Houston residents join “Walk for values”
India Herald - Monday, May 11, 2009
Over 500 Houstonians from all walks of life stepped out to make a difference by participating in a unique event called the Walk for Values on May 2 on the lush green lawns of Discovery Green Park in Downtown Houston.
The Walk was formally opened to the lilting notes of the American national anthem.
City Council member Peter Brown presented a proclamation on behalf of the City of Houston declaring May 2 as the Walk–for-Values Day.
Next, against a backdrop of colorful poster displays, little children danced to melodious songs with inspiring lyrics.
The human value songs ‘Walk a Mile in your shoes” and “Put a little love in your heart” captivated the audience. With bios, quotes, and portraits of exemplary world leaders, the poster displays illustrated the five human values: Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, and Nonviolence.
Isiah Carey, news reporter for Fox 26 News, emceed the event.Participants held signs with the five human values of Truth, Peace, Love, Nonviolence, and Right Conduct and banners with quotations such as “Love All Serve All”, “Help Ever Hurt Never”.
It was a feast to the eyes to see lines and lines of young and old, in white T-shirts and caps, walking in a disciplined fashion.
The hour-long Walk returned to the beautiful Discovery Green Park’s lawns for refreshments and an inspiring closing ceremony.
A group of young adults sang lively songs.
A solo performance by a talented thirteen year old songstress, Russia Bimage, held the audience in rapture.
Sonal Bhuchar, President of Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, among the key note speakers for the event, reminded the audience about leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi to extol the relevance of human values.
Author and Educator, Rita Bruce, spoke on the importance of human values on an individual and community level in this time of uncertainty in our nation.
When asked, Vinod Patel, the event coordinator, said that the message of human values is a universal one not specific to any religious group or a race. He reiterated that the need for human values has become more important today than ever. In his closing address Patel said that the event was such a huge success that they are committed to making it into an annual event. He asked one and all to practice, the values they had “adopted” for the Walk, up until we meet again next year.
Walk for Values USA is unique because unlike other walks, it was not a fund-raiser, protest, rally, or a demonstration. Instead, its goal was simply to raise awareness and not funds. Concerned about increasing violence in our schools, the growing threat of global warming, and declining levels of morale and confidence in society, friends and members of the Sathya Sai Organization stepped out to raise awareness of the importance of practicing Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, and Nonviolence. These human values are universal and transcend the barriers of race, religion, culture, and ethnicity. They are the pillars of every society, and they are especially needed for creating and renewing a strong, proud, and confident nation. A similar walk for values event is happening in Dallas on May 9, 2009.
Walk for Values USA is organized by The Sathya Sai Organization of U.S.A – North and South Houston Centers, not-for-profit groups, and is part of a global effort to promote the practice of human values by providing opportunities to participate in community-based service activities. These five human values are taught to little children in Sathya Sai Spiritual classes on Sunday afternoons. The Centers also conduct service activities such as feeding the hungry, visiting old age nursing homes, and tutoring at local schools. For more information, contact Vinod Patel at 281-773-1350 or Ajit Paralkar at 281-788-4786
To learn more about Walk for Values USA, please visit www.walkforvaluesusa.org.