Acceptance of award

Sri Chinmoy: My heart’s oneness-peace-dreamer-Brother Costa, I would like to offer a prayerful song to you, to your soul, to your heart and to your life. My heart’s infinite love I am offering to you. My life’s deepest admiration I am offering to you, for you are sleeplessly and breathlessly offering the message of world peace to the four corners of the globe. I am sure your life will shine in the galaxy of the immortals who dreamt of peace and who are still dreaming of peace here on earth. You and I are together sailing in the same boat, the boat of peace. Our Boatman is the Boatman of peace, and our destination, the Golden Shore, is the Golden Shore of peace.

Now my students will sing a special song, a song of peace, which I am offering to you lovingly, prayerfully and proudly.

[Sri Chinmoy’s students perform the song, “I am a peace-collecting pilgrim-soul,” composed by Sri Chinmoy specially for the occasion.]

Sri Chinmoy: I wish to offer gratitude from the inmost recesses of my heart to our highly esteemed President-Friend Gianfranco Costa and to the entire International Centre for Peace Among People for this signal "Pilgrim of Peace" award. My joy knows no bounds for being placed in the galaxy of immortals — the present Holy Father, Mother Teresa, President Gorbachev and other most notable world figures. We, the pilgrims of peace, sleeplessly must walk along Eternity’s Peace-Road proclaiming the Victory of our Absolute Lord Supreme.

Professor Costa, you are at once a dreamer and a lover of world peace. You and the Board of Directors are self-givingly trying to put an end to humanity’s age-old hunger and poverty. The New Millennium is fast approaching us with its supernal beauty and fragrance to shower its choicest blessings upon your aspiration-hearts and dedication-lives.

I would also like to offer my heart’s deepest gratitude to Mr. Renato Elisei of your Himalayan-high organisation, for his untiring service in organising our Sri Chinmoy Peace Run from Assisi to Spoleto.

Finally, I am offering my soulful gratitude to all the members of the international community, including divinely esteemed Ambassadors and eminent guests, for their blessingful presence here this evening.

[Sri Chinmoy reads out the following poems which he has written over the years on the theme of the pilgrim:]