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March 29, 2006
London, ON. - An estimated 1,000 local high school students are set to
march in a GuluWalk on Thursday, March 30 at The University of Western
Ontario.
The event is being held to raise awareness of the nightly journey more
that 40,000 children make into the city of Gulu, Northern Uganda, to
avoid abduction in the countryside. The walk in London begins at 9:30
a.m. at TD Waterhouse Stadium with the students setting out to meet at
University College Hill for 10:10 a.m. where the individuals will spell
the word "GULU" in human form.
The event is one of a series conducted by students participating in a
pilot fourth-year honors course at Western called Sport and Community
Service.
Craig Boydell, coach of Western's men's basketball team and the
professor who spearheaded the Sport and Community Service course, says,
"These student-athletes have already proven they are leaders in their
sports - now they are trying to bring that expertise to the community,
in particular its youth."
According to GuluWalk co-founder Adrian Bradbury, who is scheduled to
deliver the key note address at 10:45 a.m. in Alumni Hall, the intention
of the GuluWalk was not to attempt to replicate the terror, fear and
uncertainty of the children, who walk for their lives every single day
in Northern Uganda. He and co-founder Kieran Hayward originally walked
to tell the children's story and draw attention to their plight.
The GuluWalk co-founders were named Newsmakers of the Year by Maclean's,
Canada's only weekly news magazine, alongside 18 other notable
international recipients including Bono and Nelson Mandela, as well as
Canada's soldiers in Afghanistan and Justice John Gomery.
Following the key note address, the Western men's and women's basketball
teams will deliver interactive programming for the participants.
For more information on the GuluWalk movement, please visit www.guluwalk.com
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For more information on the event, please contact Jeff Renaud, Media
Relations at (519) 709-1858
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