Saddam Alaya, a Jordanian adventurer from Petra, Jordan, is on a more than 23,000-kilometre journey on foot from Cape Agulhas in South Africa to Magadan, Russia, using the expedition to promote education, coexistence and connections among communities. Alaya began the journey on January 1 and is expected to cross 18 countries across three continents before reaching his final destination. The journey is expected to take between two and two-and-a-half years, depending on border crossings, weather, permits and conditions along the route. October 3 marked the 276th day of his journey. By then, Alaya had walked about 5,517 kilometres. He is currently in Rwanda, the seventh country on his route, after passing through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Burundi. He plans to spend about 17 days in Rwanda. His route will then take him through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Russia, where he will end his journey in Magadan. ALSO READ: Rwandan actress Rosine Bazongere walks 100km for conservation Alaya said the idea for the walk was inspired by his life in Petra, where he grew up working with people from different parts of the world. “I realised that walking is one of the simplest ways to connect with people. You enter their communities slowly, meet them face to face, listen to their stories and share your own,” he told The New Times. “So I wanted to take that idea to a completely different scale.” One of the strongest messages behind the journey, he said, is that peace begins with proper education. Along the route, Alaya visits schools and education centres, where he meets students, teachers and local communities to create conversations around peace, education, coexistence and the shared responsibility to protect the planet. “This is not simply a long-distance walking challenge. It is the world’s longest peace walk. I’m carrying a white flag and walking for peace, humanity and coexistence,” he said. “My ambition is to connect people and communities across borders and show that although countries, cultures and languages may be different, people everywhere share the same hopes, dreams and desire for a peaceful future.” He also hopes the journey will leave behind more than kilometres and records. “And, honestly, I want this journey to leave something behind, not just kilometres and records, but relationships, educational connections and a message of peace that continues long after I finish walking,” he said. Alaya said the journey is planned as an uninterrupted walk from South Africa to Russia. “I keep moving forward every day. When I need recovery, I take a rest day, but normally it is only one or two days maximum, and then I continue walking,” he said. Despite the message behind the journey, Alaya said the walk has not been without difficulties. One of the challenges he has faced is being away from his family and friends. “Of course, it is extremely challenging. There have been days with no food, no money in my pocket and no idea where I would sleep. But somehow, every time, someone appears and helps me,” he said. Alaya said he has no salary or regular income from the walk. “I’m doing this because I believe in the message, especially the connection between peace and education,” he said. While in Rwanda, Alaya met Rwandan actress Rosine Bazongere, who invited him to join her team during the Car Free Day activities on the morning of October 4. The activities promote a healthy body and mind through physical exercise. Bazongere said she was inspired by the scale of Alaya’s journey and his commitment to continuing the walk. Alaya is the founder of Hike With Me, a non-profit organisation based in Petra that uses walking, adventure and community engagement to create positive social impact. Walking and adventure have been part of his life for the past 15 years. He started guiding tourists in Petra when he was 16 and has spent years working as a licensed adventure and tourist guide. Before starting the current project, Alaya had already walked and travelled extensively across North Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Japan and other parts of the world, accumulating thousands of kilometres of walking and hiking experience. “Those 15 years taught me that the real value of walking is not only the distance. It is the people you meet along the way,” he said. “When you walk through a country, you experience it completely differently. You see villages, meet families, enter schools, speak with children, understand local challenges and hear stories that you would never experience from a car or a plane.” He said those experiences prepared him for the current journey, which he hopes will connect people across borders while spreading a message of peace and education.
