In partnership with FFWPU UK, Universal Peace Federation - UK, joined the Peace Road activities by walking the length of Hadrian’s Wall between July 31st and August 7th. There were programmes at the beginning and end of the walk, in Carlisle and Newcastle involving the local Mayor and the presence of a number of Ambassadors for Peace. The purpose was to bring both Scottish and English people to walk the wall together that was once built to divide their ancestors.
The Peace Road kicked off in Bowness-on-Solway with a 14-mile walk to Carlisle. On August 1st there was a presentation at the Gateway Learning Center of the University of Cumbria in Carlisle of the vision, ideals and goals of the Peace Road, followed by a walk along Hadrian’s Wall path within Carlisle.
The volunteers who travelled the coast-to-coast walk along Hadrian’s Wall were welcomed at the Jury Inn, Newcastle by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Habib Rahman. The walkers then finished the wall with the final three miles to the Segedunum Fort in Wallsend.
“The battle with Covid-19 has brought the British people closer in many ways,” says Peace Road organizer Dr. Michael Balcomb. “However, there are many new tensions, challenges and restrictions. The Peace Road UK 2021 walk along this ancient barrier is a statement in support of national unity and cohesion, whilst recognizing that there is always room for change.”
The Peace Road initiative was originally proposed by Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founders of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), as the International Peace Highway Project in 1981 connecting the world across continents. The Peace Road, founded in 2013, is part of a global grassroots effort in over 100 nations to promote the peace and unity of all nations as one family under God, breaking down barriers and encouraging communication across borders of nations, religions and cultures. Peace Road UK is organized by the Universal Peace Federation, (UPF) an NGO in consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC and a registered UK Charity, No. 1185412.