The New York City Parks Department welcomed the World Harmony Run in a big way today at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Where 1200 summer campers came together to greet the runners and take part in an international festival. 

For the past several weeks, there has been much cooperation with many NYC City park Summer Camps where the representatives of the Harmnoy Run visited. http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/unesco_year/lih_camp/nyc_rc

 

 

This was all leading up to a big ceremony with over 1000 children coming from the different city parks summer camps visited to Flushing-Meadow-Corona park on Thursday 19th August. 

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This is part 1 of 2 and contains initial photos from 19th Aug event.

 Part 2 of 2 is at: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/usa/news/2010/offroute/0819d:

The World Harmony USA Team is joined by more international runners near the Unisphere a symbol of the 1964 World's Fair.

for mo

The first children from the NYC camps to arrived raced (yellow shirts in background) to catch up and greet the runners. 

NY City Park Summer Campers, Harmony Runners of the USA team and other international team members running with the banners and torch. This is the site of two former World's Fairs (1939 and 1964) in Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Queens, New York.  The banner for the run this year has United Nations and UNESCO International Year for the Rapproachement of Cultures logo on it. This year 2010 supports cultural diversity and the coming together of people. It is said that NYC and Queens specifically is the most culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse location in the world.

(*1 See historical  note on site and UN connection at end of report).

As part of the event Ashrita Furman broke a Guinness World record for hopping a mile on a Kangaroo ball in Queens.

Ashrita does a victory lap - sharing the joy with all around the Unisphere.

The children sang the Harmony Run theme song and also perfromed movements together with the runners.

Assistant Commissioner of Recreation and Programming, Nancy Barthold (left) welcomed the children and World Harmony runners and then handed Torch-Bearer Awards to 24 exemplary campers. 

Children from summer camps hold the torch of the World Harmony Run.

Visiting different countries, the campers had their "passports" for the events stamped and paticipated in games and crafts from various cultures.

Showing excitement for the photographer - passport in hand. Over 1200 children from summer camps participated in World Harmony Run peace building activities.

Below are also some early cell phone photos of the event 19 August to give some more flavor for the days activities. Fuller report and better / more photos will also be posted as they become available.

Those participating from various countries were getting ready.

Two of the organizers of the day Shatapatri Marharr and Prakhara Harter an hour before are asking "How are we doing?"

The answer is ..  told in smiles at         many different country stations: All is well.

Attention to detail and shared concentration in the preparation adds to the event. 

"Lost Battalion Hall" camp makes its joyful presence felt early.

And then others arriving on buses begin to show extent of event.

The campers and some of the team members in NY saw each other earlier in the summer at the individual camps in different areas of NYC.

Seeing all the different camp.

coming one after another was impressive.

So was Ashrita halfway way towards his record.

We are happy to announce he completed a new Guinness record.

Ashrita shared the expeience with all the campers and runners present.

running around the Unisphere.

The campers and runners had some time together.

To learn more about the run and the different countries of the International Runners present.

The campers presented a big torch they had made to the USA team Captain

They had fun singing the theme song.

with the movements

as well as answering questions.

 

Using the big map the campers had made Atulya Berube, the USA team captain, pointed out the exact route and how much of each state they visited.

Two new friends each holding the torch.

Now with the various banners they begin..

With the Unisphere in the background and the UN - UNESCO 2010 International Year of Rapproachement of cultures logo on the World Harmony Run banner.

The coming together and joy in diversity is evident.

As they take a break to wait for some further runners and those ahead to be ready...

Everyone enjoyed holding the torch.

And meeting new friends.

From the different...            Summer camps...   Holding the torch

And enjoying the break.

Sharing the campers banners

Then it is time to start again.

The younger campers had gone ahead.

There is a steady pace to allow everyone to keep up.

As the team reached the highest point of the footbridge...

they could see the crowd waiting.

Which gave a very warm welcome 

Now it was

Time for awards. They were presented to an individual in each camp who best expressed harmony and other good qualities.

After the awards...

The organizers had a chance to savor the moment and the beautiful day. As they watched the campers visit the different country stations.

The campers played games from different countires.

And tried different musical instruments...

Some drew pictures (after face painting).

They posed wiht different countries and qualities locations in front of the IYCR multilingual and multicolored logo.

And also noticed sign from the "Global Arts to Go" musicians on stage

Some friends had amazing faces for the day.

More games - catch me?

and performances

with movements

joining together

till we meet again

may you enjoy the memories of the day and the gift.

Happy Torch Bearer award recipient shows the medal.

See more from Aug 19th at  Part 2 of 2: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/usa/news/2010/offroute/0819d

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*1 Historical Note on FM-C Park:  Some buildings from the 1939 Fair were used for the first temporary headquarters of the United Nations from 1946 until it moved in 1951 to its permanent headquarters in Manhattan. The Unisphere, built as the theme symbol for the 1964/1965 World's Fair, is the main sculptural feature of the park.
for more detail see:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_flushing_meadows/vt_flushing_meadows_park.html

 

– Apagua, Salil, Adhiratha, Shatapatri, Arpan and others

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Team Members:
Atulya Berube (San Diego), Drsalu Gruenstaeudel (Austria), Vladimir Salnacov (Moldova), Mark Collinson (England), Kokila Chamberlain (England), Surya Smolennikova (Russia), Kshetragna Ulanova (Russia), Dima Grygorievski (Ukraine), Sukhada Korshunova (Russia), Nisanga (Bosnia), Balavan Thomas (England), Pujari Schaffer (California), Arpan DeAngelo (New York), Antaraloy Aalto ((Finland), Shatapatri Mahar (Canada), and many other international runners as well as the hundreds of NY City parks campers with their leaders and friends who added their best wishes and support for the Peace and Harmony as they passed the torch throughout the day.

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

Gallery: See more images!

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