Baha’i community holds walking event to promote solidarity

A group of participants walking along the 4km-route at Bandar Botanic in Klang.

A FUN walk organised by a group of youths against racism to promote unity among Malaysians turned out to be a successful.

The event was participated by 200 people.

The organiser, Shining Breezes, held the 4km-walk at Bandar Botanic in Klang on Sunday as part of its service project for the year.

The group of 10, aged between 11 and 14 years, were participants of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme (JYSEP) conducted by the Baha’i Community.

Shining Breezes animator (facilitator) E. Elma Taarani said the team worked very hard to make the event a success ever since they decided to organise the event three weeks ago.

The junior youths, Elma said, felt that the walk against racism and for unity would help to further promote unity in diversity.

Participants of various ages joined the event.

She also felt that racial prejudice was one of the main causes of disunity in the world and they should do their part in society.

“We chose the theme ‘Blue’ for the walk as it reflects the universe and it is also the colour of the ocean and the sky. Blue also means calmness and intensity,” said Elma.

She thanked Shining Breezes which had distributed flyers from house to house to promote the walk.

The project, she said, had helped to bring the group together and the involvement among the parents was great.

“They not only gave us moral support but also contributed ideas as well as financial aid for the success of the project.

“The residents also gave their support and we feel overjoyed to see so many of them spending their Sunday morning with us,” she said, adding that the youngsters had prepared handmade tokens for the participants of the walk.

Participants picking up some snacks and refreshments after the walk.

Under the JYSEP programme, which is conducted worldwide, Elma said, participants get to develop their skills in reading and comprehension.

She said the other two elements of JYSEP were developing the participants’ power of expression and power of utterance.

“The ultimate goal is to develop the participants into being spritually and materially excellent people.

“JYSEP will also make them responsible individuals and care for the society they live in,” she said, adding that Shining Breezes had led the walk following a Zumba dance session.