From 15:00hrs until 23:00hrs on 2 October, around 1,500 people livened up the Plaza de la Democracia in Asunción, Paraguay. They had gathered for two reasons: to celebrate the beginning of the World March for Peace and Non Violence and to commemorate International Day of Non Violence.
Early in the afternoon, students from six colleges played chess on 112 tables placed in an area of the square, while around 200 young people formed a queue waiting their turn to have a game. Mirko Rojas, from the humanist organization HUMARANDU, spoke of the magic that chess produces, creating links between people: “it was wonderful to see how people walking along the street were attracted and came to join in to contribute to this request for peace”, he said.
As night fell, the historic buildings surrounding the square lit up creating a fabulous scene for the different forms of artistic expression taking place. On a stage, numbers of street theatre alternated with rock bands and audiovisual shorts showed images of the anti-war activism in different parts of the world.
At the height of the event, Augusto Ferreira, spokesperson for humanism in Paraguay, explained the meaning of this festival which, as well as 300 others taking place in different cities around the world, represents the beginning of the World March for Peace and Non Violence, whose epicentre is today in Wellington, New Zealand, from where the Base Team that will travel the world requesting nuclear disarmament has set out. He spoke of the importance of 2 October, declared International Day of Non Violence by the UN in commemoration of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, and closed his speech with a greeting to the public to whom he emotionally wished “Peace, Force and Joy”.
*(Translation provided by Rhona Desmond)*
