About the author:
Tejvan organises short-distance running and cycling races for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in his home city of Oxford. He is also a very good cyclist, having won the National hill climb championships in 2013 and finished 3rd in the National 100 Mile Time Trials in 2014.Recently there have been several events to mark the 40th Anniversary of "Historic Swims for 1986 International Year of Peace" which began in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, 1986.
This event continues a legacy that began on January 1, 1986, when three United Nations staff members—Adhiratha Keefe, Sunil Davidson, and Shraddha Howard—stepped into the frigid waters of Hiroshima, Japan. Their symbolic swim around the sacred Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island launched an extraordinary worldwide movement that would span over 35 locations across continents. The original peace swimmers, members of the Peace Meditation Group at the United Nations led by Sri Chinmoy, combined contemplative practice with meaningful action. Before each swim, participants gathered to pray and meditate together, held banners displaying peace ideals, and sang inspirational songs about harmony and oneness. This powerful blend of inner reflection and outer action continues to inspire peace swims today.
The project is supporting the goals and ideals of the United Nations.
- Follows article by George Keefe
From Inner Peace to Outer Action
The inspiration for these peace swims emerged from a deep spiritual practice and personal commitment that transcended professional boundaries. All three swimmers were members of the Peace Meditation Group at the United Nations, led by Sri Chinmoy, which had been meeting regularly since 1970.
Their personal commitment to meditation and inner peace naturally evolved into community expression beyond their official responsibilities as International Civil Servants. These swims, preceded by silence, demonstrated how contemplative practice can inspire meaningful real-world engagement and ripple outward to touch the lives of others.
Before each swim, participants would gather to pray and meditate together, creating moments of profound silence and intention. They would hold banners in various languages highlighting the 1986 UN-proclaimed International Year of Peace, sing inspirational songs about harmony and oneness, and collectively focus their hearts on creating a more peaceful world. This beautiful combination of inner reflection and outer action became the hallmark of the movement, showing that peace begins within and naturally expresses itself in service to others.
A Sacred Beginning in Hiroshima
The choice of Hiroshima for the first swim carried deep significance and profound respect.
Swimming around the sacred Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, these UN staff members chose a location that represented both the urgent need for peace and humanity’s remarkable capacity for healing and renewal. The swimmers expressed heartfelt gratitude to the local leaders and people of Japan who had turned their experience of profound tragedy into a timeless warning for humanity. Their commitment to peace and their ongoing reminder of the potential devastation of war remains a precious gift to the world—a beacon of hope emerging from darkness. Five days later, on January 6, they swam in Nagasaki Harbor, supported by the Peace Museum Director and the Mayor’s Office, honoring another community that chose to transform suffering into a powerful call for peace.
An Enthusiastic Global Response
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Media coverage was enthusiastic, with television stations, newspapers, and radio reporters eager to share this inspiring story. UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar commended their “intrepid endeavors” and noted that “there could be no more fitting venue than Hiroshima and Nagasaki to make such a demonstration.”
This encouragement fueled the swimmers’ determination to spread their message of hope even further.
A Journey of Unity Across Continents
Inspired by this warm reception, the swimmers joyfully continued their mission throughout 1986 and into 1987, traveling at their own expense to beaches, harbors, and lakes across the globe. Their journey became a celebration of humanity’s shared aspirations for peace. They brought their message to diverse locations—from the turquoise waters of Bermuda to the Dominican Republic, from Puerto Rico to Costa Rica, from Panama to Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru. They swam in American locations including Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, New Orleans, Phoenix, and San Diego. At each stop, they found communities eager to embrace the vision of a more peaceful world, united in the understanding that we are all part of one human family.
A Message That Endures
Video by Utpal
The 2026 anniversary swims are highlighting the continued importance of the goals of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the timeless message of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
These principles remain as vital and inspiring today as they were forty years ago, offering a roadmap for building the peaceful world we all wish to see.
The Power of Inspired Action
What made these swims remarkable was their blend of spiritual inspiration and practical dedication. The swimmers didn’t wait for perfect conditions or elaborate planning—they acted on their vision with courage and faith.
They worked joyfully with local communities, media, and peace organizations wherever they went. Their approach was wonderfully inclusive, welcoming anyone who wished to participate, witness, or support their message. This openness created connections across cultures, languages, and backgrounds, demonstrating that peace is indeed possible when hearts unite in common purpose.
Continuing the Legacy Today
Today, as we mark the 40th anniversary, commemorative swims have already taken place in Croatia—in Dubrovnik on January 1, 2026, and Split on January 8—bringing together new generations in the same spirit of meditation, prayer, and peaceful action.
These anniversary celebrations show that the vision planted forty years ago continues to flourish, inspiring new swimmers to take the plunge for peace.
An Enduring Message of Hope
The peace swims remind us that individual actions, rooted in deep inner practice and carried out with dedication and love, can create positive waves that reach around the world. They demonstrate that working for peace doesn’t require elaborate resources—just sincere commitment, heartfelt intention, and the courage to transform inner conviction into outer action. As we face contemporary global challenges, the example set by these dedicated swimmers forty years ago offers timeless wisdom and genuine hope: combine contemplation with action, embrace practical solutions, and never underestimate the power of individuals working together with open hearts for humanity’s highest aspirations.
The cold waters of Hiroshima welcomed three courageous souls on that New Year’s Day in 1986. Their warm hearts created ripples that continue to spread today, reminding us all that peace is not merely an ideal to contemplate—it is a living reality we can create together, one dedicated action at a time.
Article by George Keefe (brother of Adhiratha Keefe)
More articles on swimming for Peace are available at