Rise for Lives: Hawke's Bay youth to lead peace walk

Rise for Lives Hawke's Bay representative Willow Noome says the group is bringing attention to the Yemen crisis. Photo / File

A youth-led movement in Hawke's Bay will march in a peace walk this week to call on governments to take action over a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Rise for Lives is a youth-led peace and human rights movement which is organising peace marches in nine cities around New Zealand this weekend.

According to Unicef the Yemen crisis is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world with more than 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance since conflict escalated in March 2015.

Recently, Air New Zealand apologised after it was revealed it had been helping the Saudia Arabian military during the conflict.

1 News reported that the national carrier's business unit, Gas Turbines, which specialises in servicing military marine engines and turbines, has been supporting the Saudi Navy.

Rise for Lives Hawke's Bay representative Willow Noome said they will appeal for the New Zealand Government "to increase their efforts towards peace in Yemen by helping the organisations there or by considering intervention by suggesting a peace summit".

"Yemen is in downright turmoil and we are bringing attention to it. The time is now. I am proud to promote peace and make the innocent voices of Yemenis heard."

Noome joined Rise for Lives in August last year, becoming the Hawke's Bay representative.

She then recruited Meg Higgs to become the other representative and the team has grown by another five people in the past few months.

She expects between 50 and 100 people to attend the walk this Saturday and says it is "just the beginning".

"We are planning to do more peace walks and hold even larger events to promote peace in war-torn countries."

Noome said the idea to hold a peace walk came from Rise for Lives founder Timi Barabas and was chosen because the movement is about peace.

"We do not support violence in any way, hence why we are not doing a protest."

They are planning to sing peace songs at the walk and people are encouraged to bring signs.

On Saturday, February 27 starting at the Hot Chick, Ahuriri from 11am the group will walk to the Soundshell in Napier.