'Piece Prize' Spreads Hope through Europe
Mark Fuhrmann
Mark Fuhrmann - prior to setting out on the Piece Prize journey
Mark Fuhrmann, a 60-year-old Canadian born father of three living in Norway since 1986, has completed a 5,400 km kayak journey from Oslo to Athens, stopping in cities along the way to reward silent heroes with a modest Piece Prize, and promote positive values, actions and thoughts.
Silent heroes can be anyone of any age. They may run community organisations, be involved with charity work, be a friend to those in need, do good deeds, anything that promotes positive values and demonstrates compassion for others, regardless of the scale of the activity. In short, they are good neighbours, good people!
The Piece Prize odyssey comes to an end
How does it feel to complete an epic journey? Mark Fuhrmann of the Piece Prize has come to the end of his voyage, paddling his kayak from Oslo to Athens in search of the Silent Heroes of their communities, those who give without asking anything in return, whose simple acts of kindness touch lives and make the world a better place.
“I started out alone, but I could never have done by myself,” Mark says. “Along the way I was dependent on the kindness of others to reach my goal, and that is basically the message behind the Piece Prize: together we are better.”
Mark has paddled 5,400 kilometers through 17 countries, making camp 170 times in 183 days of travel, stopping in 15 cities along the way to donate 20,000 Euros from the Piece Prize fund to Silent Heroes, speaking to 3000 students and sharing the power of peace, love and kindness with hundreds more.
The numbers are indeed epic, but Mark’s take-away is typically grounded: “I believe the biggest effect of my trip has been to make small differences along the way. Small acts of kindness help people think of humanity as a family, and kindness in the community brings peace to society.”
The Piece Prize journey started with the single stroke of a paddle in April as Mark embarked from Oslo. Eight months later, he has reached Athens to complete not only a journey, but a mission to prove that together, all our small efforts can make a big difference.
Years of dreaming, months of planning, and day after day of determination have given Mark and the people he has reached on his way reason to believe what he started out to prove: “If each person does their part, the world will be a more peaceful place.”
