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Launch of World Laughter Pledge
Added: (Fri Aug 22 2008)
With Rainbows of Laughter come laugh with me!
Launch of the World Laughter Pledge : Saturday 30th August 1pm GMT
Remember how you feel after a good laugh? Now imagine how the World would feel if we all laughed together!
Initiated by World Laughter Master, Belachew Girma (Laughter Therapist in Ethiopia and world record holder for continuous laughter at over 3 hours), and World Laugher Robin Graham (UK based Therapist, piloting ‘Laughter on Prescription’, and co-Founder of The Laughter Network), the pledge aims to get people of the World laughing together at the same time every Saturday - for a few seconds or a few minutes.
Belachew is living testament that people can laugh despite adversity. His wife was HIV+ and died some years ago, and his business was destroyed twice - by fire and by flood. Yet he has established the Ethiopian Laughter Day with support from his government and uses Laughter as a tool for healing.
With laughter we can be happier and healthier and less stressed, with greater clarity, creativity and calmness to enable us to face life’s challenges more effectively. And laughter is a ‘Diplomacy Pass Key’ which can promote peace and joy.
On Saturday 30th August, people will be laughing in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Indian sub-continent and Australasia at 1pm GMT. Everyone can join in, wherever they are, on their own or in groups. Friends and family who live apart can link with laughter and remember each other.
How to start a laugh? You don’t need jokes! You might set an alarm for one minute before 1pm GMT, and focus on happy images and thoughts. If there are people with you, make eye contact with someone; otherwise if you like, look in a mirror! Then with every out breath, just gently chuckle. Let the smile cross your face and let the laughter grow! Take a few seconds to take a step back from everyday life. We can change this World with laughter! We can cross this World with rainbows of laughter!
Inspired by the play, ‘A Different Place’: “Every week from today, at exactly this time, I will stand on a street corner wherever I am, and laugh. I give you my word. And if you choose to, you can laugh with me. We can cross this World with laughter. We can change this World with laughter. I give you my word'.
http://blackboard.lincoln.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/users/dmeyerdinkgrafe/archive/graham.html
It only needs us to make the choice. So let’s do it!
Every Saturday for a few seconds or minutes, across the World at1pm GMT!