Stonewalk


	Stonewalk 2001 England "The memorial stone honoring Unknown Civilians Killed in War is being pulled along the roadways from Liverpool to London by a small group of Americans from Sherborn, Massachusetts. The stone honors the innocent victims of war throughout the world and the pilgrimage through England is the third leg of this global movement. As President Bush meets with Tony Blair to reiterate the U.S. position emphasizing self interest rather than global cooperation, the Memorial Stone brings a message of healing and remembrance of the voiceless. The cost of war is often measured by the numbers of soldiers who lose their lives and yet the numbers multiply when the women, children and elders who die, often described as collateral damage are included. Bush talks of the end of the cold war and the escalation of star wars. The Memorial Stone remembers and honors those who have already lost their lives as a result of war.." Photo Gallery - England Coventry Cathedral Web Site

STONEWALK 2001: LIVERPOOL to ST. MICHAELS CATHEDRAL, COVENTRY.

MEMORIAL STONE REJECTED BY US CONGRESS TRAVELS THROUGH ENGLAND

A 2000 pound memorial stone which honors Unknown Civilians Killed in War is traveling from Liverpool to London this month after being denied entry into Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. Unveiled by former heavy weight boxing champion Muhammad Ali on the grounds of The Peace Abbey outside of Boston, the memorial stone is being pulled by volunteers from the Abbey and local residents to cities and towns throughout the world.

Referred to as STONEWALK, the 500 mile journey of the stone from Boston to Washington, DC was completed in 1999 and from Dublin to Belfast in 2000.

Stonewalk is under the direction of Lewis Randa, Abbey director and recipient of the 2001 U.S. Person of Peace Award along with Britain's Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. Local residents are encouraged to help pull the two ton stone and caisson in memory of the innocent victims of war.

"People of all ages and political persuasions are encouraged to join in. Their help pulling the stone is, at times, desperately needed," states Randa who, with his wife Meg, their three children and members of the Abbey community and their children, pull the stone an average of 12 to 15 miles per day, rain or shine.

The stone, which was offered in 1999 as a gift of conscience to the US Congress, rejected and impounded on the Arlington Bridge in Washington D.C., continues its mission to serve as a reminder of the true cost of war while endeavoring to honor the millions of innocent lives lost during times of armed conflict. According to Randa, "the movement of the stone is a prayer for peace which provides a source of healing and reconciliation, forgiveness and peace for many who step forward to help pull it". The stone, as it travels down secondary highways, puts the wartime suffering of Great Britain in a global context and provides an opportunity for people to pay their respects to the innocent victims of war. Anyone can participate and their involvement is greatly appreciated as dozens of additional walkers are needed to handle the steep hills which dot the landscape on its way to London.