A Moment’s Peace – Newsletter AMP/1983-03 May / Jun 1983

Filed under Moments peace - Update Pub & Archive

Content Highlights:

New PERSPECTIVES – BIMILLENIUM CELEBRATION OF LIFE – excerpt from a book by Assistant-Secretary-General Mr. Robert Muller entitled New Genesis  (Doubleday, 1982).

PEACE WALK FOR UNITED NATIONS CHARTER DAY – UN community will be participating in a silent walk on 23-24 June 1983 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the U.N. Charter on 26 June 1945

A WEAKENING OF MULTILATERALISM  – Javier Perez de Cuellar (Secretary-General) – ” The major challenge which we face is the maintenance of peace and the construction of a more reliable system of order in the world. …”

CONCERT FOR PEACE – A special concert on Monday, 21 June, Sri Chinmoy performing  and members of the Meditation  Group will present  vocal and instrumental  ensembles. Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium at 6:00 p.m.

SONG –  UN, UN. I Know you surely Can

FUN RUNS –  Friday and Sunday, 20 and 22  May, sponsored by the Meditation Group. Quote: Mr. Allan Robertson, Chief of the UN’s Commercial Management Service…

MEDITATION AT THE U.N. (Q and A)

  • Question: What is the most important aspect of our work at the United Nations?
  • Sri Chinmoy: … the lofty vision and powerful messages that the United Nations over the years has offered…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS – Ongoing events and June programmes:

– – – – – – – – – – –  –  – –  Details Below – – – – – – – – – –  – – – – – – – – – – – –

New PERSPECTIVES – BIMILLENIUM CELEBRATION OF LIFE
The following is an excerpt from a book by Assistant-Secretary-General Mr. Robert Muller entitled New Genesis  (Doubleday, 1982).

  • “I have observed during my lifetime that it is difficult to hold together any human group for long if there is not a vision, an ideal, an objective, a dream. To bind the human family together, to foster its further ascent, to prevent it from losing ground and falling into the abyss of despair, we must have a constant vision, a dream for the human family.
  • We will not swim forever in the present sea of complexity if we are not shown a shore. Unfortunately when one looks at the curricula of schools and universities, at the media and literature, one does not find any shores. The dreams of  peace, of world fraternity and of the united Nations are all too often scoffed at and ignored as childish and hopeless fantasies. Of course, they become hopeless by the mere disbelief of the people. Peace and right human relations are not solely matters for governments and international agencies. They are the concern of every human being. There is an immense power for peace and good in the four and a half billion people of this planet. We each have our sphere of influence. No government can forever remain insensitive to the people’s demands.
  • The defense of peace, good human relations and the United Nations rests largely in the bands of the people. Nothing prevents them from joining United Nations associations or citizens’ groups for peace. Never should one underestimate the real power of the people and of their dreams, if they really want to be heard. This is why, on the occasion of Earth Day, I proposed that humanity should hold in the year 2000 a world-wide Bimillennium Celebration · of Life preceded by unparalleled thinking, perception, inspiration, elevation, planning and love for the achievement of a peaceful, happy and godly human society on earth.”…

PEACE WALK FOR UNITED NATIONS CHARTER DAY

  • Members of the United Nations community will be participating in a silent walk on 23-24 June 1983 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the united Nations Charter on 26 June 1945. The event, “Peace Walk for United Nations Charter Day”, has been conceived by members of Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the united Nations as a means of bringing together peoples from all corners of the globe to share their yearning for peace and faith in its Ultimate triumph.
  • During the event groups of walkers representing each of the 157 united Nations Member States will walk one circuit around the United Nations North Garden. Permanent Representatives are cordially invited to lead their delegation and are asked to encourage their families and nationals to walk. The walk will be carried out in silence, in a contemplative spirit, and, in its totality will represent an eloquent and dignified expression of a renewed commitment to peace by the nations of the world. A reception will follow the conclusion of the two-day event.
  • “Peace .Walk for United Nations Charter Day” will take place on 23-24 June ~983 during the regular public hours of the North Garden, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Requests for further information may be addressed to: Mr. S. Paradis, “Peace Walk for the United Nations Charter Day”.

