The Jean Beliveau Peace Walk Around The World

11-Year Walk for Peace

In 2000, the small company of the Canadian man Jean Beliveau went bankrupt. To avoid exasperation, he decided to travel around the world by foot, carrying only with him the bare necessities. He was welcomed into stranger's homes; he was fed and supported from people around the world for the duration of his 11 years walk. The real mission of the action, he said, was to encourage Canada and other governments to create "ministries of peace". He also expressed his view of the world by claiming: "we are all different, and that is what is beautiful about life on Earth - our different colours, different beliefs, different political systems". Walking across the world abated his previously held stereotypes regarding people from other cultures and thus helped him gain a wider perspective of the world. He was touched by the compassion of the people who opened their homes to him despite being a total stranger and the support he encountered for his actions and goals. This peaceful act and way of experiencing the world can hopefully inspire more people to fight their prejudices and encourage them to appreciate the plethora of cultures across the world. The story of Beliveau demonstrates the possibility of a simple act to spread the principles of peace around the globe and to influence national politics.