October 2, 2009 the anniversary of Gandhi’s birth has been declared the “
International Day of Nonviolence” by the United Nations and it is also the day for the start of the
World March for Peace and Nonviolence This march, as it circles the world, is calling for the end of war, nuclear weapons and the elimination of all violence (physical, economic, racial, religious, cultural, sexual and psychological).
The World March for Peace and Nonviolence will be starting in New Zealand on Friday at 9.30 am on October 2, 2009 from the Gandhi statue, at the Wellington Central Railway Station, Wellington. The march will continue on through 90 countries, over all 6 continents ending on Janurary 2nd, 2010 at the foot of Mount Aconcagua in the Andes Mountains (Punta de Vacas, Argentina). The marchers will be joined along the way by others who stand for peace and nonviolence, and are trying to create a better world for us all. The cities that the march passes through will be holding many different events such as marches, forums, conferences and sporting, cultural, and social events all related to Peace and Nonviolence.
Some of the Proposals of the World March are: “nuclear disarmament at a global level,” “the signing of non-aggression treaties between countries,” and “the progressive and proportional reduction of conventional weapons.” These have been created in the hope that they will inspire and create a consciousness for peace and disarmament.
If you would like to follow the march there is a map on the
World March for Peace and Nonviolence webpage. To see more information on the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, check out these two webpages,
March for Peace and Nonviolence and
March for Peace and Nonviolence-New Zealand.
If you are interested in learning more about
Gandhi, the
peace and non-violence movement, and
nuclear disarmament, be sure to check out the resources available in Snell. And you may also be interested in our upcoming
talk on Bertrand Russell, another philosopher and peace activist, on October 28.