Kerala scribe walks 1,000 km in solidarity with refugee families

Joining this noble initiative is Riyas Aami, a freelance journalist from Palakkad, Kerala who has walked 1,076 km in 40 days from Kozhikode to Chennai. He has also planned to walk 5,000 km from Kanniyakumari to Ladakh but decided to cover only two states due to the current political climate.

In solidarity with refugee families who are forced to flee their homes and walk for miles to reach the nearest point of safety, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has started a global movement where people can walk, run and cycle the distance refugees cover each year to reach safety. Joining this noble initiative is Riyas Aami, a freelance journalist from Palakkad, Kerala who has walked 1,076 km in 40 days from Kozhikode to Chennai. He has also planned to walk 5,000 km from Kanniyakumari to Ladakh but decided to cover only two states due to the current political climate.

“I started walking from Kozhikode on February 1 and completed the 40-day walk in Chennai on March 12. I love travelling and studying various cultures and lifestyles. So, when I came across this global campaign, I decided to join the movement and show my solidarity. Refugees who flee from their homeland to neighbouring countries are struggling to survive in new cities and towns.Through this collective effort, we can show our solidarity and develop a better understanding of refugees,” says Riyas to DT Next.

While in Kerala, Riyas walked 25-30 km daily. But when he entered Tamil Nadu, he started walking 35-40 km. Riyas will be meeting the Rohingya refugees at their camp in Kelambakkam today.