Our team felt so fortunate to be able to spend the day on Galiano Island wonderfully organized by Vilupti. We were surrounded by forest, so our runs were beautiful and also extremely hilly!

The first stop of the day was to visit a local seniors walking group that we christened "The Silver Sneakers".

We went for a little walk around the field and then went inside for some treats and a talk. They also joined us in singing the World Harmony Run song and even did the actions! We really enjoyed meeting everyone and were so impressed by how active and healthy they all were. Galiano's eldest stateswoman was celebrating her 94th birthday (although she doesn't look it!) so we sang her "Happy Birthday".

Next on the itinerary was Galiano Community School, where we all gathered in the schoolyard and talked about harmony. One girl named Sophia said "when we help our friends it's good but if we don't help our friends it's bad". As each student held the torch and made their wish for world harmony, the other students remained respectfully silent. They really seemed to understand the significance of it and they were so sincere in their hopes for peace. They took off with lightning speed as we went for a run around the field, one boy was carrying a flag three times his size!

In the afternoon we presented the Torch-Bearer Award to Ken Millard of the Galiano Conservancy Association. We met with him at a land trust that they had recently acquired and he took us on a scenic hike around the property.

They have many plans for restoring the property- a former industrial logging site. The association was founded in 1989 and is well-known and respected for the wonderful work they do for the island. Ken has entirely devoted himself to the cause of preserving Galiano's spectacular natural environment. One of our team members said it best when they expressed that the beauty and peace we feel from nature is a reflection of the beauty and peace we feel inside ourselves. For this reason it is crucial to make sure nature is cared for.

At the end of the day we returned to the lovely Barrineau residence for some delicious dinner in good company!

–Brahmata

---

Video Mesage from Davidson Hepburn, President (2009 - 2011) of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for 25th Anniversary of the World Harmony Run and a vision for the decade: "Toward a Oneness-World". With FRENCH subtitles

Full Text of the 25th annversary message and link to 25 language informal Translations: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/25

See also:

• Youtube video on African experience which illustrates IYY slogan "Our Year Our Voice" International Year of Youth - Zambia World Harmony. They surprisingly mention Presidents and UN Secretary-General in a unique way!

• Listen to the World-Harmony-Run song: 2 min version // 6 min

---

Team Members:
Prapti Jensen (Canada), Salil Wilson (Australia), Daniel Stewart (Canada), Yatkara Aleksapolskyy (Ukraine), Brahmata Michael (Canada), Sarvagata Ukrainskyi (Ukraine), Dimitriy Dudko (Ukraine), Varunavi (Slovakia), Sulabha Wisniewski (Canada), Amburoha (Ukraine), Moni (Czech Republic)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

< Canada 23 April

Canada 25 April >