Some initial photos from our first day..

Complete report will be added in a few days - please check back soon...

We started the Christchurch experience with a stop at  ...

The Funky Pumpkin who kindly offered the World Harmony Run fruit and vegtables to sustain us during our journey to Nelson.

Our other team left Christchurch early this morning to visit our good friend Mark from Stirling Sports at his office in Marshlands, Christchurch. Mark has been an enthusiastic supporter of the World Harmony Run, offering us a very generous donation to help with on road expenses.

Students at Kaiapoi Borough School  greet the World Harmony Run - our first school visit for the South Island. 

At Kaiapoi Borough School we were met by the vice principal and a reporter from the Northern Outlook newspaper. 500 excited kids had a chance to run with the torch, and they all got extra joy from seeeing their teachers running.

The school's theme for this year is ‘Peace.'

This turned out to be our biggest school of the day, but they were really attentive and at the same time inquisitive to hear where the torch had been, and to where it was heading. 

The children took up the challenge of learning our World Harmony Run song and showed boundless enthusiasm with the actions we taught them!

After the introductions, a short play helped with understanding the goals of the run.

In the lovely village of Kaiapoi we ran to St Patrick's school where the evident sweetness of the children gave the runners a lot of joy.

At Saint Patricks school we were met at the gate by representatives from each class.

The impromptu play we performed with impersonations from India, Russia and other countries that added colour to the presentation, seemed to give joy. 

They have a motto of Caring, Co-operating, Called to others, which are all aspects of peace and harmony. The school had a series of beautiful mosaics presenting these themes. The studens art work is incorporated into the signs main themes of Faith, Hope and Love.

We then ran to Amberly School in North Canterbury.

Passing the torch from hand to hand, and heart to heart, and then the run around the school grounds which the children really found appealing!

The theme of happiness and harmony seamlessly passed through Amberley School. The children naturally took up the baton and ran with the torch as enthusiastically as the previous school. They particularly enjoyed the song and the message it imparts.

Some scenes from the beautiful countryside where nature's beauty and stillness gave us plenty of time to reflect on the reason we were running.

In order to visit more schools in the afternoon, the World Harmnoy Run members who were all together in the morning later split into two teams. Team A photos are included above.

Team B covered the 32km between Amberley and Ohinui, finishing at the home of Ron and Jeanette Kettle, friends of the World Harmony Run who are billetting us for the evening. The fresh evening air of Waipara was so invigorating for the runners. Despite a long day of events abd running, one of our team members couldn't help but take off for another 45 minute run that evening!

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Video Message 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".

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

or Click on language button for separate youtube videos wth sub titles in varous languages

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

– Anurakta

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Distance: 85 km

Team Members:
Team A: Adhiratha (USA), Anurakta (New Zealand), Daniel Rubin (New Zealand), Keith Jackson (New Zealand), Sean (New Zealand)

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