Sign up for our monthly Newsletter!



Home arrow About Us
PDF Print E-mail

Overview of the 9/11 Unity Walk


In a post 9/11 world, the Unity Walk brings thousands of people representing hundreds of organizations, religious groups and diplomatic communities together to walk in "unity," building bridges of understanding and respect.  Walkers visit a dozen faiths and listen to moving speeches from international figures like Rev. Mpho Tutu and Arun Gandhi, to engage in thought-provoking dialogue with one another.  In doing so, these everyday citizens make a subtle but profound statement to the world what is possible when people put aside their differences and come together.  

Imagine
Gospel singers and a Muslim call to prayer at Washington’s largest synagogue or a Christian Evangelical leader speaking from the Islamic Center while Jewish cantors sing over the loudspeakers.  It happens every year, as the 9/11 Unity Walk sends a message to the world.

Global Media Attention
The 9/11 Unity Walk has been broadcast internationally on CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, National Geographic and the Daily Show among others, as networks are intrigued by people of all faiths acknowledging their differences, yet coming together to learn and walk in unity.  To see highlights from previous walks, including Desmond Tutu’s welcoming address, please visit our website at www.911unitywalk.org.

The Youth Service Initiative (YSI)
The Unity Walk has broadened its impact by establishing year-round interfaith community service projects designed by youth for youth.  YSI programs also offer opportunities to engage in interfaith dialogue, exploring themes such as the legacy of Martin Luther King, vocations for service, environmental stewardship and other social action issues.  Partnerships with international groups such as Eboo Patel’s Interfaith Youth Core provide a platform for international expansion.

Potential for Partnership    
The success of the Unity Walk comes from the valuable partnerships that have been formed over the years with local, national and international groups, including NGOs, congregations, universities and others.  The experiential nature of the Unity Walk – from planning to execution – offers groups the chance to contribute to the design and focus each year.  We are looking for new partners who would be interested in supporting our ongoing efforts, as well as enhancing our impact.  It is the hope that one day, Unity Walks could take place around the U.S. and one day, the world!   
 
[ Back ]