The World March for Peace and Non-Violence base team was festively greeted by local organising teams at the Barcelona airport. Afterwards, a delegation made up of Rafael de la Rubia, International March Coordinator, Alexander Mora, member of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, and Montserrat Ponsa, from the Culture and Peace Foundation and the only Catalan that is doing the entire world tour, visited four institutions according to a tight schedule. They were accompanied by the spokespersons of the March for Catalonia, Carles Martin, and for Spain, Pau Segado.
They were welcomed to City Hall by Barcelona’s Commissioner for Cooperation and Peace, Manel Vila, in the Consular Hall of the Sea. Later, in the Generalitat Palace, headquarters of the autonomous government, they spoke with the Assistant Secretary General to the Presidency, Jordi Menéndez, and with the Director of the Office for the Promotion of Peace and Human Rights, Xavier Badia.
Next, they went to the seat of the Parliament of Catalonia where, after greeting its President, Ernest Benach, they held a meeting with four representatives of different political forces, all of whom are members of the Parliamentary Commission for Cooperation and Solidarity.
In all of these receptions, documents regarding the March were offered and Catalonia’s and particularly Barcelona’s dedication to promoting peace and disarmament was observed.
Furthermore, conversations began during these visits regarding holding a Forum for Disarmament in the Mediterranean next year in the Catalan capital.
*(Translation from spanish provided by Jaimie Boyd Guevara).*
