Forty people are currently preparing to embark on the famous 800-kilometre trek of El Camino de Santiago to raise funds for the Inspire Foundation for Inclusion.
Over the past few weeks the participants have undertaken a number of local treks which have not only helped them to strengthen their physical fitness but have also helped them bond as a team, which is vital for the success of the event, co-ordinated by Sarah Pace and Mario Scerri from Inspire. The participants will embark on the Camino in two groups, one from September 11 to 18 and another from September 18 to 25.
“Walking the Camino for Inspire has proven to be a popular event, and all the available places have been taken up by a number of people with mixed abilities. Their enthusiasm is very encouraging for us and they have been very successful in their fundraising efforts,” said Maria Vella-Galea, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Inspire.
Spanish for ‘The Way of St James’, El Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage route that dates back over 1,000 years. It starts from St Jean Pied du Pord in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains in France, through the vast wine region, along the plains and right up to the mediaeval Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in north-western Spain, where, according to legend, the remains of the apostle St James the Great are buried.
The pilgrimage lost popularity during the 16th century due to the Black Plague, the Protestant Reformation and political unrest, but experienced a revival in the 1980s, leading it to become a Unesco World Heritage site in 1985.
While previously the pilgrimage was experienced purely for religious reasons, in recent years it has become a medium for people to get in touch with nature and also as an escape from their hectic lives.
The Maltese group’s pilgrimage is being supported by Fogg Insurance Agencies Ltd, Go, Malta International Airport, Gozo Pottery Barn, Shaker, Davines, Core Green and Sparkbow and others.
www.inspire.org.mt