Sri Chinmoy:
The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

Peace Meditation Group members Kevin (Adhiratha) Keefe and Bernard (Sanatan) Curchack were guest speakers at the Twenty-fifth , Gannon College model United Nations programme in Erie, Pennsylvania held on 11 and 12 November 1977 .

Gannon College holds the distinction of being the first college to develop a mock General Assembly for high school students. This year approximately ninety schools attended with nearly 1,000 students. Messrs. Keefe and Curchack conveyed the Secretary-General’s best wishes to Professor Reinhard and all the participants as they presented a photo of Kurt Waldheim which he had personally inscribed to Dr. Reinhard for his many years’ service as the moderator for the Gannon Model U.N.

On behalf of the Meditation Group at the UN, the two speakers also presented College President Dr. Scottino with copies of Sri Chinmoy’s thirteen books about the United Nations for the library.

They also had several newspaper, TV and radio interviews and discussed with members of the press and managers of CBS and ABC-TV stations how the media might be more involved in supporting the U.N. and the up-coming International Year of the Child.

Erie’s Mayor Tullio, President of the 1976 USA Mayors Conference, made a presentation to Messrs. Keefe and Curchack as an indication of the City of Erie’s friendship with the United Nations and its appreciation of the Meditation Group at the UN’s efforts to bring forward the highest goals of the U.N. Charter.

Below is extract of the comments made by the representatives of the Peace Meditation Group during introductory part of the Programme (Evening Nov 10th?).

Gannon College~ November 10,1977

MUN Secretary General; President·Dr.Scottino; Dr. Reinard; Delegates and friends.

I am happy to be with you this evening on the 25th Anniversary of the Gannon College Model United Nations. Upon discussing the topic of tonight’s programme ;

“Inside View of the United Nations”.

I realized that there are four groups of people who could claim to have this view.

• The first, and best known are the Delegates of which there are more than 3,000 at the present UN General Assembly, representing more than 160 countries.
• The second group, of which Bernie Curchack and I are members, is the Secretariat. There are 5,000 staff members at Headquarters and 18,000 around the world.
• The third group which you may actually have been part of is the non-governmental representatives from organizations around the world and other visitors – about 3,000 a day.
• The fourth group – The fourth estate – 300 accredited press correspondents and hundreds more who attend the daily meetings.

I also thought about the title of the essay Question which many of the delegates to the Gannon U.N. have expressed an answer

“Has the U.N. lived up to the Hopes of its founding Fathers”

These two phrases “An Inside view of the U.N.” which many different people can and do have and “Has the U.N. lived up to the hopes of its founders” which all at some time have asked – lead me to a statement upon which my talk tonight is based. It is at the core of why I and many others have joined the UN, are working for its goals and will continue to believe in it’s progress.

“UNITED NATIONS. THE HEART-HOME OF THE WORLD-BODY~

 I also offer this as the possible title for next years essay contest.~

My view of the U.N. living up to original hopes, is definite in the affirmative.

When I was ten years younger MY view was cautious and questioning, fifteen years ago it was hopeful but today it is sure. The U.N. has not only lived up to the hopes of the founders, but it has established a reality, growing in strength and service, in an environment which these founders had no idea would exist some 30 odd years ~later. The U.N. has been established and it continues to serve and survive through a period of time when possibly the greatest changes in the History of the Planet have taken place.

In the Consideration of the age of this Civilization, the U.N. is only a child, yet from its birth it has been expected to do an adults job. It limbs are composed of people from all parts of the globe trying~ to coordinate the greatest effort toward world harmony ever undertaken. The founders didn’t plan for the magnitude of the problems to be undertaken. They knew there would be time needed for the growth of the organization and the integration of the the different cultures being expressed in this house before the actual work could begin. But time wasn’t available, one great war had just been concluded and the necessity of rebuilding was e ever present.

From my view point, for many people around the world the United Nation is: “The Heart-Home of the World-Body”. All of us alive now on the planet are the ones who will help the dreams of the founders grow into a more fulfilling reality. You in your belief in the United Nations Charter as shown through your participation in the Model U.N. are a definite help.

Coming here to Gannon, I know of some of the concerns of the delegates that will be in committee, with suggested resolutions coming to the floor for a vote on Sunday.

