Peace Run expected to pass through the Worthington area

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, an international torch relay, will be coming to the area soon.

An estimated 50,000 children in over 1,000 cities and towns along the route are expected to participate when the Peace Run (peacerun.org) visits schools, youth organizations and local events, according to a press release from the organization. Runners will offer educational presentations that promote self-esteem and the oneness of humanity.

For nearly 40 years the Peace Run has traversed more than 160 nations throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia as a symbol of humanity’s universal aspiration for a more peaceful world.

A team of runners left New York City on April 16th and will pass the torch along the more-than-10,000-mile route. The continuous relay will run through all 50 states in honor of America's 250th birthday during the four-month journey before arriving back in New York in August. The team will run in Alaska and Hawaii in September. The European Peace Run began in Helsinki, Finland on May 18th and will make presentations in 13 countries.

Since the inaugural Run in 1987, more than 7 million people have participated. Commendations have come from many world figures including Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Mother Teresa, Olympians, state governors, city mayors and celebrities across the world.

"By carrying the torch, you will be bridging cultural and social barriers, and all the boundaries that separate nation from nation," said Carl Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, in the press release. "You will be the living proof of the ancient vision of having a beautiful and harmonious world."

The Peace Run was inspired by Sri Chinmoy to give citizens a dynamic way to express their own hopes and dreams for a more harmonious world. An athlete, philosopher, artist, musician and poet, Chinmoy dedicated his life to advancing the ideals of world harmony and said, "How can we have peace? Not by talking about peace, but by walking along the road of peace."