Calvin Hunsinger School 

The primary age students at Calvin Hunsinger School in Clearwater, Florida were the first to welcome the runners in the US as part of a 2-day whirlwind of activities in the Tampa Bay area.

We began by watching our video which shows parts of the run around the world.

We had time for some games guessing where the runners were from

and answering some questions about the run. Then we we began to sing

Our World Harmony run theme song and taught the children the song with all the fun action movements that go with it.

Mary Stewart-Wong, a social worker at the school and an avid runner and tri-athlete, arranged the program. She led a group of students in a lap around the track that she runs on every day. Principal Stephanie Bessette is also a runner and held the Torch.

These very special students and teachers all had the opportunity to run with the Torch and make a wish for harmony.

Their motto is “Success is not being the best, but doing your best”. This year has been proclaimed as the International Year of Youth by the UN General Assembly, so we were delighted to have the enthusiastic participation of the students of Calvin Hunsinger.

The children were all eager to hold the Torch with the school’s Resource Officer Joe Tenbeig.

We saw here with the concerned leadership of the CH staff and teachers a good exampe of what Dr. Hepburn of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had said in his message to the World Harmnoy run participants for 2011 and beyond: " "Youth involvement complements the UN and UNESCO supported International Year of Youth and its theme of dialogue and mutual understanding, being celebrated through August of 2011. "By encouraging young people to express their aspirations for harmony today, the World Harmony Run is surely building the foundation for a culture of peace tomorrow." See full message and video excerpt at http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/beyond2011

Thank you Calvin Hunsinger students and teachers for a most inspiring morning! Your efforts are surly building for today and tomorrow...

A refreshing and nourishing stop

For lunch we stopped for lunch at the local coordinator Tilvila's delicious vegetarian restaurant Consciousness-Blossoms in Palm Harbor. Here is the team that works there (and have also supported and participated in the World Harmony Runs) as well as a couple of enthusiastic customers.

St Petersburg Illuminated Night Parade.

In the evening we participated in the St Petersburg Illuminated Night Parade. Accompanied by members of the International Folk Fair Society we walked the parade route.

While we were waiting for the Parade to kick-off we met with some of our fellow parade participants and shared the torch with them.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2011 as  both the Year of Youth and the Year of Forests for 2011 which are being supported by the World Harmony Run.

It seemed very appropriate that one of the first groups that held the torch at the parade today were the Boy and Girl Scouts.

They have strong traditions of service and a history of young people being concerned with the environment.

These were the 301 Boy scouts group leaders.

The marching band from the Lakewood High School were one of the best we saw.

They gave it everything they had.

The young woman holding the torch had run a marathon in 2.46 and had tried out for the Olympic trials.

This girl scouts group was all smiles.

A member of the Hernando De Soto historical society.

Local Coordinator, Tilvila gets ready for the parade.

Our parade crew.

Along the way many people wanted to hold the torch and make their wish for world peace.

At the end of the parade was a spectacular fireworks display.

The World Harmnoy Run proudly supports the International Year of Youth (IYY) and the International Year of Forests (IYF) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

See also recent Youtube video which illustrates IYY slogan "Our Year Our Voice"  International Year of Youth - Zambia World Harmony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6qehMiIWuYRun

– Salil Wilson

Distance: 4 km

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