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The World March for Peace and Nonviolence, which involves 50 marchers and the support of dozens of peace organizations including some two dozen Nobel laureates, will be coming to the United States Nov. 3, arriving in New York before moving on to Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
The march began in New Zealand Oct. 2, the anniversary of Gandhi’s birth and will conclude in the Andes Mountains (Punta de Vacas, Aconcagua, Argentina) on Jan. 2.
It has just left Berlin, where its activities coincided with the anniversary of the fall of the Wall. Having crossed Oceania, Asia, the Middle East, northern Europe and the Balkans, the march arrived in Italy today.
Why the World March? As its sponsors affirm:
- Because we can end world hunger with 10 percent of what is spent on arms. Imagine how life would be if 30-50 percent of the arms budget went toward improving people’s lives instead of being used for destruction.
- Because eliminating wars and violence means leaving human pre-history behind and taking a giant step forward in the evolution of our species.
- Because in this aspiration we are accompanied by the strength of the voices of hundreds of prior generations who suffered the consequences of war, and whose echo continues to be heard today in all those places where it continues to leave its sinister trail of dead, disappeared, disabled, refugees and displaced.
The World March has as its aim the increase of global awareness and a strengthening of solidarity of peace and nonviolent-minded persons.
March organizers advocate:
- nuclear disarmament at a global level;
- the immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories;
- the progressive and proportional reduction of conventional weapons;
- the signing of non-aggression treaties between countries;
- the renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts.
Dennis Redmond is the chair of the U.S. World March activities. If you want to participate or help organize U.S. activities, there is still time to contact him .
