The Peace Run will make its way through Newcastle on Tuesday, spreading a message of hope, joy and friendship.
The non-commercial event is the world's longest global torch relay that takes place in about 70 countries a year. It carries the promise and intention to help create a better world. It doesn't seek to raise any funds and there are no costs involved.
Grahak Cunningham, of Perth, is one of a dozen runners in the 1662-kilometre event, which runs from Brisbane to Canberra.
The runners include Australians, Mongolians, Guatemalans, a Colombian, South African and an Indonesian from Bali.
The event went from Muswellbrook to Newcastle on Monday, stopping at Kirkton Public School in Lower Belford and Islington Public School to spread a message of peace with art and music. On Tuesday, the peace message will be shared with pupils at Merewether Public.
Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy founded the Peace Run in 1987. He taught meditation in the West, after moving to New York City in 1964. An athlete, poet, music-lover, philosopher and artist, he believed all these things could play a role in the pursuit of peace.
"He was an advocate for peace through sports and fitness," Grahak said.
The run carries the idea that individuals can contribute to world peace, "not just politicians and world leaders".
The torch is passed from "from hand to hand and heart to heart", as those involved "talk and think about peace" along the way.
"Running is a great vehicle to carry that message," he said.
Runner Gabriel Quintana, of Guatemala, said "peace is important to me because it's the main thing that keeps me motivated and happy".
Gabriel said peace enabled him to "move in a more joyful way".
"If everybody is able to do that, then we're all contributing to world peace," he said.
The 26-year-old said the run was a way to "share peace with people throughout each city and place we travel".
"It's an easy way to be able to spread it and feel it," he said.
Inner Peace
Grahak said the run was not linked to any one religion. He encourages people to embrace peace, regardless of faith, belief and non-belief.
"If you have more inner peace yourself, that's where it starts," he said.
The run, he said, carries a message that "peace begins with each individual".
"Everyone that holds the torch or comes to see the run, they always go away uplifted.
"Peace doesn't just have to mean an absence of war. It can be about being positive, happy or enthusiastic, self giving and mature. That message can be spread very easily for children. Also, for people in higher positions, when they come and visit us, we try and get them to maybe think about how they can bring peace to their decision-making or with their colleagues."
Gabriel said his home country of Guatemala is "definitely in need of peace".
"We have been for quite a while. It's pretty tough and it's not looking up, to be honest. But if I contribute and help spread it to my family and they help spread it to people they know, and the people they're close to, then little by little we're planting seeds of peace."
The running part is "not easy", but peace ceremonies along the way motivate him.
About 5 million people have held the peace torch, including Nelson Mandela, Cathy Freeman, Mikhail Gorbachev, Mother Teresa and Carl Lewis.
