North America

Pressenza announces Noam Chomsky, whom The New York Times Book Review has called “arguably the most important intellectual alive,” as a new featured columnist. In his inaugural article, the professor at the MIT and author of over a 100 books comments on the use of torture by the Bush administration to obtain evidence proving the connection between Al-Qaeda and Iraq within the greater historical context.

A joint American-Russian commission has concluded the proposed US missile defense system in Eastern Europe would be ineffective against the types of Iranian missiles it would purportedly aim to stop.

On May 15th, 15.000 youths walked in solidarity to express their civic involvement in the streets of Montreal, Canada. This event was organized by Club 2/3, the youth division of Oxfam Quebec. These young people walked in support of the populations in the poorest countries and of environmental issues. They are aware that individual and collective actions have a positive impact on their future and on future generations.

More than 2000 representatives of indigenous villages and communities from around the world are attending the Forum for Indigenous Affairs held at the U.N. headquarters in New York City.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, welcomed on Wednesday, Rafael de la Rubia, spokesperson for the World March for Peace and Nonviolence in a meeting focused on the upcoming OAS General Assembly , June 2-3 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

International spokesperson Rafael de la Rubia gathers support for the World March from Delegates and NGOs at the inaugural presentation of the march to the United Nations

A delegation of the World March for Peace at the United Nations joins NGO pressure for nuclear disarmament at NPT PrepCom

It has just been announced that “Silo: Sage of the Andes” was awarded a Special Jury Award at the Houston, Texas based, 42nd International WorldFest Film Festival.

Lawyer and human rights activist, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, was in Montreal at the Millennium summit on April 16 with others major players and key figures from government organizations, civil society, and leading international humanitarian organizations to raise awareness on the importance on sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. At the Summit, Dr. Ebadi proposed an International Convention to eradicate poverty.

President Obama’s decision to release the “torture memos” was a victory for
transparency; but his decision not to prosecute the agents who committed
torture is wrong, and betrays his own calls for accountability and moral
renewal.