A WEAKENING OF MULTlLATERALISM  – – Javier Perez de Cuellar (Secretary-General)

  • The major challenge which we face is the maintenance of peace and the construction of a more reliable system of order in the world. Despite the wisdom of those responsible for the creation of the United Nations, the Organization has not yet developed the influence or strength always to deal effectively with disputes between nations. These disputes often leacf to actual conflicts.
  • The success of the Security Council in controlling conflicts after they have started has been somewhat greater than its success in preventing conflicts, or in persuading Governments to adopt procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes.
  • But even its capacity to control conflicts, as for example the current war between Iraq and Iran, has been limited. As a result, there has been an erosion of the status of the United Nations and a general weakening of the multilateral approach to international problems of peace and security.
  • The East-West division,which is directly reflected in the United Nations, has radically weakened the original concept of the Charter, according to which the permanent members of the Security Council would meet jointly the special responsibility accorded to them for the preservation of peace. The sterner measures to keep the peace provided for in the Charter, such as the use by the Security Council of an international military force, have proven impractical because of this division within the international community.

CONCERT FOR PEACE:

  • A special concert will take place on Monday, 21 June. The concert will feature Sri Chinmoy performing original  compositions on the flute,  Indian esraj and harmonium.  As well, members of the Meditation  Group will present  vocal and instrumental  ensembles.
  • The concert will be held in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium at 6:00 p.m.

“Music brings to us universal harmony. The deeper  within we go, the clearer it becomes that we are all bound  together in the music of inner oneness. One supreme  tune is being played and this  tune is the tune of universal  oneness” •

I know you surely Can

U.N., U.N., U.N.!  I know you surely can

transform the the human face,  Illumine the earthly race,

and strike the Hour Supreme to clasp your Promise-Dream

FUN RUNS
Upon the conclusion of the ever-popular Fun Runs held on Friday and Sunday, 20 and 22  May, sponsored by the Meditation Group, Mr. Allan Robertson, Chief of the UN’s Commercial Management Service  sent a letter of appreciation  which said, in part:

“To most of us, these races  mean many things as was evidenced  by the large turn out  despite the inclement weather.  They give us an opportunity  of knowing the Sri Chinmoy Group work in Community Service and how it relates  to the ideals of the United Nations, of meeting  some of our colleagues in a  most casual and friendly  manner, and of having fun and  knowing that we can achieve something athletically.”

MEDITATION AT THE U.N.
Question: What is the most important aspect of our work at the united Nations?
Sri Chinmoy: The most important aspect of your work at the United Nations should be to prove to yourself that you  are a worthy member of the United Nations world-family. This  you can do only by keeping all the time in front of you the lofty vision and powerful messages that the United Nations over the years has offered to you and offers to you still.

  • You should not see its failure in any way, at any time, but you should see only its success and feel only its progress – its gradual success in its outer life of dedication and its gradual progress in the inner life of aspiration. Always you have to keep in front of your mental vision what the United Nations has done and what it has become – rather than what it has not done or what it is not going to accomplish.
  • In the course of time the United Nations will definitely achieve and grow into everything that is good, divine and supreme. But just because it has not achieved these things at this particular stage of its development, just because over the years it has encountered failure in some of its efforts, we cannot say that the vision of the United Nations is imperfect or that it will not succeed. No, it will succeed – slowly, steadily and unerringly. For that, each individual member has a significant role to play according to his own inner awakening.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Ongoing events:

  •  Introductory meditation classes
  • Silent meditations led by Sri Chinmoy, twice weekly

June programmes:

  • 23-24 June — “Peace Walk for United Nations Charter day”,
    •  followed by- Reception (6:00 p.m.)
  •  21 June Concert by Sri Chinmoy, 6:00 p.m., Dag Hammarskjc51d Library Auditorium

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Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations is an association of  U.N. delegates, staff, NGO representatives and accredited- press correspondents who believe that inner reflection and meditation can bring us in touch with the founding spirit of the United Nations and inspire renewed dedication to its ideals.

In operation since 1970, the Meditation Group has had since its inception the kind guidance of Sri Chinmoy, Internationally renowned philosopher, meditation teacher, artist, musician and author of over numerousbooks s on meditation and related subjects.

This information is presented as a service and does not necessarily represent the official views of the united Nations or its Agencies