MIAMI — Dozens of people gathered in Southwest Miami-Dade to take part in a worldwide “fun-raiser” this weekend to promote unity and positivity in their community and around the globe.
On Saturday, students and parents at Felix Valera Senior High School held the “Walk for Values,” a community event designated to help people work toward “enhancing the positive, desirable qualities of character — such as truth, right conduct, peace, love, [and] non-violence — inherent in all human beings,” according to the organization’s website.
The walk first began in Canada by students, parents and staff at Sathya Sai School in 2003, after the community began seeing violence, drugs and crime on the streets of the Malvern neighborhood of Toronto. Since then, it has become an international event held in over 40 cities around the world, including Miami.
“This event is geared to raise the awareness of basic Human Values like Love, Peace, Truth, Right Conduct, Nonviolence, etc., aimed at raising the human consciousness that brings self-transformation,” the event’s website said.
What makes the “Walk for Values” unique is that it involves no money and participants don’t raise money for any cause. Instead, they pledge themselves to make their community and the world a better place by committing to practicing the human values of their choice.
To do that, participants are required to wear badges that label the value that they plan to practice. For example, if you’re a parent is impatient with their children, they may choose “patience” as the value they represent. If you wish to contribute to environmental health, you may choose “conservation” and if you’re always running late, you may choose “punctuality” as the value you wish to achieve.
“Every patient parent, environmentally conscious citizen and punctual colleague can make our world a better place,” the event’s website said.
To learn more about the event and how you can bring the “Walk for Values” to your community, visit their website.