This is a picture of our team on the first day of the 2018 North American Peace Run, back on April 15th in New York City. You can see Harashita in the front. She was our only Japanese representative this year. By the time the run finishes, we will have had about 60 runners from 20 different countries on the team at different times!
We are so grateful for all the support and encouragement we have received along the way! A very special form of encouragement came from some students in Japan. We were so touched by their oneness that we wanted to share photos of their artwork that they sent us- thus this special report!
In the words of Harashita:
"This was almost a two months long project with 52 second-year students in my English classes at Kansai University, Osaka, Japan. They are 19-20 years old, majoring in Informatics (Computer Science). After taking part in the North America Peace Run for 5 days in April, back home in Japan I got inspired to share my experience with my students, and this new project started. I'd love my students to learn about the Peace Run; at the same time, I knew English was not their forte so this could be a fun and meaningful way for them to use English.
I introduced the Peace Run to them with the video and brochure, then had them follow the web reports for 5 weeks (except when they had tests!). They had to write a response journal each week in English and email it to me. And after the 5 weeks they were divided into small groups and created messages, most of them in posters. I think they had great fun doing that. Many seemed to have enjoyed the feeling of experiencing the Peace Run together with the team, and also they discovered the diverse reality in nature and in people and cultures in North America. Many said they gained new interest to know more about America, and to travel abroad to know a much bigger world than their current world. So in all aspects, it turned out to be a fantastic project!"
These posters speak for themselves- please enjoy the heart-felt and creative expressions of encouragement!
A few more messages:
Hello from Japan. I'm a Japanese college student. I was deeply moved to see you.
Your activity is wonderful. In my opinion, PEACE RUN is a simple expression for peace movement. Furthermore, thanks to your web reports, I could learn foreign culture. Especially, two things left a strong impression on me. First, the architecture is beautiful. I have never seen anything like that. Second, there are folded paper crane displayed in the room. Because I'm from Hiroshima, I'm very glad to see it.
I will continue supporting you. Katsuki
We are Japanese students. We first learned about Peace Run in Professor Harashita's class and it was a wonderful activity. The children who participated in Peace Run looked very sincere and having fun. We are happy to look at the pictures, and can feel the connection of people. We were surprised that you are running a very long distance. You must have passion for peace. In Peace Run, everyone can run regardless of economic situation and race . It is wonderful that people from all over the world can participate. Not seeking specific political or monetary interests, is awesome. You still have a long way, but keep going!!
And when you finish around the USA, please come and visit Osaka. We would like to participate in your activities in the future as well.
Rintaro, Hikaru, Ryosuke
Here we are in Detroit in mid-July, having traveled over 9,000 miles since leaving New York, with 2,000 more to go. This was our last day in the United States before entering Canada, where we are running right now.
All our deepest gratitude to the students from Kansai University in Japan for their wonderful support- we hope we can all meet somewhere along the road of peace!!!
In the oneness-heart
There is abiding peace.
With our oneness-heart
We are all trying to create
A peaceful world-family.
-Sri Chinmoy
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