Black History Walk coming to Burnaby’s Central Park this month

By Burnaby Now

In observance of Black History month in Canada, the Ethiopian Affairs in B.C. group has organized a Black History Walk on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

The non-profit, dedicated to promoting Ethiopian cultural values and history through the arts, is inviting the public to join the five-kilometre walk to learn about the rich cultures of Africa and about Black history in Canada.

The walk will begin from Swangard Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to gather at 1 p.m. to socialize and warm up for the walk.

Organizer Moges Seblehiwot said the event “will be the biggest gathering of Black History Month celebration in Burnaby.” He hopes that it will give an opportunity for people to gain a deeper understanding of Ethiopian history and culture. The event, he said, will also commemorate the 127th anniversary of the victory of Adwa, a significant event in Black history where Ethiopian forces defeated a colonial invading force in 1896.

The Black History walk, which is in its second year, recognizes achievements of Black Canadians. This year it will honour Canadian sprinter Harry Winston Jerome, a three-time Olympic champion. Jerome won the bronze medal at the 1964 Olympic in Tokyo and set a total of seven world records over the course of his career.

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