On October 6, 2008. The World Harmony Run, a rely run which seeks to cultivate harmony by passing a burning torch among people of different cultures, finished its European journey  in Prague.

9-time Olympic champion Carl Lewis and deputy Mayor of Prague Markéta Reedová ran together with the World Harmony Run team for the final kilometers. They carried the World Harmony torch over the Charles Bridge and to Old Town Square.

"The World Harmony Run, founded in 1987 by Sri Chinmoy, who was the most peaceful person I knew, has inspired millions in Europe and all over the planet to take a step for harmony and a better world,” Carl Lewis said at a reception of the team at the House of Parliament, Senate and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

The delegation of runners headed by Carl Lewis, the World Harmony Run spokesperson, started this morning from Prague Castle at 10 AM to run to the House of Parliament, where they were received by members of Parliament headed by Anna Čurdová. In the Senate, the torch was received by the deputy chairman Jiří Liška. He symbolically ran with Lewis and the team in the Valdstejnska Garden. After another reception, this time at the Ministry of Education, the torch was accepted by the deputy minister Jan Kocourek who then headed with the runners to Mostecka Tower. There he passed the torch to the Prague deputy Mayor Markéta Reedová.

This Joy Weekend was in a place called Sommieres - a medieval town, complete with castle, next to the Vidourle river. While walking around it's narrow alley-ways it was not too difficult to imagine life many hundreds of years ago. Is all of France this beautiful or are our French brothers and sisters just good at finding wonderful locations? Even the weather was perfect...

San Francisco Sri Chinmoy Centre, organised two successful concerts entitled 'Songs of the Soul'. These concerts offered the soulful music of Sri Chinmoy by a variety of international performers.

The World Harmony Run, is currently passing through New Zealand. The route involves a 3,544Km journey around the north and south islands. The Run will pass through some of New Zealand's stunning scenery and also touch thousands of people along the way.

The Run at Whangarei Falls

Guinness world record champion Ashrita Furman set a new world record with an international team in Queens, New York, by lighting 48,523 candles to burn simultaneously on a huge cake. Furman is the holder of 85 currently standing Guinness world records—more than any other Guinness figure. His 48,000-candle event will become his 86th record. Furman staged the event on a cake spanning 52 by 17 feet (15.8 by 5.2 meters.) Furman, manager of a New York health food store, dedicated the new Guinness Record as an expression of gratitude to his Indian born spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), who would have reached the age of 77 on 27 August 2008. Furman stated: “Sri Chinmoy has such a giant heart, so we want to celebrate his birthday with a giant cake.”

A team of 200 helpers spent several hours counting and inserting the 48,000 small, colourful birthday candles in a cake spanning 52 by 17 feet. The candles were lit in a space of just two minutes by a second team of 80 assistants with blow torches. The audience of 1100 friends and supporters of Sri Chinmoy’s lifetime of work for world harmony sang the traditional “Happy Birthday” song. Sri Chinmoy is the initiator of the World Harmony Run which brought together millions of people in 140 countries in the spirit of friendship since 1987. After the candles were extinguished, many members of the audience enjoyed a piece of cake.

Furman had been waiting to attempt the new record after his previous record of 27,000 candles was upset by a Canadian team who lit 30,000 candles in September, 2006. Other Guinness world records by Furman include the largest flower bouquet (101,791 roses), underwater juggling, bobbing 33 apples in one minute and covering a mile the fastest while twirling a hula hoop and balancing a milk bottle on his head.

Further reading:

• Sri Chinmoy's 47,000 Candles at Sumangali.org

Songs of the Soul - a concert dedicated to Maestro Sri Chinmoy

On August 25th, a variety of illustrious performers offered a concert of music dedicated to the musical spirit of Sri Chinmoy.

The concert featured music from:

A study by Stanford University Medical Center found that elderly joggers were half as likely to die prematurely from conditions like cancer than non-runners. They also found that runners were more likely to lead healthy lifestyles and suffer less disabilities.

According to lead author Professor James Fries:

Asprihanal Aalto, from Finland won the 2008 3100 mile Self Transcendence Race. Finishing in a time of 44 days 2 hours 42 minutes and 15 seconds. This was his 5th victory and 8th time of finishing.

5 other runners have also finished including:

Pranab Vladovic, Grahak Cunningham,Pranjal Milovnik, Smarana Puntigam and Petr Spacil