At the opening of the Walk of Wisdom in 2015, we were given a miner’s lamp as a gift with a flame that was lit with a living fire flown over from all continents: the world peace flame. In the Netherlands, the flame burns permanently in The Hague, Arnhem and Nijmegen, among others.

In the national peace week from 17 to 23 September, we asked several people to fill in a program around the flame in the atmospheric, Nijmegen Valkhof Chapel. It has become a ‘marathon for peace’: light-hearted, musical and meditative. Admission is free. In the morning there is often yoga or t’ai Chi, so for those who are going to walk a nice start of the route: the Valkhof Chapel is exactly on the route, one kilometer from the starting point of the Stevenskerk.

Sound opening and poetry marathon

The marathon will be inaugurated on Saturday 17 September at 8.30 pm with a sound opening led by Van Gogh. Zwaan de Vries with an (almost) full moon walk on a short part of the Walk of Wisdom afterwards. The week will end festively with a tango on Friday 23 September.

Every morning at 09.00h is yoga or ‘t ai Chi. From 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. there will be music or singing. There is a celebration of lights by the center of De Appel, various groups come to meditate and a group of nuns come especially from South Holland to pray for peace.

The Council of Philosophy and Religion will watch over the flame all night (Tuesday 20 September) and city poet Frouke Arns will organise a poetry marathon (Thursday 22 September).

There are more activities around peace that week. The programme in Nijmegen will be officially opened on Saturday 17 September at 7.30 pm at the Titus Brandsma Memorial on the Keizer Karelplein, opposite the central station. There, the lamp is lit and a procession leaves for the sound opening in the Valkhof Chapel.

Check out the program: https://walkofwisdom.org/vredesmarathon

More about the overarching peace week: http://www.vredesweeknijmegen.nl/

Photo: Willem Kienhuis, t’ai Chi Nijmegen, Valkhof Chapel peace week 2015

Photo tango: Andé Derksen, Valkhof Chapel peace week 2015