It has become a wonderful tradition for our team to visit our dear friends at OmUnity and the surrounding community in Sudaji Village whenever we come to Bali. We first visited in 2015, and this was our 5th time going!
Enjoy this short video of proceedings.
OmUnity is definitely the embodiment of peace!
Preparing for our visit.
Our team arrived from Ubud and was greeted by many villagers and school children, who all joined a procession to our meeting point at OmUnity. It is a wonderful opportunity to experience traditional Balinese village life.
Dektam, (holding the torch), and her two brothers Paramananda and Omang, (to her right), have joined each of our runs in the Sudaji. They are the children of OmUnity owners, Putu and Zanzan, and have all grown up a lot since they first joined us in 2015. We are thrilled to still have them leading our team!
Made Sani, the mother of OmUnity co-owner, Zanzan, offering her blessings to the team before they enter.
From left to right: Kadek Suryani , Luh Sugiantini , Kadek Wardani , Luh Suardiani , Luh Sunyiati , and Nyoman Ariadi. These women all prepared a delicious meal for the team. Many of them have cooked for us multiple times!
These local dancers opened the ceremony.
Zanzan welcoming the runners and special guests.
Peace Run Executive Director, Salil Wilson, with I MADE WIRAMA SATRIA, SE, Chief of the district Sawan.
From left to right: Mrs. Luh Putu Adi Ariwati, Sekretaris of KETUT SUWARMAWAN, SSTP.,MM Chief of Communication and information Buleleng Regency; AKP DEWA PUTU SUDIASA, S.IP chief of the police district Sawan; I MADE WIRAMA SATRIA, SE, Chief of the district Sawan; Peace Run Executive Director Salil Wilson; Made Duparsana Danramil representative chief of the army Buleleng Regency; Ngurah Fajar Kurniawan, Chief of Sudaji village; Staff poloce
Everyone is ready to run!
We split into 2 teams to enable us to visit all the 6 local schools in Sudaji Village before they finished for the day.
Paramananda leading the first team.
The village children melt our hearts with their sweetness.
Local Balinese Peace Runner, Eka, teaching the children actions to the World Harmony Run song.
We presented each school with an artwork by Peace Run founder, Sri Chinmoy.
Passing the torch is an important part of each ceremony.
Omang leads the children to the next school. Running in the village is such a treat!
Pranayani from Holland and Gesiane from Brazil play a game to demonstrate how easily we can choose peace in our daily lives.
Local Balinese Peace Runner, Kanyaka, presents a painting.
So beautiful!
Gabrielle from Guatemala shares the torch with local police.
Our second team enjoying the hills!
Stacey from New Zealand and Dektam from Bali leading the ceremony.
Chelsea giving clues to have the children guess she is from China.
Vera from Portugal expressively singing a traditional song from her country.
This girl led the children singing the National Anthem of Indonesia and another fun song. They were all great singers!
The children feeling peace in their hearts.
We gave the children little peace run cards.
Thanking the teachers- some of the most valuable unsung champions of our world.
These kids walking home from school joined us for a while.
Finally the two teams met at a local reservoir where Zanzan led us in a special prayerful offering of sanctified water to Mother Earth.
When we arrived back at OmUnity it was time to enjoy the feast! All vegetarian and freshly prepared from local ingredients- so good!
This man with Zanzan is visiting Bali from New York City and travelled to Sudaji especially to take part. He gave Zanzan a calendar of his artwork which he prepares every year to give to homeless people to see and keep the profits in New York City, We were so happy he could join us!
Before we left we thanked all those who worked so hard to create this beautiful event.
These three men with Zanzan in the blue t-shirts are from Astra Foundation, a non profit committed to sustainability and resilience.
Our team sang a special "thank you" song written by Sri Chinmoy.
A biggest thank you to OmUnity owners and staff! Co-owner Putu, on the far left, organised all the food and many details in the background.
The end of another beautiful and charming day in Sudaji- Bali Heaven on earth!
All our gratitude, and we look forward to next time!
My heart needs only
Village-life-simplicity
To make the fastest progress.
-Sri Chinmoy
