Humanists and Peace Advocates Chat with the Founder and Lay the Groundwork for the 3rd WM in the Asia Pacific
Humanists from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines, and Australia including friends from the UK, France, and Italy, got together to have a virtual chat with Rafael de la Rubia, about the up and coming 3rd World March of Peace and Non-violence.
Officially presented at the Congress of Deputies of Spain in Madrid on 2 October 2023, International Day of Nonviolence, in the Ernest Lluch Hall, the 3rd World March is being planned to start on October 2, 2024 from Costa Rica, to travel around the world, and to end on January 5, 2025.
Rafael de la Rubia shared and updated the group about the developments thus far and the plans that are currently being made.
Planning meetings have already been held in different countries (Europe, America, and Africa) The first American planning meeting (real and virtual) of World without Wars and Violence to organize the 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence took place in San José, Costa Rica, on 18 and 19 November. Monthly meetings will then be held.
The European coordination meeting took place from 13 to 15 October 2023 in Spain, at the Park of Reflection and Studies in Toledo.
Martine Sicard did a first meeting with some Africans who come from 5 countries, with January 14 as the next meeting. The people she met with were happy and looking forward to doing the 3rd WM in Africa.
The key materials for the 3rd WM are a leaflet that contains important points, a logo, and the book on the 2nd World March which is now ready. The leaflet contains useful information about the initiatives and things learned from the first and second WM initiatives.
A Mega Marathon in Latin America
There are plans to do a mega marathon in Latin America to initiate the 3rd World March, covering 14,000 km from Mexico to Argentina. It is being planned to be done in bursts of 20 Km each, with professional and semi-professional runners, along the way connecting with other people who can join the WM, connecting with universities, schools, and exhibitions, and to be broadcasted by channels. While it will be done initially in America, if it turns out well, it can be replicated in other areas.
The World March from Japan
R. de la Rubia met a Japanese lady, Nasumi, last year in Austria. With her help, they are looking to do a march of athletes from Nagasaki as a trial first. Then, if successful, it can be done at a global level.
The Route
The World March will be 96 days. The plan is to allocate 20 days per continent. Starting in Costa Rica, it will go up to North America and New York. After which, the World March will spend 20 days each, going to Asia, then Europe. From Spain, it will traverse Africa and then go to South America… to end where it started, in Costa Rica, on January 5, 2025.
Why Costa Rica as the Starting Point of the 3rd World March of Peace and Non-violence
The plan is to start from the University of Peace, in Costa Rica, and travel to 50 different countries… a colorful march with flags and banners. It will then end again, in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose, in the Square of the Abolition of Armies.
The plan to start the 3rd WM from Costa Rica is because, after the Second World War, Costa Rica came into an agreement and dissolved their armies, no longer wanting to get involved in wars and armed conflicts. What Costa Rica did will be promoted as a good example, that demilitarizing is indeed possible.
Since now is the time to do all the planning and coordination necessary, regional meetings are needed, going forward. Then, a global coordination meeting in 3 to 6 months to include all the countries on the route.
The Interchange
After R. de la Rubia finished updating the group, a lively interchange of comments and suggestions ensued.
One of the things that kept coming out from the interchange was that they had wonderful experiences doing the 1st and/or the 2nd World March in their countries and this inspires them to welcome the 3rd World March in their countries.
Activities on non-violence were already currently being done with students. In Nepal, the team has contact with students from a ladies’ college, who, pre-march are interested in joining the WM. In Kerala, they had Zero Violence Mindset courses in colleges with good responses. In Mumbai, they got overwhelming responses from many students. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, they have also been working with university students.
The group proposed a meeting in January or February of 2024 with the students. The meeting can include students from other areas like Nepal, and connecting them with the international team will fire their enthusiasm.
They expressed the hope that the 3rd World March would include their countries in the route– Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh (where the team has decided they want the 3rd World March to go to Bangladesh and will make and present a plan). They also suggested that the World March for Peace and Non-violence go to the capital of the country, like Delhi, where the March will have more publicity and impact on politicians.
Finally, this lively online chat, being a take-off, other meetings (i.e.monthly) will be needed to coordinate with the countries. The next meeting to be set is in January 2024 In Khandroli Park (live and virtual) and an online meeting with Asia is being planned for February 2024 where more details can be firmed up (i.e where, when, entry) and be suggested to the WM Base Team.
Looking forward to the 3rd World March for Peace and Non-violence in the Asia Pacific.
