Peace, unity and harmony!

Cathy Freeman, the daughter of Australia who ran not only for victory but for her people, gave the world her cry: “Peace, unity and harmony!” These words, spoken with the innocence of hope yet the strength of lived struggle, are more than a celebration of triumph. They are a vision — a reminder that human greatness is not found in medals alone, but in the weaving together of hearts and nations. For what is the worth of speed, of strength, of power, if it does not lead to peace, if it does not bind us in unity, if it does not tune our voices into the music of harmony?

The ancients also sang of this. In the myths of Greece, the golden age was remembered as a time when men lived in harmony with one another and with the earth, when war was unknown, and justice walked among them. In Rome, poets spoke of concordia, the sacred spirit of unity, without which even the mightiest empire could not endure. Cathy Freeman’s words are but the modern echo of this timeless longing — that the highest prize is not gold, but peace among men.

Her own story gives the words their fire. In the year 2000, at the Sydney Olympics, Freeman carried the hopes of both a nation and an ancient people. As an Aboriginal Australian, she bore upon her shoulders the weight of centuries of suffering, displacement, and struggle. Yet when she lit the Olympic cauldron, she did not call for division, nor for vengeance, but for peace, unity and harmony. And when she raced to victory in the 400 meters, she wrapped herself in both the Australian and Aboriginal flags — a living symbol that unity is not sameness, but the joining of differences in dignity.

History gives us further mirrors. Nelson Mandela, once imprisoned for 27 years, emerged not with bitterness but with a heart that cried for reconciliation. He knew that his people could not build a future on division alone. His vision of peace, unity and harmony transformed South Africa from a land broken by apartheid into one striving, however imperfectly, toward a common destiny. In him, as in Freeman, we see that greatness lies not in domination, but in the courage to heal.

Children of tomorrow, take this lesson into your hearts: true strength is not measured in the power to conquer, but in the power to reconcile. The warrior who brings war may be feared, but the one who brings peace is loved. The leader who divides may rule for a season, but the one who unites builds a legacy that endures for generations. When Cathy Freeman spoke her words, she was not merely speaking of sport, but of life itself: our highest calling is to live in peace, to stand in unity, and to walk in harmony.

The lesson is plain: cherish peace, for without it, no dream can flourish. Guard unity, for division is the seed of ruin. Cultivate harmony, for it is the music that turns a crowd into a chorus, and a nation into a family. Let your words and actions be bridges, not walls. Let your hands be instruments of healing, not of harm. For peace, unity, and harmony are not luxuries; they are necessities for the soul and for the survival of humankind.

Practical action flows from this wisdom. In your family, seek reconciliation rather than resentment. In your community, honor diversity, for unity is not the erasure of differences but the celebration of them. In the world, speak for peace when others clamor for conflict. Practice small acts of harmony each day — listening when others would quarrel, forgiving when others would harden, reaching across boundaries when others would retreat. For these small acts weave together the great tapestry of human destiny.

So let it be remembered: “Peace, unity and harmony!” These are not merely the words of a runner at the height of her glory, but the prayer of all humanity, ancient and eternal. To live them is to carry the torch of hope, brighter than any Olympic flame, across the generations. And those who walk this path will be remembered not only for what they achieved, but for what they healed, united, and harmonized in the great journey of mankind.