Update: July 15, 2008
The walkers have now
reached
Taking steps against violence, conflict
Calgary
Michelle Butterfield, Calgary
Published: Monday, July 14, 2008
Each time Syed Soharwardy
speaks to his family in
Despite missing his wife, children and the comforts of home, step-by-step
the imam has been walking across the country; speaking out against violence,
and raising awareness about the importance of dialogue in solving conflicts.
Departing
"It's been a very interesting journey, so far," said Soharwardy from just outside Nipigon, Ont., on Saturday.
A close encounter with an aggressive bear, a breakdown of
their tour vehicle, an injured foot and severe sunstroke have been a few
of the minor setbacks, but not enough to stop Soharwardy.
"This is the first time in the history of
But it's not the walk itself that holds significance for Soharwardy.
Rather, it's the message he is working to spread, stops along the way,
touching the hearts of the people he meets and relaying a message of
non-violence and peace among all people -- regardless of religion, race or
heritage.
He is not walking to raise money, unlike the hundreds of cyclists and
runners he has met along the route.
"We all stand together and I feel it is my job to tell people
that."
Much of the time he walks with just one other person -- a volunteer and
friend who has joined him -- but often walks a few kilometres
with religious leaders, town officials or supportive people he meets along the
way.
He has also been greeted along the
In
He expects to reach
Calgary
By Bill Graveland
CANADIAN PRESS
(June 27, 2008) —
Step-by-step, kilometre-by-kilometre a
Syed Soharwardy, 52, began
a cross-country journey from
The founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and Muslims Against Terrorism decided to do the walk as a protest
against all forms of violence, including child and domestic abuse, terrorism,
gangs, bullying and elder abuse.
Along the way, he says, he has encountered the good side of Canadians in terms
of tolerance and acceptance.
“It is more educational to me than anything else,’’ he said in a telephone
interview with The Canadian Press as he reached the outskirts of Sault Ste.
Marie, Ont.
“It gave me a picture of what Canadians are, what they are all about and they
are such a nice people. I did not find a single person who would come to me and
say, `You are wrong. You are a Muslim. You are a brown guy. Get out from here.’
“So far, with the journey half over, I have not seen a single
(bad) person or had a bad experience.’’
Soharwardy, who was born and raised in
Harris Saleh (left) and Syed Soharwardy, both from Calgary, make
their way across the MacDonald Bridge in Halifax, Sunday, Apr.20, 2008 as part
of a Multi-Faith walk against Violence which will take them from Halifax to
British Columbia.(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Halifax Chronicle-Herald-Ingrid Bulmer) -
“My biggest nightmare before I started was
“But I tell you, I got more love in
“They were not able to speak English and I was not able to speak French, but
they gave me a very good, warm feeling just through their body language and
handshakes.’’
At a pace of about 35 kilometres a day, he hopes to
finish his trek in
Soharwardy is accompanied by a couple of volunteers,
one of whom drives the RV that trails behind him with a sign proclaiming
“Multi-faith Walk Against Violence.’’
His journey was more than a year in the planning and he refinanced the mortgage
on his
But he says the sacrifices are worth it and he believes he can reach more
Canadians on the walk than he could visiting regular
worshippers in churches, mosques and synagogues combined.
“Some people justify violence based on religion. This shows every religion,
including Islam, is against violence.’’
In addition to his opportunity to meet and hold rallies with Canadians across
the country, Soharwardy is also getting a chance to
see the scenery close-up.
“It’s absolutely marvellous. It’s beautiful. There
are so many lakes and green lush forest here.
“But then there’s the reality that there are so many mosquitoes and black flies
— there are more mosquitoes than Canadians in
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Multi-Faith Walk Against Violence
The Walkathon Arrives in Sault Ste Marie
Tomorrow Multi Faith Walk Against Violence will be arriving in Sault Ste Marie,
The walkathon members,
walking an average of 37 KM per day, are now approaching their 3000 km
milestone as they walk through the
The Walk aims to raise awareness about the
dangers, and the consequences of using violence to resolve conflicts. The
concept of the dignity of life, “Save a life, save humanity”, is sacred to all
faiths, and it is this concept which unites their followers. The Walk is
also a graphic representation of the fact that faith and faith leaders, far
from being an impediment to conflict resolution, can be a powerful and valuable
resource – especially when faith groups work together!
Syed Soharwardy, the leader of
the walk, and the founder of Muslims Against
Terrorism, has made a commitment to walk the entire length of the route across
For more general information on the walk -
please visit our website: www.walkagainstviolence.com.
Thank you for your attention.
Linda Zachri
Media and Public Relations Coordinator
Multi-Faith Walk Against Violence
Email: lindazachri@shaw.ca
Phone: 1-877-WALK ALL