Sri Chinmoy:
The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

1995

Partial List of programmes, events, countries, individuals participating in activities of Sri Chinmoy: the Peace Meditation at the United Nations.

This list is indicative of the types of activities but not exhaustive of all participation or events. Some times a consolidated or partial list sorted by subject-category, date, person or country. To be reviewed and updated. Eventually to have embedded links to actual programmes or photos where they are available

1995

The first in a series of 50 Peace Concerts offered by Sri Chinmoy throughout the world in 1995 to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the United Nations was held in Yangon, Myanmar, the birthplace of the third Secretary-General of the UN, U Thant  –   5 January

(A few selected concerts are included here. A complete list of the 50 concert venues, along with dedications by Sri Chinmoy and tributes offered by distinguished guests, appears in My Prayerful Salutations to the United Nations. Additional comments on Sri Chinmoy’s  fifty Peace Concerts appear in My Heart’s Fifty Aspiration-Flames and My Life’s Fifty Dedication-Plants.)   –   1995

Song dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the United Nations composed by Sri Chinmoy   –  3 February

Meeting with Mr. Pavel Palashchenko of the Gorbachev Foundation  –     9 March

Dinner for members of the New York Road Runners Club at Annam Brahma  –  14 March

Indian classical dance programme at the UN by Mrs. Chandralekha Sreenivasan, wife of H.E. Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN –    24 March

Peace Run for the 50^th Anniversariy of the United Nations, an 18-mile commemorative relay run from the site of the first UN Headquarters in Lake Success, Long Island, to New York Headquarters –   1 April

Spring concert by the Sri Chinmoy Bhajan Singers, hosted by Mrs. Manel Yvonne de Silva, wife of H.E. Ambassador H.L. de Silva, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN  –    4 April

Opening ceremony of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run 1995, held on the  Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, with participation of UN delegates  –    15 April

Programme in honour of the 25th anniversary of Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the UN  –    18 April

Dinner for Mr. Vladimir Petrovsky at the Empire Sezchuan    –     30 April

Sri Chinmoy invited by H.E. Ambassador Sergey Lavrov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, to attend a reception at the Permanent Mission  –  9 May

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the UN  held at the Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, hosted by

• H.E. Ambassador Keshav Raj Jha, Permanent Delegate of Nepal to UNESCO and Royal Nepalese Ambassador to France  – 12 May

U Thant Peace Award presented to H.E. Dr. Laxmi Mall Singhvi, High Commissioner for India to the United Kingdom –  13 May

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the UN held at the Wembley Conference Centre, hosted by H.E. Dr. Laxmi Mall Singhvi, High Commissioner for India to the United Kingdom  –  13 May

Nehru Medallion presented to Sri Chinmoy by UNESCO, conferral by Mr. Francine Fournier, Deputy Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO  –    16 May

Peace Tree planting ceremony held at UNESCO, with remarks by Deputy Director-General Ms. Francine Fournier  –   16 May

Sri Chinmoy offered a moment of silence for peace at the opening ceremony of the New York Games; members of the Peace Meditation group assisted with the track and field events  – 21 May

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy, with a performance on 50 instruments in honour of the 50th anniversary of the UN, held in the General Assembly Hall Lobby; cosponsored by the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of the Czech Republic, Bangladesh, Guinea-Bissau, India, Monaco, Myanmar, Panama, the Republic of Moldova and Sri Lanka; with welcoming remarks by H.E. Ambassador Karel Kovanda, Czech Republic      –    23 May

Publication of Oneness-World Peace-Blossoms, a commemorative book of statements and tributes from the international community on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of the Peace Meditation group   –      May

Peace Walk for United Nations Charter Day, held in the United Nations Garden, cosponsored by 17 Ambassadors and  Permanent Representatives to the United Nations   –   22 June

Sri Chinmoy’s song dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the UN performed by members of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America to celebrate United Nations Charter Day   –   26 June

Peace meditation, followed by a interview with biographer of Mother Teresa, Mr. John Cairns  –  14 July

Sri Chinmoy Tennis Classic for the UN Diplomatic Community    –  15 July

Over 50 mountains in the United States were climbed as “Peace Climbs” by Mr. Sunil Davidson and Mr. Shraddha Howard, members of the Peace Meditation Group, in honour of the 50^th Anniversary of the UN     –  7 January-16 July

Closing ceremony of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run 1995, held at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, with participation by UN delegates  –  14 August

Sri Chinmoy offered a moment of silence for peace at the opening of the World Music Festival held as a tribute to the United Nations at Madison Square Garden; Sri Chinmoy Bhajan Singers also performed  –   25 August

U Thant Peace Award presented to Mr. Rafael Hernandez Colon, Governor of Puerto Rico  (1972-76, 1984-92)   – 8 September 1995

Peace Walk for the UN International Day of Peace held at UN Headquarters in conjunction with Peace Walks around the  world  –   19 September

Interfaith Prayer Breakfast for the opening of the 50th Session of the UN General Assembly, hosted by H.E. Ambassador Herman Leonard de Silva, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN –  19 September

