Professor Mohan Bhagat welcomed the participants and requested everyone to observe a two-minute silent prayer in memory of thousands of departed souls victimized by the recent earthquake in Kashmir valley and other parts on India and Pakistan. Mrs. Sultana Kamal updated the participants about the needs of the surviving families in the area and Dr. Ravi Kuchimanchi mentioned about the establishment of a Relief Fund for the victims under the Association for India's Development (AID).
Kashmir valley and other parts on India and Pakistan. Mrs. Sultana Kamal updated the participants about the needs of the surviving families in the area and Dr. Ravi Kuchimanchi mentioned about the establishment of a Relief Fund for the victims under the Association for India's Development (AID).
The march was led by Magsaysay award winner Dr. Sandeep Pandey, who briefly described the affection and kinship expressed by people on both sides of the border during the march he had led from Delhi, India to Multan, Pakistan last spring. He also appreciated the cooperation the marchers received from both governments of India and Pakistan.
The march started at 1:00 PM from Pakistan Embassy and ended in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at 3:00 PM. The marchers carried banners and placards with slogans and signs of Salaam, Peace, Shanti, and India-Pakistan Friendship, etc. and also sang unity songs along the way. The passersby in cars supported the march by honking horns and the marchers were warmly greeted by large number of people near the National Zoo and in the Dupont Circle area.
The march ended with the recitation of sayings of Sants, Sufis and other great men and women signifying the importance human relations, unity among diverse groups and our responsibilities towards the mankind and the mother earth.
Dr. Mohan Bhagat, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Dr. Priya Ranjan, Dr. Sirish Agarwal, and Mr. Rohit Tripathi organized this event and members of Aligarh Alumni Association (AAA), Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA), Association for India's Development (AID), DC Collective, Hyderabad Association of Washington Metropolitan Area (HAWMA), Non-Resident Indians for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI), Pakistan Association of Greater Washington Area, Sadbhav Mission and Young India(YI) participated in the march. Dr. Najma Sultana and Ms. Vidhi Parthasarthy came from New York and Professor Zia Mian and his wife traveled from Princeton University to participate in the march.
