Runners on the virtual International Peace Run team offer greetings to Russia and Belarus, the countries through which they will be virtually running 1700 kms this week. The video contains a special message from Prince Dipo, Princess Febri and their family in Solo, Indonesia.
The photographs below are from the international runners who ran through the Baltic region June 15-21. This is Violeta from Bulgaria.
Violeta: On the first day of running, I visited "The Bells" Complex The International Children's Assembly "Banner of Peace" is a children's art festival under the auspices of UNESCO. In a circle around this major monument are placed a number of much smaller concrete structures on which bells are hung representing different countries.
Violeta: This monument is one of the few examples of monumental art from the totalitarian regime, carrying a message that is still relevant today - unity, tolerance and creativity. Bells are a symbol of what unites people, regardless of their political affiliation, nationality, race or religion, and are a message we must keep.
Tree of peace and harmony in Plovdiv
Violeta: One day I was running with my sister. We talked about peace, unity and the personal example we can set. In the photo we are sending our message of peace to all countries in the Baltic region– Peaceеееееее
Paralympic runner Jorge Pina (centre) with his wife Raqel and very good friend Sukham.
Jorge Pina has a guide runner for his long training runs.
Jorge is famous in Portugal for his dedicated service to the community. He has started an Academy of Sports for children in Lisbon.
Running along the Atlantic coast near Lisbon.
Sukham moving at the speed of light.
Uugantsetseg is running in Mongolia.
The Mongolian Peace Run team.
Avanayaha is also on the team.
Passing the torch.
Mongolian wrestlers carry the torch.
The city of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.
The Arsenal of Peace in Torino.
In Torino, our Italian runner, Virochana, is standing at the Arsenal of Peace. Once it was a factory of weapons, but today it is a place for cooperation, spreading a prophecy of peace though its role as a meeting point for differents cultures, religions and opionions. Its doors are always open to the world. On this wall it reads 'Goodness is disarming'. On each brick there is the name of a different nation.
Virochana: I organised a small exhibition of children’s drawings and messages for peace dedicated to the Peace Run. The exibition was on the big street in front of the store where I work from Friday until Sunday. It was so exciting! People liked it very much.! Especially children!
In Milan there is a statue dedicated to Peace. It is a statue of Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the Peace Run, holding a Peace Torch.
I finished my Peace Run week with the Rainbow of hope “Andrà tutto bene“ ... "Everything will be OK“ which has been the symbol of hope during lock down, and still is. “Never give up hope for a world of peace, health and prosperity…. “.
Greetings to the Baltic nations from the Italian coastline. Here we see Virochana's nephew and niece, Vincenzo and Mariafrancesca.
Chang.
Darina at the Peace Statue in Milan. The statue is designed to be interactive - it inviites the visitor to hold the torch and offer their own prayer for Peace.
Nivedak has been participating in the Peace Run for 30 years.
Alexandra from Torino covered 22kms in the mountains for the Peace Run.
Is this a monkey king - or is it Max, our Austrian runner?
The city of Salzburg. The city of Mozart.
Garga did his running in his hometown of Bristol. In this picture you can see a Bansky piece of art on the wall.
The city of Bristol was dedicated to Peace on April 2nd, 2000.
Garga at Baltic Wharf in Bristol. This wharf has been connecting Bristol and the Baltics since the 15th Century.
Statue of the famous Hindu reformer Raj Ramohan Roy.
Another Banksy piece of art.
Just to the right of Garga is the Lithuanian flag. Bristol serves many communities and many nationalities.
A typical English country church.
Piloo ran her kilometres in Geneva where she lives and works.
Lake Geneva.
Can you see the deer?
Vedisha did her running in Hungary.
Ashcharjya did his running in France. 10k to Notre Dame.
The Bastille square.
Ashcharjya meets a friend, Pierre, who is a great supporter of the Peace Run.
Hi from Latvia, along the Baltic sea.
Ginz from Latvia.
(Photo from a few years ago on a Peace Run in Finland) Neharika is holding the torch. Neharika lives in Vaasa, and runners there ran 95kms this week.
Kagni is our international runner from Finland.
Beautiful Finland.
The Helsinki running team.
Martina from the Czech Republic.
Sukhada is from Russia.
Russian jubilation.
Marek is finding streets in Slovakia which have been named after the Baltic nations.
Luciana ran 18kms in Rome. Paksharupa ran 28 kms in Torino.
