Celebration of Meditation Group Member, Nilima Silver: Staff Recognition Award 2010 May 20

Filed under Other Awards, Citations, Presentations | UN Anniversaries

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon presents Nilima Silver with the Staff Recognition Award for her long-time service

Many colleagues joined in celebrating Nilima’s 36 years of dedicated service to the United Nations and her 6oth Birthday Thursday, 20 May 2010 – 6:30 p.m. at Oneness-Fountain-Heart Restaurant in Queens N.Y.

As part of the invitation to the 2010 party, there was copy of Comments and birds by Sri Chinmoy drawn on the invitation for Nilima’s 50th birthday party invitation as celebrated by UN workers in May 2000. Sri Chinmoy had passed away int 2007 but his sweet hand-written remarks and Bird drawings – ten years previously added to the joy of this festive occasion.

Introduction to Programme by UN Colleagues for Nilima silver at Oneness- Fountain Heart Restaurant:

20 May 2010 Adhiratha’s toast

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming today to celebrate Nilima’s birthday and her UN career.

In Guru Sri Chinmoy’s words, “God has chosen the conditions under which you are living your present life. It is like a play. The stage is set and the curtain has been raised for you to perform your part and advance in the spiritual path. Your present conditions are the best possible ones for your advancement.”

If we requested anyone else to take her place or follow Nilima’s performance over these last four decades, the response would be that it is too tough an act to follow. But someone was asked to do this, and it was Nilima herself. We know she is the only one who could have done it.

They say that, for star performers, the best role is one that is fun and that keeps the house packed every night to see the performance. Some would love to play such a role forever, or at least until they were 100.

Well, many of us feel that we won the life-lotto this time by being around Guru, and among the cast of characters that has spontaneously assembled to do the inspiring work his very example has set out for us. I include all your noble selves in this room today.

Nilima, we wish this next act to be as fulfilling and illumining as the one we are celebrating today, and to last well past 100. We thank you today for your leadership by example and your various manifestations of concern and friendship through these many years.

Now may I propose a toast to our guest of honour? To Nilima, with all our appreciation, admiration and gratitude.

Adhiratha introduces gifts:

Nilima, we have some gifts for you as a token of our appreciation. We want to make sure that you always remember the highlights of your service to the United Nations, and we hope these gifts will help. I

would like to invite Ranjana and Chetana to please present our gifts to Nilima.

Reference Note i:

Death and Reincarnation by Sri Chinmoy. Agni Press in 1972 (Question: Can You Help Me To Leave .. http://www.srichinmoylibrary.comlbooks/0066/3/l1)