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World Harmony Run – Bringing Peace to Parliament |
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By Thomas McGuire (World Harmony Run NZ)
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Melissa Moon, recipient of the Torch-Bearer Award.
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The World Harmony Run, founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1987, made its eleventh visit to New Zealand this October, spreading the message of peace to thousands of children along the way.
Each participant carried the Olympic-style “harmony torch” either a few steps or up to hundreds of kilometres in relay fashion. This year the team, comprising both local and international volunteers, ran from Dunedin to Christchurch and then Auckland to Wellington.
To finish, the runners were greeted at a Parliamentary ceremony on 4 November hosted by MP Ashraf Choudhary. During the ceremony, the World Harmony Run presented World Stair Racing Champion Melissa Moon with a Torch-Bearer Award for her charitable work at the Compassion Centre. The award recognises those who make valuable contributions to peace. Most of the recipients are nominated by schools and communities visited by the Harmony Run along its route.
Another highlight of the Parliamentary ceremony was the passing of the harmony torch from New Zealand to Australian government representatives. This handover officially signalled the relay’s continued journey from Hobart to Canberra. The audience was treated to a performance by one of Wellington’s premier youth choirs.
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