Honouring James Nachtwey - Award-Winning Photojournalist
On 2 April 2007, Sri Chinmoy honoured James Nachtwey, award-winning American photojournalist and war photographer, at Aspiration-Ground meditation garden. After welcoming Mr. Nachtwey and offering an esraj performance, Sri Chinmoy then lifted Mr. Nachtwey and presented him with the “Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart Award.” Excerpts from the function follow.James Nachtwey: Thank you so much for this recognition. I’m a photographer, I’m not a man of words, so I’ll keep my comments very brief. But I want you to know how honoured I am to receive this recognition from you, from someone who’s devoted their life to art and healing and peace. I hope my work joins with yours to that end, and all of yours. Thank you very much.
Sri Chinmoy: I am honouring world figures who are inspiring the world to have a better life. Just yesterday I watched a short biography of yours. I enjoyed it very much. There you have said something extraordinary about conviction, that if you cannot convince yourself first, how can you convince others? We need conviction first. This conviction is of paramount importance. If we cannot convince ourselves of what we are doing, how are we going to tell the world, show the world, that this is the right thing? When you felt deep within that you were doing the right thing, then you were inspired to tell the world, “Yes, I am doing the right thing. You also do the right thing in your own way.” That very thing impressed me most.
