The monthly interchange among the 3rd World March organizing teams and supporters in the Asia-Pacific– India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Philippines, and friends from Australia and Europe– was held on July 14, 2024. 19-20 participants attended. Rafael de La Rubia, founder of World without Wars and Violence, promoter of the 1st, 2nd, and the upcoming 3rd World March for Peace and Nonviolence, and Antonio Carvallo, English translator, were on hand to share some of the latest developments worldwide. It was a lively affair. Activities being done and plans for the coming days were shared by the WM teams in Asia. Clarifications and timetables were discussed, taking into consideration local events like festivals scheduled in the coming months.
Here are some of the 19+ participants who joined the meeting and are actively involved in the ongoing activities and preparations for the 3rd World March.
Rukaiya from India welcomed everyone, set an agenda for details and plans for the World March base team’s visit to the Asian countries and, invited Mr. Rafael to lead the meeting.
Rafael de la Rubia commented and shared activities being done in other parts of the globe. With the recent attempted assassination of Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, sending shockwaves around the globe, the need to build awareness and inspire action to end all forms of violence becomes even more urgent. Violence and more violence is accelerating in the US and in many others parts of the world today. The message of peace and non-violence, and the need to help contribute towards a peaceful and non-violent world for everyone have become more meaningful and important for everyone living in the world today.
Here are some the latest updates and plans being made which he shared with the Asia-Pacific team:
> The Ethical Commitment earlier done by Salvatore Pulleda, now translated to 11 languages.
> In Florence, a common action to extend the Ethical Commitment together with a human peace symbol similar to what was done in Lucena, Quezon Province, Philippines during the first World March.
> Human choirs in Marseille or Paris.
> An image, a plan to climb the highest mountain (i.e. the Himalayas) and place the peace symbol there.
> From Pia Figueroa, co-Director of Pressenza, life-long humanist, author of several monographs and books, every resource of the Pressenza International Press Agency is being placed to support 3rd WMPN activities so the news can reach out internationally.
> In the US, Friends of the Earth, impressed, now wanting to collaborate, invited the WM to an international meeting and to send all the materials.
> In Korea, HWPL who worked with first and second World March, now offering support to the 3rd.
> La Onze, partners and supporters in Spain.
Friends and supporters in Asia were invited to participate virtually or personally during the start of the 3rd WM in Costa Rica on October 2, 2024. The base team is used to any accommodations, be it hotels or places with no mattresses. So the WM Base Team does not and will not get any funding from corporations or rich groups. This gives freedom to communicate what needs to shared.
On the route and days when the WM base team will move in the Asian countries, Nailesh from India and Tulsi from Nepal brought out that this period, one month of October until the 3rd of November, is a period of festivals in these countries. Schools, colleges, and other institutions will be closed. Tulsi said that for Nepal, they will organize activities with the main universities. They need to give a letter to the government authorities about the profile and number of the people in the base team who will be visiting. Rafael said information would be made available in a few days.
Through the discussions, it looks best for the base team to visit the different countries in this order :
Bangladesh 18 to 21st Oct
Nepal 23rd to 26th Oct
Pakistan 27th to 30th Oct
Sri Lanka 31st Oct to 3rd Nov
India 4th Nov to 8th Nov
Each country is working on the details of the program and will continue to share with the base team.
The thrust is to visit universities and have forums with students. Forums in South American universities, in Latin America, is being envisioned to start on the 5th of September. In November, the plan is to have forums in global universities such as in Costa Rica.
An open floor and updates followed.
India. Nailesh mentioned that one hour before the March begins, the team can interact with the students in India. Antonio can translate in the webinars for students that can proceed in 3 languages– English, Spanish, and Hindi– which is energizing for students. If the WM will be in India for three days, the WM base team can be divided and from a central point, the WM can reach other possibilities with the cities to be visited.
Nepal. Tulsi shared that contact and a proposal has been made with an umbrella university that has 18 universities. Holidays in Nepal are also scheduled in October so universities will also be closed. More details such as how many people in the base team will be coming to Nepal will firm things up.
Pakistan. In Lahore, the football festival and marathon in universities which has been started, will continue going forward. Seminars with the students will be organized. The government of Pakistan has sent a special invite to the base team.
Bangladesh. Signature collections in universities supporting the World March using the Ethical Commitment, seminars and cultural activities are being envisioned and organized.
Rounding up the interchange, activities for the 3rd World March has started three to four months back in India. The promotions team in Kerala and Mumbai has already started connecting with universities, connecting with the arts.
Byju and other members of the Kerala team highlighted the that there is a big momentum in the activities. A senior IAS chief secretary of Kerala has been the brand ambassador for the 3rd World March. While the World Base Team will be one day in Kerala, it is a continuous process for building a culture of non-violence and peace. Rukaiya mentioned that they have been working in the colleges of Mumbai universities for last two years. Antonio suggested to give this bulletin to Pressenza and be included in their communication.
Thanks to the idea of converging actions, part of the core base team can and will visit the Far East– Japan, Korea and the Philippines, where activities with some local Filipino NGOs are already being worked out. With the printing of the Ethical Commitment in European and African languages, an edition for Asia can be considered as America is having their own printing.
Rafa de la Rubia again invited WM organizers and friends from Asia to go to Costa Rica for the launch of the World March in October 2 or at the end. And, for some Asians to join the WM base team to give it an even more international stance. Nailesh said they would it work out. There is a possibility of one member from Kerala who intends to join the base team.
With all the plans and activities in motion, the 3rd World March for Peace and Non-violence–Asia-Pacific, is rolling along and moving forward. All thanks to the images and efforts being done in each country by committed WM teams. May peace and non-violence finally prevail in Asia and the world at large.