Sri Chinmoy gave the opening dedication at a classical music celebration in honour of the 50th Session of the UN General Assembly,

• hosted by H.E. Ambassador Istvan Nathon, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN,
• with performances by members of the New York Philharmonic and others – 19 September

Farewell function for Mr. Gajanan Wakankar, Consul General of India in New York, at the Indian Consulate, on the occasion of his appointment as Ambassador of India to Jordan  – 28 September

Peace meditation, with special guest H.E. Ambassador Alexandre Gorelik, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN –  29 September

Sri Chinmoy Bhajan Singers performed at a ceremony in honour of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary,

• held at the Gandhi statue in Union Square for the international community,
• with remarks by the Indian Foreign Minister and Mr. Harsh Bashin, Consul General of India in New York  –  2 October

Dinner for H.E. Ambassador Alexandre Gorelik, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN – 3 October

Publication of My Meditation-Service at the United Nations for 25 Years, a compilation of questions answered by Sri Chinmoy at the UN –  4 October

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy at the Centre Sportif du Bout du Monde, dedicated to Mr. Vladimir Petrovsky, Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, after a private meeting with Mr. Petrovsky at his official residence  –  5 October

Meeting with Austrian President Kurt Waldheim, Vienna    –  6 October

Sri Chinmoy offered a moment of silence for peace at a dedication ceremony

• of a bronze elephant sculpture to be placed in the UN Garden,
• sponsored by the Permanent Missionsto the UN of Austria, Kenya, Namibia and Nepal –   13 October

Seven Minutes for World Peace observed at UN Headquarters and around the world  –   24 October

Flowers and inspirational quotes offered to delegates and staff as they entered the Secretariat – 25 October

Peace Walk for United Nations Day, held in the United Nations Garden, cosponsored by 13 Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives to the United Nations   –  27 October

Sri Chinmoy Peace Race for the United Nations: Two-mile races held in over 140 cities around the globe to promote United Nations Day  –  October

Sri Chinmoy’s songs dedicated to the UN performed at a United Nations Global Community Day, sponsored by the United Nations Association in Washington, D.C. –    28 October

Meeting with Ambassador Ananda Guruge, UNESCO adviser, and his wife, Darshanika, in Los Angeles  –   29 October

Concert by the Sri Chinmoy Bhajan Singers, hosted by Mrs. Margaret Touré, wife of H.E. Ambassador Boubacar Touré, Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau to the UN, in celebration of the United Nations 50th Anniversary  –   6 November

Dinner in honour of the 25th anniversary of the Peace Meditation at the UN, attended by UN Ambassadors and Representatives, including:

• Mr. Aleg M. Laptsenak, Counsellor,Permanent Mission of Belarus;
• H.E. Ambassador Edward A. Laing, Permanent Representative of Belize, and his wife, Margery;
• Mr. Alieu Badou B. Y. Samba, Attaché, Permanent Mission of the Gambia;
• Mr. John E. Aggrey, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative of Ghana;
• H.E. Mr. Ansumane Mane, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau;
• H.E. Ambassador Boubacar Touré, Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau, and his wife, Margaret
• Mr. Harsh Bashin, Consul-General of India in New York;
• H.E. Ambassador Tudor Pantiru, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova, and his wife, Frania;
• H.E. Ambssador Herman Leonard de Silva, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, and his wife, Manel Yvonne;
• Mrs. Irma E. Klein-Loemban Tobing, Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of Suriname;
• Mr. Igor Goumenny, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Ukraine;
• Ms. Alina Bloomgarden, Director of Lincoln Centre Visitor Services; and Mr. Frederik Noonan;
• Judge Lerner and his wife;
• Dr. P. Jayaraman, Executive Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (USA)      –  10 November

Exhibit of Sri Chinmoy’s “Dream-Freedom-Peace-Birds” dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the UN displayed in the Russell Rotunda of the United States Senate, sponsored bySenator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island    –      14-17 November

Flute recital by Sri Chinmoy and performance by the Peace Meditation Choir at the closing of the art exhibition in the Russell Rotunda  –  17 November

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the UN held in the Washington, D.C. Armory, hosted by H.E. Mr. Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Ambassador of India to the United States    – 17 November

Peace Concert by Sri Chinmoy and luncheon for UNICEF staff held in the Labouisse Hall of UNICEF House in honour of the 50th anniversary of the UN and the upcoming 50th anniversary of UNICEF   –  20 November

A celebration of the release of Sri Chinmoy’s  book The Garland of Nation-Souls,

• hosted by H.E. Ambassador Jorge E. Illueca, Permanent Representative of Panama to the UN; featuring
• the performance of Cantata for the United Nations, a vocal work with instrumental accompaniment based on selections of music composed by Sri Chinmoy,
• arranged by Jeffrey Baker and
•  performed by members of the New York Philharmonic and others       –   30 November

U Thant Peace Award presented to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Head of the Anglican Church in South Africa; Archbishop of Cape Town; Nobel Peace Laureate, 1984   –  20 December