“The World Harmony Run carries this dream: through running we can unite people throughout the whole world. And I invite you all to join − wherever you are  and whoever you are: President, Mayor, athlete, teacher and most of all children. You are the hopes and dreams of a better world!”  — Tegla Loroupe, Marathon World Champion

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 Portugal

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Mostar, Bosnia

“The bridges are always connecting people.  Sometimes we are finding differences, and in anger we break not only inner but also outer bridges. It takes time, love and
understanding to rebuild them.  That is the spirit we felt on our visit to the Bosnian city of Mostar.

The Team passed across the bridge between two parts of the city of  Mostar. This bridge was originally  built in the 16th century, but was totally destroyed in 1993 during the war. It was particularly singled out for destruction by troops up in the mountains as the bridge represented the spirit and heart of the city. However, in 2004
the bridge was rebuilt under the organisation of UNESCO, using some of the original stones.

The rebuilding of the bridge represented a rebirth of the city when the people of Mostar rose above the water like a crescent brought back to life. A view at the bridge symbolises an ageless message: The one who gives to the others is best of all others. People are passengers. In time, they come and go. Only goodness stays on. As the poet said: We shall pass and leave the bridge behind.”

— Apaguha Veselý, Czech Republic
Mostar, Bosnia

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Bosnia, 28 April 2006 – “The Team ran the final 14km to Mostar in heavy rain, with the high ground, covered by low wispy clouds, rising from the river valley. For many of us it was simply shocking to see the real war site – burned houses with bullet holes all over. It was really touching to meet local children who remember the war like yesterday. Not even the rain could dampen their spirits; at every two kilometres a new group of children cheerfully joined us. They had waited in the pouring rain and they ran with so much joy, enthusiasm and freedom. It was uplifting to run with them and laugh as we ran through puddles with our clothes and shoes drenched from the rain. As we approached the city limits of Mostar, more children joined us and the pace, dynamism and energy of the run multiplied. At the centre of Mostar we had a ceremony where the
local city representatives welcomed us. All around the main square the constant reminder of the war was not far away in the form of ruins and half destroyed buildings yet to be pulled down and rebuilt. It made the ceremony of handing the torch to the children to pass to one another even more poignant to the runners. We will probably never forget this experience.”  — Apaguha Veselý, Czech Republic

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 Great Britain

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Denmark

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Italy

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HRH Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, An eternal flame for Peace was lit with four Peace Run Torches at the 50th Anniversary of V.E. Day celebrations in Hyde Park, London in 1995. Queen Elizabeth then used a Peace Torch to ignite the first of 1800
beacons of peace throughout Great Britain.

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“You are continuing to build a bridge between peoples and nations. Your contributions are most welcome in our turbulent times.”  - Vladimir Petrovsky, former Director-General of the United Nations in Geneva.

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“I am happy that the noble initiatives of Sri Chinmoy have found their enthusiastic practitioners in the Slovak Republic. My personal experience with this group of young
people has been unforgettable. These are people who are determined to live life full of love and understanding, people who know that true peace must have its roots in
the hearts of people of our world. “ - Michal Kovác, former president of Slovakia participates in WHR ceremony in Bratislava (2005)

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“Your message is essential.  I hope it will be understood everywhere.” - Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg

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HRH Prince Charles holds the Torch during a visit to Canada

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President of the Republic of Macedonia Boris Trajkovski with Sri Chinmoy in New York
2002

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Paula Radcliffe, British Marathon champion and world record holder.

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Michael Schumacher, German motor champion and Formula One legend

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Carolina Kluft, Swedish heptathlete, Olympic gold medalist and world champion

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Sergey Bubka, Ukrainian pole-vaulting legend and Olympic champion

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Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of International Olympic Committee, holds the Torch with Sri Chinmoy in Geneva

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Gennady Strekalov, Russian Cosmonaut, took the torch on the spacestation MIR for its orbit around the Earth (1995)

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Sir Paul McCartney, British musical great, meets the World Harmony Run in New Zealand

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Marcel Marceau, legendary artist of French mime

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Purushottama Boris Grebenshikov, founder of Russian legendary underground rock band Aquarium grasps the torch having received the Torch-Bearer Award at the closing ceremony of USA part of the run.

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“I extend to you my support and wish you to carry this spirit of victory and oneness through all of homelands, bearing the vast harmony and peace in our hearts.”  - Tatyana Lebedeva, Russian long-jumper, Olympic gold medalist

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 Hungary

We actively encourage people and communities along the route to bring their own special contribution to the Run, and truly ake the Run and the ideals it embodies their own. Indeed, the Run would not exist if it were not for the fact that thousands of  ordinary men and women across the globe have put their efforts into the Run and added their own unique contribution to make it truly special. What sets the World Harmony Run apart is the simplicity and universality of its message.

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Bulgaria

“In the Bulgarian countryside we met a lot of nice people along the way. When we were in Varna, we visited the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa’s Order. It was a really spiritual conversation. The sisters are really sweet and pure, laughing all the time. They are from different parts of the world, trying to live in harmony with themselves.  They embody the ideals of the Run. They blessed the Torch in their chapel and we prayed together.” — Baridhi Yonchev, Bulgaria

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 Moldova

 “One part of the team ran with the children from yesterday thatn had eagerly returned for more, while the other team headed some 20 km ahead. The children there were also fantastic – they simply did not want to stop running with us and welcomed us by singing a few songs for us. So we had to thank them by singing a song for them also, the World Harmony Run song.

Unfortunately, we had to make our meeting short because we were already late. Our van even went away without half of the team, who had to send a runner about 2 km with flowers and the traditional bread in their hands! About 20 boys on bikes greeted the runners. The boys on their bikes lined up like a guard of honour as the runner gleefully ran between them. 

Each child gave a flower to a runner, and at the end some runners were quite overwhelmed with flowers. Secretly, some children had a favourite runner!  By this point the whole of the middle row in the van was covered with sweet smelling and colourful flowers. For a day the World Harmony Run could have opened up a florist!”
— Dipavajan Renner, Austria

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 Russia

Since 1999 the World Harmony Run in Europe has linked to Runs in the Russian Federation.

 Start of Russian leg of the World Harmony Run at the Red Square in Moscow

The Russian team in 2008 started the torch relay in Moscow, running some 19,000 kilometres to Vladivostok in 215 days. In 2010 we connected Asia with Europe, with Hiroshima, Japan, as the starting point. This was the first continuous route through the Asian continent, spanning over 20,000 km, and finishing in Moscow.