Category: Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run

Video #316: Swimming 20 Bridges Around Manhattan for Peace – Vasanti Sets Record

Posted on by Yatkara

On September 12, 2025, Peace Run team member Vasanti Niemz (68) from Germany completed the iconic 20 Bridges open-water swim around Manhattan Island, dedicating it to Peace, in honour of the United Nations’ 80th Anniversary, the 55th year of Sri Chinmoy’s Peace Meditations at the UN, and the upcoming International Day of Peace.

Vasanti became the oldest woman ever to finish this swim, completing 48.5 km in 9 hours 34 minutes (current-assisted). The Peace Torch was lit at Pier A at both the start and finish, and carried on the escort boat by her crew, Pipasa and Jamini. The event was organized by New York Open Water (NYOW), which provided safety support – pilot, observer, and kayaker.

For Vasanti, the Manhattan swim was a lifelong dream. With separate group starts now by speed and carefully timed with tidal currents, it became possible even for slower swimmers. This year’s swim also marked her 40th anniversary of her first English Channel crossing (Sept. 9, 1985) – a very special combination of personal history and global tribute.

Having now completed two of the three components of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, she plans to attempt the Catalina Channel in August 2026, aiming for another age record.

Because the higher gears on her bike malfunctioned the next day, she wasn’t able to complete her intended Peace Triathlon (swim + 50 km bike + 5 mi run). Instead, after relighting the Peace Torch at Pier A, she did a leisurely 20-mile sightseeing bike loop along the Hudson and East River Greenway, with detours, dead ends, and a visit past the UN Headquarters. It made for a peaceful recovery ride.

More Information:

Video #314: Shamita Achenbach-König’s Solo Run – Vienna to Oslo

Posted on by Yatkara

For the fifth time, Shamita Achenbach-König set out on a remarkable solo run across Europe – this year from Vienna, Austria to Oslo, Norway (September 5-24, 2025). Inspired by Sri Chinmoy, founder of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, she once again put into practice his philosophy of self-transcendence, dedicating her journey to World Peace and harmony among nations.

Individual self-transcendence collectively inspires humanity at large.

–  Sri Chinmoy, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 13, Agni Press, 1999

Shamita covered an incredible 2,000 km in 19 days and 2 hours, averaging 80-90 km per day and running up to 12–14 hours daily. Along the way, she climbed more than 6,300 meters, crossing hills and small mountains in countries like the Czech Republic and Norway.

Her route included six countries:

  • Austria 🇦🇹 (1 day)
  • Czech Republic 🇨🇿 (3 days)
  • Germany 🇩🇪 (6 days)
  • Denmark 🇩🇰 (3 days)
  • Sweden 🇸🇪 (5 days)
  • Norway 🇳🇴 (2 days)

Shamita’s journey stands as a powerful reminder that when one person strives to go beyond themselves, it can inspire humanity as a whole.

To explore upcoming Sri Chinmoy races: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #64: Annual Sri Chinmoy Heart-Garden Run and Ceremony – October 12, 2025

Posted on by Yatkara

On Sunday, October 12, 2025, the Sri Chinmoy Centre will hold the annual Heart-Garden Run and Ceremony at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York. Flushing Meadows holds special meaning — on October 11, 2006, both Sri Chinmoy Peace Street and Sri Chinmoy Heart-Garden were dedicated, an occasion in which Sri Chinmoy was present.

The program:

  • 9:45 AM – Children’s fun runs (100m / 800m)
  • 10:00 am – Children’s Peace Run program (20-30 minutes)
  • 10:00 AM – 2-Mile Run/Walk begins
  • 10:30 AM – Heart-Garden Ceremony, including:
    • Peace Walk with the Peace Torch
    • Singing performances
    • Torch-Bearer Awards honouring distinguished guests for their contributions
    • Inspirational words by our guests
    • Gifts, refreshments, and mixing

Participation is free of charge.

For full event details, please visit the official event page: us.srichinmoyraces.org/heart-garden-race
For more information about events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoycentre.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #51: Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run to Celebrate UN International Day of Peace in Italy – September 20–23, 2025

Posted on by Yatkara

This September, the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run will mark the UN International Day of Peace with a special four-day journey through Italy, from September 20–23, 2025.

The 11th edition of the Peace Run in Italy will begin in Rome, known as the “Capital of Peace”, where over 5,000 peace-themed drawings by children will be displayed. The official inauguration will take place in Florence, in the historic Salone dei Cinquecento, a venue rarely opened to outside organisations and full of artistic and cultural resonance.

From there, the Peace Run will continue through Viareggio, Pietrasanta, Sant’Anna di Stazzema, and will conclude in Lerici, on the breathtaking Gulf of Poets. Each location will host events featuring community participation, silent meditations, ceremonial gatherings, and children’s peace activities.

This year’s Peace Run promises to be a vibrant celebration of harmony, creativity, and oneness, bringing together people of all backgrounds in a shared aspiration for a more peaceful world.

For more information:
Official Peace Run Website: www.peacerun.org.
Learn more about Sri Chinmoy: www.srichinmoy.org.

Video #299: Sri Chinmoy Peace Statue Inaugurated in Criccieth, Wales

Posted on by Yatkara

On July 7, 2025, the seventh and final Sri Chinmoy Peace Statue in Wales was unveiled at Cae Crwn Community Allotments & Butterfly Garden in Criccieth, North Wales. This serene location, nestled amidst lush allotments and gardens, now hosts a symbol of peace and inspiration in this picturesque coastal town.

The ceremony, held on the symbolic “seventh day of the seventh month,” featured readings of Sri Chinmoy’s poems, soulful songs by Ananda, and a stirring performance by Welsh singer-politician Dafydd Iwan. This installation joins previous statues in Cardiff Bay (2012), the National Botanic Gardens (2016), and Portmeirion (2024), continuing a meaningful series dedicated to promoting peace and harmony across Wales.

Sri Chinmoy, a dedicated visionary of peace, spent his life inspiring people through music, art, athletics, and service to humanity. The statue now stands near the historic Criccieth Castle, offering a peaceful space that honours his enduring dream of a harmonious world.

Left: Dafydd Iwan, Dr Catrin Jones, Clerk of Criccieth Town Council, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Cllr Delyth Lloyd, Cllr Lowri-Ann Richards. Right: The statue of Sri Chinmoy

Tamsin Evans, one of the event’s organisers, shared:

Criccieth has stolen our hearts! We have loved every second that we’ve been here. And Cae Crwn is its own heart hub. The people are so warm and welcoming, and the allotments are spectacular. We are privileged and honoured that the peace statue belongs to your community now.

Local councillor and head of Criccieth in Bloom, Rich Wilcock, added:

We’re proud to have this here. It brings something very special to the promenade—a sense of serenity that complements our beautiful coast.

This installation joins similar tributes to peace in over 50 locations worldwide, continuing Sri Chinmoy’s message of hope, harmony, and the shared dream of a more peaceful world.

To find out more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit the official website: www.srichinmoy.org