Oneness Mandala Takes Shape

SWANAGE, England, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A Canadian multimedia artist said Tuesday he was cycling across Europe to promote an artistic peace project he developed to encourage humanity's unity.

Russell Maier, 31, of Smithers, British Columbia, said the World Oneness Mandala, which he envisions having 10,000 original "peace portrait submissions" from people from all walks of life, countries and ethnic backgrounds, will be "a powerful statement of peace and humanity's essential oneness."

He said he plans to arrange the digital portraits in "a harmonious circular geometry to create a powerful, spiritual and consciousness-raising message," he told United Press International from Swanage, England.

He is cycling through England on his way to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, he said. He toured Canada and the United States by bicycle last month.

Already receiving more than 500 images with no publicity, he said he was working with the global Humanity's Team oneness movement to establish a technological and logistical system to handle the thousands of submissions he expects to receive.

"The travel I've been doing thus far has been touching base with Humanity's Team communities in different countries, so we'll have a structure in place when we officially invite submissions from around the world this fall," he told UPI.

He plans to unfurl the five-story mandala Oct. 10, 2010, in front of the United Nations.

He said he saw "10/10/10 as a numerically symbolic date to celebrate oneness."