• The International Drug Traffic,
• Middle East,
• South Africa,
• Charter Review and
• Human Rights.

I would like to bring forward for your consideration two additional items

1) A resolution in Support of the international year of the Child (IYC) as proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly for 1979

2) A statement of support and adherence in your own assembly of Rule 62 of the Rules of Procedure of the U.N. General Assembly,

“An Invitation to Silent Prayer or Meditation” adding “for the success of the United Nations and the Progress of Humanity”

1) The general Assembly, after years of initiative of Governments, Organizations and Individuals ~ proclaimed 1979 as the International Year of the Child stating “that in spite of all efforts , far too many children, especially in developing countries are undernourished,  are without access to and developing health services, are missing the basic educational preparation for their future.

~ The G.A. was convinced” that an International Year of the Child (IYC) could serve to encourage all countries to review their programmes for the promotion of the well-being of children and mobilize support for programmes according to each countries conditions, needs and priorities.

It affirmed that “the concept of Basic services for children is a vital component of social and economic development and Whereas “Mankind, owes the best it has to give to the children who are our future – still 350 million remain beyond even minimum essential services in health, nutrition and education fields. There exist rapid, practical and economic ways of bringing these ii services to the neediest children at the village level.  The concept of providing Basic Services for more of the people instead of highly technical services for less of the people must be practiced. These programms begin with outside assistance and can become self sustaining with Gov’t help in a short time.

~ 1979 will~be the 20th Anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of  the Child and IYC can serve an opportunity-to support this declaration.

The Declaration affirms the rights of the child:. see more to excerpt:

• to enjoy special protection and opportunities to develop in conditions of freedom and dignity. –
• to have a name and nationality.
• to security, including adequate nutrition, housing and medical care
• to receive special education and treatment if handicapped
• to grow up in an atmosphere of affection and security and wherever possible in the care of parents.
• to receive at least free elementary education
• to be among first to receive relief in times of disaster
• to be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation
• to be protected from practices which may foster any form of discrimination
• to be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance,friendship, peace and universal brotherhood.
•  

The General Assembly invited the public to participate in the IYC especially at the local level. This would definitely include support of organizations such as yours. The Goals of IYC and Declaration of the Rights of the Child are very encompassing  but we believe that given the needed will “toddy’s dreams are tomorrow’s reality”

2. The second resolution I am suggesting might best be seen in connection with the knowledge that there is a history of meditation and prayer at the United Nations.

On November 15th a programme will take place marking the 20th Anniv. of the opening of the Meditation Room at the United Nations. The man who created this room, the late Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold called it “a room of silence where only thoughts should speak”

Since then, thousands have come to the United Nations each year, both delegates and visitors alike, to pause for a few quiet moments and offer their hopes and prayers for world peace. The second Secretary General added that the “United Nations’ hope for success rests on its thought and action being guided by the spirit that the Room symbolizes.”

The rule 62 of the General Assembly procedures referred to earlier this evening supporting meditation and prayer at the U.N. reads:

“Immediately after the opening of the first plenary meeting and immediately preceding the closing of the final plenary meeting of each session of the General Assembly, the President shall invite the Representatives to observe on minute of silence dedicated to prayer or meditation”.

The addition of the phrase “for the success of the United Nations and the Progress of Humanity” would add an important focus  to the phrase.

Staff Committee President Lowell Flanders told the standing-room-only crowd that the convocation had been called to

“express our support for peace, and what the Secretary-General has tried to do.”

The convocation began and ended with a moment of silence and included several songs by the UNSRC Singers.

Mr. Flanders requested Mr. Adhiratha Keefe, as Chairperson of the New York UNICEF Staff Association and UNICEF Representative to the United Nations Staff Council, to address the staff who were present.

Mr. Keefe, who is also Programme Coordinator for the Peace Meditation Group, ended his remarks with the following message of hope for the New Year by Sri Chinmoy:

The daring competition-success-might of the human mind is wisely going to surrender

to the caring illumination-progress-delight of the divine heart.

The inner voice is whispering the supreme Message-Light for humanity’s perfection-life.

Let us listen. We can listen. We must listen!

