Indian man arrives in UAE after walking, cycling 40,000km through 48 countries for peace

Nitin Sonawane is a man on a mission.

Since 2016, the 32-year-old Indian peace walker has been travelling the world on foot and cycling to spread Mahatma Gandhi’s message of non-violence and truth. He is striving to make every step count.

Hailing from the small village of Rashin in the Indian state of Maharashtra, the first engineer in his family, he gave up his career and materialistic life to find his true calling in the spreading the messages of Gandhi and the Buddha.

His journey, which started from a Gandhi Ashram in Wardha on November 18, 2016, has taken him through 48 countries including Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Sudan, Egypt, England, Ireland, Germany, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma during his trip.

Sonawane has cycled 25,000km and walked 15,400km, and now he has commenced his UAE leg by starting his journey from Ras Al Khaimah on Wednesday. He plans to cover Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai and reach the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi on August 15 to celebrate Indian Independence Day.

Sonawane is in the UAE from South Africa, where his walk was dedicated to spreading the word about the lives of Gandhi and Nelson Mandela – two leaders with shared values. Here in the UAE, he is highlighting the ideals and close friendship between Gandhi and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who is also known as Badshah Khan and ‘Frontier Gandhi’. Both leaders shared similar ideologies and stood for non-violence and Hindu-Muslim unity.

“My theme in the UAE is ’World peace and friendship movement’. I wish to recognise and promote the teachings and works of both leaders. When I say non-violence, it’s not just about physical violence. It’s also about taking more from nature. It’s about violence committed against nature,” he told Khaleej Times.

Amid the global focus on adopting advanced technologies as a solution to global challenges, Sonawane stressed the need for first changing the mindset of the people towards issues faced by mankind.

“Focus on climate change and environment preservation is very important. We are witnessing new technologies, which are going to transform the world, but we must also end our greed for materialistic life. Gandhi preached against materialism more than 80 years back. I aim to spread the message of love, peace, and friendship. Also, I wish to highlight the importance of being sustainable and reducing carbon emissions.”

Sonawane is well-informed about the relentless efforts initiated by the UAE’s leadership to reduce carbon footprints, Net Zero targets, investments in renewables, and the upcoming COP28 UN climate conference in Dubai. “It’s great to be here and see the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed,” he said praising the late Founding Father of the UAE and discovering how the UAE is committed to values of tolerance, peace, harmony, climate action and sustainability.

Walking to raise trust

“Gautama Buddha inspired me to go out of my comfort zone,” Sonawane noted and said that walking is one of the most profound ways to connect with nature and ourselves.

“It’s a very powerful action and has made a big impact on my life mentally and physically. It helps to connect with lots of people on the way.”

While walking he keeps saying a Japanese Buddhism chant, which means ‘I bow before every being and non-being on the way’.

He underlined that there is a lack of trust between people, and countries, which is leading to violence.

“It is important to cultivate that trust. And that’s why I’m walking to create trust between people. We have to minimise hatred in our society,” said the winner of Maja Koene Internation Peace Award.

Lauds UAE’s diversity

Sonawane hails from a Hindu family with diverse backgrounds as his mother has embraced Christianity, his father observes fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and his grandmother follows a sect of Sikhism. And on landing in the UAE, it didn’t take much time for Sonawane to get a taste of the UAE’s famed multiculturalism and tolerance.

“I was in a taxi with a Pakistani driver and two others travelling were from Bangladesh. I had a great conversation on that ride. This country, the UAE, has brought them together. There is more trust among people here, and it is eventually leading to peaceful coexistence,” he said and narrated how people in Pakistan warmly welcomed him.

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