Peace Landmarks

 The Young for Unity raced across the globe’s symbolic sites

Places that had known suffering:tsunami-stricken Medan (Indonesia): the relay race, held at the University of Sumatra Utara campus, took place at 6 a.m. (local time) in view of the hot climate. Johannesburg (South Africa): the sports activities took place at Regina Mundi, a place which had a significant role in the end of apartheid.

To appeal for the end of all conflicts: In New York (U.S.A.), the race course included the road past the United Nations. In Jerusalem (Israel), a message of peace was carried to the respective sacred places of the three monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism). In Nagasaki (Japan), the relay race started at the point where the atomic bomb was dropped 60 years ago. It closed with a meal at the clinic for radiation victims. In New Caledonia, the appointment was at St. Louis, site of frequent conflicts between the people of Wallis and of Melanesia, the island’s natives.

Places that symbolize unity: In Panama, the race course included the Bridge of the Americas which unites the north with the south of the continent. Slovak and Hungarian participants crossed the Mount Valeria bridge over the Danube, which had been built to mark the end of rivalry between the two nations. In Seoul (Korea) the race took place in a place which is symbolic of the unity between the two Koreas.

Significant spots: From Marathon (Greece), the city from which the modern sport got its name, the race followed the route which unites the city to Athens. In Oslo (Norway), the relay was in the form of a canoe race along the fjords. In Mexico City, there was a stop-over at the Anthropological Museum, a monument to the nation’s pre-Hispanic, indigenous culture. In Melbourne (Australia), the starting point was Federation Square, symbol of Australia’s multiethnic society. In Amman (Jordan), the race passed around Mount Nebo, and included a telephone link-up with Baghdad (Iraq).

Interreligious participation: This was a characteristic of most of the events, especially in Coimbatore (India) where both Christian and Hindu youth competed. The relay race between Christians and Muslims in Cairo (Egypt) took place against the backdrop of the Pyramids. In Buenos Aires (Argentina), a large number of Jewish young people participated, while in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai (Thailand), Christian and Buddhist youth competed.

In Italy: 30 relay races took place which touched cities like Oniferi and Orani (Nuoro, Sardinia), the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the ‘Sassi’ (tr. – ‘Boulders’) in Matera, the Square of the Miracles in Pisa, and the Palace of the Normans in Palermo.