But just falling in love is not enough. For peace to ensue, a call is urgently needed.
To call for an end to all wars and all forms of violence, the first World March for Peace and Non-violence took place on October 2, 2009, and crossed six continents, bringing together the voices of millions of people, of diverse groups, of different races and nationalities, who marched together in 90 countries, all in concerted unison.
Dreams. A teaser for the World March which aired on TV, to express that it’s time to make a call for peace. Video credits: Boldy Tapales, director, Mark Bambico, animator.
As Rafael de la Rubia, of World without Wars, who spearheaded this global initiative, stated, “We are going to walk and walk and walk until things change. We are convinced that the future of humanity is a world without wars…and without violence.” –Taguig City University, Metro Manila, October 7, 2009
And yes, the World March for Peace and Non-violence continued. With a 2nd World March held ten years later in 2019.
And the 3rd World March is in progress, scheduled to begin next year, in 2024.
Last 24th of March, 2023, in the Casa Museo Casares Quiroga, the association Mundo Sen Guerras e Sen Violencia A Coruña, kicked off the 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence with Rafael de la Rubia, world coordinator of the project.
“In 2009 we didn’t think that in Europe we were going to be at war. I never thought it would take on these dimensions. Now to question whether or not we send tanks to Ukraine already puts you on Putin’s side. The world has become polarised, you are for one or the other. We are against all wars”, said Rafael de la Rubia.
The Third World March for Peace and Nonviolence will begin in 2024 and will start in Costa Rica, a country that embraced nonviolence by dispensing with the army. It will come at a paradigmatic moment in the history of nonviolence at a global level and especially at a European level. After explaining the beginnings of the project, Rafael de la Rubia expressed the enthusiasm that it had generated in unexpected places until it became an unstoppable wave that united completely different people in a basic idea for human beings: the value of life. (https://www.pressenza.com/2023/03/rafael-de-la-rubia-presents-the-3rd-world-march-for-peace-and-nonviolence-something-must-be-done-for-humanity)
Hearing about this, here on the other side of the world, a rush of unforgettable memories and positive emotions arose. The Philippines was the third country on the planned route of the First World March. It was the opportunity to be part of a global initiative grounded on a deeply cherished aspiration and hope for a better, humane world. To help make a difference was deeply inspiring and moved us, Filipino humanists and other like-minded groups, to do all we could in the two years we had to prepare for the coming of the World March Base Team to our shores.
A soft launching together with other like-minded groups in the Bantayog ng Mga Bayani Park. Dinners and talks with different groups. Open forums in universities. Getting well-known personalities, social and political figures, to endorse the World March and its 5 demands. Getting the House of Representatives to declare the week of October 2 to 8, 2009 as the “WEEK OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE”.
After planning out and preparing for the scheduled events, the March took off. With the arrival of the World March base team, the base team was welcomed by the Mayor of Manila in the opening ceremonies, and culminated in events that reached out to give our message to our public, especially to the youth.
When the first World March for Peace and Non-violence was launched, the vision was:
“Times of renewal are coming in which human beings will once more circle the planet Earth. Not in order to satisfy their hunger, or to enslave or steal from others, but rather to extend a hand in recognition of their brothers and sisters, to reconcile, to collaborate, to build foundations of a new culture, a new civilization… to decisively build a Universal Human Nation.”
Then, human beings decided to stand tall and become protagonists of history, coming from different races, beliefs, and generations for the first time in a common endeavor. Everything started with a great March that went around the world that moved the human consciousness and the human heart.”
— Excerpt from the book, The World March of Peace and Non-violence
Looking back, revisiting the first World March, it was indeed a global phenomenon, the first ever of its kind. Since then, more and more groups have been working hard to address the issues that affect peace on the planet, i.e. with more countries who may have signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
But given the dangerous world situation with growing conflicts, a lot more needs to be done.
Eradicating nuclear arms at a global level.
Withdrawing invading troops from occupied territories.
Reducing conventional weapons.
Signing non-aggression treaties between countries.
Eliminating the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts.
These are needed in order for peace to prevail. And, raising awareness that only through peace and non-violence will we be able to open the future for humankind, is crucially needed to help make all this a reality. Revisiting all this calls to mind why a March like this continues.
Who would not yearn and wish for an end to all wars, all conflicts, and an end to all the violence, pain, and suffering we continue to see around us?
When we fall in love with the word peace, we also yearn for peace to grow and emanate from inside of us. For inner peace to grow, peace needs to prevail around us too, in the world, on the planet, where we all live.
For More Information and Videos About the World March for Peace and Non-violence:
https://www.youtube.com/@wmbaseteam/channels
Links to First World March Events in the Philippines:
Welcome to Manila: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi7pBu32e48
World March Soft Launching Philippines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8U-PeGRMl0
World March in Taguig University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpJWw9-tzmQ&list=PLdd6KxDbh98EC5mvb9kF18NM8e0cNAd2d&index=131
World March at Manila University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovl7AynWDNs
World March in Lucena: The biggest human peace sign in the world in Lucena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOhRQanuKHo