Culture and Media

On October 19th, 20th, and 21st, humanist workers from the COHUB association (Cercle des Ouvriers Humanistes) in Benin participated in the 2009 Civil Society Days (JOSC), where they won the Achievement Prize for their presentation and campaign implemented within the framework of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

Senator Miriam Gallardo, together with the organization World Without Wars in Mendoza, promoted a multimedia experience for the nonviolent cause. It will take place between November 2 and January 1 and will reflect, in works from youth and children’s groups, representations of the kind of world in which they would like to live.

Klaus Wowereit has been honoured with the Principe de Asturias a la Concordia Award, 2009, before an audience at the Teatro Campoamor di Oviedo (Spain), for transforming the capital of Nazi Germany in World War II into the modern, open and tolerant city of today which, amongst other things, will host the Summit of the Nobel Peace Prize.

During a demonstration over the deaths of five people, following a clash with the police, over which the shadow of property speculation looms, marchers intervened in support of the relatives of the victims, who had been surrounded by police. The solidarity the group showed towards them and the words of a Zen monk to the police resolved the situation.

Twenty members of the World March Base Team were received by the Director of the Gorbachev Foundation in Moscow to whom Rafael de la Rubia handed the Manifesto for Peace and Nonviolence. The march spokesperson talked about the importance of the Base Team’s presence in Moscow, where he himself founded the association “World without Wars” in 1994.

Thanks to the mediation work of Luisa Morgantini, a number of popular Palestinian associations, which had been opposed to the event in celebration of the World March at Wallaje, in Palestinian territory, to which Israeli representatives were invited, opened a dialogue with – and their own homes to – the March delegation, recognising its role as an ambassador of peace.

After several years’ absence, the Belgian anthropologist, Pat Patfoort, an international mediator in the field of the transformation and nonviolent management of conflict, returned to Milan to present her method at the conference, “Building Nonviolence: training in peace and the nonviolent resolution of conflicts,” and the seminar, “Defending oneself without attacking.”

Lanin Volcano is situated in south east Neuquén province in Argentina. Two mountaineers, Siloman Toledo and Cecilia Ulloa, reached its summit at 3776m, where they unfurled the World March for Peace and Non-Violence flag. According to the two adventurers, “we hope that this experience is inspiring and that we manage to raise awareness in society”.

The project is the result of a partnership among several internationally known organizations working in Brazil, including institutions such as the International University for Peace (UNIPAZ), Afro Reggae, and UNESCO, among others. The program aims to train people who are engaged in areas such as education for peace, citizenship campaigns, conflict mediation, and human rights.

The foundation Journalists for Peace (FUPERPAZ), along with various youth groups, organized the event “Over a Thousand Candles for Peace”, which was developed to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence. More than 100 people participated in this act, which also initiated the World March for Peace and Nonviolence in the city of Ibague, Colombia.