A Moment’s Peace – Newsletter AMP/1983-05 Sep / Dec 1983

Filed under Moments peace - Update Pub & Archive

Content Highlights:

On 28 October, Dr. Jorge Illueca, President of the General Assembly, delivered the address at the UN Day ceremony in celebration of the thirty-eighth birthday of the United Nations…

DELEGATES’ PEACE MEDITATION – Delegates and their wives  invited to twice-weekly meditations at the UN and a short talk once a month .

RUN AND BECOME – 14 and 16 Oct, the Meditation Group held the sixth in an ongoing series of races for the UN community

1983 U THANT AWARD – The  recipient of the 1983 U Thant Award is H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, President of the Thirty-Eighth Session of the General Assembly.

SONG – They say, U.N. is puny, weak and poor.

JFK REMEMBERED – On 21 November, tributes were offered at the U.N. to John F. Kennedy at a ceremony marking the twentieth anniversary of his assassination.

  • Ambassador Sir John Thompson, United Kingdom: “I was most impressed on many occasions at his capacity to listen, to be silent, to take in what was being said and to turn it over…
  • Mr. Orville Freeman, President, UNA-USA: “He felt keenly, he understood and he reached out all- over the world wit a depth of feeling and commitment and sensitivity that just communicated….

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

A MOMENT’S PEACE   – MG/AMP 83-5 SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 1983

UNITED NATIONS  the Heart–Home” of the World·Body

 SRI CHINMOY: THE PEACE MEDITATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS

 

 

G. A. President  Dr. Jorge Illueca and Sri Chinmoy observe UN Day ceremony.

UN DAY ADDRESS

At the UN Day ceremony sponsored by the Meditation Group on 28 October, Dr. Jorge Illueca, President of the General Assembly, delivered the following address, immediately prior to the release of 3,800 helium balloons. “It is a great joy and honour for me to participate today in this celebration of the thirty-eighth birthday of the United Nations.

“It is a festive occasion, and at the same time it is an opportunity to renew our commitment to the goals with which we began our journey. Thirty-eight years ago, with the signing of the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco, an historical journey was begun: the journey toward a united world.

“Some will say that the United Nations has not kept its promise; our world is still full of division and discord, far from its destination. It is true that the journey ahead of us is long and arduous, but that is no excuse for pessimism. On the contrary, this is the time for us to summon greater dynamism, great tenacity, so that we can together bring the promise of the future into the reality of today.

“I am keenly aware that I have assumed the Presidency of the General Assembly at a critical time in the evolution of the United Nations. Once again I affirm, as I stated “in accepting this challenging task, ‘Our organisation must be maintained. It must grow. it must persist, with the enlightened assistance of Member States. I am firmly convinced and fervently hope that, if we all unite, we will succeed in changing our course and advance along a new path, the path of justice, the rule of law, ethics, and the implacable will for change.’

“Balloons represent joy, delight, spontaneous enthusiasm. Their charm is in their variety and abundance. So too, the beauty of our world depends on bringing together the full variety and abundance of peoples uniting our capacities and our will for continuous peace and progress. Let us take this auspicious day as our own birthday, just as we take the United Nations to be the embodiment of our aspirations for justice, peace and progress in the world.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Sri Chinmoy and the members of the Peace Meditation at the United Nations for organising this meaningful celebration today, and for reminding us in so many ways, on so many occasions, of the need to pray for peace, to meditate for peace, to work for peace, to make peace a reality in our daily life. “Now, as the balloons fly upward carrying the message of the United Nations far and wide to all of mankind, let us rejoice together in our efforts to achieve a world of oneness, peace and understanding.”

A large  birthday cake and decorated with the flags of all nations, was a highlight of event where H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, President of the 38th General Assembly, was the main speaker in a ceremony sponsored by “Sri Chinmoy: the Peace Meditation at the United Nations.”

A lunchtime crowd of 1000 people which gathered at the Visitor’s Plaza of the United Nations heard Dr. Illueca say, “let us rejoice together in our efforts to achieve a world of oneness, peace and understanding.”

