Moscow, Russia - On July 2, 2002 Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) presented 12 Ambassador for Peace certificates to runners and organizers of a Super-marathon whose participants are running from Moscow to Johannesburg, South Africa over the next two months under the title "With Love - to Peace and Harmony."The program, which marked the start of the 14,465 kilometer run, began with a ceremony in front of the Kremlin in the shadow of the famous St. Basil's Cathedral, in which Mr. Jack Corley, secretary general of IIFWP-Eurasia, explained the ideals of Ambassadors for Peace.
The idea to award Ambassador for Peace certificates was initiated after Mr. Leonid Gerasimenko, vice chairman of Super-marathon 2002, attended an IIFWP program in Moscow on May 8. Mr. Gerasimenko was inspired by the vision of IIFWP and in particular by the concept of awarding Ambassador for Peace certificates to men and women who are making special contributions to world peace and human development.
The international Super-marathon 2002 participants will run through Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and will end in Johannesburg on September 1. Organizers and participants will then participate in the Rio+10 World Summit on Sustainable Development sponsored by the United Nations. The goal of the Super-marathon is to bring the message of love, peace, and harmony to the attention of the Rio+10 summit.
Among those receiving Ambassador for Peace awards were Mr. Eduard Yakovlev and Mr. Leonid Gerasimenko, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Committee of the International Super-,arathon; Mr. Leonid Kalinkin, president of the Interregional Federation of Sports; and Mr. Alexander Kolmogorov, president of the International Anti-Drug Association.