About the World March:

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence

“So that the voices of millions who yearn for peace can be heard as they call for the end of war and all forms of violence.”

We call on individuals as well as organizations, institutions, collectives, groups, political parties, and businesses to join in and support this great World March for Peace and Non-Violence.

This is the first World March to circle the earth calling for the end of war and nuclear arms, and the elimination of violence of all kinds.

The intention of the March is to:

• Achieve the eradication of nuclear weapons; the progressive and proportional reduction of non-nuclear arms; the signing of non-aggression treaties among nations;  and the renunciation by governments of war as a way to resolve conflicts.
• Recognize and celebrate the best qualities of all the Earth’s diverse cultures and peoples.
• Merge the wills of people everywhere to end the scourge of war.
• Generate a worldwide social conscience that condemns all forms of violence (physical, psychological, racial, religious, economic, sexual), which is currently so widespread and accepted by societies everywhere

Why?

Because we can end world hunger with 10% of what is spent on arms. Imagine how life would be if 30-50% of the arms budget went toward improving people’s lives instead of being used for destruction.

Because eliminating wars and violence means leaving human pre-history behind and taking a giant step forward in the evolution of our species.

Because we are accompanied by the voices of so many war-torn generations that came before us. The echo of their voices still resounds throughout the world, wherever armed conflict leaves its sinister memorial to the dead, disappeared, disabled and displaced.

Because a “world without wars” is an image that opens the future and seeks to become reality in every corner of the planet, as violence gives way to dialog.

The moment has come for the voiceless to be heard! Out of agonizing and urgent need, millions of human beings are crying out for an end to wars and violence.

We can make that happen by uniting all the forces of pacifism and active non-violence worldwide.

When?

The World March will begin in New Zealand on October 2, 2009, the anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, declared the “International Day of Non-Violence” by the United Nations. It will conclude in the Andes Mountains (Punta de Vacas, Aconcagua, Argentina) on January 2, 2010.

The March will last 90 days, three long months of travel. It will pass through all climates and seasons, from the hot summer of the tropics and the deserts, to the winter of Siberia.

Who is participating?

The March was initiated by “World Without Wars,” an international organization that has been working for 15 years in the fields of pacifism and non-violence.

The World March, however, will be created and shaped by everyone. Open to any person, organization, collective, group, political party, business, etc., that shares the same aspirations and sensibility, this project is not something closed. Instead, it is a journey that will be progressively enriched as different initiatives set their contributions in motion.

That is why this is an invitation to anyone and everyone to participate freely. So that wherever the March goes, the local people can contribute their creativity in a great convergence of multiple activities. There’s space for everything the imagination is capable of conceiving.

The possible channels of participation are multiple and diverse, including virtual participation in the March through Internet.

This is a march by and for the people, with hopes of reaching most of the world’s population. For this reason we are asking all media to spread the word about this journey around the world for Peace and Non-violence.

What is going to happen?

In every city the March visits, local individuals and groups will organize forums, meetings, festivals, conferences, and events (sports, cultural, social, musical, artistic, educational, etc.), depending on their own creative initiative.

At this time hundreds of projects have already been set in motion by different individuals and organizations.

What are our goals and objectives?

To denounce the dangerous world situation that is leading us closer and closer to nuclear war, which would be the greatest catastrophe in human history – a dead end.

To give a voice to the majority of world citizens who want peace. Although the majority of the human race opposes the arms race, we are not sending out a unified signal. Instead we are letting ourselves be manipulated by a powerful minority and suffering the consequences. The time has come to stand together and show our opposition.

Join a multitude of others in sending a clear signal, and your voice will have to be heard!

To achieve the eradication of nuclear weapons; the progressive and proportional reduction of non-nuclear arms; the signing of non-aggression treaties among nations;  and the renunciation by governments of war as a way to resolve conflicts.

To expose the many other forms of violence (economic, racial, sexual, religious…) that are currently hidden or disguised by their perpetrators; and to provide a way for all who suffer such violence to be heard.

To create global awareness - as has already happened with environmental issues - of the urgent need to condemn of all forms of violence and bring about real Peace.

The World March in Numbers:

Continents: 6

Countries: 90

Distance:
99,419 miles (160,000 kilometers)

Duration: 90 days

Transportation:
40 train trips (including the Trans Siberian)
100 trips by land (four-wheel-drive, bus, car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.), including the segments from Paris to Dakar and from North to South America through the Andes Mountains
14 trips by air
25 trips by sea (ship, barge, canoe, etc.)

Climates:

The March will pass through all climates, from mild and temperate – crossing through Mediterranean, continental, tropical, and desert zones – to polar. From the Siberian Steppes, through the Sahara desert and the Atacama Desert (the driest in the world), to Antarctica.

Seasons:
In 90 days the March will pass twice through all 4 seasons of the year

Altitude:
During the journey the March will climb to altitudes of more than 16,400 feet (5,000 meters)

Permanent team: 50 members 

Border crossings: 160

Co-organizing institutions: 500

Collaborating and supporting institutions: 3,000

Visits with governments and political representatives: 100

Spiritual centers: 25

Participants in the tour: 1 million

Virtual participants: 10 million