(May 16th – May 20th 2011)

Last year, when the World Harmony Run passed through all 50 States in the USA, we launched a Children’s Drawing Contest Nationwide with the theme: “Finding Harmony in Mother Nature.” Hundreds of children from around the country submitted drawings and the best were included in the WHR Children’s Art Exhibit at City Hall in Orlando, Florida. The best 3 drawings of each state received a Torch Bearer Award Certificate for their participation.

On Monday, May 16th, we had a ceremony at City Hall, with students, teachers, staff from Nap Ford Community School, Dr. Porter, Director of the school and some friends of the Run from Tampa were there as well. Celeste Brown, Regional Director Representative for Florida Senator, Bill Nelson honored us with her presence at the ceremony. We were very moved that she took time to share this message of World Harmony with the children.

We opened the ceremony with a special exhibit of “Paintings for World Harmony” by World Harmony Run founder, Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy called his art work Jharna-Kala or Fountain Art which means flowing from the source.

I talked with the students about the importance of Harmony in our lives, and thanked them for participating through their beautiful art work. Their message of our theme contest: “Finding Harmony in Mother Nature” was felt in their art work by all who saw the exhibit. In a similar way, World Harmony Run founder, Sri Chinmoy, expressed the message of Harmony in each of his paintings. I told the students that Sri Chinmoy’s original paintings are shown at many prestigious museums around the world, such as The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UNESCO in Paris, Palais des Rois de Majorque in Perpignon, France, Centro de Bellas Artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela and the Museum of Modern Art in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Miss Ashley Allen, Health and Physical Educator and Wellness Coordinator at the school, received the Torch Bearer Award in recognition of the many ways she shares her love and kindness with her students and teaches them to respect one another so we can live in harmony.

Ms. Brown received a print of one of Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna-Kala paintings for World Harmony, subtitled “Mother Nature,” as an expression of our gratitude for her support and enthusiasm. She loved the painting and mentioned that she was going to put it in her office! Then she cut the ribbon to officially open the Jharna-Kala Exhibit and the World Harmony Run USA Children’s Art Exhibit. She commented that since the students are our future she was very impressed to see them expressing the message of harmony and sharing it with their community and the world.

Outside City Hall we started our “Harmony Walk” through Downtown Orlando with a moment of silence for Harmony. We walked 1.16 miles to Nap Ford Community School where we were greeted by a crown of excited Nap Ford students holding banners for world harmony.

Inside the school gym, student drummers and hundreds of children welcomed the Torch and the Harmony runners and walkers. Miss Ashley Allen said they were grateful and honored to have the WHR visit their school. Children who created artwork and poetry for the Run received Torch Bearer Awards. The kindergarten children sang (complete with gestures) a charming song about spreading harmony from me to you.

At the close of the ceremony, I told the students how much they had inspired us with their enthusiasm. We offered the school a gift of a Jharna-Kala Painting titled “Change” because they truly are changing the world with their dedication, hopes and dreams for a more harmonious world! As the kids filed out, Papahinam held the Harmony Run Torch so each child could touch it and make their own wish for world harmony as they passed by! Thank you Nap Ford Community School for having us!

Next, we were on to visit Page Private School in Sanford, Florida. They were gathered in the school auditorium eagerly waiting to see the harmony Torch arrive. We received a warm welcome from school director, Kathy Teseniar, and the students. As we talked with them about the importance of world harmony, they shared the things they do to create harmony, like helping their neighbors, being respectful, listening to their teachers, etc.

I introduced the team and thanked the students for having us at their school. Children who never made it to our Harmony Walk in downtown Orlando received a certificate because we are grateful to them for trying! They promise they will be there to walk or run with us next time!

The Director of Page Private School received a gift from us to express our gratitude for inviting us to their school.

After a hard day, we decided to take a rest and went to Universal Orlando Resort to check out the new Widzardling World of Harry Potter..

We saw the Hogwards Express Train, had to buy Extendable Ears, visited the castle and we couldn’t leave without having our Butter Beer. Cheers!

Thank you Papahinam for coming from Chicago to take wonderful photos of the event!

I’d like to thank the following schools which received TBA Certificate for a job well done and enthusiastic participation: Oneness Family School, Lu Sutton School, Bush School, Casi School Age Center, Nap Ford Community School, Lake Mary Art Studio, Mártires de la Rev. and Justo Sierra.

Thank you so much and see you during WHR 2012!

“Harmony will before long dawn. It will not remain in an imaginary world forever.”

~ Sri Chinmoy ~ Founder of the World Harmony Run

Cynthia Santiva Morrison (Orlando), Papahinam (Chicago), Terri (Tampa).

– Santiva

Gallery: See more images!