Walk for a New Spring

On February 2 (the mid-point between Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox) Kato Shonin-san initiated a nearly 7 week walk which connected with approximately 100 communities in Massachusetts. The Purpose of the Walk was to provide a safe environment for grassroots people to share their deeper feelings - fears, convictions about 9/11 and all that has been happening since. It was a very moving and encouraging experience. People seemed to want and need an opportunity simply to be in open spirit with one another.

Hundreds of names were collected on petitions to Senators Kerry and Kennedy asking them to initiate legislation for a Department of Peace on the Presidential Cabinet. Such legislation has already been submittedat the House level by Rep. D. Kucinich (D-Ohio). On the last day of the walk, March 20, over 200 people came from communities around the state and walked together to the State House for a closing ceremony. Rep. Ellen Story (D-Amherst) welcomes the walkers and made clear that the legislators deeply need such expression from their constituents to remind them of "what really is important". We hope to do more walks throughout Massachusetts. We are so grateful to Western Mass AFSC, Traprock Peace Center, and the House of Peace for their incalbulable help, along with many other groups and individuals, too numerous to mention here.

Hiroshima Flame Walk 2002

Initiated by Rev. Jun Yasuda (Grafton Peace Pagoda) - a four month walk from Seattle, Washington to Ground Zero in NYC, carrying an ember kept alive since the 1945 Nuclear Holocaust in Hiroshima. The flame, now a symbol of the aspiration of world peace, was carried to many nuclear sites and communities, appealing to stop Star Wars, end all nuclear weapons, and abolish war. The final day will be Mother's Day (May 12) with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center Towers.

Return to The Home Page