Pressenza IPA

Montserrat Ponsa, member of the base team, has begun the World March in her hometown, L’Ametlla del Vallès (Barcelona), before leaving for New Zealand. Journalist and the only Catalan who will complete the entire route, she was accompanied in her personal first steps of the March by her neighbors, local and regional politicians, and representatives of various organizations.

Through the initiative of the Governor of the State of Miranda, Venezuela, a wood was planted to mark the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. This initiative took place on the 21st of September and children and adults took part in the planting, representing different sectors of society, in a simple and moving action.

The Indigenous Peoples of Argentina have publicly expressed their support for the new Audiovisual Communication Services Law. The new legal framework recognizes their right to establish themselves as communication service providers and has as one of its objectives “the preservation and promotion of the identity and cultural values of the indigenous peoples.”

After having participated in the Right to Food forum in Mexico, Olivier De Schutter, argued that “taxing food doesn’t seem to be a solution for combating the economic crisis”. He also said that “35 percent of the world’s children who die each year –equivalent to about 6.5 million – die as a result of malnutrition or related causes.”

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!”