Today we participated in an Earth Day celebration organized by the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. This beautiful park is the location where we traditionally launch the International World Harmony Run from every other year. Click for more on the 2010 International Launch. 

Organizer Sherill Kazan did a wonderful job in bringing people and groups together to create a informative and delightful celebration of earth day.

Paul Crawford (left) of the local 47th street Vanderbilt YMCA, pictured here with Sherill, was invaluable in providing logistical support as well as the sound system.

Dancers from IBREA and Earth Citizen held the torch and led us in movement.

The Ebony Hillbillies entertained the crowd with their toe tapping tunes to get the program started.

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New York State Senator, Liz Krueger, 26th Senate District, joined in the proceedings and offered some encouraging words to all the participants. She spoke about some things that had already been accomplished and important environmental items that she is pursuing with her colleagues and other interested parties.

A key speaker was Jan McAlpine, Director of the United Nations Division on Forests and head of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat, based at UN Headquarters in New York. The UNFF is a body in the United Nations made up of all 192 countries in the United Nations. It addresses all aspects of forests - from complete protection on one end of the spectrum to sustainable use one the other end, and everything in-between, including people, climate change, soils, water and biodiversity, among other issues.

Ms. McAlpine was appreciative to see the logo for the International Year of Forests on our the WHR banner for 2011 and the literature we had available.

She also had a big copy of the IYF logo which had the six official languages of the UN on it (see in background light green) and mentioned that this logo has now been translated into many more languages.  

There was a fun point in the presentation where the symbols on the logo for the year were pointed out by Joan and people were offering comments on the meanings

The shelter, food, animals and biodeversity are easier to get.

Some are surprised to know how much of the medicines we use also come from the forests.   

The most difficult to guess seemed to be the yellow curved lines - which represents the flow of water in some indiginenous peoples drawings and art. All were very good examples of how running teams may also introduce in fun way the year and logo at the different locations and countries the run will be this year.

During her presentation, Ms.McAlpine  also shared some personal thoughts of appreciation for the much admired 2nd Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold of Sweden and this plaza bearing his name. She lived for a number of years in Africa and was in the Congo when Dag Hammarskjold passed away when his plane went down near there. 

State Representative Liz Krueger, (left) and well as New York City Councillor, Daniel R. Garodnick, (third from right) joins with the IBREA group.

Councillor Garodnick holds the torch with a few of our  team.

We were very fortunate to have with us, Mr. James Sniffen, of the Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)  in NY who along with his other duties, deals with outreach to civil society and policy development. April 22nd is the 31st anniversary of the Earth Day created in 1970, and it is remembered by UNEP as a landmark for the environmental movement. A movement that gave birth to UNEP. A related event  World Environment Day (WED)  is celebrated on June fifth each year.  Through decades of WED celebrations, hundreds of thousands of people from countries all over the world have been mobilized for individual and organized environmental action. This year the theme is "Forests: Nature At Your Service".

Mr Sniffen, is known to many in NY for his dedicated years of participating in environmental related forums and programmes. Above (center) he shares the World Harmony Torch with some youth and Organizer Sherill Kazan.

We shared the message of the Run and sang the World Harmony Run song.

Many young friends from the local Vanderbilt Y and everyone else came up for a chance to hold the torch and make a wish for world peace.

Marc Ian Barasch, Executive Director of the Greenworld Campaign shared some of the tremendous work he is doing.

These were some of the performers who kept us all smiling

and gave more meaning and voice to the fact that this year (through August 2011)  is also the International Year of Youth, also displayed on the banner.

After the program we took the torch to the Farmers Market near-by in the park. We offered the people an opportunity to take a moment to hold the torch and thanked them for adding their presence today and many other days... 

Many of these people come here every Wednesday in all sorts of weather.

They provide a great service to the local community by offering baked goods and fresh fruits, vegetables and other items in an open air market.

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Near  the food stalls we met with Doug and his friends who were curious about the run and where the torch had been in previous years.

Doug, an aspiring model made a wish for world peace.

Doug's colleagues and photographers also took a moment to hold the torch.

At the moment there are some statues in Dag Hammarskjold plaza so we thought they might like to hold the torch.

 Borders" 26 Life-sized Sculptures Grace Park Plaza

The twenty-six androgynous, life-size sculpted human forms are posed on park benches in seated postures, while others are standing or crouching, the sculptures are the work of Icelandic artist Steinunn Thorarinsdottier. Thirteen are aluminum, and 13, cast iron. The installation will be on view until September 2011. More info at http://www.hammarskjoldplaza.org/sculpture_steinunn_2011.html

Some even made a wish for world peace.

Then we had to go for a run...

Special thanks again to Sherrill for pulling together such a mix of diverse individuals and groups all supporting the goals of a better world. Well done.

Some more of the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza.

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The World Harmnoy Run proudly supports the International Year of Youth (IYY) and the International Year of Forests (IYF) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

See also recent Youtube video which illustrates IYY slogan "Our Year Our Voice"  International Year of Youth - Zambia World Harmony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6qehMiIWuYRun

– Salil Wilson and others

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