Easter Marches around Australia

The joy of Easter filled city streets on Easter Sunday April 4^th as thousands marched through the streets of our Capital cities, with singing, a sea of green & gold balloons, giant sunflowers and enthusiastic young people, as a living example of what Easter is about and the Hope and harmony that it can bring.

The media carried the story with strong coverage in the evening TV news in each state capital city and our national capital, as well as numerous news articles and radio interviews, showing that the meaning of Easter is relevant to the hopes and challenges of our nation, families and individuals.

In Sydney, the colourful march included a wonderful variety of national flags as many multicultural churches brought flags of their countries of origin.  In Canberra, the Canberra Times reported that the march was lead by Simpson and his Jerusalem donkey symbolizing the humility of a man who gives up his life for others.

In Melbourne the march concluded with a festival for the public at Docklands. In each capital city, the Easter March included free festival activities, such as tug-a-war, sea of hands banner, face painting, balloon sculpting, giant snakes & ladders, giant thongs, and a free sausage sizzle- all the things that go to make a true Aussie Easter celebration.

In Brisbane, it has become something of a tradition that the Easter balloons are given to those in the open air beer gardens along the march route, and once again these were again received with a smile!  The sunflowers have become an Easter favourite in all the marches. They were chosen as an Easter symbol because they reflect the meaning of Easter of the death of selfishness and coming alive of care.

In Hobart, the Mercury reported that Bishop John Harrower presided over the water ceremony at the end of the march at Parliament Lawns, signifying white Australians’ early encounters with indigenous people.  This ceremony was a highlight in every capital city, as Coach loads of young people from all over Australia heading to Uluru on 'The Pilgrimage to Uluru' participated in the water ceremony as the first act of their Pilgrimage.  The water ceremony was then repeated at Uluru and administered by members of the local Mutitjulu indigenous community.

The Pilgrims were commissioned at each capital city march, and the question was asked whether it could be that our young people are been showing us a way forward?  James Anaya, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people is saying that our indigenous people have had to endure severe disadvantage compared with non-indigenous Australians, in a way that is incompatible with Australia’s human rights obligations. The Pilgrimage to Uluru is celebrating its tenth year, and has now brought over three thousand young people to Uluru in search of understanding and helping a new generation bring reconciliation through real experience of our indigenous people.

There were some disturbing trends revealed through thousands of kids prayers collected all over Australia in the weeks leading up to Easter. These kids’ prayers revealed that our little ones are being severely affected by recent local and global events such as the economy being in trouble, recent earth quake and family instability. Prayers such as, "For my family: that we can get some more money because we really need it.  Please!" from Michaela, 11yrs, and another young person says "To have more time with my Dadmore often," revealing that the choices and way we are handling current issues are having a far a wide reaching effect into the future leaders of our country. These prayers were prayed at Good Friday Easter Prayer Vigils in cities across the land.

Mr. Wells O'Neil, Awakening National Spokesperson says, “We’re committed to these celebrations because we believe that the Easter message holds the key to a harmonious future. At its core it is about the kind of new life that produces the death of selfishness and the rebirth of care.”