The 3rd World March was presented in Costa Rica

• This Third World March will leave Costa Rica on October 2, 2024 and will return to Costa Rica after traveling the Planet, on January 5, 2025.
• During the conference, a virtual connection was made with the Spanish Congress where a similar activity to present the March was taking place simultaneously.

By: Giovanny Blanco Mata. World without Wars and without Violence Costa Rica

From the international humanist organization, World without Wars and without Violence, we make the official announcement of the route, logo and objectives of the third World March for Peace and Nonviolence, this October 2, exactly one year after its departure. from Costa Rica, in the Barva Room of the Legislative Assembly.

At the event, the Congresses of Costa Rica and Spain, giving a symbolic image of the transfer of the headquarters of the World March, from Spain to Costa Rica. Let us remember that the Second World March that took place in 2019, started and ended in Madrid.

The participations during the conference by the Director of the Department of Citizen Participation, Juan Carlos Chavarría Herrera, the Vice Mayor of the canton of Montes de Oca, José Rafael Quesada Jiménez, and the representatives of the University for Peace, Juan José Vásquez and the State Distance University, Celina García Vega, reinforced the commitment and will of each Institution, to continue working together, in the necessary organization, in the face of the challenges, challenges and possibilities, that this Third World March for Peace presents to us. and Nonviolence (3MM).

Hearing so much support for the cause that brings us together, on this special day, commemorating the international day of nonviolence, and the day of Gandhi's birth, fills us with hope for a better future, in which it is possible to change the direction violent that local, regional and global events lead to one in which all social actors are united; institutions, organizations, municipalities, communities and universities, let us advance in collective actions, in which we promote a new nonviolent global consciousness.

We carried out this activity within the framework of the closing of the Viva la Paz Festival Costa Rica 2023, so there were a large number of artistic presentations from the Costa Rican Folk Dance, by the group Aromas de mi Tierra, made up of girls from the house of culture from Atenas, to Belly Fusion dancing by Carolina Ramírez, with live music performed by Dayan Morún Granados. The cultural diversity of the March was present with the interpretations of the Atenian singer-songwriter Oscar Espinoza, Frato el Gaitero and the beautiful poems recited by the writer Doña Julieta Dobles and the poet Carlos Rivera.

In the midst of this great joy, and feeling of human community, that all of us present experience; activists from World without Wars and without violence, members of the Viva la Paz Festival, humanists, religious people, artists, academics and politicians; It is made official that the departure of this 3MM will be from the University for Peace (UPAZ), located in Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica, the only University in the World, created by the UN, whose mission is framed in the context of world peace and the security goals proposed by the ONU.

The Plan is that the 3MM would leave the UPAZ, on a physical march with the participation of its students, who are currently from 47 different countries, as well as the Base Team and other peace ambassadors, heading one section on foot and another in a vehicle caravan. , to the Army Abolition Square, located in the capital of the Republic. After this station we will continue to the Plaza Máximo Fernández in Montes de Oca and from there, we will head towards the northern border with Nicaragua, there are several sections and routes under construction and Base Teams being defined, we hope that all the cantons and all the territories of the Costa Rica can get involved in some way and participate in the co-creation of this 3MM.

 Finally, we showed the new 3MM logo and explained the objectives; among which we mention: Serve to make visible positive actions that promote active nonviolence. Promote education for nonviolence at a personal, social and environmental level. Raise awareness about the dangerous global situation we are going through, marked by the high probability of nuclear conflict, arms race and the violent military occupation of territories. But the most important thing in this sense is the invitation we made to build a joint Declaration of Intent and a work route in different Base Teams and Support Platforms, for which we call for an American Meeting of organizations to be held on November 17, 18 and 19 in San José, Costa Rica. In this meeting you can participate virtually, mainly for organizations outside of Costa Rica, and you can register and schedule actions and campaigns to be carried out during the 3MM throughout America.

We call and ask with all respect, consideration and humility, to join in the construction of this 3MM, to all pacifist organizations, humanists, defenders of human rights, environmentalists, churches, universities and politicians, as well as all the people and groups who want a change in the direction that humanity is currently taking, with the aim of advancing and evolving as a species, towards a global consciousness, in which active nonviolence is the way in which we relate to ourselves, with others and with our nature.

Our proposal is to continue building a social movement made up of many voices, intentions and actions in favor of the construction of a new culture of active nonviolence and that this World March serves to unite, spread, raise awareness and converge in collective actions, from already, during and after it.

We thank the organizations and people with whom we built and carried out the Viva la Paz Costa Rica Festival: the Asart Artistic Association, Habanero Negro, the Pacaqua Juglar Society, Inart, Inartes, the Athens House of Culture, the Study Center and AELAT Research, to the artist Vanesa Vaglio, to the Ancestral Community of Quitirrisí; as well as the Department of Citizen Participation of the Legislative Assembly, for its support, and its valuable participation in the development and implementation of this activity.

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We appreciate being able to include this article that was originally published in Surcosdigital.
We also appreciate the photos provided by Giovanni Blanco and by Pepi Gómez and Juan Carlos Marín.