RAPID CITY, S.D. – An international torch relay promoting world harmony is making its way toward western South Dakota, bringing a message of community goodwill and peace to local residents.

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is scheduled to visit the Rapid City area as part of its massive global journey. An estimated 50,000 children across more than 1,000 cities and towns along the route are expected to participate as the relay stops at various schools, youth organizations and local community events.

The team will cover 87 miles on the 10th running from Belle Fourche to Rapid City on Rte. 44 passing the Peace Torch along the way. 

The global initiative has traversed more than 160 nations across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia over a span of nearly 40 years. The torch serves as a moving symbol of humanity’s shared aspiration for a more harmonious world.

A dedicated team of international runners initiated the domestic leg of the journey from New York City on April 16. The continuous relay is traveling an expansive route of more than 10,000 miles, crossing through all 50 states. This year’s four-month trek holds special significance as it honors the 250th anniversary of America.

The main relay team will conclude the continental leg of the tour in New York this August, before moving on to hold additional relays in Alaska and Hawaii this September. Concurrently, a European branch of the Peace Run launched in Helsinki, Finland, on May 18, with presentations scheduled across 13 European countries.

More than 7 million people have participated in the event since its inaugural launch in 1987. Over the decades, the grassroots effort has received official commendations from numerous world figures, including Pope Francis, President Nelson Mandela, President Mikhail Gorbachev and Saint Mother Teresa, alongside various state governors, big-city mayors and international celebrities.

Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis previously praised the overarching impact of the relay.

“By carrying the Torch, you will be bridging cultural and social barriers, and all the boundaries that separate nation from nation,” Lewis said. “You will be the living proof of the ancient vision of having a beautiful and harmonious world.”

The global event was originally inspired by visionary, athlete, philosopher and poet Sri Chinmoy to provide everyday citizens with a dynamic, tangible way to express their personal hopes for world harmony. Sri Chinmoy dedicated his life to advancing these ideals prior to his passing in 2007.

“How can we have peace?” Sri Chinmoy once noted. “Not by talking about peace, but by walking along the road of peace.”