Lam (second right), Tan (centre) in a photo call with the committee members.
KUCHING (May 26): Soka Gakkai Malaysia’s (SGM) Run for Peace (RFP) is back this July after a three-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
SGM Sarawak branch secretary Linda Lam said the non-competitive run will be held at three locations in Kuching, Miri and Sibu.
The Sunday events will first kick off at Kuching South City Council (MBKS) on July 2, followed thereafter at Coco Cabana, Miri and Sibu Indoor Stadium on July 9.
“The run in Kuching will be 5km, while the run in Miri is 7km and Sibu 5.4km, and registration is open until May 31,” she said.
“We are targeting 5,000 participants for Kuching and 2,000 participants each for Sibu and Miri,” Lam said during a press conference at SGM Sarawak’s office here yesterday.
About 70,000 like-minded individuals will participate in the Run for Peace 2023 at 23 locations nationwide, aimed at fostering peace in the community and in promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The Run for Peace is a biennial event held by SGM since 2005, and to date, more than 360,000 peace lovers had participated in the run.
The key objective of Run for Peace, according to Lam, is to promote the belief that ‘Peace starts with me’, while emphasising that positive change begins with each individual.
This message empowers participants and reminds them that their actions can contribute to creating harmony and peace in their communities, societies, countries, and the world as a whole, she said.
“The Run for Peace is inspired by the philosophy and ideals of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) president Daisaku Ikeda, who has been submitting annual peace proposals to the United Nations since 1983.
“In 1957, his mentor, Josei Toda, called for the youth to work towards abolishing nuclear weapons from the world. This moment marked the beginning of the SGI’s peace movement,” she said.
“While we continue our endeavour for a world without nuclear weapons, this year’s RFP will adopt a broader theme of peace with sustainability of the planet, using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a focus,” she noted.
“It is time to take action and protect the planet for generations to come. From reducing waste to supporting local eco-friendly events, each small step taken can make a huge difference,” she said.
Present was SGM Sarawak branch chairman Tan Chai Hong.
For more information or to register, go to www.runforpeace.com.my, www.facebook.com/runforpeace.official or www.instagram.com/runforpeace.official/.