On April 29, 2017, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and the Kapit Bisig Kabataan Network (KBKN) will hold the 2nd Annual LAKAD 5k for Peace walkathon fundraiser in Los Angeles.. Last year, we were able to raise over $6,000 to help build a water system that provides water to over 300 Talaingod Manobo, a Lumad (indigenous) group from Mindanao, Philippines. The Talaingod Manobo and other Lumads are building schools and improving their livelihood all while resisting multinational mining and logging corporations encroaching on their ancestral land. The 47 year civil war between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has also affected the Lumad as the Armed Forces of the Philippines have wrongfully tagged Lumad environmental and indigenous rights activists as “NPA rebels,” targeting them for militarization, harassment, and political killings. Now more than ever, the success of the GRP-NDFP peace talks and socio-economic reforms would mean upholding human rights and an end of hostilities against the Lumad communities caught in the armed conflict. The GRP-NDFP Peace Talks have to succeed in order for the Lumad and all Filipinos to live in a country where peace, justice, and human dignity are upheld. The funds raised this year will go towards Salupongan Schools and promoting Peace and Justice in the Philippines through the Just Peace PH and Kababayan4Change platforms. Register today at: tinyurl.com/Lakad5k2017 Online payment & donation: tinyurl.com/Lakad5kfees About the Fundraising Recipients: ---------------------------------------------- Salupongan Ta Tanu Igakanugon is an alliance of Talaingod Manobo tribes that first came together in 1993, to defend their ancestral lands against mining companies. The alliance has helped lead the formation of Salupongan Schools, which emphasize indigenous knowledge and organic agriculture, besides accredited educational standards. For more information about the schools, please visit Salupongan International and http://salupongan.org/. Just Peace PH is an international platform which supports the Philippine peace process. It has special emphasis in reaching out to individuals, organizations and institutions which have advocacies on peace and issue-based people’s concerns in various capacities outside of the country. In particular, JustPeacePH aims to seek support from individuals and organizations in multilateral organizations, people’s organizations, civil society organizations, academia, development institutions as well as governments. Kababayan4Change is a broad international platform for Filipinos abroad to unite around the people’s demands and voice their own individual and collective concerns and aspirations. Kababayan4Change aims to arouse, organize and mobilize all Filipinos, at home and abroad, to press for the people’s demands spelled out in the 15-point “Program for Change” from the National People’s Summit held in June 2016. LAKAD 5K Walk & Accessibility Information: ----------------------------------------------------------- The walk is 5K in length, mostly flat but with one steep incline, and gradual incline for about one third of the way. Water and nurses stations will be available along the route; fruits and snacks will be available at the end. There will be a brief program in an outdoor amphitheater with seating, before the walk. Most of the event will be outdoors, but we will serve snacks and host a photo exhibit in an indoor daycare center. A parking lot and restrooms are at the daycare center and church, which is accessible through wheelchair ramps. There will be gender neutral and gender-segregated restrooms. We highly encourage all participants to avoid using scented products (e.g., in perfumes, lotions, hair gel, deoderant, fabric softener, dryer sheets, etc.) before coming to the event. To learn more about chemical sensitivities: http://eastbaymeditation.org/accessibility/PDF/How-to-Be-Fragrance-Free-.pdf We are working on making the event more accessible and more information will be forthcoming. For more information contact: NAFCON SoCal: email sc@nafoncusa.org | website: nafconusa.org | facebook: nafcon socal Co-sponsored by: International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) | facebook : ichrp socal California-Pacific UMC Philippines Taskforce | facebook : cal-pac taskforce philippines Kapit Bisig Kabataan Network | facebook : kapit bisig kabataan network | instagram: @kapitbisignetwork