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Nobel Peace Laureates, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and youth representatives, gathered in Berlin on 10-11 November having considered the historical implications of the fall of the Berlin Wall and global developments during the 20 years since then, call on the international community to break down the national, international, personal and institutional walls

I had the honor to participate in the X Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Berlin 10-11 November. The Summit, entitled “Breaking down new walls and building bridges to ensure a World of Human Rights and a World without violence” brought together Nobel laureates who have made a significant contribution in breaking down the walls of conflict, poverty and human rights violations.

International music legend Annie Lennox will be presented with the Woman of Peace Award by former Soviet President and 1990 Nobel Peace Laureate Mikhail Gorbachev at the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates meeting in Berlin Nov.10 and 11. Lennox was chosen by 22 Nobel Peace Laureates for her work in raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS impact on women and children.

The World March Promoting Team in Ireland, from Kilkenny, Dublin, Cork, and Shannonwatch, a group of human rights and peace activists from the West of Ireland came together on Sunday the 8th of November to march for peace and nonviolence, which coincided with the regular every-second-Sunday-of-the-months Shannowatch vigil.

Activists from all over the world participated in Climate Action Day events that ranged from a human sun symbol to a show of flags from mountaintops. They called for an exigent, fair, and binding agreement based on the most recent scientific data that would be enforced rigorously enough to meet the target of an atmospheric CO2 level of 350 ppm.

(PL) Some 110 candidates for mayor and 55 candidates for congress will withdraw from elections set for next November 29 in Honduras as a protest against the military coup, announced one of the withdrawing candidates today. A candidate for the legislature until today, Alfredo Montalbán explained that the decision was adopted by candidates opposed to last June’s coup d’etat.

Human rights and youth organizations, among them the Youth Network of Medellín (RJ) and the Foundation for Journalists for Peace (FUPERPAZ), are taking actions to highlight the role played by all of the conscientious objectors to the obligatory military service in Colombia. As such, they are trying to confront the militarization and violence that youth suffer in that country.

The artists will cover a 1,000 meter long wall, located in Santiago de Chile, with graphics on the themes of peace, nonviolence, and nuclear disarmament. Something never seen before!… The current Guinness record, set in 2007 for a 700 meter long wall created in Spain, is not even remotely the principal motivation for the participants, but it will be broken.

Yesterday, November 11, a celebratory and colourful parade made its way through Florence together with the marchers for Peace and Nonviolence. At least 5000 people from all over Tuscany snaked through the streets of the centre of Florence to accompany the marchers, who were making a stop in the Tuscan regional capital.

“Thank you very much. May God bless you all.” These were the words of Benedict XVI as he received the gift delivered to him by the delegation of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, which, having left Wellington in New Zealand on October 2, with numerous legs in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, arrived at Vatican City to be received by the Pope.