A. 20th Anniversary since redesign of Meditation Room

A. 20th Anniversary since redesign of Meditation Room – 15 Nov 1977

Filed under Room of Quiet | Significant events & meetings | UN Anniversaries

“The United Nations’ hope for success rests on its thought and action being guided by the spirit that the room symbolises. ” – Dag Hammarskjold (2nd Secretary-General)

Small gathering in Room of Quiet
Programme in Conference room 4,
- Monsignor Giovanni Cheli, Permanent Observer of the Holy See
- H.E. Dr. Carlos P. Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippine
- Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-Secretary General for Inter-Agency Affairs and Coordination
- Ms . Judith Hollister, Representative of the Wainwright House:
- Statement received from H. E. Mr. Andrew Young , Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations
- Excerpt of a statement received from His Eminence, Cardinal Terence I Cooke, Archbishop of New York , entitled “Reflection on Silence”:
- Statement received from Mr. Peter Stewart, President of the Center for World Thanksgiving at Thanks-Giving Square:
Six New songs – music by Sri Chinmoy
- U.N. MEDITATION – words ~ Sri Chinmoy
- THE UNITED NATIONS – words by Trygve Lie (1st Secretary-General)
- MAY I BE OFFERED ~ words by Dag Hammarskjold (2nd S-G)
- GONE ARE THE DAYS – words by U Thant (3rd S-G)
- IN THE WAKE OF THE MOST CATASTROPHIC WAR- words by U Thant
- I KNO’W – words by Kurt Waldheim (4th S-G)

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Links to main programme and related photos are also at the bottom of this page/post.

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On 15 November 1977 the Meditation Group observed the 20th anniversary of the opening of the redesigned U.N. Meditation Room, located in the General Assembly Lobby. The programme opened with a short meditation in the “Room of Quiet ” and continued in Conference Room 4 with speakers and the performance of six new songs written for the occasion by Sri Chinmoy. The texts of five of the songs were taken from writings of the four Secretaries-General. A brief excerpt from the statement of each guest speaker

