NYC-FMC Park: Heart-Garden Run & Observance 2017-Oct-10

Filed under Sport & Athletics | Tributes and Expressions of appreciation

Many members of the Peace Meditation at the UN attended the 2 mile run and Observance on 10 Oct 2017.

Local Officials , Former Olympian, community leaders and former President of the UNESCO 35th General Conference (Davidson Hepburn) participated in the events

It coincided with the 11th anniversary of the dedication of the Sri Chinmoy Street and Heart-Garden in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which members of the Peace Meditation group at the UN have also attended for many years since 2006.

This days observance began with a traditional 2 mile race and fun run which follows the same course as the 6 & 10 Day Ultra Races which are held in late April each year.

An excerpt of Sri Chinmoy’s words from the dedication on October 11, 2006 was read out:

“This particular park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, has given me many, many, many, many most significant experiences over the years. I have walked, jogged and run for many, many years. Happy experiences, happy, happier, happiest experiences I have received from this, our beloved park.”

“You have blessingfully honoured me today by giving the name of the street in my honour. For that I am extremely, extremely grateful to you. But I am having a new experience here. I feel in all sincerity that you have given me the supreme task of lovingly and prayerfully welcoming people who pass every day here. You have given me the opportunity to be a guard on your behalf to welcome them and offer them my and your—our—loving gratitude.”

“Every day during my prayers I shall inwardly see and feel that a most beautiful flower is being offered at the feet of this Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. This place, this beautiful place, has also a most beautiful and powerful, powerful soul. During my prayers, my morning prayers, I shall offer a beautiful flower at the feet of the soul that here presides over the park.”

photo-from-original-dedication-of Sri Chinmoy-street-Oct-11-2006

Mediation group members joined others and sang two songs Sri Chinmoy had written in honour of the Sri Chinmoy Street and Heart Garden.

We then symbolically walked the Sri Chinmoy Peace Street holding the banner and torch from the Oneness-Home World Harmony and Peace Runs that has been taking place around the world in more than 150 countries since 1987.

Nilma Silver, Programme Coordinator of Sri Chinmoy: the Peace Meditation at the United Nations, introduced each guest and invited them to share their reflections on peace.

Our dear friend and keynote speaker was Ambassador Davidson Hepburn, President of the 35th General Conference of UNESCO and Ambassador to the United Nations of the Bahamas for over 10 years.

Ambassador Hepburn spoke beautifully and included these sentiments,

“For me, Sri Chinmoy was more than a friend; he was a lover of peace and a servant of God. He always had a glow of peace and love from deep within.

I first met Sri Chinmoy in 1978 while serving as Ambassador of the Bahamas to the United Nations.

Sri Chinmoy went to the UN twice a week starting in 1970 when Secretary-General U Thant requested him to offer silent peace prayers and meditations for delegates and staff of all faiths.

The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, which Sri Chinmoy continued until his passing in 2007, gave me and many other ambassadors and UN leaders much inner peace and strength.

Sri Chinmoy was an innovator for peace—all that he created was done with the goal of encouraging peace to grow within the hearts and lives of individuals, thereby fostering world-peace.

I have been indeed privileged to take part many times in the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home World Harmony and Peace Runs which he began in 1987.

I have seen hundreds of children in my own home country of the Bahamas, in Kazakhstan and elsewhere, run with boundless joy and enthusiasm – certain that they can make a difference for peace.

Each and every child who holds the flaming peace torch will remember that moment his entire life.

As President of the 35^th General Conference of UNESCO, one of my main goals was to foster a culture of peace.

I found natural partners amongst the many people working with Sri Chinmoy’s international peace initiatives.

They bring millions of world citizens into active service for the peace of our common planet.

As we think of the United Nations proclaimed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – these 17 Global Goals* – we know the “oneness-world” vision that Sri Chinmoy encouraged adds energy and enthusiasm to practical steps required.

Few may serve directly at UN Organizations,

but all can share the willingness to work towards the implementation of these 17 special goals

based upon an understanding of our interdependence and common home.

For example,

Goal 3: Good health and well-being which this park so beautifully supports;

Goal 10: Reduce inequalities among countries (we must have at least 20 countries represented here today);

Goal 16: Peace, Justice (so many of us cherish these…”

*See fuller excerpt of Dr. Hepburn’s remarks below:

Jimmy Gennaro, three-time New York City Councilman.

