Tulipathon tradition continues 15 years on

Written by Monia Mazigh

Published in News

In Ottawa, spring is synonymous with renewal, rebirth and of course the awakening of thousands of colourful tulip bulbs from a long sleep during the freezing nights of fall and the long bitter and frigid days of winter.

In 1997, a diverse group of Ottawans led by Dr. Farook Tareen decided to celebrate the arrival of spring by doing something really special. Through the Ottawa Muslim Association, Dr. Tareen launched the Tulipathon, an annual charity walk that brings together people of every faith in an effort to raise awareness about the urgent need for affordable housing in our city.

In 2009, Dr. Tareen gave the Multifaith Housing Initiative, a non-profit coalition, the right to use the Tulipathon logo and to hold the walk annually during the Tulip Festival.

This year, like every year, on the first Sunday in May, Christians, Jews, Unitarians, Hindus and Muslims will gather in Commissioners Park near Dow's Lake and walk together among masses of colourful tulips. This physical activity is a symbolic show of solidarity with the needy, the homeless, the low-income families on the waiting list for social housing and anyone who does not have a roof over his or her head.

In a city where the standards of living are among the best in the world, it is unfortunate that about 10,000 households on the waiting list for affordable housing. The problem is made worse by a low rental vacancy rate of 1.6 per cent, with most of the vacancies being highly-priced condos.

{sidebar id=12} Despite the promises of the provincial and local politicians, and despite the grant money received in 2011 by the upper-tier governments, rent remains one of the heaviest burdens on many Ottawa families' budgets. The rent market rates are increasing and there are only a limited number of shelters for homeless people.

Some have been living in emergency shelters for nearly 20 years because they can't find appropriate affordable housing.

Across all the faiths, there is a strong emphasis to help the needy and the poor. It is interesting to note that one of the first things Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him, did when he arrived to Medina to flee the persecution, was to build a modest dwelling for his family that became adjacent to the mosque. What an eloquent example to show that faith and decent living go hand-in-hand.

Having a place to call home is a starting point to a better living. One can then cook herself a meal, clean herself, have some rest and contribute effectively to the well-being of the community.

But most of all, the reason why Tulipathon is a unique event, is because it combines physical activity with faith and social justice. Three excellent causes in one. It is a tremendous opportunity to talk and connect with people from all walks of life and feel that despite all the differences some media want to convince us of, we belong to the same humanity and we share many common goals.

Monia Mazigh is an author and human rights activist. This year, she chairs the planning committee for Tulipathon 2012.

The Tulipathon 2012 will be held Sunday May 6, 2012 at Commissioner's Park. Registration starts at 2:30 p.m. The walk starts at 3 pm.

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