The II Mediterranean Forum for Peace and Nonviolence was held in Malaga on 22 and 23 June. This event was a unique opportunity for individuals, organisations and movements committed to building a more just and non-violent society.
The Forum, an initiative of the Association “World without Wars and Violence”, focused on active nonviolence, a philosophy and practice that seeks to transform conflicts without resorting to violence, promoting dialogue, empathy and mutual understanding.
It consisted of several thematic tables that explored the possibilities of nonviolence in different social areas, from education and culture to politics and economics.
The event also supported and promoted the 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence, a global initiative that will travel through different countries with a message of peace and solidarity, starting in San José, Costa Rica, on 2 October and ending in the same place on 5 January 2025. It will pass through Malaga around mid-November 2024, creating a direct link between the Forum and this important international mobilisation.
The 2nd Mediterranean Forum for Peace and Nonviolence, held at the Malaga Volunteer Platform, was a call to action, an invitation to be part of a movement that seeks to transform reality through nonviolence.
The theme was “The Power of the Human Being”.
The programme began with a plenary session in which the leaders of the thematic tables presented the interest and work of each theme.
Victoria Barceló began with the “Methodology of Active Nonviolence and the Golden Rule of Coexistence”, Philippe Moal spoke about the “Observatory of Nonviolence”, María José Gallardo spoke about the “Panorama of Emigration in the 21st Century” and Lorenzo Rodríguez spoke about “The Power of the Human Being”.
Lorenzo Rodríguez presented the “Parliament of Religions for Peace”, Marta Peluso spoke about “Older People, Conflicts and Alternatives” and finally Hugo Rodríguez Ghiara spoke about the project “Communication, Fake New, IA”.
The following day, the General Coordinator of the 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence, Rafael de la Rubia, spoke about the experience of the creation of this project and the need to open up to the participation of the whole of society in order to promote this 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence.
The forum included inspiring musical performances by Gabriel Yon, Toba and Eli Anai, as well as a performance by Scottish bagpipers, which captured the imagination of the 3rd World March.
In the coming weeks, the results of the work and the proposals derived from it will be published, but I can only say that the quality of the work and the possibilities it opened up for the participants were impressive.
All the images have been used to launch a III Forum next year, which will continue these themes and open up the possibility of new areas.
In the following video you can see some pictures of the II Mediterranean Forum for Peace and Nonviolence “The FORCE of the Human”.