ROGERS, Ark. — Local groups joined a global pilgrimage today in solidarity with Palestine during the Israel-Hamas War.
The groups Christian Voice for Peace, Friends of Palestine NWA, and NWA for Palestine organized the pilgrimage which started in Roger and ended in Fayetteville. The demonstration joined 173 cities and 19 countries that are walking for the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage.
"It was started by Christians in Australia, and it's moved to every continent of the world," organizer Sarah Highfill said.
Highfill is part of Christian Voice for Peace. The group intentionally planned for the demonstration to fall on Holy Saturday as to tie in with the Christian religion. They invited all faiths to join though to stand in solidarity with Palestinians.
"Christians, in particular, recognize and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, who we feel like teaches us the ways of non-violence and peace across all faith traditions, and for all people," Highfill said.
"We see this as an opportunity for specifically American Christians and Arkansan Christians, and our friends from other faith traditions who are joining us even today, to speak and to demonstrate what that means to walk in solidarity in a non-violent way, in the way of Jesus with our Palestinian brothers and sisters," she added.
The dozens that gathered for the pilgrimage would walk just over 25 miles, which they explain is the length of the Gaza strip all demonstrations are walking.
"They are doing this every day; they've been forcibly displaced. And it's a way of us using our bodies that God's given us as an act of worship, and some for some of us in many ways to support our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are doing this on a daily basis," Highfill said.
The groups also hosted an Easter Celebration at Springdale's Walter Turnbow Park.
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