
Our morning began getting on a bus to take us to the first school. These were some of our new friends from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) who accompanied us for the day.

We were delighted to see Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Van (centre), Vice-President of VUFO, who we had met in 2012. Ms. Vu Thi Hai (left) is the Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations (HAUFO) and Ms. Ly Thi Luong is the principal of Ngo Si Lien Secondary School.

This girl performed a remarkable version of "Roar" a pop song made famous by Katy Perry. To be honest, we thought this talented young lady's version was actually better than the original!

Mr. Do shared his feelings on peace and how in 1999 UNESCO awarded Hanoi as a city for peace in 1999. This award recognizes, celebrates and honors the strengthening social cohesion, improving living conditions in sensitive neighbourhoods and developing a true urban conviviability.

Salil, Executive Director of the Peace Run, gave an opening remark, followed by Harashita reading the founder Sri Chinmoy's message for Viet Nam. The full message was read out and translated into Vietnamese, and the audience appreciated it very much. The last sentence of the message reads: "Viet Nam, we love you and adore you because you are a true believer, lover and promotor of world peace." (1993)

We must offer our thanks to the Hanoi Police for their help in escorting us as we could never run on these streets without them.

About 20 students from Ngo Si Lien Secondary School as well as some representatives from VUFO accompanied us to the second school.

We arrived at our destination: Tran Phu High School, where they had created this beautiful welcome-banner.

This school was named in honor of the Vietnam Communist Party's first general secretary, Mr. Tran Phu.

The students who were serving as Master of Ceremonies also turned out to be excellent singers performing a number of songs during the program.

Even the teachers got in on the act, enthusiastically joining in the actions to the World Harmony Run song.

We presented Principal Pham Duc Doanh with a certificate of appreciation in gratitude for a wonderful and enriching program.

We invited some of the students to sign the map that have travelled to the 13 nations of the Asia-Pacific Peace Run.