Residents march for peace on Main Street
Reverend Daniel Bernier of the Church of the Good Shepherd holds up a sign for peace. Photos by Nick Mossman
Lilly, dog, sits with a sign that reads "One Human Family." 
A Wareham Faith in Action sign led the walk. 
A sign highlights what the group was walking for.
Lilly, a second generation doodle, was one of the dogs that joined the peace walk. 
Walkers first marched down Main Street and then back up the street during the walk.
Some signs included religious messages, while others simply read "peace" or focused on unity. 
A man holds up an American flag at the back of the walking group. 
A "Peace on Earth" sign.
Reverend Daniel Bernier of the Church of the Good Shepherd holds up a sign for peace. Photos by Nick Mossman
Lilly, dog, sits with a sign that reads "One Human Family."
A Wareham Faith in Action sign led the walk.
A sign highlights what the group was walking for.
Lilly, a second generation doodle, was one of the dogs that joined the peace walk.
Walkers first marched down Main Street and then back up the street during the walk.
Some signs included religious messages, while others simply read "peace" or focused on unity.
A man holds up an American flag at the back of the walking group.
A "Peace on Earth" sign.
Carrying signs and walking down Main Street, a group of about 20 people gathered for what appeared to be a demonstration on Saturday, June 20.
While people did march up and down the street holding up signs, the walk was not a protest. Instead, organizers said that the group strolled down the street to raise awareness for peace.
The march was hosted by Wareham Faith in Action, a group dedicated to peacebuilding. This is the group's second peace walk this year, hosting a similar walk at the Wareham Town Green in April.
During the walk, the area around Main Street was filled with the noise of cars honking in solidarity and the faint sound of drums from the nearby Japanese taiko drumming concert at the Wareham Free Library.
Wareham Faith in Action co-chair Lisa Govoni organized Saturday's peace walk.
Govoni said that the group was inspired by Buddhist monks who spent four months walking from Texas to Washington D.C. to advocate for peace. While the monks ended their march in February, Govoni said the Faith in Action group was inspired to have a peace walk of its own.
"So this is our little way of saying yes, we believe in peace," Govoni said.
While the group moved like a demonstration, Govoni emphasized that the peace walk was not about politics.
"This gives people an opportunity to come out and not be political," Govoni said. "And it's a nonviolent nonpolitical way of standing out and being present."
Kathy Pappalardo walked down Main Street as part of the group, which she said was because of her discontent with the current state of U.S. affairs.
"I'm not happy with the way the country is going right now and war is never the answer," she said.
The answer, according to Pappalardo, is peace.
"Peace is the answer, but it takes a lot of negotiation and patience. Aggression brings aggression," Pappalardo said. "We need peace."
Unity and solidarity were common themes during the walk.
Participants held up signs with the word "peace." Some signs were inspired by religious texts, with one reading "Blessed are the peacemakers." Others called for a unity, with another sign reading "one human family."
According to Govoni, Wareham Faith in Action is open to anyone regardless of their religion, saying that the group welcomes those who treat others kindly and want to help marginalized people. The common message among the group was the need for a more peaceful world.
"We should be caring for each other not killing each other," Pappalardo said.
