Peace Torch arrives in Darwin on 15,000km journey

What do Muhammad Ali, Pope Francis, Mikhail Gorbachev and Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis now have in common? Find out.

Members of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run sing the Peace Run song at Multicultural Council NT on July 6, 2025. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

A mission spreading peace and hope landed in Darwin on Sunday, with the symbolic Peace Torch handed to Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis in the official ceremony.

Mr Vatskalis welcomed the team of over 17 runners from the Sri Chinmoy Peace Run who stopped by Darwin as part of their 15,000km torch relay around Australia.

He congratulated the resilient runners on their important message given the turbulent times.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis joined other iconic world leaders like Pope Francis and Mikhail Gorbachev by bearing the Peace Torch. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

“With wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, I am so pleased that you courageously run around all the countries, to bring a message of hope and a message of peace,” he said.

In doing so, Mr Vatskalis joined other iconic world leaders like Pope Francis, Mikhail Gorbachev and even Muhammad Ali who all welcomed and held the Peace Torch too.

Multicultural Minister Jinson Charls, Children and Families Minister Robyn Cahill, Multicultural Council NT president Dr Edwin Joseph and Darwin mayor Kon Vatskalis with the Sri Chinmoy Peace Run team at Multicultural Council NT on July 6, 2025. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

Among the runners was Latvian Edgars Ancans who started his journey 10,000km ago in Canberra.

The Latvian said he had already seen a couple of crocs and a goanna on the Top End leg of the massive journey.
Mr Ancans was joined by Portuguese runner Raquel Pedro.

Kiwi Stacey Marsh, Portuguese Raquel Pedro, Romanian Tomas Kopriva Biro and Kazak Anara Kurwanova with the peace torch at Multicultural Council NT on July 6, 2025. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

She said she joined the relay to help spread its message of peace.

“We are spreading the message that peace begins with me, with you, with everyone,” she said.

The relay team hopes the diversity of nationalities and languages, which in this team included Kazaks, Romanians, Brazilians and Mongolians, will serve as an example of the wider world community, showing that peace is possible if we learn to listen and connect with each other.

From Darwin the team will run down the Stuart Hwy then east to Queensland.

They plan to finish back in Canberra in mid-August.