A 56-year-old Canadian man who left home after his business went bankrupt completed an 11-year walk around the world on Sunday, and told a crowd of well-wishers his new goal was to promote peace。
Jean Beliveau -- who arrived to a hero's welcome in Montreal from loved ones, lawmakers and supporters -- said his "real mission" was to lobby Canada and other governments to create "ministries of peace."
"We are all different, and that is what is beautiful about life on Earth -- our different colors, different beliefs, different political systems," he said。
"Those are all musical notes... we must create harmony from them, create a common tune," an emotional Beliveau told the crowd assembled at city hall in the old part of the city。
Beliveau left Montreal on the day of his 45th birthday -- August 18, 2000 -- after his small sign business went bankrupt. He decided to run around the world to try to escape the pain。
The Canadian ran all the way to Atlanta, Georgia before slowing his stride for what would become the longest uninterrupted walk around the world: 75,000 kilometers (46,600 miles) across 64 countries。
Over 11 years, he traveled across deserts and mountains. He fell in love for nine days in Mexico, wore a turban and a long beard in Sudan, ate snake in China, and was escorted by armed soldiers in the Philippines。
Upon his return on Sunday, Beliveau reunited with his mother, whom she had not seen throughout his 11 years on the road. She welcomed him in a tight embrace。
Longtime girlfriend Luce Archambault, who offered Beliveau emotional and financial support throughout his journey, and his two children from a previous marriage were also on hand for the celebration。
More than 100 supporters walked the final kilometers with Beliveau through the streets of Montreal。
Archambault, who flew to join Beliveau wherever he was once a year so they could spend Christmas together, said last month: "I'm his Penelope and he is my Ulysses."
56岁的加拿大人贝利沃上周日完成了11年的环球徒步旅行。他告诉周围的祝福者,自己新的目标是促进和平。当初,贝利沃是由于生意破产而去环球旅行。
让?贝利沃回到蒙特利尔时,受到了亲友、立法者、和支持者的欢迎,就如同英雄凯旋。他表示,自己“真正的使命”是游说加拿大和其他政府来创建“和平部”。
他说:“我们互不相同,这就是地球生命的美丽之处——我们的肤色、信仰、政治体系都不尽相同。”
贝利沃充满感情地对聚集在古老市区市政厅的欢迎人群说:“这都是悦耳的音符,我们必须实现和谐,演奏出一致的旋律。”
2000年8月18日,贝利沃在45岁生日这天离开蒙特利尔,当时他的小本标牌生意已经破产。他决心环游世界,摆脱伤痛。
贝利沃最初一路奔跑至乔治亚州的亚特兰大,之后开始减慢步伐,完成了全球最长的一次不间断环球徒步旅行,行程共计7.5万千米(4.66万英里),途经64个国家。
在这11年间,他穿过沙漠,翻越高山。在墨西哥坠入情网,相恋九天;在苏丹戴头巾,蓄长胡须;在中国吃蛇;在菲律宾受到武装士兵的护送。
上周日返家后,贝利沃和母亲重聚,两人已有11年没有相见。母亲紧紧地拥抱了他。
相恋多年的女友卢丝?阿尔尚博在其行程中一直在感情和经济上支持他,他与前妻生养的两个孩子也参加了庆祝。
一百多名支持者和贝利沃一起走完了最后几千米,穿过了蒙特利尔的街道。
不管贝利沃走到哪里,阿尔尚博每年都会在圣诞节赶去和他团聚。她上月说:“我是他的佩涅罗珀,他是我的尤利西斯。
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