National Walk for Values in Brisbane
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 are the accounts of the National Walk for Values in Brisbane.
While Registrations commenced at 9.30 AM, many of the participants arrived much earlier and began to participate walk preparatoins. The atmosphere was very positive and you could feel the positive vibes with people working in teams and helping to set the scene for the Walk. Banners were put up and it helped create a good level of awareness for public who were doing their morning walks or other activities.
A bus load of 43 Walkers from Murwillumbah arrived about 9.00am, which added a lot of colours as children from the Sathya Sai Primary School were dressed in their uniforms.
The participants were dressed very casually mostly in long attire (Sun Smart) and the Walk for Values T-Shirts added to provide the elegance and smart look. Balloons (with Values), banners and mini Australian Flags were handed out at the registration desk to most participants.
There were five groups representing the five Human Values and each of the groups had a big banner. Students from the Sathya Sai Primary School were leading the parade walking with the banner for the value of LOVE.
The group was assembled at 1030am all representing their teams and we commenced with thanks to the traditional owners of the land followed by the Australian National Anthem. We then sang the two Value Songs which flowed with great energy.
Guest Speaker - Sathya Sai Primary School Principal
Bronwyn Gowing, Principal of Sathya Sai Primary School was the first speaker who shared her experiences and spoke very well about the Education in Human Values. Her illustrations were great and this was well received by the audience.
Some items from Mrs Bronwyn Gowing's address were:
Love in thought and word is Truth. Love in our actions is Right Conduct. Love in our feelings is Peace. Love in our understanding is Non-Violence!
Mrs Gowing described the Human Values School, the Sathya Sai Primay School in Murwillumbah similar to the mighty fig tree under which the walkes were standing. Only we are just a sapling still at this stage, having recently turned 10 years old as a school. The vision of the Sathya Sai Primary School is to be a model school in Human Values Education and the school Mission is Human Excellence.
Mrs Gowing went on to say:
Our school has a Head, Heart and Hands culture.
Visualise (HEAD) a seed of love planted in rich Tweed Valley soil. See the SAP rising straight upwards through the trunk and the branches forming a mighty school mainstream Curriculum, with the children's character and academic excellence, the flowers and fruits. As we weed out behaviours not aligned to human values, we plants seeds of love, truth, right conduct, peace and non-violence. That is the effect of human values on a school and each of our students: strong, reaching our full potential and able to withstand any tough challenges!
Let me tell you three stories (HEART) that grew from the same seed of Love through Human Values Education!
1. Ryan, a first grade student in our sister school in Canada, inspired today's Walk for Human Values in all of our capital cities and around the globe. His school Principal Mr Pillay, visited our school last week and described how a grade one boy, Ryan now in grade 6, raised millions in money by working hard, to pay for wells of water in Africa, sacrificing his own time for this inspiring task. Unable to raise money due to his school's EHV philosophy, he started his school's mission to raise awareness of the need for human values at all levels of society. That's what we are walking for today!
2. A Miracle EHV School in Africa has inspired all African countries, through the United Nations Habitat, to introduce human values into their curriculum to manage water better. They did this because of the really obvious effect of human values on behaviour of children. How else can we so effectively manage people's attitudes to this precious resource? In 2004 the same thing happened in Asia when the SEAMEO (South East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation) nations introduced the same 5 human values into all countries education systems to influence and manage water education. This is an urgent need for Asian countries, due to excessive urban coastal growth with lack of infrastructure and sanitation.
3. A boy at our school who twelve months ago was self-destructive and who the other day told me that his goal is to always tell the truth as he knows how important it is; this is my equally important third story. His way of saying it was deep truth! Yesterday he told me that he now wants to deepen his silent sitting as he feels real love then. This is just as significant to me, as the other two stunning stories!
My point is that human values put us in touch with the love that is in every human heart.
The benefit of this is peaceful lives in which we can each find our full potential, peaceful and happy families, loving and contented communities and nations! Today is election day in NSW and imagine a world in which we are all committed to truth and right conduct like my student.
It is our ACTIONS that show our living of human values. Values show in our decisions and so our behaviours.
Take the Vision of that mighty fig tree and now see yourself with your heart the SOURCE of strength and growth infusing the character within through your body and actions. Your head is where the mind sits and academic excellence happens when it follows the hearts discrimination and the guides the FORCE of the hands and senses. Like this mighty tree, when force follows source the sap rises, becomes strong under any pressure and shows strength of character under the most trying of circumstances.
How important are human values in our lives, our families, our education systems, governance and creating communities!
- We are all ONE.
- We all contain the spirit of the FIVE HUMAN VALUES guiding us as CONSCIENCE from within our own heart.
- We are the UNITY in our apparent diversity!
Let the Walk Begin!
Well known Brisbane identity from SWARA, Moiya O'Brien was the guest of honour at the walk and said some words of dedication before the commencement of the walk, dedicating the walk to the people of Brisbane, Queensland, and all over the Earth. Moiya was there all in pink and led the National Walk for Values in her wheelchair.
The MC for the day was Venkat Reddy and he handled the proceedings extremely well. He had his touches and humour to keep motivating the participants. We also had our Mascot VAL HUES, who was dressed in red hearts and carried with her all the values. She was wonderful to have as she added the touch by providing a bit of fun and also making the groups sing the value songs she had, to keep the energy flowing whilst we walked.
There would have been well over 250 people following in their groups! Half way over the bridge we were joined by a group of young people with huge yellow umbrellas doing an advertising campaign for a cab company. They provided lovely shade for many of the participants over the bridge and added to the colour of the walk. On the bridge and also on the route of the Walk we had the public walking and cycling who took interest to see what we were Walking for. The interest seemed to be great.
At SouthBank Park we stopped in front of the Lagoon and sang our Value Songs where attracted a lot of attention and many smiles. We continued to the Rainforest Green where we had a few inspiring songs led by our Mascot, an uplifting talk by the Principal of Durack State Primary and a special values song performed by Vijay.
The National Walk for Values then made its way back to the starting place, at Queensland University of Technology via the same route, singing Value Songs. A Vote of Thanks was given by Mantra and Bronwyn at the closing ceremony and we finished with May the Love We're Sharing spread its wings ... and a closing dedication was led by Moyia O'Brien. The Walk concluded at 12.45pm.
Everyone then participated in a Picnic Lunch and seemed well satisfied with the day.
View the album of the Brisbane National Walk for Values
©National Walk for Values. This site last updated 8 April 2009
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