• World Harmony Run

    World's Largest Torch Relay
    World Harmony Run

  • 1,000,000 Participants

    Across 6 Continents
    1,000,000 Participants

  • Dreaming of a more harmonious world

    100 countries
    Dreaming of Harmony

  • Schools And Kids

    Make a Wish for Peace
    Schools And Kids

  • Sri Chinmoy: World Harmony Run Founder

    World Harmony Run Founder
    Sri Chinmoy

  • Carl Lewis: World Harmony Run Spokesman

    World Harmony Run Spokesman
    Carl Lewis

  • New York, USA

    New York
    USA

  • London, Great Britain

    London
    Great Britain

  • Shakhovskaya, Russia

    Shakhovskaya
    Russia

  • Around Australia

    15,000 kms, 100 days
    Around Australia

  • Around Ireland

    14 Days, 1500km
    Around Ireland

  • Wanaka, New Zealand

    Wanaka
    New Zealand

  • Arjang, Norway

    Arjang
    Norway

  • Rekjavik, Iceland

    Rekjavik
    Iceland

  • Beijing, China

    Beijing
    China

  • Prague, Czech Republic

    Prague
    Czech Republic

  • Belgrade, Serbia

    Belgrade
    Serbia

  • Lake Biwa, Japan

    Lake Biwa
    Japan

  • Kapsait, Ethiopia

    Kapsait
    Kenya

  • Pangkor Island, Malaysia

    Pangkor Island
    Malaysia

  • Bali, Indonesia

    Bali
    Indonesia

  • The All Blacks, New Zealand

    The All Blacks
    New Zealand

South Africa 25 October: Johanesburg, South Africa - Soweto

Monday October 25th, South Africa

The World Harmony Run 2010 began today in South Africa

It was a great experience to be on the World Harmony Run in Soweto today. Somehow whenever I visit Soweto I com away feeling that this is how all of South Africa should be. We really experienced the warm heart of this beautiful country. Below are some intial photos uploaded quickly with text that will be further edited as time allows.

Shree and Ashima from South Africa and India respectively were keen to get started.

Making and Dinesh from the DRC and India respectively were also eagerly anticipating a first day on the World Harmony Run.

Once the torch was lit the team headed for the first school.

As we entered the Nka Thuto Primary School..

The staff and students gave a very warm welcome.

The presentations this day all included an introduction to the world harmony run, the number of countries it has visited since 1987 when it was foundered by Sri Chinmoy and some exercises and games,

Words that represent qualities that help to support harmony were suggested such as Peace, Friendship, love, tolerance, truth and forgiveness.

There was a time to feel harmony together .....

 

Guessing the countries the runners represent is always a popular game.

The students at Nka Thuto Primary performed a gum boot dance famous in South Africa.

And enjoyed passing the torch "hand to hand' and "heart to heart"

 

Friendship and harmony was evident in many of the students smiles,

The Principal makes a wish for World Harmony

As we left we could see the famous cooling towers of the Soweto power station in the distance to the right.

The second school today was Thabisang Primary School.

We first noticed different flags on outside of classroom doors and that made us feel very welcome. The programme was introduced and in somc cases performed by a very poised program coordinator.

One of the school parents had made a beautiful copy of the World Harmony Run emblem in steel mounted on a white background.

The first performance was a great rendition of “Let me be there” by the school choir.

A grade 3 learner recited the poem "I am an African" with real poise and power.

There was a beautiful a performance of the "waka –waka" dance

And a young solo performer gave joy to all.

 

As a grand finale the school choir sang the Harmony run song towards the end of the event which concluded with a the special fireworks round of applause for all participants.

 

Everybody had the opportunity to touch the Torch and make a wish for world harmony.

We were impressed that despite a recent theft of the school sound system the students heartfelt performances carried the program beautifully.

We finishied off our programme at the school with a run at breakneck speed around the grounds. The school running team, the principal and one spirited teacher joined the runners as we went up the hill on our way to our next school.

