This week, Bay of Plenty schools and community members will join in a significant global effort for peace, the Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run.

The Peace Run through the western Bay of Plenty includes a special plaque installation on Tuesday linking Tauranga with other key world locations that are acknowledged as places of peace and beauty.

Founded in 1987, the Peace Run is the longest world-wide relay for world peace, spanning over 90 countries and six continents. Its mission is to promote cultural understanding and inspire a peaceful world.

Runners carry a torch – the Peace Torch, which is passed from hand to hand, as they travel from nation to nation.

“The torch symbolises humanity’s yearning for peace. By holding the torch, community leaders, athletes and children join with millions of others around the globe who hope for a more peaceful world,” Peace Run spokesperson Grahak Cunningham said.

Founded by athlete, musician, and peace ambassador Sri Chinmoy the torch has been held by Carl Lewis, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela.

The NZ Peace Run covers 700km carried by a 12-strong team of international and local runners from Australia, America, South Africa, France, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico.

Beginning in Auckland on February 13, the Peace Run visited Thames and Matamata on February 14, before travelling on to Tauranga this week for school visits and events and then heading to Whakatāne and Rotorua later in the week.

Along with the two days of visits to local schools on Monday and Tuesday, there will be dedication events with Tauranga and Whakatāne civic leaders.

Local relay coordinator Dan Rubin said Tauranga has been a key part of hosting this international initiative since its inception, with runners passing through the area during previous editions of the relay.

“The event invites schools and community groups to participate, sharing educational peace programs with children around the world.”

Rubin said runners from the NZ Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team are joining the international runners who have flown in especially for the 10-day NZ Peace Run.

Monday in Tauranga

On Monday, February 17, the runners will arrive in Tauranga, where they will visit Tauriko School at 8.45am and Selwyn Ridge School at 11am, followed by Tauranga Intermediate School at 2pm.

“The children at Tauriko will welcome the runners and take part in a celebration of peace including an indoor presentation and running with the torch around the perimeter of the football fields,” Rubin said.

“We’ll do a couple of loops with them around the fields. We’ll get to have as many children as possible holding the torch. It’s a thrill, the kids love it.”

Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run - run route from Auckland to the Bay of Plenty, February 13- 22, 2025. Image/ Peacerun.org

Rubin said he personally has run hundreds of kilometres during the Sri Chinmoy Peace Runs.

“I’ve been doing it since 1998 and been on 17 of the 25 New Zealand Peace Runs. Cumulatively I’ve done three or four months of running around the country over the years.”

He said they run with the children where it is safe.

“On this run we would like to meet as many school children as possible.”

Tuesday’s dedication at Mount Hot Pools

Rubin said on Tuesday, February 18, the Peace Run will go to Mount Maunganui and Te Puke and then down the east coast, finishing the day in Whakatāne.

Several key events will take place during Tuesday, including a dedication meeting at 8am with Tauranga Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular at the Mount Hot Pools.

“The dedication includes the installation of a plaque dedicating the pools to world peace,” Rubin said.

“There are about a dozen peace plaques around New Zealand including one in Hastings and one in Auckland.

“The Mount Hot Pools will join with other places around the world to create the feeling that we are one world. These are places of beauty where people can rejuvenate themselves and have peace there.”

Mount Hot Pools. Photo/SunLive.

Rubin said a plaque has been placed at Niagara Falls, and last year Mount Everest had a plaque placed there.

“Jenny Shipley signed the document declaring New Zealand as a peace nation. And we rededicated Wellington as a Sri Chinmoy peace capital on the 25th anniversary in 2023 linking it with about 11 Sri Chinmoy peace capital cities around the world.”

Following the plaque dedication with Scoular at the Mount Hot Pools, the team will participate in the Women’s Peace Run – a 13km relay run from the pools to the Pāpāmoa Surf Club.

At 12.10pm, the runners will visit Te Puke Primary School, where they will meet with students and share a peace presentation at 12.20pm.

“Then we go to Apanui School at 2pm.” Rubin said. “And at 4.30pm we have a meeting with Whakatāne Mayor Victor Luca.

“Peace begins with you and me”

Rubin said the Peace Run carries a simple but powerful message: “Peace begins with you and me.”

“Through our interactive programs, participants learn how they can contribute to creating a more peaceful world.”

Along the way, people from all walks of life join the Peace Run relay to support its simple purpose. From New Zealand, volunteers will take the torch on through Australia and several Asian countries as part of a wider international initiative.

Rubin said millions of children across more than 140 countries have participated in the Peace Run’s educational programs, which use art, music, drama, and sports to teach young people how to build a more peaceful environment in their communities.

Notable past patrons of the Peace Run in New Zealand include sports legends like Allison Roe, Precious McKenzie, Hall of Fame athlete Rod Dixon, and the late and legendary Arthur Lydiard, as well as Olympians John Walker and Ian Ferguson, and former All Blacks coach Graham Henry. Top New Zealand sports figures like Valerie Adams and Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon have also expressed enthusiastic support for the event, joining a long list of leaders from around the globe who are inspired by the initiative.

“We are planning another Cape Reinga to Bluff and Stewart Island run on the 40th anniversary of the Peace Run as we did in 2019.”

Rubin said the 2019 run was the first time there had been a full circumference of the globe in one calendar year with the peace torch.

“We had multiple teams from around the world participating,” Rubin said.

“A peaceful world is a really unifying dream we all share. People love to contribute in some way to help build a brighter future.”

For more details on the Peace Run, visit www.peacerun.org/nz