Nearly 450 people of southern Lebanon joined UNIFIL’s Indian peacekeepers in Sector East in a symbolic “Walk for Peace” initiative to honour the birth of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October. 

The event, which took place on 28 September, brought together men, women and children walking shoulder to shoulder through the olive groves overlooking the Blue Line in Arqoub. 

Organized by UNIFIL’s Indian peacekeepers, the walk celebrated Gandhi Jayanti and carried a powerful message of non-violence, unity and hope.

The “Walk for Peace” came just days after the International Day of Peace, marked on 21 September, adding further weight to its call for solidarity in a region long familiar with conflict.

The walk was flagged off jointly by the Commander of the Indian peacekeeping contingent, Colonel N Gladson and Arqoub Union of Municipalities Chiefs and Mayors, highlighting the strong partnership between UNIFIL peacekeepers and the local communities they serve. 

“This walk is not only a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, but also a reminder that peace is the strongest force humanity can nurture,” Colonel Gladson said.

UNIFIL Sector East Commander, Brigadier General Ricardo Esteban Cabrejos, commended the initiative, describing it “as a powerful reminder of what UNIFIL stands for — unity, dialogue, and the enduring hope for peace.”

UNIFIL peacekeepers work in coordination with the Lebanese army each day to restore stability so that all civilians living along the Blue Line can someday enjoy a peaceful future. 

As the sun set over Arqoub, the marchers ended where they began while their steps echoed Gandhi’s everlasting message: peace begins with a single step.