Peace Road 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand took place on the 30th of July 2016. This year’s event was attended by about 50 members, AFPs and guests, covering a modest total of 27 km. It started off from Parnell Peace Embassy and ended at Mission Bay. The event was coordinated by Mrs Sami Lee and Mr Leon Pogoni; and helped by enthusiastic members of Unification Movement in New Zealand. We were blessed to take part in this global project to promote peace and harmony on Earth; in the spirit of Rev Dr Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Movement and the Peace Road project.
The program started at 10am with general orientation of both cycling and walking routes lead by Mr Leon Pogoni and was followed with an introduction to the Peace Road itself by Mrs Matapa Shelley. It was then succeeded by the signing of the Peace Road Map by all participants, as a mark of contribution from New Zealand to the global community. Although there were worrying signs at first, we were grateful that the weather held and enabled our event to be completed successfully without hindrance.
Participants were greeted with much care and hospitality back at the Embassy, as the loving hands of the mothers present prepared a hearty lunch for everyone. It served as a foundation for a beautiful gathering of One Family under God to take place naturally within the Embassy.
As the event comes to a close, we are reminded once again that the gathering of kindred spirits with a heart to serve and live for the sake of others has unlimited potential in creating positivity and lasting harmony. We hope that as we continue to do our part in creating a culture of peace one step at a time, we may one day truly be able to see Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
– Photos courtesy of Barry Noel; Written by Andrew Halim