Hurtful is the outer adventure-capture-march.
Fruitful is the inner adventure-rapture-dive.

The outer world belongs to the supremacy fighters.
The inner world belongs to the oneness lovers.

God’s ultimate Perfection-World will bless and
embrace the oneness-lovers with fondness and pride,
and reject and forget the supremacy fighters.

God the Creation, in breathless Sound, asks God the Creator:

     “0 where are You?”

God the Creator, in fathomless Silence replies:

     “I am inside Your Oneness – Fullness – Peace – Blossoming Dream-Reality.”

– appears in Meditation at the United Nations – 1992 Jan – Mar, Periodic Bulletin

Fuller text of Adhiratha Keefe’s remarks:

Convocation for Peace 16 January – Conference Room 2 UN NY

– Adhiratha Keefe, UNICEF Staff

It has been said that “God has Infinite Children, but the name of His fondest Child is peace” *1

Lowel Flanders, President fo the UN Staff Union,  requested that I read something inspiring today.  I thought about~and I looked around my office and Around the UNICEF Building. . From the Exhibit in UNICEF house (DC3) Lobby I was reminded that wars don’t just start, they are planned for. For every soldier in the World, the average expenditure is $20,000 per year. For every school age child the world average is $380 per year.

Many in UNICEF and the united Nations Secretariat joined in an effort that saw the Heads of State or Government from over seventy countries work together to produce a declaration of action at the World summit for Children. That was a moment of hope and promise. We know that war is the single biggest threat to that promise. For it is the Children, our collective future, and other civilians that will be the biggest losers in any war. Buckminister Fuller said “Either war is extinct or Man will be”

The preamble of the UN Charter says: “We the Peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of War, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold suffering to mankind…-

I began working here in my mid twenties, because I believed in that statement from the preamble. I am still here almost twenty years later because of the many individuals here whose dedicated service supports a common belief. Those of you who show here today by your example that there is no other option but to work for peace, there is no other option but to pray for peace, to meditate for peace, there is no other option but to give our working life for this dream.

David Burleson, our colleague who is UNESCO advisor to UNICEF developed an article concerning peace education for children. In it he gives an alphabet for Peace and for WAR. I would like to read seven words, from Letters A through G.

For War: Armaments, Bombs, Cruelty, Destruction, Evasion, Fighting, and Guns.

For Peace: Awe, Beauty, Care, Devotion, Elation, Faith, and Grace.

I close with a quotation from Sri Chinmoy who for more that two decades has been offering meditations for peace here. He offered this message of hope for 1991 in which he speaks of the eventual surrender of the human mind to the heart and encourages us to have faith in our dream. But we must listen to a higher voice.

“The daring competition-success-might of the human mind is wisely going to surrender to the caring illumination-progress-delight of the divine heart.

“The inner voice is whispering the supreme Message-Light for humanity’s perfection-life. Let us listen We can listen. We must listen!

“Hurtful is the outer adventure-capture-march. Fruitful is the inner adventure-rapture-dive.

“The outer world belongs to the supremacy-fighters. The inner world belongs to the oneness-lovers.

“God’s ultimate Perfection-World will bless and embrace the oneness-lovers with fondness and pride, and reject and forget the supremacy-fighters.

“God the Creation, in breathless Sound asks God the Creator:

“Where are You?”

“God the Creator, in fathomless Silence replies:

“I am inside your oneness-Fulness-Peace-Blossoming Dream-Reality.” *2

Thank You

*1 Opening quote “God has infinite children…” from Sri Chinmoy, Rainbow-Flowers, Part 1 /Peace, Agni Press, 1973

*2 Message for 1991 also appears in Sri Chinmoy, New Year’s Messages from Sri Chinmoy, 1966-1973/1991, Agni Press, 1994

After his passing in 2007, A short 2 page summary with some photos was produced that showed the wide breath of Sri Chinmoys activites beyond his leadership of the Peace Meditation  at the UN.

Highlights included:

• Literature and Lectures
• Music and Concerts
• Jharna-Kala Artist
• Service to the United Nations
• Weightlifter, Runner and Athlete
• Humanitarian Service
• World Harmony Run
• Sri Chinmoy Centres