The celebration was opened with a brief meditation for peace by Sri Chinmoy, who offered the following soulful message:

“UN Day is the supreme victory of humanity’s colossal oneness-dream. On UN Day the earth-consciousness consciously and soulfully prays to the universal and transcendental Pilot for Eternity’s Peace, Infinity’s Joy and Immortality’s Perfection. UN Day has no earthbound mind, no division, no destruction. UN Day has only a Heaven-free heart, a heart of oneness in a fullness home, where the Lord’s Peace, Light and Delight in infinite measure reign supreme.”

DELEGATES’ PEACE MEDITATION

Delegates and their wives are cordially invited to attend twice-weekly meditations at the United Nations. These meetings are usually held from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday of each week in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium or in one of the smaller Conference Rooms in the United Nations.

Sri Chinmoy, the most respected authority on meditation and yoga philosophy in the world today, offers his humble services by answering questions delegates may have about the inner life or spiritual aspirations. Sri Chinmoy will also offer a short talk once a month on a subject of interest to this gathering.

The last meeting in 1983 will be Friday, 9 December; the first meeting in 1984 will be Tuesday, 17 January~

RUN AND BECOME

On 14 and 16 October, the Meditation Group held the sixth in an ongoing series of races for the UN community. A one-mile run was held for delegates and their families, and shorter races were held for children in different age groups.

The Meditation Group feels that running is a fitting complement to meditation in that it energises the outer life as the practice of meditation energizes the inner life. The philosophy of the Group in this endeavour, emphasizing the spiritual component in athletics, is: “Run and become, become and run.” The races took place on the public plaza at the Visitors’ Entrance to the UN. Missions participating were: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary and Italy.

1983 U THANT AWARD

It was announced that the designated recipient of the 1983 U Thant Award is H.E. Dr. Jorge E. Illueca, President of the Thirty-Eighth Session of the General Assembly. The award states that Dr. Illueca has been thus honoured due to his long-term efforts for world peace, most notably, his dedicated work with international relations and with international law; his encouraging personal example in supporting the highest ideals of the United Nations Charter; and his demonstrated belief in the “oneness” of the world family and the spiritual values that will ultimately lead to a genuine and fulfilling peace.

 

SONG

; ; 88 Moderate-slow

They say, U. –N. is pu—ny, weak- – – and—- poor—-.

I say, have they mea—sured its sky–heart–door———?

They say, fee–ble is the— U.–N . voice.

I say—-,U.—N.

our—- Fa——–ther’s con—stant– choice.

 

JFK REMEMBERED

On 21 November, tributes were offered at the United Nations to John F. Kennedy at a ceremony sponsored by the Meditation Group marking the twentieth anniversary of his assassination.

 

Ambassador Sir John Thompson, United Kingdom: “I was most impressed on many occasions at his capacity to listen, to be silent, to take in what was being said and to turn it over and evaluate it and discuss it with some of his colleagues. It was partly a readiness to think, a readiness to consider, a readiness to listen, that combined together to give his Administration a quality of hope. It really did seem as if a lot of problems could be improved, not necessarily solved. I’m talking of the whole gamut from Civil Rights to negotiations on nuclear matters. On all these questions and many others the Administration brought to international affairs a quality that was very American and that was very much the President’s own.”

Mr. Orville Freeman, President, UNA-USA: “He felt keenly, he understood and he reached out all- over the world wit a depth of feeling and commitment and sensitivity that just communicated. And so every place I go today, that is why Jack Kennedy comes up. Now on this 20th anniversary the need is great and the reaching is profound. He more than any other person today epitomizes that need in the hearts and minds and feelings of people around the world. He also transmits a certain courage, a certain confidence and a certain recognition that we can and will adjust ourselves to these profound changes through which we have gone.”

* * *

A MOMENT’S PEACE

The monthly newsletter of Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, New York, New York

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

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