International

Invited by the Danish section of the international organisation “Peace Alliance” to a conference on Peace in Copenhagen, representatives of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence acknowledged and supported the creation of a Ministry for Peace such as already exist in Costa Rica, Nepal and the Solomon Islands.

The Pre-parliament of the World’s Religions was held on October 22nd and 23rd in Guadalajara, Mexico with the theme “Hope: Opportunities for Religious and Spiritual Pluralism.” Representatives from all manner of religious denominations exchanged ideas. The World March for Peace and Nonviolence was present on the scene.

October 27, before departing for a European tour, singer-composer Gilberto Gil announces his support endorsing The World March for Peace and Nonviolence on its international campaign for peace and disarmament. The former Minister of Culture declares: “Peace is a daily task of construction, laying the foundation brick by brick, maybe one day it will start growing…”

War correspondent Hernán Zin, echoing the words of Gervasio Sánchez on receiving the Ortega y Gasset award, in this article condemns the military agreement to be signed by the Governments of Israel and Spain that suggests the implicit support of an occupational army (that of Israel) and a betrayal of leftist ideals by Zapatero’s Government.

The new conservative-liberal coalition government wants the United States to withdraw all nuclear weapons still deployed in Germany despite the fall of the Berlin Wall, end of the cold war and re-unification twenty years ago.
Observers said that Merkel would take up the issue when she travels to Washington to address the U.S. Congress on November 3.

In Stockholm, for the third time on its journey, the delegates of the World March have been welcomed by members of a National Parliament. Per Bolund, member of the Green Party, declared *“by passing through Sweden the World March has given us the real push to work on the theme of peace and nonviolence in our Parliament”*.

A team of 15 mountaineers, who had to cope with harsh climatic conditions, managed to plant the flag of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence on Eagle’s Peak, which is the second summit of the volcano Nevado de Toluca in Mexico. The volcano is a popular reference for many legends and is a sacred place for the native peoples of the area.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen received a delegation of the World March for Peace and Non-Violence that had recently arrived from Estonia in the official presidential residence in Helsinki. Halonen expressed her public support for the March, saying, “The government of Finland supports the total elimination of nuclear arms”.

Rodrigo Carazo Odio, the former president of Costa Rica and founder of the Universidad de la Paz (University for Peace), dedicated to the instruction of professionals and academics in global peace policies and strategies, endorses the *Charter for a World without Violence* drafted by the Nobel Peace Laureates.
Costa Rica, has not had an army since 1948.

Today in Istanbul, the fifth largest city in the World and the only city to span two continents, an encounter full of meaning took place at the Bosphorus Bridge: the point where Asia meets Europe. In the Historic city and centre of Turkish culture, the World March for Peace and Nonviolence Middle East Team met the South East Europe team to hand over the metaphorical baton.