International

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.

After Manuel Zelaya took refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Honduras, the de facto government unleashed a strong chain of increasingly violent actions. With tear gas and mustard gas, they leveled homes and offices of social organizations illegally arresting people. Meanwhile demonstrations of people mounted throughout countries in Latin America denouncing the violence.

In this article, the author analyses some of the factors that establish the “Bolivian Process”, led by President Evo Morales, as a peaceful, non-violent humanist process. A new revolutionary constitution that extends rights to more Bolivian citizens at home and abroad and Morales’ response to conflictive situation corroborate this assessment.

The mega-concert featured the Columbian star Juanes, the Puerto Rican Olga Tañon and Miguel Bosé from Spain. It was a historic Sunday in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución, with more than a million people singing together for peace, love and the brotherhood of all peoples. The objective of the event was to promote peace in the world.

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.”

Through a public declaration broadcast through TV to the Ecuadorian people, President Rafael Correa let his endorsement and support be known for this planetary mobilisation for Peace that will arrive in Ecuador on the 18th of December and whose international delegation will be received in Plaza Grande, “heart of Quito” and witness to the great milestones in Ecuadorian history.

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.