Today the team would visit a few places in Surabaya. Our first stop was SLB Karya Mulia, Surabaya, a special needs school. Dr. Davidson Hepburn, former President of the general conference of UNESCO & former Permanent Representative of the Bahamas to the United Nations, joyfully led the team.
The team received an enthusiastic welcome from the students and teachers.
Principal's welcome speech...
Student representative gave a welcome speech in Indonesian sign language.
On display were colorful and soulful peace paintings by the students.
Executive Director Salil Wilson and a few other representatives of the team signed several of these peace paintings to commemorate the Peace Run's visit.
Members of Surabaya Rotary Club
In the front row were Rotary exchange students from the US, Mexico and France.
The Rotary exchange students joined the students' dance performance.
Next was this traditional musical performance.
In both cases, they had ingenious ways to coordinate their movements and sounds by having the conductor visible at the back of the room. The team was deeply impressed and enjoyed them very much.
Now it's time for the team to give our presentation.
Country-guessing game winners received prizes from the Rotary Club.
Outside in the courtyard on the wall, there was a large poster.
Students representatives one by one put a heart-shaped sticker with a peace message on the poster, as expressions of their dreams and promises for peace.
Students' acrobatic and aerobic performances followed.
Our next stop was Spins Interactional School.
The program began with lighting the special ceremonial lamps by representatives of the Rotary Club, SPIN International School, and the Peace Run.
Co-Founder of the school Sanjana and Rotary District Governor Princess Febri.
These students singers soulfully and dynamically sang the song "Indonesia" composed by the Peace Run founder Sri Chinmoy.
"Indonesia, Indonesia, Indonesia!
Softness, Sweetness, Oneness-Ambrosia
You are the golden link between two continents: Asia, Australia
Your matchless prides: Java, Bali, Sumatra, Jarkarta
You are your mountain-heights. You are your volcano-power.
Islam, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, all faiths have built a oneness-tower."
These extremely talented students entertained us with a variety of performances.
The Peace Run team then made our presentation.
Manoj (right) and Sanjana (left), Co-Founders of the school, are a Rotarian couple and they kindly invited us to their school for this incredibly creative and moving program.
Sri Chinmoy's painting was presented to the school as a token of appreciation and gratitude.
Finally, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Vice Governor of East Java. Half the team and Rotary leaders visited the West Wing of the Governor's Office.
Vice Governor Dr. H. Emil Elestianto Dardak, MSc. and his wife Arumi Bachsin. This extremely beautiful young couple embodied newness, brilliance, openness, hopes and promises of East Java and Indonesia.
Peace Run Team made a short presentation and sang a couple of songs honouring the Vice Governor.
Deep gratitude to their extremely warm welcome and keen interest in Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run.
Meanwhile, the other half of the team visited an interfaith complex called Komplek Ibadah 6 Agama, Royal Residence.
Surabaya Rotarians and Peace Run Team paid prayerful visits to each of the faiths represented in the complex.
Finally, everybody met again at the Buddhist temple Sanggar Agung inside Kenjeran Park.
Here Rotary Club members and Peace Run Team shared peaceful moments of meditation.
To conclude, we were treated to a delicious dinner prepared by the restaurant of Atlantis Land in the same premise. The owner Mr. Setiadji (middle) kindly explained the history of this creative amusement park.
To mark the finale of today's Peace Run events, Atlantis Land prepared a special water attraction for us. Thank you very much.
