Martin Luther King: Humanity’s Aspiration-Hero – Full text at UN 1977 - Historical Repository for Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

Martin Luther King: Humanity’s Aspiration-Hero – Full text at UN 1977

Filed under quotations-collections | Tributes and Expressions of appreciation

A programme recalling the universal vision and inspired leadership of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 29 November 1977 – Conference Room 4, United Nations, New York

The Full text is included in this special issue of “Meditation at the United Nations”

For Highlights and excerpts only see: Martin Luther King Excerpts

also Listed in the regular issue: November 1977 “Meditation at the UN. Bulletin”

Content Highlights:

Opening meditation and remarks: Sri Chinmoy, Leader Meditation Group at the U.N.

Three songs – The Meditation Group at the U.N. Choirs

“O Martin Luther King”
“I Have a Dream. “
“Precious Lord”

Speakers :

Mr. Paul O’Dwyer, President of the City Council of New York City
Ambassador Salim Ahmed Salim, Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations, Chairman, Special Committee of 24 on Decolonization;
Ambassador Leslie O. Harriman, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Chairman, Special Committee against Apartheid;
Ambassador Al Lowenstein, United States Mission to the United Nations;
Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs;
Mr. Donald Keys, NGO Representative, Planetary Citizens
Mrs. Coretta Scott King

One song – The Meditation Group Singers
sponsored by the Peace Meditation Group at the United Nations

Expanded Content List

(with some descriptive narrative) – Section to be added

Introduction: jeff Kamen (WPIX-TV News Reporter): Ladies and gentlemen, the members of the Meditation Group at the United Nations would like to welcome you to today’s programme.

We have come here today to honour the memory of Nobel Peace Prize winner Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, ‘ Jr.

We are honoured to have with us today Mrs. King and other distinguished guests.

First please join Meditation Group Leader, Sri Chinmoy, in a moment of silence.
Sri Chinmoy leads a short meditation.

The Meditation Group singers perform original songs by Sri Chinmoy dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., some of which were composed to the civil rights leader’s own words.

The singers perform “O Martin Luther King”
and “I Have a Dream. “

Meditation Group singers also offered Dr. King’s favorite hymn,
“Precious Lord.”

Sri Chinmoy sees Dr. King as “Humanity’s Aspiration-Hero.”

Sri Chinmoy: Martin Luther King, beloved king of the heart-world, unhorizoned vision of the mind-world, hero-warrior of the vital-world, life sacrificer of the body-world, to you my aspiration dedication-life bows.

The Saviour-Son gave humanity the lesson of compassion and forgiveness. India’s Mahatma Gandhi, with his message of non-violence, proved to be an excellent student.

In America the Absolute Supreme chose you to be His unparalleled student, to love divinely the soul of His creation and to serve unreservedly the body of His creation.

We, the members of the Meditation Group at the UN, bow to you lovingly, devotedly and soulfully.

Speakers :

Mr. Paul O’Dwyer, President of the City Council of New York City

Ambassador Salim Ahmed Salim, Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations, Chairman, Special Committee of 24 on Decolonization;

Ambassador Leslie O. Harriman, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Chairman, Special Committee against Apartheid;

Ambassador Al Lowenstein, United States Mission to the United Nations;

Dr. Robert Muller, Deputy Under-Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs;

Mr. Donald Keys, NGO Representative, Planetary Citizens

Mrs. Coretta Scott King

God give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change and the wisdom to know the difference.

I want to first express my deep gratitude to the Meditation Group at the U.N. and to all of you in the United Nations and from the City of New York, who have gathered here in this special tribute to the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Your words have been, indeed, an inspiration to me. And to have heard what has been said by representatives of nations around the world, who have understood Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message and his great life commitment, certainly inspires me personally to continue in the struggle which we are all a part of here, I feel, at the United Nations, to liberate those who are oppressed and to bring about a better quality of life for all people in this world and certainly in our nation, where I am a citizen.

I feel that I am also a citizen of the world,

.….. full text in attached doc

“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was written by James Wellman Johnson and the music by Jay Roseman Johnson two brothers who were black. And sometimes it’s called the black anthem, national anthem. It starts with “Lift every voice and sing,” but I’m going to turn to the final stanza of that song as I close, because it is really a prayer, as we move on in our struggle. We have achieved a certain degree of political liberation. What we have to do is to work toward the freedom, the economic liberation of those nations, developing nations, throughout the world, because we can never be secure here in America , the most affluent nation in the world, until all the nations of this world are secure and when every person can have enough food and adequate clothing and housing and can have health care and education and culture of the spirit.“God of our weary ears,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way,
Thou who hast by Thy Might
Led us into Thy Light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray,
Lest our feet stray from the places,
Our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our heart drunk with wine
Of the world, we forget Thee.
Shadowed beneath Thy Hand
May we forever stand
True to our God,
True to our native land.”