Of the many walks that take place in the Ottawa community, one held downtown Sunday wasn’t looking for any money. But it was asking its participants to make a pledge.
The seventh annual Walk for Values — a non-political and non-religious event held on the city-proclaimed Walk for Values Day — asked its 100 participants to pledge to truth, right conduct, love, peace and non-violence for a year.
“This walk isn’t about money,” organizer Dipali Arun, who pledged to love and truth. “Money comes and goes. Morality comes and grows. Values are something that that don’t deplete. All you can do is grow them.”
The walk reaffirms the commitment to love, truth and peace, said Ottawa-Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi, who attended the event with Councillor Diane Deans.
“We’re trying to raise awareness of positive human values,” said walk spokeswoman Nina Mukerjee.
“Things are getting worse — there are so many problems plaguing us these days — bullying in school, gang wars in the streets.
“Each person here pledges to practice one value — like patience or optimism for the next year.”
Mukerjee said her pledge is to non-violence.
The walk is one of many that took place across the country Sunday in cities including Toronto and Regina, and in the U.S., Australia, Malaysia and India.
The Sri Sathya Sai Spiritual Centre of Ottawa-Carleton organized the event here, and people from as far as Montreal and Massena, N.Y., attended.
Balwant Bhaneja also pledged to a year of peace and non-violence.
“When you have peace on the outside, you also have peace on the inside,” said Bhaneja. He hopes the walk will help make Ottawa a better place.
