An Istrian man is taking an incredible 3000 kilometre journey from Jordan to Croatia on foot in the name of solidarity. He is due to arrive in Dubrovnik soon.
Goran Blazevic is a 33 year old traveller and adventure lover from the Istrian town of Umag, Croatia. At the beginning of October 2016, Goran embarked on a five month long journey on foot from Jordan to Croatia. At the moment he can be found in Albania and has walked approximately 2000 kilometres so far, he is expected to arrive in Dubrovnik in around a week, after which he will continue along the Croatian coastline until he reaches his hometown of Umag in Istria. He started his incredible project, called ”Solidarity Walk 4km/h” in Jabal Harun, Jordan, with the aim of initiating dialogue between European countries and the Middle East, as well as to show a mark of respect and solidarity with the problems faced by fleeing Syrian refugees.
Goran states that Jordans’ Jabal Harun was deliberately chosen as the starting point for his eye-popping journey as according to legend, it is the location at which the remains of Moses’ brother Aaron lie.
There are several objectives worth pointing out with regard to Goran’s epic walk, and one is Goran’s feeling that Syrian refugees are still overlooked despite having been fleeing war for five years. Goran’s walk has taken him through seemingly forgotten and desolate parts of Jordan, where there are no tourists, no hotels, no facilities and reliance on the help and advice of locals is the only possible refuge. His journey saw him walk through the harsh Jordanian desert to the Israeli border and to Mount Nebo. Upon reaching the holy city of Jerusalem, Goran’s hike took him to the Mediterranean sea, where from the city of Tel Aviv he travelled to Cyprus, walking from the southern to the northern end of the island, crossing the islands’ Greek-Turkish territorial border. He arrived in Antalya, southern Turkey and passed through the cities of Bodrum and Izmir, two of the main hubs for the recent illegal trafficking of fleeing refugees to the Greek islands.
Goran’s physically and mentally challenging passage through the rugged and unforgiving terrain of the Greek, Macedonian and Albanian mountains in the harsh winter months is symbolically reminiscent of the struggles and suffering of people attempting to flee conflict and living in tents on the borders of these countries. As previously mentioned, his ”Solidarity Walk 4km/h” will end back in Umag, apparently symbolic of the desire embedded deeply in the psyche of all humans to find peace.
The aim of Goran’s carefully planned journey, which involves locations held dear to several major religions is to build bridges and find common ground in an otherwise increasingly hostile world. It is important to note that Goran’s project is entirely self-funded and not sponsored by anyone. His intention is that his walk doesn’t remain simply as an adventurous journey of one individual but that it becomes a civic advocacy of peace between all cities and countries, spreading the message of mutual understanding, solidarity and humanity.
If you’d like to follow and support Goran on his journey, click here.