Small gathering in Room of Quiet
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Before the programme in Conference Room 4, a brief meditation was held in the “Room of Quiet” U. N. Meditation Room located in the General Assembly Lobby. Leading the meditation are Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-Secretary-General; Sri Chinmoy, Meditation Group Leader; and Monsignor Cheli, Permanent Observer of the Holy See
Programme in Conference room 4
- (excerpts -link to full text to e added)
- Monsignor Giovanni Cheli, Permanent Observer of the Holy See:
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- - This pearl of great price brings us to the interior joy, the hope and the encouragement to persevere in the difficult task of peace making. But silence does not come to us just because we ask for it.
  - Silence is like a friend. It must be cultivated . We migh t say that the Meditation Room created twenty years ago by the beloved Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, is a great house of silence . It is a place whe re silence is encouraged , stimulated and developed.
  - If we wish meditation to flourish within us, we need to help it to grow . We can do that only by setting aside times in our day when we can pay attention to the quiet within us so that we renew our awareness of its beauty and its grandeur, when we communicate with God, and when we, of course, can fill our minds and our hearts with thoughts from good readings and conversation which will enhance our appreciation of quiet and silence .
- H.E. Dr. Carlos P. Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines:
  - The Meditation Room can be said to be a memorial to Secretary-General Hammarskjold. The United Nations is a centre for harmonizing action, as the Charter continually reminds us . But the process of harmonizing is a difficult one. All too often passion and conflict rule the day. It is at such moments tha t we need the Meditation Room to look in to ourselves and to encounter our God , so that we may cleanse our spirit and gain needed strength . This I have done many times.
  - Thousands have visited the Meditation Room an d no doubt thousands of others will do so in the future . They will sit there in silent communion, seeking refuge from the turmoil and, more important, seeking guidance and light and refreshment of the spirit. The Meditation Room is, or should be the “other United Nations.” Thank you .
- Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-Secretary General for Inter-Agency Affairs and Coordination:
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  - Meditation, prayer, dream, hope, vision, monitoring, guidance, foreseeing and planning all go hand in hand in S0 many different ways at the United Nations. For me the tall building of the U.N. is an edifice of human hope and dream jutting into the universe and receiving from that universe increasingly clearer messages. Perhaps we have reached a time of cosmic evolution. Year round people from all creeds and cultures assemble here to design a better future for the world. And in my opinion they will succeed. Once again, but this time on a universal sca le, mankind is seeking no less than its reunion with the divine,” its transcendence into ever higher forms of life.
  - Hindus call our Earth “Brahma,” or God, for they rightly see no difference between our Earth and the universe. This ancient, simple truth is slowly dawning again upon humanity. Its full flowering will be the real, great story of the United Nations.
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- - As time goes by, people often forge t the original pioneers behind, for instance, the Meditation Room. Weyman Huckabee and his group, called the Friends of the Meditation Room, had the concept of a holy, quiet, sacred area connected with the United Nations way back in the days of Lake Success. They struggled, and sometimes they were given a tiny corner, and sometimes they were not given anything at all.
  - It was later on, as you know, that Dag Hammarskjold really took over and created the beautiful Meditation Room that we all know and love. But, as Weyman said to me , to the Committee this little story was just a miracle. I think that we
    don’t always know the facts behind what we see. So I told him, with his permission, I would tell this lovely little story about that miracle. And today we rejoice in this miracle , and even today is a miraculous day . Thank you.
- Statement received from H. E. Mr. Andrew Young , Permanent Representative of the United States:
  - .At the United Nations, where the most tragic examples of human suffering become the concerns of all nations , there can be no greater or more meaningful sanctuary than the “Room of Quiet.” For all of us who are at the United Nations to work out peaceful resolutions to the world’ s problems , the Meditation Room beckons us. Away from the formality and
    routine aspects of our diplomatic activity, there is a great need for this room where we can absorb ourselves in private meditation and prayer.
  - I pray that the tranquility of the “Room of Quiet ” transcends throughout the world and provides the inspiration for peace and brotherhood .
- Excerpt of a statement received from His Eminence, Cardinal Terence I Cooke, Archbishop of New York , entitled “Reflection on Silence”:
  - In my life, I feel a need for and value opportunities for prayerful silence . Conscious of a loving God who communicates in many ways, I listen in quiet for His voice .
  - In listening, I recall moments during which I experienced life intensely – times of suffering, of great happiness, of unfulfilled longing, of tender love.
  - In reflective moments, I am at home with my memories, for what is most precious to me is made present in them. . .
  - In silence, I realize that the values and convictions that can easily be broken by the ha rd experiences of life are of great importance- such convictions as: it is good to be selfless; to be sad with those who mourn; to hunger and thirst for justice; to be pure in heart; to be merciful; to be a peacemaker.
  - In prayerful stillness, I am aware that God is closer to me than my own heart and I ask that His Spirit will lead me to seek holiness, and to clothe myself with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness and patience.
  Statement recieved from Mr. Peter Stewart, President of the Center for World Thanksgiving at Thanks-Giving Square:
  - Your celebration of the 20 years of prayer in the Meditation Room at the United Nations will be echoed by a celebration of gratitude a t the Chapel of Thanksgiving for this landmark of the human spirit. We are thankful for the spiri t of Dag Hammarskjold and U Thant that has pioneered the oneness of the human spirit in a new and wonderful way. Your own mighty work is an inspiration to all of us.

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Six New songs – music by Sri Chinmoy
- U.N. MEDITATION – words ~ Sri Chinmoy
- THE UNITED NATIONS – words by Trygve Lie (1st Secretary-General)
Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the UN Choir in Conference Room 4
- MAY I BE OFFERED ~ words by Dag Hammarskjold (2nd S-G)
- GONE ARE THE DAYS – words by U Thant (3rd S-G)
- IN THE WAKE OF THE MOST CATASTROPHIC WAR- words by U Thant
- I KNO’W – words by Kurt Waldheim (4th S-G)
Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the UN Choir in Conference Room 4