Culture and Media

*“I’m doing it because I am convinced that this is the most wonderful demonstration in history since it is going to change the way we think about violence”*, according to Miguel Hirsch, who sets off this week to join the rest of the members of the international team of Marchers for peace and nonviolence who will travel for 90 days.

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”

“As educators we are convinced that the education gap our popular classes suffer at the cost of increasing armament spending ends up creating violent and unjust environments”, declared Ignacio Suñol, national Director of Fe y Alegría, a Bolivian popular education movement involved in non-violent activities in 470 educational units.

Noufou Tiendrebeogo, President of the Muslim Student’s Association AEEMB which includes more than 100,000 members, explained: “We are becoming a member of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence because the promotion of peace (the root of the word Islam) is the very essence of the Muslim religion and the sine qua non for development”.

So say “Grupo Cultural Aruko Wakía” from Costa Rica, a cultural group that seeks to transmit messages of universal convergence on diversity and tolerance among peoples through music. In their words: “to be a part of this world together with other creatures and peaceful beings and to fill this wonderful gift, our Planet Earth, with life”.

Spanish rocker Miguel Ríos played on 12 September in Alcorcón (Madrid), as part of his farewell tour “Memorias de la Carretera” (“Memoirs on the Road”). During the concert he encouraged those present to participate in the World March for Peace so that one day no human being will be struck down for any reason – “it’s a dream, but it will come true!”

The canine march “Pets for Peace and Nonviolence” took place last Sunday September 14 in the district of Baruta in Caracas, Venezuela, with the aim of denouncing violence suffered by human beings as well as the other living beings on the planet. The activity was supported by the town district, veterinarian groups and social organizations.

Poor families often want their children to work in order to earn money for the family. There are employers who like child labourers in the unskilled and semi-skilled sector as child labourers are cheap and work quickly. People in society from the top to the bottom are responsible for child labour, there must be a collective will power to stop child exploitation.

Last April, World March organizers and Meir Margalit, councilman of the Meretz´s political party, agreed to build in Jerusalem a square to celebrate the World March. In the center, a six meters “green dome” will protect from the sun and circular seats will allow the place to be a “meeting point”. The square will be located between a Jewish and an Arab neighborhoods.