A coalition of First Nations people and community members in Australia are organizing a 400km walk from Port Kembla to Canberra to protest against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's decision to join the AUKUS military alliance and build expensive, highly-enriched uranium powered submarines [bfc531c3]. The walk, called 'Peace Walkers Against AUKUS,' is in memory of the late Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, a renowned Arabunna Elder and peace activist [bfc531c3]. The protesters aim to deliver a message from the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance and the Elders to the Governor-General and politicians in Canberra [bfc531c3].
In a separate event, Veterans for Peace have kicked off a 600-mile 'Walk for Peace and Planet, Justice and Democracy' in Ogunquit, Maine, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza to protect children and the environment [60f94ee6]. The walk, which will culminate in Washington, D.C. in early July, is organized by Tarak Kauff, an 82-year-old former U.S. Army paratrooper and a lifetime member of the Veterans for Peace [60f94ee6]. Volunteer organizers from the nine states along the route have been working for months to secure lodging, food, and supplies [60f94ee6].
Meanwhile, a group of about a dozen Thai Buddhist monks are walking along the United States' East Coast on a nearly 2,000-mile Walk for World Peace. The monks began their journey in Key West, Florida, and plan to conclude at Niagara Falls, New York [77ee1cc9]. Their goal is to promote world peace. On their stop in Frederick, Maryland, the monks visited Bloom Asian Haus and sat in prayer before their meal [77ee1cc9]. The Walk for World Peace is organized by the Wat Florida Dhammaram Buddhist monastery in Kissimmee, Florida [77ee1cc9].
In Kansas, local youth participated in the annual Peace Walk at the Kansas State Capitol, organized by the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice [50dd99da]. The event, held on June 28, aimed to promote peace among youth, the community, and the nation. The Peace Walk was part of the TCPJ's 2024 Peace Camp, hosted by the New Life Baptist Church. The camp concluded with activities such as making peace posters, touring the dome, and sharing thoughts on peace. Due to inclement weather, the event took place on the first-floor rotunda, where the youth sang songs, danced, and expressed their ideas of peace [50dd99da].