Values step out

by Zel Cowie

April 28, 2008

CITY shoppers on April 12 were surprised to be greeted by the bright banners of the National Walk for Values.

The walk, held for the second year in Perth, celebrated the universal human values of truth, right conduct, love, peace and non-violence. State walk co-ordinator Jenny Monson said the walk was an opportunity for the whole community to promote the values in Australian society.

Instead of the usual demands to “ban this” or “sack so-and-so”, banners proclaimed the five universal values and other principles, such as gratitude, integrity and courage.

Rather than calling on help from those in the corridors of power, the three speakers who addressed the walk in Forrest Chase emphasised the contribution individual values could make towards creating a better world.

Fiona Wood, 2005 Australian of the Year, spoke of the need for people to look within to clarify our own values, as well as encourage the best in others.

“Values define us and profoundly influence our interactions with others on a daily basis,” Dr Wood said. “Every one of us is unique.

“Every one of us has a gift to give. We can all be better.”

Darren Lomman, 2007 Young Australian of the Year inspired the crowd with his commitment to find engineering solutions to fulfil the dreams of people with disabilities.

NAIDOC Aboriginal of the Year Jim Morrison invited non-indigenous Australians to examine their values in relation to how they treat indigenous people.

This year the walk was held simultaneously in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. An estimated 700 people joined in.