A new runner joins us today: Todor from North-Macedonia.
The first school we visited was De Triangel in the town of Gulpen.
We gave our presentation on the steps above the schoolyard.
The children were all lovely and very enthusiastic about the Peace Run.
And so is Joanna from Poland!
Bye bye, hope to see you another time!
Many thanks to principal Christa Somers for hosting us at De Triangel.
We met some German friends on the road: Pramodan from Dortmund with his accordeon.
On to the next school: De Robbedoes in Vaals.
We passed the Peace Torch to all children and teachers.
And we gave the school a peace painting by Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the Peace Run.
Our last bit of running in Holland starts!
And it's the toughest part of all the running: right onto the top of the highest mountain in The Netherlands, the Vaalserberg!
With a height of 322 meters above sea level, it's actually more of a hill, but still!
On the top of the Vaalserberg we gathered for a very significant ceremony. The Peace Run will dedicate the Vaalserberg as a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom, a landmark for peace. The Vaalserberg is also a tri-border area, where the countries of Netherlands, Germany and Belgium come together in one point.
The mayor of Vaals, Mr. Harry Leunessen was present as well and gave a glowing speech about peace.
Together with Geert Driessen, caretaker of the tri-border area and owner of restaurant De Grenssteen, the mayor revealed the new plaque commemorating the peace-blossom.
Geert read out the text on the plaque. The Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms program has dedicated more than 800 sites and landmarks all over the world for peace. Among them are Niagara Falls, Mount Everest and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
A nice group photograph at the new plaque.
The Vaalserberg is actually owned by the Maharishi Foundation. They also came with a delegation to celebrate the new inauguration and offer their wishes for peace to the Peace Torch.
Here is the actual precise location of the tri-border area. So here we are in three countries at the same time!
After the ceremony Geert Driessen very generously invited us for a delicious lunch in his restaurant, which is located right at the tri-border area on the top of the Vaalserberg.
We all enjoyed the food and good vibes!