Jimmy fondly shared his recollections on working on watches with his watch maker father and likened those traditions with our own life’s journey and that Sri Chinmoy, like a watch maker repairing watches, leaves his own mark of indelible love on our souls.

Coach Jim Hurt, Head Track and Field Coach at St. John’s University, is a dear friend and a regular participant at this event.

Elliott Denman, Olympian for United States at 1956 Melbourne in the 50 km walk joined us for the wonderful morning.

Richard Innamorato, Founder and Director of the Broadway Ultra Society, fondly shared his recollections of his friendship with Sri Chinmoy.

The choir closed the program by singing our “Thank you” song.

Sri Chinmoy Heart-Garden Two-Mile Race and Observance

Tuesday, Oct 10^th, 2017, 10am

H.E. Ambassador Davidson Hepburn

President of the 35^th General Conference of UNESCO

Founding Executive Director, Government Public Policy Institute

University of the Bahamas, Nassau

Distinguished Guests and Dear Friends,

I am extremely happy and honoured to be here with you today at this auspicious ceremony at the Sri Chinmoy Heart-Garden.

This wonderful garden, plus the Sri Chinmoy Street, where today’s race was held, were dedicated

on October 11, 2006, by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation,
in celebration of Sri Chinmoy’s life and his love of running, exactly one year before his passing.

It has been eleven years now, and I am delighted to be here to pay tribute to my dear friend Sri Chinmoy

who dedicated his life for the noble goals of world-peace and oneness.

For me, Sri Chinmoy was more than a friend; he was a lover of peace and a servant of God. He always had a glow of peace and love from deep within.

I first met Sri Chinmoy in 1978 while serving as Ambassador of the Bahamas to the United Nations.

Sri Chinmoy went to the UN twice a week starting in 1970 when Secretary-General U Thant requested him to offer silent peace prayers and meditations for delegates and staff of all faiths.

The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, which Sri Chinmoy continued until his passing in 2007, gave me and many other ambassadors and UN leaders much inner peace and strength.

Sri Chinmoy was an innovator for peace—all that he created was done with the goal of encouraging peace to grow within the hearts and lives of individuals, thereby fostering world-peace.

I have been indeed privileged to take part many times in the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home World Harmony and Peace Runs which he began in 1987.

Each and every child who holds the flaming peace torch will remember that moment his entire life.

As President of the 35^th General Conference of UNESCO, one of my main goals was to foster a culture of peace.

I found natural partners amongst the many people working with Sri Chinmoy’s international peace initiatives.

They bring millions of world citizens into active service for the peace of our common planet.

As we think of the United Nations proclaimed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – these 17 Global Goals – we know the “oneness-world” vision that Sri Chinmoy encouraged adds energy and enthusiasm to practical steps required.

Few may serve directly at UN Organizations,

but all can share the willingness to work towards the implementation of these 17 special goals (*See Note)

-based upon an understanding of our interdependence and common home. For example,

Goal 3: Good health and well-being which this park so beautifully supports;
Goal 10: Reduce inequalities among countries (we must have at least 20 countries represented here today);
Goal 16: Peace, Justice (so many of us cherish these…

Soon after Sri Chinmoy’s passing in 2007, people from different countries had the inspiration to create peace monuments in the form of a statue of Sri Chinmoy as a vibrant reminder to continue his grassroots efforts for world peace.

Indeed, we have so few role models for young people yet Sri Chinmoy was an excellent example of what one individual can do for peace.

The first statue of Sri Chinmoy was placed in Oslo in 2008 with many other statues coming later.

These monuments can be seen throughout the year, inspiring his message and spirit of peace

– silently inviting all to offer their good will and a personal prayer for peace.

Many of the outdoor spaces like this one,

are in beautiful, peaceful locations that inspire people
to meditate and to bring to the fore their own deepest aspirations.

I pray that we each become messengers for peace,

– runners within and without, to make this world of ours a oneness-home.

May I close with the words from

Sri Chinmoy’s Heart Garden: A Book of Aphorisms for Joy and Inspiration:

“The language of the heart

Is the only language

That everybody can understand.”

~ Sri Chinmoy

*Note: Ambassador Hepburn has shared that he is using these United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “to develop policies for the Government Public Policy Institute, University of the Bahamas, Nassau. “. See more about the UN SDG’s: “17 Goals to Transform Our World” at: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/

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