Video Category
First Place : Video by Alma Monte
Photo Category
First Place: Photo by Saikou M Jadama
The photograph is showing the boundary between earth and the heaven.
The river represents EARTH
The sky represents HEAVEN
The boundary between them is the green line of nature that represents Man’s habitat.
The part of life-side that gives us the ability to intercede our moral values, inner peace is the most important value of habit of a sudden change of a life.
Inner peace between you and your mind can help you be a positive person in your life.
Poetry Category
First Place : Poem by Nicholas Granby
THE ONLY WAY TO PEACE
“World peace…” She responds to the restless crowd,
(Her thoughts into words. She is saying ALOUD!)
“…We can only achieve, by quieting the mind,
I’ll show you how peace we can easily find!
Know it lies within ALL – yes, in me and in you!
The words I am speaking are verifiably true.”
“Why do many follow the pointing finger of hate
Seize the gun rather than a few days of debate?”
Grim faces, clenched fists, bellowed threats in the air,
The smooth slithering smile: “Of peace be aware!
We will fight to the death, to show we are strong.
Peace makes us weak!”- and the media follows along.
“No! Stronger is he who embraces his foe.
With wisdom and truth, you Spiritually grow,
And see you and your enemy to be really just one .
A new era of peace has already begun.”
The politicos laugh, preparing missiles to fire,
The cries to conflict grow higher and higher.
The desire for power swells those with ambition.
Massed tanks and guns, their boasted bloody mission!
“That’s what folk want to hear, not your soft verses!”
On Her blessed head thy heap the foulest of curses.
But calmly standing, She looks them all in the eye
And seems now such a size they dare not defy.
In the UN the war-mongers angrily slouch.
In deep corners, demons impatiently crouch.
The clamour now rises to a furious roar,
Silenced by her hand – ”I have the floor!
To oppose me, feel free, but I will be heard.”
To the seekers of truth, She brings sacred word.
Young men prepare to be sent to their doom.
But graveyards are full, there’s just no more room.
Yet that day will dawn when none wish to fight,
As darkness recedes when vanquished by light.
Then generals sit silent, and stare at the ground.
While tyrants scurry home making scarcely a sound.
“Know that Human kind is never forsaken.
A coiled energy within you just needs to awaken
And calm the busy brain so hard to make still.
Your journey inward is guided by a calm, loving will.
Peace and harmony manifest in your turbulent soul,
You see, then, we’re all parts of one glorious whole.”
Second Place: Poem By Fatou Darboe.
GLOBAL INNER PEACE
Sometimes I sit and ponder
On whether with poetic lines I can render
My message about the global inner peace of humanity
Which shapers the executives of the society
With my stanzas I would deliver
A little about on what I ponder
Where in every situation there should be something
But I can’t wait about it for I am from a society where women are next to nothing
Where base on our assumptions women should be servitudes
I can’t remain silent while my inner peace has been tattered
Oh! I must say something
In which scripture has declared women should be servitude?
Instead, scriptures preach that women should be in the high altitude
Please just give me your ear
Let me tell you something you should hear
A thing we should all try and share
Share don’t relent until it gets to your heir
A menace which leads our society to a tear
Of inequality which is a grant parent of fear
A fear that devastated, shattered and teared
Apart a dream or a career which was so deared
Never hesitate to give a helping hand to a woman
For she didn’t have second thought to bring you into this life
In a situation where she was between death and life
She deserves everything in this life
Most important, inner peace
With courage and determination, she strives
To be a better mother and a wife
Respect if you can’t avoid but never disrespect
Women should be the beacon when measuring the level of respect
Detect and always try to stay
In fact, defend a woman and make sure she earns her respect
Do not brag to belittle or to destroy her inner peace
But be strong enough always and elevate her
Support a woman
Give her help at all times
Respect a woman
Be her pillar despite the times
The global inner peace is here to stay in the lives of every woman
Peace, peace, peace, inner peace ✌ ️
Second Place: Poem By Hala Sukkarieh
The Power of LOVE
“Since Adam and Eve, so far people have used the power of hate.
Because as we sow, we shall reap, this human’s negative attitude, made us full of stress, so the world is in turmoil and peace is less…
Many great souls like William Blake, Mahatma Ghandi, Luther King, President Lincoln, Mandella… used to spread love everywhere, so they could offer peace to the world
What do we gain by dwelling too much on a past that no longer exists, other than stress and sickness too? At most, we can learn from it to build a better future.
The future is a mystery. Thinking too much about it only adds stress, heart disease, or diabetes, robbing us of our peace of mind.
To spread the joy and peace, the only gate is the present state.
We have to experience, we have to live, this subtle state of love within, rather than paying lip service to it.
Instead of falling why not rising in love.
The present state is the best gift we can give our subtle nervous system to relax and experience love, joy and peace waves,
as there can be no peace in the world without inner peace.
Blessed are those who are peace makers “
Painting Category
First Place: “Interfaith” by Negin Vosoogh Sharifi
Second Place : Painting by Cheung Nok Yiu
Second Place : Painting by Mrridula Shekar
Music Category
Music by Advait Guja
I performed an improvised exposition of Raga Durga, followed by a composition in the Indian Classical style. This raga represents motherly love: unconditional compassion for another person without ill intentions. It fits the given theme because it evokes emotions of love and affection, which can bring tremendous inner peace to a person. Interestingly, this raga is played in the major pentatonic scale, known as a universal scale, since it’s found in almost every musical culture worldwide. To me, this universality mirrors that of motherly love, which, similar to the raga, can permeate every culture, country, and person and bring utmost peace within.
