On Saturday, March 24, 2007, National Walks for Values were conducted in Capital Cities right across the Nation. Walkers carried banners, placards, balloons, brochures and handouts in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Here is the account of the National Walk for Values in Sydney.
National Walk for Values in Sydney
Assembly of Walkers at Belmore Park, nearby Central Station, Sydney
Approximately 1100 walkers began to gather at Belmore Park from early morning on Saturday 24 March.
Pre Walk Program
Opening Program commences in Hyde Park
Registration of walkers commenced from 9 AM through 10 AM. The pre-walk program began with the National Anthem.
Introductory Talk
Professor Roger Packham speaks
Professor Roger Packham of the University of Western Sydney gave an introductory talk.
Why a Walk for Values?
We want this walk to promote the advancement of values in all facets of our society - personal, family, work, sport, governance and the like.
We see values as aiding our achievement of a just and sustainable society in the face of complexity and change.
And we will also be walking today to celebrate the diversity that we enjoy in our Australian nation, and the unity that human values enable to emerge from this diversity.
In Australia today, the word value has several meanings, but generally its meaning has come to be dominated by its economic sense of:A fuller meaning of the word, but one that cannot be measured or judged quite as easily, is:
- The quality of being most useful
Somehow it seems easier for us to think about and agree on what is useful - even though this is generally short-term - than it is for us to agree on what is worthwhile -which tends to require a longer-term view: But we know when we are achieving something worthwhile by the sense of peace that it generates within us.
- A principle, standard or quality considered worthwhile or desirable
All are seeking this peace.
Values are important as they affect our individual learned behaviours, and it is all these individual behaviours combined that give rise to a particular community's culture.
To improve our society, and for individuals to lead worthwhile lives, we each need to think about the values we hold, and how we apply these Human Values in our daily lives to help us act and make decisions
This is what this walk aims to promote - a personal reflection on the values we hold, and how to better live by them.
The walk is promoting five universal human values - Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non-violence. The power of focusing on these five values is that they can be described and interpreted by a language and behaviour suitable to any cultural context, and can be practiced in everyday life.
They celebrate the diversity of Australia through a unifying theme.What is the National Walk for Values?
This walk is occurring simultaneously in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, providing an Australian-wide context. The walks are the opportunity for each participant to particularly focus on one of the five human values.
We want the walk to remind you, as Mahatma Gandhi said, to Be the change you want to see in the world.
As you walk, you can think about what the value you have chosen means to you, and how it can be used to help you make decision on actions to better live your life, and to help others to improve their lives.
At the end of the walk we will hear some very short stories from speakers to elaborate on what values mean to them. This will further aid our own reflections. Then we will return to our homes, our families and our friends with the aim of practicing over the next year this value we each selected, and to watch how this affects our life and the lives of those with whom we interact.
Hopefully most of you will then be able to join the walk again next year, and do the same with another of these inspiring five human values. Let me leave you with the words of Nelson Mandela, who said The construction of that house of peace needs my hand. It needs your hand.
Thank you - and enjoy the walk!
Short Presentation on Human Values
Young children speaking on Human Values
A group of Education in Human Values students gave short talks on human values. These were very personal, yet universal.
Let the Walk Begin!
The National Walk for Values in Sydney departs Belmore Park
At the conclusion of the housekeeping announcements, the Sydney National Walk for Values departed Belmore Park for Hyde Park
Many walkers carried signs, placards, posters and banners.
It was a hot day. There were coloured umbrellas for each value,
and the umbrellas had values sayings on them,
in addition to representing specific values.
The Non-Violence banner proceeds through Sydney along with a sign,
Help Ever, Hurt Never, Love All, Serve All in Tagalog.
Being a warm day, the Police moved the walk through the city at a fairly fast clip. Soon, the walk arrived at Hyde Park.
Program at Hyde Park
Arrival at Hyde Park
It was turning into a rather hot morning.
Many walkers took rest in the shade.
The Program at Hyde Park commenced with youth singing a song, "Transform".
Youth singing "Transform"
Professor M. Sivakumar of the University of Woolongong
Addresses the National Walk for Values
on Values in Education.
Values in Education
Respected elders, ladies, gentlemen, girls and boys!
It is a pleasure indeed to talk on this historic day, a day we have dedicated nationally to bring about awareness of human values into the society. Most of you are aware of the many global and national problems we are facing. I would put deterioration of human values on top of the order. In addition, human's impact on earth is placing a significant amount of stress that leads to such problems as climate change. I see a significant link between solutions to world's problems and practice of human values. At the end of the day, it is the human values which will save us.
The five core human values that have we have shown prominently through the placards and posters relates to the five domains of human personality. The value of Truth is related to the intellectual domain, Right conduct is related to the physical domain, Peace is related to the emotional domain, Love is related to the psychic domain and the fifth value of Non-Violence is related to the spiritual domain. Love is the very basis of all human values. In other words, every human being possesses these five key values.
The practice of human values is most important among children, students and teachers. Good students and good teachers create good nation. Selected school clusters in Australia have embarked on incorporating nine sub-values into the various programs. We should not only wish them every success but if there is an opportunity as a parent or a child, we should proactively participate in such activities. A number of schools across the world have introduced human values into the curriculum and have been very successful in producing good charactered persons with high academic achievements. They become an asset to any nation.
The United Nations have recognised the importance of value education. One of the significant problems being faced by the world now and also in the future is the lack of clean water and it is much more acute in the Asian and African continents. The United Nations Healthabitat has felt that a value based education approach to water, sanitation and hygiene is a good strategic entry point to bring about positive attitudinal change among children and other consumers on a longer term with a view to create a new water use ethic in society.Education and Educare
There are in fact two types of education. The first type is the worldly education that leads to diploma, degrees, and jobs. Yes, these are important but not enough, since they do not give the secret for a happy and peaceful life. The second type is the type of education where knowledge is gained from within. It is termed Educare. Education and Educare are both needed in today's world. Education should lead into a fuller, more meaningful, and a more worthwhile life. Human value education helps us in achieving this goal. There is a quite revolution taking place in the world. Children, teachers, parents and others are learning and transforming themselves into good citizens. I have no doubt that peace and happiness in the world can only be achieved by a critical mass of individuals transformed through the practice of human values.
My best wishes to you in practicing your chosen value and I call upon all of you to become Ambassadors of such ideal living ...
Ronelle Rowley addresses the gathering on
Values and the Family
Karate Display
Karate Display at the National Walk for Values
TR Pillay, former principal of the Sathya Sai School in Canada,
(a Human Values School) spoke on Walking for Values in Canada
Recognition of Practising Human Values
Mr Neville Fredericks presents the Plaque in Public Recognition
for practising human values to Mr Vijay Narain.
Mr Vijay Narain shows the Plaque for practising human values
Conclusion of Walk, by Mr Neville Fredericks
Mr. Neville Fredericks gives the final address to the Sydney National Walk for Values
The First National Walk for Values in Sydney was over. You may view a web album with photographs from the Sydney National Walk for Values.
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This site last updated 2nd February 2008
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