Come join us on Saturday 9th March, as we journey in prayerful solidarity with the people of Gaza. Together we will walk, cycle, or roll from Rangiora to Central Christchurch, mapping the 36km journey Gazans are being forced to take from Gaza City to Rafah in the south.
Our pilgrimage begins at Victoria Park in Rangiora at 8am, and we will journey south - finishing with a short prayer vigil and Palestinian lentil soup at the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral at 7pm. We invite you to join us for some or all of the journey.
The journey will be divided into sections for people to join us in smaller lengths. The whole journey is wheelchair accessible, and is all on paths safe for foot-traffic so it's great for children and anyone should be able to join for any part. The
full schedule is available here and
route map is available here. We will be stopping for breaks, holding a variety of reflective and prayerful actions along the way, alongside our Jewish and Muslim whānau. Anyone is welcome, so long as they reflect the core convictions listed on the global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage website.
This is a pilgrimage of solidarity and hope; we journey as witnesses and in love. Our walk is one of 125 Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages happening globally during Lent, and will be calling for;
1. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.
2. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
3. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
4. End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.
We are also raising money for two organisations doing important work on the ground in Palestine. One is the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) via Christian World Service. In Gaza, DSPR is providing shelter, food and medical support to people who've fled the north and lost homes - donate here. The second is Musalaha, a faith-based organization that teaches, trains and facilitates reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds - donate here.
Please get in touch if you have any questions. You can check out the other Aotearoa pilgrimage locations here, and please invite your friends and family to join!
.jpg)
.png)