Mayo people invited to ‘Walk for Palestine’ at annual Famine Walk
PEOPLE in Mayo are being invited to walk for peace and Palestine this coming Saturday, May 18, at the annual Famine Walk organised by human rights group Afri.
Retracing the steps of several hundred people who made this journey in search of food during An Gorta Mór (the Great Hunger), participants will walk 18 kilometres through the spectacular Doolough Valley near Louisburgh.
This year's focus is on Palestine and the walk leaders are Faten Sourani, a Dublin-based Palestinian lawyer and human rights advocate from Gaza, and Donal O’Kelly, a renowned writer, performer, and activist, known for his long-term involvement with Afri dating back to the Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strike in 1984. There will also be a performance by Róisín El Cherif, an Irish-Palestinian musician from Galway, who will be accompanied by Katie O'Connor.
Since 1988, the annual Famine Walk has highlighted the interconnectedness of the tragedy of An Gorta Mór in Ireland with modern-day injustices worldwide. For nearly four decades, it has focused on human rights violations all around the world, from Belize, East Timor, El Salvador, Guatemala, South Africa, to the Niger Delta.
Previous walk leaders have included Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Christy Moore, journalist John Pilger, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi, actor Gabriel Byrne, Michael Davitt’s granddaughter Gráinne, and Kim Phuc, the Vietnamese woman who was famously photographed as a child in a now iconic photo in which she is running from a napalm attack.
Speaking in advance of the walk, Afri coordinator Joe Murray says it’s a chance to honour our ancestors and to stand in solidarity with those facing injustice and oppression today. He says there is a particularly strong level of interest from people wishing to express their support for the people of Palestine.
“During An Gorta Mór, more than 26 million bushels of grain were exported from Ireland to England. We must never forget the million people who died from starvation or hunger-related diseases and more than a million forcibly displaced at the hands of colonial rule. Now, in the Congo, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and in Gaza, millions of people face hunger and starvation at the hands of those who have the power to prevent it.
“These crises are not isolated. War anywhere threatens peace and security everywhere. This is evident with the war in Ukraine, with the conflict not only devastating the people of Ukraine but also having a detrimental effect on food availability across the world. In what was once heralded as 'the breadbasket of Europe' and one of the largest grain producers in the world, the war has seriously impacted Ukraine’s capacity for food production.
“More than this, the threat of a strike on a nuclear power plant poses an existential threat on a global scale.
“This year we dedicate the Famine Walk to highlighting and standing against genocide and starvation in Palestine. We shed light on the ongoing apartheid and colonialism to which Palestinians are being subjected. Israel’s brutal bombardment and occupation, the use of imposed starvation and the countless other forms of violence being committed are unconscionable.”
He added: “The Famine Walk offers a poignant day of remembrance, unity, and commitment to a more peaceful future. It provides a unique opportunity for us to join together, honour humanity, and stand for justice.”
Registration for the 18km walk takes place between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the Parish Hall in Louisburgh, followed by the opening ceremony. Buses will start taking people to the starting people at 12.40 p.m. Registration is required and is by donation.
The link to register is https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/afri-famine-walk-2024-tickets-884879387067. Or see https://www.afri.ie/, contact Afri on (01) 8384204 or email admin@afri.ie.