England    

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     Czech Republic

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Turkey    

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     Vatican

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France         

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        Hungary

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Andorra   

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      Norway

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Spain      

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     Italy

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    London, Westminster Bridge

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 Prague, Charles Bridge  

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   Berlin, Brandenburg Gate

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Over the years, the World Harmony Run has grown in size and scope, and has touched every corner of the globe. The European leg of the Run takes place from March to October every second year and runs through all European countries on its route, a total of 27,000 kilometres.

Throughout Europe, the Run is met enthusiastically by thousands of people. Many special events are arranged, in which the running team meets local schoolchildren and dignitaries, but the chance encounters with people on the road are a source of special delight. To complete the 27,000 kilometres, the team runs in turns, accompanied by support vehicles. Though it is a relay, many runners regularly run 10-20 kilometres at a time. Life on the road is a unique experience, each day offering the chance to meet new people and visit different places.

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Firenze, Italy

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Sardinia, Italy

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The first Peace Run in Europe began on 13 June 1987 with runners starting from six European cities simultaneously (Nordkap, Den Haag, Vienna, Athens, Glasgow and Nizza) all converging in Geneva on  13 July where the final ceremony was held at the
United Nations. Here the runners were welcomed by UN Director-General, Mr. Jan Martenson.

By 1991, runners from the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries participated in the Run.  In 1993, eight main routes as well as several spurs
began at different points in Europe, converging in Vienna for the closing ceremony. Since then, the Run in Europe has been held in one long, continuous route, traveling
through the entire continent, connecting all countries and finishing in a major European city, taking up to eight months.

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Germany

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England

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“You have dedicated your life to what is most precious, to what makes the foundation
for all mankind. You represent, in a nutshell, a philosophy of goodness, the
philosophy of kindness, of light and everything  that is best about people.”  - President Mikhail Gorbachev, long-time friend and supporter of the World Harmony Run, holds the Torch with his wife Raisa  Maximovna in New York in 1994.

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“I salute the runners of the Peace Run who are carrying a torch to the destination of
peace through the streets of the world.”  - Pope John Paul II ,May 31st, 1995 blessing
the Torch in the Vatican and holding it with Sri Chinmoy.

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“Thank you for all you are to God, for the beautiful work you have done for the glory
of God and the good of souls .” - June 25 1997 Mother Teresa holds the torch
with Sri Chinmoy and the Missionaries of Charity in Rome, Italy.

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top left/ Holland, bottom left/ Bulgaria, top right/ Scotland, bottom right/ Croatia

“Sometimes we get caught up in the differences, but really, the message of this run is
that there is far more that unites us than divides us as one human family,”  — Salil Wilson, Australia

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Turkey

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 Iceland

Just as humanity’s yearning or world harmony finds expression in every field of human endeavour, so also participation in the World Harmony Run can be through music, art or writing, as well as running. Participation in the World Harmony Run is free and it’s fun!

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 Ireland

“In 2008 a team of runners ran around the entire coastline f Ireland (1400 km). We
experienced real Irish weather. There is no other part of the world where you can enjoy
rain, wind, snow and sun at the same time. But the hearts of Irish people were a real treat for everyone, welcoming and kind.”  Ashish Zubatý, Czech Republic

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Austria

“The regular summer day began with rain so we were quite right in expecting some nice trouble when ascending the mountain, which is the highest one in the whole of Austria. (Grossglockner 2576m) As we climbed up the ‘hill’ the weather was getting
more and more difficult as well as the hard hill-work.

The snow was coming onto us from all sides but our wonderful heroes kept on running and running, upwards and upwards. Some of us did not manage to get some warmer clothes, so they had to run happily in short pants!”

— Dipavajan Renner, Austria

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Norway

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 Iceland, Glacier Lagoon

“We ran to Jökulsarlón (otherwise known as Glacier Lagoon), the home of Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. Though the ice is melting every year, victim to the salt water from the sea, it is still a spectacular sight.” — Noivedya Mark Juddery, Australia

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Iceland, Blue Lagoon

We took the torch into the lagoon and the security guard instantly  pproached us, as we were about to enter the lagoon with the lit torch. Once we explained the World Harmony Run he was a little bemused that we wished to run with the torch in the lagoon. Apaguha  will make us do anything for a good photographic opportunity. But what a spectacular shot!

There is nothing else like this that we’ve experienced on the European leg of the World Harmony Run. The whole topography of  Iceland is unique with its solidified lava flows and dormant volcanoes.  In places it looks as though it is a scene from ‘The Lost World’, or ‘The Land That Time Forgot’.

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Russia

Part of the run is also a little fun for the running team: seeing new sights, flying in a helicopter, running to mountain summits, bungee jumping, swimming across lagoons, even parachuting.

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 Iceland, Glacer Lake

The boat trip across the glacier lake.

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