Paris and its region celebrate the March

First screening in France of the documentary “The beginning of the end of nuclear weapons ”

February 16, in the framework of the 2nd World March for Peace and Nonviolence, took place in the 12th district of Paris the first screening in France of the documentary The beginning of the end of nuclear weapons, organized by the friends of Mundo sin Guerras y sin Violencia (ICAN partner) with the collaboration of 100 ECSE, a cultural institution of solidarity. The day after the ICAN forum, on February 14 and 15 in Paris, the documentary was followed by a debate that was attended by Rafael de la Rubia of the international team of the World March and Carlos Umaña of the international steering committee of the YO PUEDO. It was an opportunity to discuss issues of interest with an audience not necessarily expert in the subject.

Day of Actions for Nonviolence in Montreuil and Bagnolet

The following weekend was in Montreuil and Bagnolet where on Saturday, February 22, a whole Day of Actions for Nonviolence, organized at the initiative of François Dauplay of the musical collective Noue music. From 15 hours on Tofoletti Social and Cultural Center Bagnolet, organizing on this occasion the day of mother tongues under the sign of nonviolence, the public composed of adults and children, was hosted by an exhibition of educational panels on nonviolence facilitated by the MAN (Movement for a Nonviolent Alternative), and by association stands Soleil comorien y Culture solidarity. Adults and children were able to participate in various activities: painting workshops on caps with the option of writing the word PEACE in several languages, educational games in their mother tongue, and in another room, the projection of the short version of the documentary The beginning of the end of nuclear weapons.

After the official launch of the day by Alassane, the head of the center who introduced the different representatives of the groups involved, children and adults performed various original Comorian and Berber musical compositions, before all together singing the wonderful song composed by Simón, «Coza Zi Gi» that integrates multiple ways of greeting in several languages! Then the whole group went to another part of the neighborhood to the rhythm of percussion instruments and others, zigzagging between the buildings until they joined other neighbors who were members of the association. Les amis de l'école de la Noue on a walkway, thus symbolically linking the two parts of the neighborhood, straddling two municipalities. Then, little by little, small groups advanced along the JP.Timbaud esplanade to set up the peace symbol with almost 120 people and forcefully launch together the slogan «Montreuil and Bagnolet for Peace and Non-Violence! «A magical moment then followed: the children enthusiastically threw themselves into writing and drawing on the ground with chalk a lot of graffiti, multicolored messages of peace and non-violence in all languages.

The caravan came out again to go to the House of quarters 100 Hoche in Montreuil where an outdoor snack awaited participants; in the shared garden, Jean-Roch of the association «On seme tous» (We all sow) began digging the land to plant and water with the children a cherry tree of peace.

• Once inside, Martine Sicard of the 2MM international team made a presentation of the March and its journey to date, illustrated with images from several continents. And the time came when Noue music, the vocal and instrumental group formed by residents of the neighborhood, gave a warm and cheerful concert of songs from several countries, finally inviting the entire audience to dance ...

The day ended around a shared meal, it was a great success for all, rich in emotions and experiences, with the highlighting of many initiatives, a fantastic multicultural and intergenerational participation of more than 200 people, the result of a beautiful work in team among the different groups and neighborhood associations of the Montreuil la Noue neighborhood, Delpeche-Libération. All duly filmed and documented by Brigitte Cano de Pressenza , Stéphanie and Arthur of the collective Final Cut among others.

Requested for peace in the Trocadero Human Rights esplanade

Al día siguiente, el Sunday 23 in Paris, a symbolic act on the Trocadero Human Rights esplanade, in front of the Eiffel Tower, brought together the humanists and part of the public who joined to carry out a meditation-request in a circle, for peace and non-violence, after reading an inspiring poem by Nathalie S. that she read accompanied on guitar by Nadège, and then Martine S. said a few words about the meaning of this second march, recalling its main themes:

• The prohibition of nuclear weapons…”We are determined to prevent wars for future generations.".
• The refoundation of the United Nations, including in the Security Council, an Environmental Security Council and a Socioeconomic Security Council. «A United Nations Organization that defends all citizens of the planet«.
• The creation of conditions for a totally sustainable planet. «Earth is everyone's home
• No discrimination of any kind: sex, age, race, religion, economics, etc. «No human being above the other«.
• Nonviolence as a new culture and active nonviolence as a methodology of action «Nonviolence is the force that will transform the world«.

The lights that were turned on at the end showed the commitment of those present to continue acting and multiplying these actions in their environment ...

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Drafting: Martine Sicard (World without Wars and Violence)