Join us for Australia’s first Big Walk 4 Refugees – a 16,650 km walk of solidarity with 10,000 refugees
Australia's inaugural Big Walk 4 Refugees (13 Feb-26 Mar) launches today with a 16,650 km virtual walk from Hobart to Canberra to show support for 10,000 refugees who continue to face prolonged uncertainty in Australia.
People are being urged to don their walking shoes and get moving, sending a message that 10,000 children, women and men living in our communities should be able to fully call Australia home.
The steps that people take locally will propel the 16,650 km country-wide loop right around Australia, culminating with a final local walk to Parliament House for the last leg on Tuesday 26 March.
The Big Walk is inspired by the courageous journeys of asylum seekers who walked and cycled thousands of kilometres across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT in 2023 calling for visa certainty.
Neil Para started the movement with his 1000 km trek to Sydney. Twenty-two women then walked 640 km from Melbourne to Canberra. Fifteen women walked 300 km from Sydney to Canberra. Ex-cricketer Thienushan Chandrasekaram cycled 1400 km from Brisbane to Sydney and Canberra.
The virtual walk launches today with a local walk in Ballarat, the hometown of Neil Para. The walk leaves from Ballarat Town Hall, 3pm, with Neil, the women who walked from Melbourne to Canberra, and local supporters.
🏃♂️🏊♀️🚴♂️👩🦽🚣How can you participate? Walk, run, cycle, swim, dance, row, or even skip! Just sign up, join a team, and sync your activity with the Big Walk app.
Your efforts will power our virtual walk to Canberra. You can create your own team with family, friends, or colleagues, or join one of our pre-set teams for each state and territory.
Let's mark the one-year anniversary of the government's announcement for 19,000 refugees while remembering the 10,000 who are still waiting for permanent visas after being part of our communities for 10 years.
Dulce Munoz Garcia, National Convenor, Mums 4 Refugees, said
“This is more than a walk; it's a movement for change happening right around the country. Stand with us to support those who've called Australia home for over a decade yet still face an uncertain future.”
The Big Walk 4 Refugees is supported nationally by the Australian Refugee Action Network, Rural Australians for Refugees, Refugee Action Collective Victoria and Mums 4 Refugees.
#BigWalk4Refugees
For media queries and interviews, contact:
Dulce Munoz Garcia, Mums 4 Refugees, 0423207530
Sandy Watson, Rural Australians for Refugees, Big Walk 4 Refugees, 0401714880
Marie Hapke, Australian Refugee Action Network, 0409252673