Europe

US President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday less than a year after he took office with the jury hailing his “extraordinary” diplomatic efforts on the international stage. The President said he was “both surprised and humbled” by the Nobel Committee’s decision. The decision is seen as an encouregement towards peace efforts in his nine months office.

A report produced by the humanitarian organizations Amnesty International, Oxfam, Greenpeace and Fundació per la Pau (Foundation for Peace) reveals that Spain is currently the sixth largest arms exporter, after the United States, Russia, Germany, France and England. According to the report, in 2008 Spain made 934 million Euros worth of defense material transactions.

Gaza children’s artwork, is an exhibition of paintings and drawings done by children in Gaza following the Israeli 22 day assault earlier this year. As a result, over 300 children were killed, many more injured, 1,400 children orphaned of at least one parent, 30 percent of children suffer serious mental health problems and all the children are traumatised.

The bagpipes (la gaita) will leave the Galician region of Fisterra, and accompany the Base Team travelling through the towns and cities of Galicia and Portugal. It will go from Madrid to Punta de Vacas, Argentina. In each location a bagpipe player will sound it in homage to all emigrants, a Galician song to diversity, solidarity among peoples, to Peace and to Non-Violence.

A Press conference was held at 11 am at the Culture House with the participation of several organizations, singers, actors, and public figures who have endorsed the march in Sweden. Afterward, participants played music, gave speeches and formed a symbol of nonviolence with lighted candles in Norrmalmstorg Park, chanting together in concert with the wind: “World Without War”.

Brussels, capital of Europe, is mainly known for hosting many international decision-makers, who, as of late, receive strong protests. An Emotional commemoration at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, initiated with the Embassy of India, was held in Brussels, Friday morning October 2, followed by the launching of the World March.

Thousands of people all over the world celebrated the beginning of the World March for Peace and Non-violence. In Spain, there were celebrations in thirty cities and numerous other districts. Everyone shared the emotion of the Base Team which left New Zealand to begin the long road to Argentina which will take them through more than a hundred countries in three months.

“Imagine all the people living life in peace…” John Lennon’s lyrics for “Imagine” ring out in Milan’s Plaza of the Cathedral, during a giant karaoke session in which all of the local citizens concerned about issues of disarmament and peaceful coexistence had wanted to celebrate the beginning of the first historic World March for Peace and Nonviolence (download video).

As of October 1st 2009 Mayors for Peace counts 3,147 member cities and municipalities in 134 countries and regions. During September 43 new members joined the movement of local authorities demanding the elimination of all nuclear weapons by 2020. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard from Mexico City is one of the new members welcomed during a special ceremony last September 10th.

José Manuel Muñoz Felipe, coordinator of the World Peace March for Spain, closed the First Conference on eJustice with an exposition on law, power and human rights. The physical event took place simultaneously in Trujillo, Spain and Mexico City, Mexico, with nearly 2000 people in 25 countries participating via internet.