It was a beautiful day for a run today!
Today was the final day in Canberra, visiting two most wonderful schools. First off was Mother Teresa School in Evatt. It was quite a treat to visit this school as Saint Mother Teresa and the founder Sri Chinmoy were dear friends, meeting many times and sharing numerous letters. Saint Mother Teresa blessed the Peace Torch during one of Sri Chinmoy's visits to her. So it seems only fitting that the Peace Run visit her school.
The Peace Runners had lots of fun running around the students as they waited in the hall for the presentation.
They shared us their motto: “Do small things with great love” and then sang their school song to us which incorporated this quote.
Demonstrating peace.
Time for the teachers to run!
As they left the hall all the students took a moment to wish and pray for peace, before taking to the field and running around with all the country flags.
Wanniassa School invited the Peace Run to speak to the year 7 students as part of their wellness program. We started with meeting the students in their library.
Stacey and Harita sing a well known Maori song...
Guatemala!
Not peace!!
Now thats peace!
We love taking the opportunity to recognise the crucial role teachers play in fostering peace in the world...
... and students are always thrilled to see their teachers run with the torch!
Thank you Wanniassa School!
Many of the students had prepared artwork for the Peace Run, with some students taking time in the classroom to find what peace means to them. They had also seen footage of various Peace Runs around the world. One of the teachers, who is originally from Serbia, even spotted an old Primary School friend running with the Peace Torch!
After our time in the library the students went outside to first hold the torch to make a wish for peace.
We then ran with some of the kids and the Peace Torch through the school grounds before school bell rang, which signaled not only the end of day for the students but also the end of the day for this Peace Run team.
Much gratitude to our good friend, teacher Emily Stacey, pictured running with the Peace Torch. Emily had spent quite some time sharing the Peace Run with all the students and teachers of Year 7. It was wonderful to be presenting to so many students who had studied the Peace Run and prepared for our visit!
What better way to end than with Ice Cream! All our gratitude to local coordinators, visiting runners, and the countless new and old friends along our route who gave their hearts of enthusiasm, kindness, hope and happiness to make Sri Chinmoy's Oneness-Home vision a reality!
"Only the peace-dreamers,
Peace-lovers
And peace-servers
Can transform the world."
-Sri Chinmoy
