First annual Peace Walk planned
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ARLEE — The theme for the Seventh Annual Festival of Peace on Saturday is spirituality, health and environment.
“We want people to be aware of the effects of the environment on our health and how our spirituality is tied into that,” Development Coordinator Raquel Castellanos said.
Illustrating this connection, Castellanos has organized the first annual Walk-A-Mile for Peace Walk that is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Participants will gather pledges or sponsorships to walk a mile around the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. The money raised from the walk will go towards the garden. At every quarter mile of the walk there will four Buddhist virtues posted to facilitate meditation and spiritual peace. These virtues (compassion, loving and kindness, equanimity and sympathetic joy) are known as the four immeasurables.
“Equanimity is equal love for all, even animals,” Castellanos said describing two of the virtues. “Sympathetic joy is having joy when others have good luck and not having jealousy.”
Castellanos suggested that walk participants gather $10 sponsorships from 10 people, but said any amount raised is acceptable.
“We have all these monuments dedicated to war,” Castellanos said. “The point of the garden is so we can reflect on peace.”
“The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is meant to be a meditative place,” Media and Communications Coordinator Deborah Hicks said. “It (peace walk) is part of a natural evolution and really exemplifies the purpose of the garden.”
Castellanos said they also work to incorporate and collaborate with various tribal entities.
“We focus on interfaith harmony and since we are located on a reservation, we really try to honor that,” Castellanos said.
There will be a discussion of values, conservation and water issues in the region with Georgia Milan, values of Indigenous People with Julie Cajune, introduction to Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes with Terry Tanner and segments from the “Moon Over Mission Dam” play which features several actors who are tribal members. The Nkwusm Student Round Dance will perform from 5:30 to 6 p.m. There are also several musicians and artists scheduled to perform throughout the day, in addition to many vendors and booths to visit.
This year, founder of the garden, Tulku Sangngag Rinpoche will speak from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.
“It is ever so special for us to have him this year,” Hicks said.
Last year Hicks estimated the festival garnered 1,000 visitors and this year they hope to see 2,000.
Hicks also hopes people will attend the Festival of Peace to pay homage to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday.
