‘Homewards’ is a Walking Home / Walking in Transition walkshop proposal for the International Walking Arts Encounters in Psarades, Prespa, Greece in July 2025
This walkshop asks where and what is home. It acknowledges that we may have to walk a long way before we find somewhere to settle, and that although the building may be bombed-out, make-shift, unsafe, or insufficient, yet it can simply be where home is. It has to be enough for us, and enough to be shared with others who are visiting or do not have a home of their own.
The local community will be invited to join the walkshop alongside visitors to the Walking Encounters. In 2023, I was privileged to hear some local people’s life stories, about the town’s children having to leave for their own safety many years ago. They made long walks to find new homes, and it was a long time before they returned (some never did). It is hoped that we can continue this conversation about home. A translator will be sought for ease of communication.
Walkshop
‘Homewards’ consists of a walk in search of a home where there will be a welcoming hospitality ritual and a ‘meal’ laid out for those participating. It will be quite a long, circuitous and hot walk ‘home’ and walkers will be invited to discuss the themes of ‘walking home’, ‘what home means to us’, and ‘what we need from a home’.
Both talking time and silence will allow participants to debate how much space and how many resources are needed before somewhere can be called home, and to reflect on what is available.
It is likely that the walkshop will take place in the middle of the day or in the afternoon heat (participants to cover up / wear hats) and last 2 hours in duration.
This proposal was accepted, but sadly I was unable to travel to Greece in 2025. Conceiving of the walk allowed me to engage with these important topics. At this time of permanent, temporary, forced and voluntary migration taking place globally due to climate change and wars, it is a vital subject, particularly for those lucky ones like myself who have a safe roof over our heads. I thank WALC (Walking Arts and Local Communities) who are the organisers of the Walking Arts Encounters.
In the meantime, I continue to welcome / walk / meet with refugees and asylum seekers who are arriving in Edinburgh, Scotland, many of whom are rehoused in Granton where I live. You may be interested in Walking Like a Tortoise (here and a longer post here) which included such walks and workshops.
I met Amy Tinderbox, Australian Walking Artist, at the Walking Arts Encounters. Her latest post is The Magic Study of Objects here.
Walking without a donkey 