International

North Korea has called for talks on a treaty to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War with the US before a resumption of six party talks on its nuclear programme. An armistice ended three years of fighting, but a peace agreement was never concluded and the two sides are still technically at war. Pyongyang says it wants an end to US sanctions before denuclearisation talks resume.

Chilean Tomas Hirsch, reference for new humanism in Latin America, spoke in the closing event of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence celebrated on January 2, 2010. Hirsch took the opportunity giving testimony of his experience marching in Latin America and spoke about the growing consciousness there with inspiring images of the future activities of the Humanist Movement.

The UN opened the International Year of Biodiversity in Berlin today. The organisers say that human activity is leading to the increasing loss of an ever greater number of plants and animals. Eight years ago, agreements were made at a UN conference in Johannesburg on reducing the loss of biodiversity. It is clear that this year’s targets will not be met.

Almost 26 years after its founding, the International Humanist Party, which proclaims “active nonviolence” as its method of action, began a new phase with a global meeting. At the Park of Study and Reflection at Punta de Vacas members of Humanist Parties from all over the world converged. Exchanges were conducted and a short term plan was defined.

Today, a meeting was held by the Community for Human Development, an international humanist association that undertakes sociocultural activities, which through the new worldwide campaign ‘10,000 volunteers for active nonviolence’, intends to continue the activities initiated during the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

In a few hours the international team of the World March will finalize their journey, which started in New Zealand on October 2nd, and went all over the world asking for nuclear disarmement. Thousands of people, coming from the five continents are coming to the Park of Study and Reflection “Punta de Vacas”, located in the Andes, at the foot of Aconcagua.

After traveling 200 thousand kilometers, the international team of the World March arrived today, January 2, at the Park of Study and Reflection Punta de Vacas in Argentina. Close to 20,000 people heard the representatives of the World March from Chile, Argentina, India, Italy, the Philippines, Spain and England that circled the globe calling for nuclear disarmament.

At the foot of Mount Aconcagua on the border between Argentina and Chile, there was a diverse and multicultural New Year celebration. A greeting in 18 languages was led by Silo: “For us and for all human beings, let us anticipate the embrace of Peace, Force and Joy,” read the final sentence of the message. Attending the event were about 1500 people.

On Saturday, January 2nd a grand finale of the World March for Peace will take place. It will begin at 18 hours (Argentine time), with the testimonies from the international team that did the planetary march. There will be a direct transmission through the internet. The international media that can not be present at the Park will also be able to do internet interviews.

From the balcony, which historically presidents of Chile go out onto to greet the crowds that for one reason or another fill the Plaza de la Constitución to greet their president, President Michelle Bachelet, along with Rafael de la Rubia, international coordinator of the World March, Tomás Hirsch and Gloria Morrison, appeared with gestures of joy and affection.