On 31 July the Flames from across the world were united in Bangor, North Wales. The Flames were transferred to tall, Olympic-style torches. Six hundred people rose to their feet as the Flames were carried in, flanked by flags from the continents.

‘We approached the great bowl which was awaiting the Flames and prepared to touch our torches to it in unison. All our friends in the audience focused their love and their yearning for peace onto the glowing flames we held in front of us. Everybody held their breath. Slowly, we brought the Flames down to meet each other. A plume of fire rose brightly up through the centre of the ring of flames, sending a shockwave of light out across the Hall.

The whole room fell into a deep silence. The only movement was the flickering of the World Peace Flame before us.’ ‘We gazed into this new light, trying to sense, to feel and to understand what lay within its heart. Images of people across the continents filled our minds. We thought of all the people who had made this moment possible. Scenes of pilots, airport officers, politicians, spiritual heads, mayors, peacemakers, indigenous leaders and so many others flashed across our minds. What made all these people say ‘yes’ for no gain or prestige or fame? We stared into the single Flame before us, lost in gratitude for the efforts of everyone who had helped make this journey possible’.

The World Peace Flame had been born. From one moment to the next the empty bowl had become filled with a mighty column of light. ‘Peace is like that. Like flicking a light switch on or striking a match, it takes no effort at all to fill a room with light. All you need is the decision to begin’.

Now a new phase of the adventure would begin, as people took lights from this Flame and presented them to their friends and colleagues. From this moment, it would begin to spread out across the world, as people installed it in their hearts and minds, and cities and governments installed it in the world’s centres of decision making.

From: ‘The Flame that Transforms’