Runners from more than a half-dozen countries carrying a torch and a message of peace stopped in Cortez on Wednesday.
Participants in the Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run climbed the steps to City Hall, stopping to visit with Cortez Mayor Dennis Spruell and about 20 local residents They then headed west to Bluff, Utah.
Begun in 1987, the international peace run is named after its founder, who was born in what is now Bangladesh. Runners carry a flaming torch symbolizing peace.
“Cortez has no problem being known as the place that created peace,” Spruell said jokingly, adding, “We really, really appreciate you coming to our fair city.”
However, as the runners approached Cortez, the torch they carried was not lit. Australian Salil Wilson, who is the executive director, said that’s because of Montezuma County’s current fire ban.
The 2026 U.S. Peace Run began in New York City, will last five months, and will include all 50 states, celebrating the 250th anniversary of America's Independence.
During their stop in Cortez, participants said the peace run has visited more than 150 countries over the years, and the torch has been held by numerous dignitaries, including Paul McCartney, Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis, Mother Theresa, Carl Lewis, Jane Goodall, Queen Elizabeth, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Muhammad Ali.
The runners – who came from Australia, the United States, Vietnam, Nepal, Macedonia, France, and New Zealand – presented Spruell with a certificate of appreciation for the city, saying they had been welcomed warmly.
“The America you might see on the news Is not the America that exists,” Wilson said.
“Between the goodness, the kindness, the generosity that we have the good fortune to bask in – it’s really been remarkable and you all deserve credit for that.
“More peace can happen when each of us can be at our best.”
The runners then resumed their journey, piling into their support vehicle except for the one who would be carrying the torch next.
