Namyangju City Successfully Kicks Off "Slow Trekking Where Hearts Walk Together" Event

Walking Together: People With and Without Disabilities

Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Joo Gwangdeok) successfully kicked off the "Slow Trekking Where Hearts Walk Together" event on September 18 in the Gwangneung Forest area, where people with and without disabilities walk and empathize together. The event is scheduled to run for two days, until September 19.

Joo Kwangdeok, mayor of Namyangju City, attended the "Heartwalking Slow Trekking" event on the 18th, where people with and without disabilities walked and empathized together around the Gwangneung Forest area, delivering a greeting speech. Provided by Namyangju City

This event is part of the Gyeonggi-do Sports Association for the Disabled's "2025 Support for Physical Activities for People with Developmental Disabilities" project, and was co-hosted by the Namyangju Northern Welfare Center for the Disabled, the Jinjeop-eup Branch of the Namyangju City Walking Federation, and the Namyangju City Sports Association for the Disabled. The event was organized to promote a culture of mutual understanding and consideration through the process of walking together with people with and without disabilities, and to provide citizens with a chance to find healing and relaxation in nature.

This walking event, open to all citizens, follows a trekking course of about 3 kilometers, starting from Bongseonsa Temple, passing through the Ecological Wetland Park, and returning to the starting point. Participants enjoyed a meaningful time communicating with those beside them, feeling the changes of the season, and connecting with nature as they walked comfortably and slowly. Volunteers were stationed at the event site to ensure participants’ safety and to help the event run smoothly.

On the first day of the event, more than 150 participants, including Mayor Joo Gwangdeok, people with and without disabilities, and volunteers, joined together, adding to the significance of the occasion.

The city plans to use this event as an opportunity to improve awareness about disabilities and to further spread a community culture of walking and mingling together in daily life. In addition, Namyangju City will continue to expand citizen-centered programs that combine walking, healing, and welfare.

Joo Gwangdeok, mayor of Namyangju City, attended the "Heartwalking Slow Trekking" event on the 18th, where people with and without disabilities walked and empathized together around the Gwangneung Forest area, walking alongside the participants. Provided by Namyangju City

Mayor Joo Gwangdeok stated, "The path we walk today is not just a series of steps, but a journey of sharing our hearts," adding, "Seeing people with and without disabilities walking side by side is a true symbol of the inclusion and harmony that our society aspires to."

Shin Eunkyung, head of the Jinjeop-eup Branch of the Namyangju City Walking Federation, said, "Because walking is an activity that anyone can easily join, I hope this event has become an open meeting ground for both citizens and people with disabilities."

Kim Namguk, director of the Namyangju Northern Welfare Center for the Disabled, also commented, "We will continue to operate a variety of participatory programs so that people with disabilities can naturally become part of the local community."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.