Sri Chinmoy:
The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

A documentary Programme  of music ans slides was shared with the UN community in Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium on 13 October.

The programme was organized by the three members of the Peace Meditation at the UN who completed the 9,000 mile non-stop relay run through all fifty states of America. They joined the Liberty Torch Bicentennial Group this summer for what has been praised as the most outstanding athletic event of the USA Bicentennial .

The Liberty Torch runners carried a flaming torch through every state to symbolise the rekindling of the spiritual’ values and human ideals that shaped the visions of America’s founding fathers 200 years ago.

Statue of Liberty to UN headquarters and salute by  Sri Chinmoy there on  day one.

• They began the 51 day odyssey 26 June, with ceremonies at the Statue of Liberty and at Battery Park where Bella Abzug and Lt.Governor MaryAnn Krupsak officiated.

• The team then ran up First Avenue to the United Nations Headquarters in NY, where Sri Chinmoy, leader of the Peace Meditation Group at the U.N., carried the torch around the circular drive and saluted the UN with torch, raised high.

For the runners, who all meditate (and especially our UN contingent), this was a moving experience because it showed that the love of one’s own country can expand into a global concern. Sri Chinmoy encouraged the bicentennial run as a way to celebrate the event.

From the UN the Liberty Torch ran northward into New England. ‘

T’he 33 member group was divided into two teams.

• One team would keep the torch moving, day and night (each runner covering between 5 and 10 miles at a time),
• While the other team had time for sleeping , eating or sightseeing.
• Each team carried the torch for 20 hours, about 180 miles, and was then relieved by the other team.

After passing through New England and moving down the east coast to Florida, they headed west, reaching San Francisco on 24 July.

From there it was north to Washington state and then back east through Chicago to Washington D.C. They had planned the run to end in the nation’s capitol, but when they heard Mayor Beame wanted to honour their effort in New York, they decided to run back, arriving on 16 August. After all it was only another 300 miles!

The members had countless stories to tell about the Liberty Torch run. their Boston experience is memorable.

• As they approached the city of Boston, they met a Police officer who got so excited about the run that he jumped into his patrol car, radioed his superior that he was leaving his ‘ duties, and escorted the team through the city.
• As they passed through the different precincts, he called for additional escorts until, by the time they reached the center of town, their escort totaled five patrol cars, sixp olice trucks and two officers on motorcycles.
• Hundreds of people lined the streets while the policeman friend declared over a loudspeaker that this was truly an event of historic significance. That was their Bost0n experience.

Chicago was strikingly similar to this; While in another major city, Atlanta, the team were more than happy to be able to lead their fourth of July parade the largest parade in the nation.

The large cities across the nation were tremendous, but the small towns of America welcomed them with open hearts.

Slapout Oklahoma has a population of 9. They could hardly expect much of a reception there, so they were amazed to see 200 people, gathered from the surrounding ranches and farms, cheering by the side of t he road. 84 year old Tom Lemon, founder and “Honorary Mayor” of the town carried the torch for the few yards that comprised main Street. One team member commented :”The people had prepared home-made ice cream for us, the best we had ever eaten!”

In Colorado, one runner ran nine extremely strenuous miles through hail and cold rain up to Wolf Creek Pass,elevation 10,850 feet. As he finally reached the top, totally exhausted, he found a park ranger dressed like Smokey the Bear waiting to carry the torch! The poor runner is still not sure it was not just an hallucination!

The greatest surprise of the trip was awaiting as they finally arrived back in New York. They said “We were sincerely moved by the city’s welcoming ceremony . About 1,000 people were on hand in front of Federal Hall at the corner of Broad and Wall Street when the entire team approached, running, in formation. Mayor Beame graciously proclaimed that day, 16 August 1976, Liberty Torch Day . It was a beautiful conclusion to a most rewarding experience.”

pictures to be added

some were with article in UN Secretariat News.

Cecck with Saral or others who may have access to the Secretariat News article.