
The Sri Chinmoy Peace Run comes to Mt Manypeaks, Parklands, Little Grove and Spencer Park primary schools
The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is the world's longest torch relay and has featured humanitarians and celebrities including Nelson Mandela, Cathy Freeman and Mother Teresa since it was founded in 1987.
This year's relay started and will finish in Canberra.
It came to Albany via Esperance before moving on to Denmark and Walpole.
The 16 runners stopped off at Mt Manypeaks, Little Grove, Parklands and Spencer Park primary schools.
Runner Grahak Cunningham said it was an opportunity for children 'to feel part of a worldwide family'.
At Parklands, the children sang the Cat Stevens song Peace Train before gathering around the peace tree, planted when the relay came through Albany a decade ago.
Parklands Primary School principal Joanne Thiel was presented with a painting by Sri Chinmoy and a new plaque for the tree.
She said the visit had been a great success.
'The choir welcomed the runners with the song which they had learned as part of our Harmony Day project last term,' she said.
'The new plaque was a lovely touch because the original had come off the paperbark tree.'
The relay's itinerary always includes school visits and stops with community groups with the torch passing from hand to hand.
Jeremy Hadlow, principal at Spencer Park, said the message of peace was a welcome one.
'It's a message which resonates with the school and applies also to families and the broader community,' he said.
'At Spencer Park, we are certainly an advocate for that.'
Organisers estimate more than eight million people have held the torch since 1987 as the runners pass through more than 70 countries every year.
The run is the brainchild of Sri Chinmoy, an athlete and spiritual leader who was born in what is now Bangladesh.
He moved to America in 1964, setting up a meditation centre and advocating a path to God through prayer and meditation, and world peace through sport and athleticism, before he died in 2007.
The relay participants included Canberra marathon runner Prachar Stegemann and Ashprihanal Pekka Aalto, the Finn who holds the world record for 5000km.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


West Australian
13-07-2025
- West Australian
Conway a Finn-tastic replacement in NZ squad for T20s
Wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway will replace the injured Finn Allen in the New Zealand squad for the 20-overs tri-series in Zimbabwe. Allen has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a foot injury while representing the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket competition in the United States. "We're really gutted for Finn," head coach Rob Walter said in a statement issued by the New Zealand association on Sunday. "I was looking forward to working with him and to see him continue his form from the MLC, but unfortunately injuries happen. "We're lucky to be able to call on someone of Devon's quality to replace Finn." Mitch Hay, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Robinson will also join the squad as cover for Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra, who are involved in the MLC final on Monday. "We knew there'd be a possibility that a handful of players could be involved in the MLC final on Monday, so we're bringing in Mitch, Jimmy and Tim as possible replacements," Walter said. Hosts Zimbabwe face South Africa in the tournament opener on Monday night (Australian time). New Zealand begin their campaign against South Africa on Wednesday.


Perth Now
13-07-2025
- Perth Now
Conway a Finn-tastic replacement in NZ squad for T20s
Wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway will replace the injured Finn Allen in the New Zealand squad for the 20-overs tri-series in Zimbabwe. Allen has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a foot injury while representing the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket competition in the United States. "We're really gutted for Finn," head coach Rob Walter said in a statement issued by the New Zealand association on Sunday. "I was looking forward to working with him and to see him continue his form from the MLC, but unfortunately injuries happen. "We're lucky to be able to call on someone of Devon's quality to replace Finn." Mitch Hay, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Robinson will also join the squad as cover for Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra, who are involved in the MLC final on Monday. "We knew there'd be a possibility that a handful of players could be involved in the MLC final on Monday, so we're bringing in Mitch, Jimmy and Tim as possible replacements," Walter said. Hosts Zimbabwe face South Africa in the tournament opener on Monday night (Australian time). New Zealand begin their campaign against South Africa on Wednesday.


West Australian
30-06-2025
- West Australian
Runners bring message of peace to Kimberley
Bearing a torch ablaze and a message of world peace, a group of international runners passed through the Kimberley last week as part of the Australian leg of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run. The team arrived in Broome last Tuesday, where they were welcomed by community members before continuing their journey through the region. Over the following days, they ran 220km north-east to Derby, then continued on to Fitzroy Crossing, and later Halls Creek, spreading their message of unity and goodwill. Starting on April 24 in Canberra, the Peace Run has seen the team travel through major cities including Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, and Adelaide before reaching Western Australia. National co-ordinator Stacey Marsh said: 'The main objective is simply to share the message that peace starts inside the heart of each one of us.' 'We all make a difference in the world through our own thoughts and actions. It's also about highlighting the great things happening in every community.' The Peace Run was founded in 1987 by Sri Chinmoy, an Indian spiritual leader and peace advocate who believed in fostering harmony through symbolic acts of unity and friendship. Sri Chinmoy started the run to inspire people worldwide to embrace peace within themselves and extend it to others, transcending borders and cultures. Since its inception, the Peace Run has become a global relay, passing through over 150 countries and involving thousands of runners. In Australia alone, the current leg covers about 15,000km, weaving together communities large and small in a shared vision of peace. The torch itself has been carried by notable figures such as Nelson Mandela and Pope Francis, symbolising a universal hope for harmony.