At a number of schools the Banner of the World Harmony Run was a point of special discussion since it shows support for the  "International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures"  (IYRC). This year has been designated by the United Nations and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The IYRC celebration of cultural diversity and exchanges between cultures fits very well with the ongoing multi-year efforts of the World Harmony Run.

Our next visit was to the famours Mbuyisa Makhubu Primary School.

This school is named after the heroic individual who carried lifeless Hector Peterson in the 1976 Soweto Uprising.

The Logo for the IYRC has six languages and at some programmes it is noted that on the banner for the year there is room for additional languages after the 6th language.  The Logo for the year also provides a opportunity to mention International Mother language Day. dedicated to promoting linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was proclaimed by UNESCO's General Conference in November of 1999.For information and related resources:

Note: The Day of the African Child is celebrated on June 16 in recognition of the day when, in 1976, thousands of black school children in Soweto, South Africa, took to the streets to protest the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot; and in the two weeks of protest that followed, more than 100 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured.  (http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40005.html)

 

The "God Bless Africa" anthem was beautifully sung at the end of the program.

The support and kindness of the school leadership when the Harmony Run Team visited in 2008 was remembered. We again received their enthusiastic welcome,

The fourth school that we were privaliged to visit was Mzamo Primary School

Near the end of the main program the students sang the World Harmony song and did the hand movements,

Then all the students formed a big circle so everyone could hold the torch and make a wish for world harmony.

Running with the torch was an occasion for all kinds of enthusiam.

After our program the student performed song the World Harmony Run song with hand movements

A big circle was formed so everyone could touch the torch

The fifth school that we visited today was Shomang Primary.

One of the senior teachers greated us and remarked that since we had last visted, the World Cup had come and he was happy to have the World Harmony Run to visit again.

We all had a chance to feel harmony together.

The senior teacher very enthusiastically joined in the singing of the World Harmony Run song and then personally led the students to say and the sing the words many times

As we were leaving the principal kindly told us that he very much appreciates the message of Harmony we share and most importantly how we share it.

He said the children are entertained which is good, but most important was the way that the shared experience teaches. He also appreciated that having runners from different countries on the team and the children guessing where they are from helps the children learn.

Moses, the care taker was also most enthusiastic and requested to come on the run next time.

At some events there was time to mention An excerpt from the message from Davidson Hepburn, President of the General Conference of UNESCO, to all the participants of the World Harmony Run in 2010

"There is great value in bringing together different kinds of people, different forces, different views, different religions, and different beliefs....

"By carrying a torch to over 100 nations this year, World Harmony Run reinforces the goals and objectives of 2010: International Year, and provides a chance for all participants to expand their awareness and living experiences of other cultures. It is indeed an excellent opportunity to develop an appreciation of diversity through art, culture and sports. This communal sharing of our hopes and dreams is fundamental for building the foundations of peace and harmony.

"The multi-cultural, international, and local participation of the World Harmony Run demonstrates the concept of peace and harmony in a unique and practical way and reinforces the goals and objectives of UNESCO's mandate and the International Year...

"it is with great pleasure that I support and encourage initiatives like the World Harmony Run that touch and inspire people's hearts and put values of diversity, dialogue, and understanding so central to UNESCO's work into action.''

Link to full message of President Davidson Hepburn here:

http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/unesco_year/davidson_hepburn_unesco_message

Other messages further described the significance of 2010 and the Run.

Southern Africa Region -  Harmony Run 2010 reports and photos:

 

– Abhijatri, Adhiratha, Dhiraja and others

Distance: 7 km

Team Members:
Balarka Robinson (Zimbabwe), Dhiraja Barney McBryde (New Zealand), Steve Polykarpou (RSA/Cyprus), Shree Chirkoot (RSA), Ashima Tomar (India), Dinesh Tomar (India), Making (Democratic Republic of Congo), Adhiratha Keefe (USA), Abhijatri Robinson (Zimbabwe)

Gallery: See more images!


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