At 6.00 am on March 22, 2009 (Sunday), 6,000 "peace lovers" gathered at the Taman Klang Jaya community field for the "Run For Peace 2009" event organised by the Selangor branch of Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM). The Menteri Besar of Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim flagged off the run for the participants, ranging from age 13 to 70.

Supporting the event in spirit and deed, the Selangor Menteri Besar and other guests including State Exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Klang Municipal Council President Tuan Mislan Bin Tugiu and other Klang Municipal Councillors walked together with the participants for half of the 8km distance of the run.

Later, at the press conference, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid praised the crowd’s vibrant spirit and enthusiasm, saying that "It is truly valuable to have 6,000 people coming together early in the morning, getting excited about what they are doing and to share the same vision (for peace) with others. For our nation to develop, peace is the most essential ingredient. Peace allows people to have a sense of optimism for the future. Peace is a common vision that transcends all divides. I do not think that there is anybody who does not accept peace as part of their achievement. For a country that appreciates religions, peace is fundamental."

With regards to the efforts to spread a "culture of peace" at the community and grassroots level, the Menteri Besar said, "I really support this movement (for peace) and we should continue to generate the energy of our youth and the rest of the people to work towards this vision." The MB also supported a proposal to make the "Run for Peace" an event in the State calendar in the future.

The ‘Run for Peace’ is a biennial community peace activity initiated by the Youth Division of SGM Selangor with the aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle and spreading awareness about peace in the community. The inaugural run in 2005 attracted 1,500 participants. The figure doubled to 3,000 in 2007.

SGM Selangor Chairman, Mr Johnny Ng Teck Sim in his welcoming speech said that one of main objectives of the event was to create awareness on the importance of creating a culture of peace in society. He said that the creation of a culture of peace that respects the sanctity of life would help to end conflicts and violence which very often arise as a result of lack of respect for humanity. Ng quoted the words of Soka Gakkai International President, Dr Daisaku Ikeda, who said, "Peace is not something to be left to others in distant places. It is something we create day to day in our efforts to cultivate care and consideration for others, forging bonds of friendship and trust in our respective communities through our own actions and example. As we enhance our respect for the sanctity of life and human dignity through our daily behaviour and steady efforts towards, the foundations for a culture of peace will deepen and strengthen, allowing a new global civilization to blossom. When each person is aware and committed, we can prevent society from relapsing into the culture of war and foster and nurture energy toward the creation of a century of peace."

On that morning, a sea of peace lovers clad in bright green T-shirts showed their support and commitment towards creating a peaceful society by completing the 8 km run. No prizes were awarded for the "winners," but certificates of participation were presented to all who took part in the significant run.

Besides the run, the crowd was also entertained to a mini "Peace Festival Concert" performed by the SGM Selangor youth division. Participants also viewed an exhibition entitled "Building a Culture of Peace" produced by Soka Gakkai International, and a replica version of the exhibition which was previously shown in the UN Headquarters in New York.