Walking for Oneness
Current Update – 1 July 2017
The event has now finished. Over 50 people walked from Gillingham to Rochester and visited the Chatham Memorial Synagogue. That number more than doubled by the time the closing events were held at the War Memorial in Rochester. I’d like to warmly thank all those who attended and participated. My special thanks go to my planning commitee: Beth Atkins, Ajaib Hussain and Faran Forghani, without whom this event would not been the success that it was hailed by various attendees.
Keith Harrison
———-
Not long to go now! However, we are really short-handed. If you aren’t able to participate on the walk, but can join us in Rochester, we’d really appreciate if you can spend a little time helping us to set up at the War Memorial at about 11 am. Many thanks.
Event Programme
| Time | Activity |
| 10:00 | Gillingham – Opening speeches (outside Tai Won Mein restaurant) |
| 10:05 | Introduction – Keith Harrison |
| 10:07 | Cllr Naushabah Khan |
| 10:09 | Maulana Irfan Patel from Kent Muslim Welfare Association |
| 10:15 | Walk begins towards Chatham via the Great Lines park |
| 10:40 – 10:50 | Stop at Naval War Memorial – time to reflect |
| Chatham | |
| 11:40 | Participants enter Chatham Memorial Synagogue |
| 11:40 – 11:50 | Prayer and speeches by Jon Weiner and David Herling |
| Rochester – Closing Speeches | |
| 12:15 | Participants arrive at Rochester War Memorial – introduction by Keith Harrison |
| 12:16 | 1 minute silence |
| 12:17 | Song for peace by Ingrid van Dooren |
| 12:18 | Speech by Trevor Sturgess DL |
| 12:20 | Speech by Canon Rachel Phillips |
| 12:22 | Speech by Cllr Wendy Purdy |
| 12:24 – 12:35 | Dance by Bulgarian National Dance Group |
| 12:35 | Speech by Oliver Branch of Medway Youth Parliament |
| 12:45 | Scout’s Promise by the 7th Gillingham Misbah Scouts |
| 12:50 | Closing remarks – Faran Forghani |
| 12:51 – 13:00 | Dance by Bulgarian National Dance Group |
| 13:00 | Event ends |
Walk for Peace is a walk between Gillingham and Rochester, via Chatham and is open to local people and others, striving for peace and unity across all the communities in Medway. The Walk aims to bring together people of different cultures and backgrounds, promote friendship and embrace positive, interfaith and secular relations through a common cause – peace.
The theme of the Walk this year is ‘Walking For Oneness’ to show how, as individuals and families, we are part of a broad neighbourhood of communities, walking together with a single purpose that encourages friendship and mutual respect.
If you are interested in meeting new neighbours and people from other communities, please come along!
