Walk with Me: Faith groups to make silent public call for peace

Faith organisations will walk in solidarity with each other through the streets of London on Sunday, 23 June, in a silent call for peace.

In the face of escalating violence and loss of life in more than 100 wars and armed conflicts worldwide, including in Palestine and Israel, Sudan, Ukraine, and Myanmar, the silent vigil aims to transcend religious and cultural boundaries.

Facilitated by Plum Village UK and Quakers in Britain, this second peace walk, held by popular request, reflects a groundswell of desperate, heartbroken calls for peace here in London, inspiring similar events in Washington on the lawns of Capitol, Grand Park and Los Angeles and France on the same day.

It reflects unified shared commitment to nonviolence, reconciliation and a just peace, and represents the values of all spiritual communities.

The walk, open to all, will commemorate people killed in war, alongside a call for the cessation of killing.

Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists and many more faiths are expected to join the walk from 3-5pm, from Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square and back, weaving a narrative of peace between the city's key political landmarks.

Without flags, placards, slogans or chants, participants will dress in their choice of mourning to remember the loss of life through war, carrying hand-made white flowers as a reminder that everyone has a role to play in cultivating a more peaceful world.

The slow meditative walk will stop at key moments and landmarks to hold vigil and offer prayers from a diverse group of grassroots faith representatives, predominantly women, united in the call for a different way to resolve conflicts and wars.

Prayers will be offered by Lakshmi Vyas ( Hindu), Shahin Bekhradni (Zoroastrianism) Maureen Goodman (Brahma Kumaris), Islam (TBC), Rabbi Rebecca Birk (Judaism), Rev Sarah Farrow (Christian), Jinali Meisheri (Jain), Mandip Singh (Sikh)), Buddhist (Sr Dao Nghiem), Koje Freemantle (Baha'i).

Plum Village Buddhist community will be sending monastics from France for the event, which hopes to attract thousands and is now supported by key aid organisations, Christian Aid and Salvation Army.

Rehena Harilall, co-organiser from Plum Village UK, said "The silent nature of the walk mirrors our current state at the grassroots. There are simply no more words left to convey our anger and grief.

"This walk symbolises our commitment, with each step connecting our broken hearts, united in the hope for peace built on the foundations of love, compassion, justice, and reverence for all life."

Judith Baker, co-organiser from Quakers in Britain, said: "We walk together because we share a deep love for creation and a common universal language of peace.

"We share horror at the desecration of creation that war brings. War is failure to love our neighbours as ourselves; failure to seek peace and pursue it; failure of dialogue and diplomacy; failure to uphold the basic principles of international law and ethical norms.

"But the possibility of peace is always with us, built on love, compassion and respect for all life. We urge everyone to join us as we work together for peace."