Today was a very special Peace Run day in Ottawa. We visited 20 foreign Embassies and shared the Peace Torch with many peace-loving and peace-serving diplomats and their staff.
The first Embassy this team went to was the Embassy of Serbia.
Taneesha addresses Mr. Haris Hadžibegović, Consular Officer from the Embassy of Bosnia-Herzegovina .
Next was the Embassy of Mali where we were greeted quite warmly by Mr. Amadou Ba, Second Counsellor
Mr. Saiba Sylla, First Counsellor, of the Embassy of Senegal holds the torch with other staff members and our international team of runners.
Embassy of Senegal staff members gave the team a very warm welcome.
Our team at Strathcona Park very close to many of the Embassies we visited.
A young peace lover gets to hold the torch after climbing a stone wall in the park.
The Embassy of Venezuela was next to welcome us and share the Peace Torch with us.
Mrs. Anna Carolina Rodriguez, Charge d'Affaires with the Embassy of Venezuela, offers a very warm welcome as she gladly holds the torch.
Many of the Embassies are made from stone with classical old styles of European architecture.
We had to run to some of the Embassies although most of them were in the same area of Sandy Hill section of Ottawa.
Fatoumata Tignokpa and some of the staff of the Embassy of Togo hold the torch, offering kind messages of support.
The Togo team.
After a short presentation by our team, members of the Embassy of Togo carried the torch to the Pakistan High Commission.
Togo and Pakistan.
Staff members from the Pakistan High Commission helped us carry the Peace Torch to the Embassy of Gabon.
Vernance Mbingt Abdoulaye from Gabon takes the torch.
At the Embassy of Gabon.
Mr. Abdoulaye from Gabon leads us to the next Embassy, Switzerland.
Mrs. Annette Moser, First Secretary, of the Embassy of Switzerland kindly receives the torch.
Dennis addresses Mrs. Moser in her German native tongue.
The Embassy of Switzerland.
Next was the wonderful staff at the Embassy of Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), ready to receive the Peace Torch.
Lydia Ipeayao, First Counsellor, of the Embassy of Cote D’Ivoire and staff hold the torch together.
Members of the Embassy of Cote D’Ivoire
The second team of runners were also visiting about a dozen embassies at the same time as we were visiting others.
Mr. Jaroslav Kurek, Deputy Head of Mission, welcomes the team from the steps of the Embassy of Poland.
Mr. Kurek, with our Polish runner, Mahasatya.
Many members of the Embassy of Sudan warmly greeted the runners. The Charge d'affaires welcomed the team and exclaimed "It's my honour to hold this torch."
Ms. Svetlana Stoycheva-Etropolski, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Bulgaria.
Ms. Ulrike Butschek of the Embassy of Austria holds the Peace Torch. "An initiative like this is more than welcome. I wish you all the best." she said.
H.E. Pedro Bretas, Ambassador of the Embassy of Brazil, who is an accomplished marathon runner himself, warmly greets the team.
running between Embassies....
Lounceny Conde, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Guinea, and Embassy staff, warmly greeted the team from the Embassy grounds. "There is nothing more beautiful than peace and love," he said. "Our Embassy recognises that you are here to promote peace throughout the world. You are ambassadors of peace. From all countries of the world you have come to spread peace and love, not war. May God go with you. May God bless you."
Mr. Kirill Kalinin, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Russia, kindly greeted the Peace Runners.
Mr. Yasser Abed, Deputy Head of Mission,of the Embassy of Egypt holds the Peace Torch. "It's nice to see this activity happening all over the world. It's an honour for us to receive you." he said.
Mr. Abed was joined by other staff members from the Embassy of Egypt who offered their congratulations.
Mr. Victor Musembi, Second Secretary at the High Commission of Kenya, holds the Peace Torch. "It is our pleasure to receive you all here today," he said. "It is great to know about the great job you are doing in promoting peace. I wish you all the best. Canada is a great example of a peaceful country."
Mr. Musembi with the team.
Mr Sukri Sharbini, Second Secretary at the Brunei High Commission holds the Torch with Peace Run Executive Director, Salil Wilson. "We are very honoured and very privileged to have you here." he said. "We are honoured to be part of the Peace Run and to show our support. We are moved by your committment and dedication."
Staff of the Brunei High Commission and the team.
Both of our teams joined together at the Embassy of Angola
H.E. Agostinho Taveres da Silva Neto, Ambassador of the Embassy of Angola, welcomed the team. "We Angolans know what peace means, " he said, "and want to encourage you to continue running for peace".
Our Executive Director, Salil Wilson and H.E. Agostinho Taveres da Silva Neto share the torch.
After our busy morning visiting the foreign Embassies we ran to the Ottawa City Hall.
Salil addresses Mayor Jim Watson and City Councillors Peter Clark, Tim Tierney and Eli El-Chantiry at City Hall
Mayor Jim Watson and City Councillors Eli El-Chantiry, Tim Tierney and David Chernushenko show us the beautiful hallways of City Hall.
Peace Run coordinator Pratyaya Hamilton offers flowers to Mayor Jim Watson and City Councillors to thank them for their warm welcome.
Later in the day we ran to the World Exchange Plaza in Ottawa where there was a welcoming ceremony for the Peace Run attended by members of the diplomatic community and NGOs.
Utsahi St. Amand, a Professor at the University of Ottawa, helps with the food and water.
OrKidstra, a group of young aspiring musicians, entertained us with beautiful classical music.
The stage is adorned with flowers and colorful posters on the theme of Peace and World Harmony by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run.
Heads and representatives from the diplomatic community and NGOs were in attendance
Prapti, a peace-runner and owner of a local restaurant here in Ottawa, offers her introductions to the event.
Salil Wilson offers a brief history of the run and welcomes the runners as they carry in the Peace Torch.
We offer our introductions and Peace Run song composed by Sri Chinmoy.
Tina Fedeski, Executive Director of The Leading Note Foundation and OrKidstra, offers an introduction to the group after receiving our Torch-Bearer Award for many years of work offering children of all ages opportunities to learn and perform classical music.
The children took turns expressing their interpretations of music in a few words.
Over 300 children speaking 42 languages are part of the OrKidstra foundation.
The music was very peaceful and entertaining.
Arpan DeAngelo and Harita Davies, captains of this year`s North American Peace Run.
Guests thoroughly enjoyed the OrKidstra performance
Many smiles were seen among the many countries represented here today.
Along with the Peace Run Torch-Bearer Award, recipient Tina Fedeski is presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
It was truly a global event of peace and harmony today.
Mrs. Ucha Maduekwe speaks on behalf of her husband the Ambassador of the Embassy of Nigeria.
Sanchita, Pratyaya and Chitrini from Ottawa helped to organize this very successful and meaningful event.
Afterwards some of the runners were able to visit the Phulero Dola Flower Shop inside the mall.
Not far away is a wonderful cafe called Blossom, run by Hemangini and Preeyati.
Enjoying Blossom outside in the sun.
Some of our runners stayed inside to enjoy the ambience of Blossom.
Salil cheerfully accepts his farewell gifts as he had to leave today to go back home.
We also offered our gratitude and some surprise gifts to our two Russian and two Ukranian couples who joined our team two weeks ago and have to leave us soon as well.
