Sri Chinmoy:
The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

Sri Chinmoy, the leader of the Peace Meditation at the UN was also the founder of the Oneness-Home Peace and World Harmony Runs organized since 1987. The first Executive Director of these runs, Mr. Shanbhu Neil Vienberg, is a former Unicef Staff Member. He shares how the runs began with a simple request from Sri Chinmoy at the UN Headquarters in NY in 1986  to support the Year of Peace.

Also includes recent Video of Pres. of UNESCO General Conference messages to run participants and amazing clip from local run in Zambia, Africa during the International Year of Youth,

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“In the beginning …”

 

I had the privilege of being invited by Sri Chinmoy to stage a global relay run for peace, and had some of the greatest moments of my life leading this event-the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run-for well over a decade.

It began in May 1986 when Sri Chinmoy asked, while we were walking through the hallowed halls of the United Nations, if I could organize a global Peace Run. The United Nations had proclaimed 1986 the International Year of Peace, and Sri Chinmoy wanted to offer a heartfelt and sincere expression of peace on a global scale.

-excerpt from: 1987 to 2010 – Torch Relay for Peace and Harmony – preface http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/about/history/history_2011/preface

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unesco

Message from Davidson Hepburn, President of the

General Conference of UNESCO, to all participants of the World Harmony Run, 2011 and beyond

Watch UNESCO’s General Conference President speak about World Harmony Run presenting his very inspiring message for 2011 and beyond on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=j–SW_eMzb0

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The World Harmnoy Run proudly supports the International Year of Youth (IYY) and the International Year of Forests (IYF) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

See recent Youtube video which illustrates IYY slogan “Our Year Our Voice”  International Year of Youth – Zambia World Harmony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6qehMiIWuYRun

Watch video International Year of Youth – Zambia World Harmony Run – – where students invoke USA President Obama and UN Secretary General.

You hear the voice of Africa, of Zambia, of Youth. They are NOT looking to countries’ presidents or other leaders to change the world. Their “hour has come” and they voice where peace begins. This video includes a short introduction from Davidson Hepburn: “By encouraging young people to express their aspirations for harmony today, the World Harmony Run is surely building the foundation for a culture of peace tomorrow”. It is followed by four schools visited in Zambia late in 2010.

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Watch Now: President General Conference UNESCO message for World Harmony Run 25th Anniversary

 

Davidson Hepburn’s encouraging message: Toward 2022 and a Oneness-World”. Illustrated video with example clips from around the world identifies a number of activities the World Harmony Run has undertaken or inspired. This global torch relay founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1987, and related initiatives for a culture of peace continue to grow and support important ideals of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and of the entire UN community. The President of UNESCO General Conference highlights some he hopes can be further expanded and enriched in the coming decade (2012 to 2022) and bring us closer to a Oneness-World”. Dr. Hepburn suggests:
1. Visit World Heritage Sites:
2. Perform Music
3. Create or Display Art and Poetry
4. Value Diversity
5. Support Interfaith Acceptance
6. Honour Role Models
7. Discover New Possibilities
8. Finally, Never Give Up!
(See more detail in full text see link + informal translations to be available)

SEE ALSO:
1979 Year of Child IYC :

A precursor to the harmony and peace runs, see link to Historical report of the activities inspired by Sri Chinmoy around the world in support of UN Day, UN Children’s’ Fund ( UNICEF ) and the International Year of the Child ( IYC ) for 1979 .
• Informal translation of the text of the video message for the 25th anniversary is already available in 9 languages. Note: The World Harmony Run (formerly the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run):
• founded in 1987, to show that world peace is a dynamic achievable goal;
• seeks to strengthen international friendship and understanding. As a symbol of harmony, runners carry a flaming torch, passing it from hand to hand traveling through over 100 nations around the globe; and
• It is the world’s largest and longest relay run.
(see more at: worldharmonyrun.org)

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More Photos from local events around the world showing support:

 

 

 

There was a truly outstanding drama / recitation performance from one of the school groups, which powerfully delivered a message to the effect that we cannot depend on Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama or Ban Ki Moon for world harmony; “harmony begins with you, harmony begins with me”.