Released on: March 4, 2008, 8:17 pm

Press Release Author: Longest Walk 2

Industry: Environment

Press Release Summary: On Feb. 11th, Longest Walk participants embarked on a 5 month
journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. arriving on July 11th. The Longest
Walk south route is being led by AIM co-founder Dennis J. Banks. It is an
extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to the
environmental disharmony of Mother Earth, sacred site issues, and to commemorate the
30th anniversary of the original longest walk.

Press Release Body: SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- On February 11, 2008, Longest Walk 2
participants will embark on a five- month journey from San Francisco to Washington,
D.C. arriving on July 11, 2008. It is in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of
the historic Longest Walk of 1978 that resulted in historic changes for Native
America. Hundreds of communities will be participating in the Longest Walk of 2008
to raise awareness about issues impacting our world environment, to protect Sacred
Sites and to clean up Mother Earth.

The original Longest Walk of 1978 was conducted in response to proposed legislation
in Congress that would have abrogated Native American Treaties that protected our
sovereignty. It defeated those 11 bills and in the following month, the American
Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) of 1978 was passed. As a result of The 1978
Longest Walk, Indigenous people were granted the federal legislative right to
freedom of religion, a fundamental right guaranteed to all Americans under the U.S.
Constitution.

\"In 1978, our communities faced many hardships such as non-existing religious rights
and criminalization of our people who fought for cultural survival. This is why the
Longest Walk was necessary. As Indigenous Peoples in the United States our
environment and our cultural survival are directly correlated and are still
imperiled today. "This is why we must walk once again" states Jimbo Simmons of the
International Indian Treaty Council.

The Longest Walk 2 is a grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to
the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth. It intends to bring attention to the
health and wellbeing of Our Mother Earth, our people, communities and the protection
and preservation of Sacred Sites. The message from the Longest Walk of 1978 will be
carried and continued: "The Longest Walk is an Indian spiritual walk, a historical
walk; and it is a walk for educational awareness to the American and the World
communities about the concerns of American Indian people." American Indian Movement
Co-founder Dennis J. Banks states "From Alcatraz Island to Washington, D.C., through
the elements of the seasons, we shall walk; nothing shall deter us from completing
our mission: All Life is Sacred, Protect Mother Earth."

Our Walk represents an ongoing commitment to protect sacred sites, cultural
preservation, and to create awareness about the environment. We are walking to
promote positive change in our world. We invite veteran walkers that participated
in the 1978 Longest Walk and reach out the new generations of the future to join us.


The Longest Walk 2 will take two routes. The Northern route will travel the original
route of 1978 across 11 states and 3,600 miles. The Southern route will follow the
2006 Sacred Run route across 13 states and 4,400 miles. Both routes will visit
Sacred Sites along the way and bring awareness for protection and preservation of
our Mother Earth and Sacred Sites. The Southern route will be launching The Clean Up
Mother Earth Campaign where Longest Walk participants will work together to clean up
our country's highways and roads by collecting debris found along the Longest Walk
route.

For more information please visit: www.longestwalk.org


Web Site: http://www.longestwalk.org

Contact Details: Longest Walk 2
Ricardo Tapia
National Coordinator
510.520.6096