The Exodus players were smiling and peaceful as they played some very uplifting and dynamic music for us this morning.
We paraded through the streets of the Pilsen community on our way to the Head Start Program of the El Hogar School.
Even some of the locals were watching from their apartment windows.
Amburoha from Ukraine happily marches along with the children.
Ishmeal of Exodus plays an awesome horn even while carrying the torch.
Sharing the torch with some very friendly locals.
Pavaka approves overwhelmingly of the Exodus players.
Pavaka and Arpan join the group for a short while.
Dennis leads the group for a while with the torch. He, along with Arpan, have been on the Peace Run since they left New York City on April 19.
We were greeted by very excited children with artistically designed paper torches and peace signs.
Even the teachers and parents were injoying the parade.
We paraded with the children, led by Exodus, to a nearby park.
Two of our local Peace Run team and coordinators, Ahavani and Mayankinee, are happy that the torch finally made it to their beautiful city of Chicago.
Arpan and Pavaka lead the way with our official banner.
Sukantika, one of our local coordinators who did a great job coordinating these events today, happily cheers the children and musicians on.
Amburoha(Ukraine) and Aparanji (Brazil) carrying a pretty 'Peace Torch'.
The children from El Hogar watch intently with torches in had while we offered our program at a nearby park.
With this view you can see a packed audience on the bleachers of the park.
One of our team members, Anamika from Bengladesh, introduces herself to the crowd.
The children were well behaved and quite interested in what we had to say and share with them.
Pavaka gets ready to play the World Harmony Run song on his ukelele.
Hold the torch high during our World Harmony Run song written by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run.
Feeling peace in the heart.
Hleping a fallen peace runner.
Lots of children from El Hogar and the Exodus Drum and Bugle Corps join us for a group photo.
Lunch was at the Nuevo Leone Mexican Restaurant. The place was packed from even before we got there. The food and srvice is so good that there is a line going out the front door.
We made our way to the South Shore Drill Team headquarters in the afternoon.
The Exodus Drum and Bugle Core were there to greet everyone with their dynamic performances once again.
The Drill Team was introduced by one of their members.
Arpan introduces the Peace Run to crowd of people present.
It was a colorful group of peace-lovers with international flags.
David Whitaker, Chicago Area Project Executive Director, offered some words of wisdom and inspiration to the audience.
Our Peace Run team listened intently as each speaker offered very supportive words about our Peace Run efforts.
Alderman Leslie Hairston also addressed the crowd saying that peace is a state of mind and a way of being and that we are here to celebrate the spirit.
David Whitaker offered the first shovel of soil to the newly planted Sri Chinmoy Peace Tree.
Director of the South Shore Drill Team, Arthur Robertson, happily helps in the planting of the peace tree here in front of their headquarters.
Arpan from the North American Peace Run adds some soil to the Peace Tree.
Some of the children also helped in the planting of the Sri Chinmoy Peace Tree.
Some of our distinguished guests and children with flags of many nations by the newly dedicated Sri Chinmoy Peace Tree.
Children from the Chinese American Service League came to offer their goodwill and share the torch.
Some of the members of the La Causa Community Committee Rec. Camp kindly offer their wishes for peace with the torch.
Children from La Causa gather to offer peace and support.
We were very happy to see members of Green Corps at our event as well as children for the Gary Comer Youth Center Green Teens.
Incredibly talented performers from the South Shore Drill Team offered us some amazing performances.
Talented dances, rifle twirling,
Flag twirling...
They demonstrated precision and grace.
Te South Shore Drill Team with some of our honored guests raise the Torch for peace.
Everyone present, including our Peace Runners and the youth groups that came, created a powerful 'team' of people working hard for peace with the South Shore Drill Team.
We had a great dinner at the Victory's Banner Restaurant with the Exodus players and Rickey Williams, Deputy Associate Executive Director of Chicago Area Project.
Following the delicious meal we were led around the neighborhood to the Audubon Elementary School by some of the Exodus Drum and Bugle Corps that have been with us all day offered very uplifting and powerful music.
We are very grateful to the Exodus players for bringing much joy and dynamism to our events today.
Two Brazilian peace runners share the torch at the Audubon School event.
Isaac, an awesome Melophone player, takes a break with the cymbals.
Aaron, on snare, plays some very skilled rudiments and drum beats.
Ishmeal on trumpet. He can almost make the trumpet talk.
Salil introduces our team at the Audubon School Ceremony.
Again we were treated to incredible performances by the South Shore Drill Team.
The T.V. was there to cover this extraordinary event.
Rickey Williams from the CAP (Chicago Area Project) accepts the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run Torch Bearer Award for his outstanding service to the community for many years. He has been with CAP since 1978 and has worked with the youth in this community with the belief that the youth are resources and not problems.
Mr. Williams was very eloquent as he spoke about the youth of today and the special talents that they have to offer.
Mary Montgomery, Board Member of the Chicago Area Project since 1998 receives the Torch-Bearer Award for her work directing Public Relations for the organization and for her work as a columnist with Conscious Communtiy Magazine, helping communities to find their own solutions to their challenges.
Mary raises the torch high for peace and harmony.
Sevak Edward James receives the Torch-Bearer Award for his dedication to the youth of the Austin Community for the past 25 years. For the past 15 years he has worked with Chicago Area Project to further build programs working for peace together with Austin's youth. He directs the very talented Drum and Bugle Corps called Exodus who performed for us many times today at our events.
Sevak offers his wise and inspiring words to the crowd.
Our three proud and well deserving Torch-Bearers with our Peace Run team members.
Pradhan Balter, owner of Vicotry's Banner Restaurant in Roscoe Village, addresses the crowd and offers his gratitude for their participation in today's Peace Run events which he has helped with tremendously for the past days here in his own neighborhood.
It was an inspiring site to see the whole school yard filled with children and their parents.
The Torch is passed to all those in the audience who wish to offer their goodwill and thoughts for peace that we can pass on to the next community that we run to.
Bobby from the local area comes on wheels and offers his support.
Even the smallest children wanted to be part of the event and carry some of the international flags.
Young children in the playground got to hold the torch and make a wish for peace.
Even this big 'kid' on the climbing bars was enjoying the event taking photos there.
Now it was time to have our Peace Run Parade of Nations through the streets of this charming community.
Local families with children of all ages participated in the Parade of Nations.
The South Shore Drill Team, who already had performed twice today for us, marched with us and performed again as the neighbors were in awe of their tremendous talent and endurance.
Danny and Lucy, local musicians and friends of the Peace Run, performed some very inspiring and sweet music as we ended our events today with a reception at the Victory's Banner Bookstore and Art Gallery.
Pavaka is proud to get the South Shore Chicago Drill Team shirt.
We are very happy and grateful to the Days Inn for their excellent service and complimentary rooms for two nights.
