Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, creator of the Global Country of World Peace, wants to put two islands off Canso to work for peace.

The man who turned the Beatles onto meditation has named George and Piscatqui islands in eastern Nova Scotia as the North American Islands of World Peace.

…The ceremonies will include a bagpipe version of the world peace song, a satellite connection over which the Maharishi will make his keynote address and a cornerstone to mark the area for a peace palace.
James Miligan our Tradewinds Realtor covering the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia has a new feather in his cap. James was the listing agent for George and Piscatqui islands which have been sold to the World Peace Movement. The Global Country of World Peace was created by Marharishi Yogi of Beatles fame.

Great going James and peace man.

Peaceful plans set for islands
By NASREEN GULAMHUSEIN

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, creator of the Global Country of World Peace, wants to put two islands off Canso to work for peace.

The man who turned the Beatles onto meditation has named George and Piscatqui islands in eastern Nova Scotia as the North American Islands of World Peace.

PISCATQUI ISLAND

An hour-long inauguration will take place this afternoon at 1 p.m. on the islands.

“It is a very special day,” Bill Overall of the Global Country of World Peace said Tuesday in a phone interview. “We are expecting at least 50 people.”

The group is dedicated to creating permanent world peace. Maharishi is the creator of transcendental meditation, which he believes is the basis for creating global peace.

The group decided to name one island off each of the world’s seven continents a world peace island. The purpose of these islands is to create unity among the continents and set up centres of world peace.

The group wanted to set up on the islands off North America that got the first rays of sun each day. George and Piscatqui islands were chosen because they were the islands farthest east of Nova Scotia that were for sale.

Peter Cameron, a teacher of transcendental meditation, will be the master of ceremonies for the event.

“The long-term goal for having islands as the location for this institution … is that it can have some kind of independent status from the rest of the land mass in the continent — kind of like the Vatican or the United Nations.”

The ceremonies will include a bagpipe version of the world peace song, a satellite connection over which the Maharishi will make his keynote address and a cornerstone to mark the area for a peace palace.

“We will also raise 44 flags including the Canadian flag, the world peace flag and all of the provincial flags,” Mr. Cameron said.

Mr. Overall said Maharishi will preside over all seven inaugurations equally, from a distance.

“Maharishi will be in Holland during the event but he will be online live with the group who is inaugurating in the Canso Bay,” he said.

Mr. Overall said the George and Piscatqui islands were purchased last year for about $100,000.

GEORGE ISLAND

“We have plans to build a university of world peace and a peace palace, which will be used for educational purposes,” said the Canadian national co-ordinator for the peace initiative.

The peace palace will include exhibition and lecture halls, offices, residential rooms and a dining hall.

Ray White, the mayor of Canso, will be attending this afternoon’s inauguration. “We are interested in any development in the area, but the development has to take into consideration the historic artifacts that may exist on those two islands,” he said.

Mr. White said he received an invitation to the event last week and has since been researching the group who wants to rename the island.

“Our participation tomorrow will be one of getting information to find out more about the project.”

Mr. Overall says the peace group has no intention of destroying the hiking trails and park that exist on the island.

“We want to work peacefully with nature and with the local authorities as well,” he said.

“But we do want to start building very soon.”

Mr. Overall said the Global Country of World Peace hopes Canso will benefit from the planned projects.

“Canso has had some very hard times, and we hope this can be the start of something very amazing for that area of Nova Scotia.”