Pressenza IPA

Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton have joined hundreds of other prominent voices around the globe in support of the forthcoming World March for Peace and Nonviolence, a symbolic international event in favour of nuclear disarmament and peaceful conflict resolution. “It is surprising how many people now believe that armed intervention is the best solution”

Only hours after President´s Obama policy change to abandon the missile defence shield, iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said to NBC News´Ann Curry that Iran has no need for nuclear weapons. Three times in the interview, Curry asked Ahmadinejad if there were conditions that could push Iran to have a bomb, saying that there was no need for such weapons.

Barack Obama has abandoned the controversial Pentagon plan to build a missile defence system in Europe. The plan had long tensed the relations with Russia. It also represents an stategic shift to not threaten Iran but to go to the negotiations table instead. “Europe for Peace” and the Czech Nonviolent activism against the missile defence shield helped to get to this decision.

Leading the fight for human rights, Councillor Ítalo Cardoso (PT-SP) declares allegiance to the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. “In my capacity as vice-president of the Human Rights Commission, Chamber of São Paulo, I was among the first to support the March, which I hope, wherever it passes through, finds people from all nations striving for peace and freedom”.

So say “Grupo Cultural Aruko Wakía” from Costa Rica, a cultural group that seeks to transmit messages of universal convergence on diversity and tolerance among peoples through music. In their words: “to be a part of this world together with other creatures and peaceful beings and to fill this wonderful gift, our Planet Earth, with life”.

Spanish rocker Miguel Ríos played on 12 September in Alcorcón (Madrid), as part of his farewell tour “Memorias de la Carretera” (“Memoirs on the Road”). During the concert he encouraged those present to participate in the World March for Peace so that one day no human being will be struck down for any reason – “it’s a dream, but it will come true!”

Last April, World March organizers and Meir Margalit, councilman of the Meretz´s political party, agreed to build in Jerusalem a square to celebrate the World March. In the center, a six meters “green dome” will protect from the sun and circular seats will allow the place to be a “meeting point”. The square will be located between a Jewish and an Arab neighborhoods.

The WM spokesperson in Europe, Giorgio Schultze had a meeting with the “Nobel Peace Laureates”. The group will receive the World March Base Team in Berlin during the Summit that will take place on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. On this occasion, Silo has been invited to speak about the subject of “peace and nonviolence in the present moment”.

South American countries spent more than US$51billion dollars in defense in 2008, almost 30% more than last year, according to a study carried out by the Centro de Estudios Unión para la Nueva Mayoría. Military investment is to increase further following a recent military purchase and technology sharing agreement between France and Brazil.

Labour MP Martijn van Dam responded to remarks by US President Barack Obama that the number of nuclear arms in the world should be reduced. Two months ago the president signed an agreement with his Russian counterpart, Dmitri Medvedev, to work towards nuclear arms reduction. The governing Labour party thinks that the Netherlands can remove its nuclear devices from Dutch soil.