Oneness Family School and Peace Academy

One of the major highlights of the World Harmony Run in the USA, especially at the very beginning, is being hosted by the Oneness-Family School and Peace Academy in Chevy Chase, Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C.

Headmaster Andrew Kutt and his wonderful staff of about 20 teachers and over 140 students welcomed us like the family that they are.

In the morning, after taking photos with the children holding the Torch as a momento for their families.

We had a wonderful program organized by Andrew and some of the teachers.

During the program, Atulya Berube, the Captain of the 2010 USA team spoke 

After some brief introductions,

the children took over, offering us very creative and uplifting music for peace and harmony.

The concentration and poise held everyone's joyful attention

Music teacher Carrie Rose had the children playing a ‘concerto’

on the ‘boomtubes’ which took quite a bit of practice to coordinate. The diverse color instruments and sounds worked wonderfully together ... 

The children's comments,

participation

and inquisitive smiles moved all those present ...

Our New York ‘emissary’ Adhiratha Keefe also was able to join us once again as he and his brother came from New York, about a five hour drive to get here. He explained to us the UN and UNESCO theme for  2010 "International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures" and their efforts to demonstrate the beneficial effects of cultural diversity. This includes highlighting the importance of coming together for borrowings, transfers and exchanges between cultures.

This was the first location where the staff and students were able to read out phrases in all of the 6 UN Official languages that appear on the Logo for the year: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic. In answer to a question later in the day, it was noted that the space on the bottom of the logo (just after the 6th language) could be used to insert other languages from a host or visiting country!

Those who joined during one of the languages had a chance to hold the torch together

One of the USA run coordinators also pointed out that the Latin Phrase "E Pluribus Unum" which means "out of many, one" would be very relevant for America's celebration of the year. In the USA this phrase appears on many coins. Can you find it on the back of some?

E Pluribus Unum is also seen in the USA House of Representatives and Senate and on the Seal of the USA in passports etc.

The banner which is displayed in our 2010 ceremonies includes the logo for  UNESCO and the UN for this wonderful initiative which we support wholeheartedly. The cutural goals are quite similar to the world Harmony Run with varying ways of implementing this universal and much needed theme.

Some saw a similarity to the different color and sounding boomtubes which the children earlier played. For instance, at the top of the logo for the year 2010 there are many different color strands which join together and yet each one keeps it unique quality to make the whole.

The runners and the school sang together the World Harmony Run Theme song

Instructor June Lang who organized most of the program so beautifully as she has done in the past years, offered us some more songs with the children singing and teaching us at the same time. 

There was a special reading from Earth Prayers.. 

World Harmony and peace can only come about when we respect each others’ differences and at the same time come together to offer our unique contributions to solving the worlds’ mounting problems.

Water is Life

Another most relevant organization that is being supported by the Oneness-Family School is called Amman Imman, or ‘water is life’. On their website, they state that “Amman Imman is dedicated to improving and saving lives among the poorest and most abandoned populations of the world, by supplying permanent sources of water in the Azawak of West Africa.” A former teacher from the Oneness-Family School, Debra Kahn, has organized a fundraising walk in the area for May 15 and has a table set up at the school so the children and parents can also help with this most valuable mission.

After the indoors ceremony we were able to go outside and have a torch relay with some of the children in the playground.

It had rained earlier but now the weather was on our side and the real meaning of our Torch relay run came to life as we witnessed the children smiling, laughing and enjoying the fun of running around the playground with our team and the teachers as well.

There is nothing more uplifting than to see children at play, especially with adults of all ages, having fun in an innocent and genuinely meaningful way. Happiness and Harmony seem to go together.

The Oneness-Family School has taken good care of us in every way today from beginning to end, including taking care of our accommodations and meals. But more importantly they have fed us inwardly with their creative efforts and caring hearts as they demonstrate most wonderfully the meaning of harmony and peace. This will give us more strength and hope as we move on each day, carrying the hopes and dreams of all those who offer us their sincere efforts along the way.

 

---

 

In the late afternoon, after having a few hours to do some sight-seeing at the Jefferson Memorial and other significant monuments

 

---

  Transcendence-Perfection

Many of us then made our Transcendence-Perfection Bliss of the Beyond gift shop owned by our good friend and great runner, Suprabha Beckjord.

The world's longest certified race is  the Self - Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race. Suprabha Beckjord, a resident of Washington, D.C is the only woman to have completed the 3100-miler, and the only thirteenth-time finisher, a legend in her own time. 

---

 Embassy of Bangladesh, Washington D.C

Finally to cap off a wonderful day, we were invited to visit the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC.

We had a wonderful meeting with H.E. Akramul Qader, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the USA. Welcomed by his minister and other members of his staff, we carried the Torch into their very colorful function room. One could not help but notice a traditional village hut set up in the anterior of the function room. This was built as part of the Bangladeshi New Years just celebrated a few weeks ago. It was a wonderful backdrop for some of the photos we had with the Ambassador and the Torch.

 

Since the founder of the World Harmony Run, Sri Chinmoy, was born in Bengladesh and lived there until he was 11 years old, having a ceremony here at the Bangladesh Embassy with the Ambassador was a real treat for us.

Ambassador Qader was presented with the World Harmony Run "Torch Bearer" Award. It was noted that the Ambassador had stressed most persuasively on many occasions how important he believed culture was to peace. Some of the runners had also previously met with Ambassador Qader, when he made a special trip to NY to support the Celebration of International Mother Language Day in February sponsored by the Society of Foreign Consuls.

He spoke quite eloquently about Bangladesh’s contributions to peace and international cooperation. Also the cultural and literary contributions of Bangladesh to the world community were noted by him and his minister who very kindly introduced all the speakers.

At the end of the ceremony we sang our World Harmony Run song for them, but they surprised us and enthusiastically sang along with us. Then they treated us to some delicious refreshments including traditional samosas. We are very grateful to the Ambassador and his staff for spending so much time with us and treating us with real warmth and oneness.

We offer gratitude to our dear friend Prakhara Harter for arranging this most significant meeting.

Some links to Bangledesh Media coverage:

http://www.khabor.com/news/prabash/04/prabasher_news_04242010_0000006.htm     http://www.news-bangla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4397&Itemid=26  

 

– Arpan

---

Distance: 20 miles

Team Members:
Arpan DeAngelo (New York), Atulya Lee Berube (San Diego), Dhavala Stott (Scotland), Shyamala Stott (Scotland), Yuyudhan Hoppe (Minnesota), Gabriel (Canada), Mark Collison (England), Kshetragna (Russia), Surya (Russia), Abhejali (Czech Republic), Drsalu (Austria), Vladimir (Moldova)

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

Gallery: See more images!

< USA 21 April

USA 23 April >