ARGENTINA: Global March for Peace participants arrive in Buenos Aires

Record ID: 349459

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Global March for Peace participants arrive in Buenos Aires
  • Date: 31st December 2009
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
  • Embargoed: 15th January 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6WG404JLMBFO5S3L1SBEMXV2D
  • Story Text: Hundreds of peace crusaders who are making their way across six continents in 90 days met with the President Cristina Fernandez in Buenos Aires on Tuesday (December 29) at the beginning of the Argentine leg of their journey.
    Waving flags and banners, singing and dancing in support of peace, demonstrators made their way down Buenos Aires' Avenida de Mayo.
    After being greeted at the government house in Buenos Aires, the marchers planned to push on to make their goal of finishing off the march in the Argentine Andes on January 2.
    Despite the boisterous atmosphere, many expressed frustration.
    "Why are we marching? Because we are up to here with a world full of violence - not physical violence, but verbal violence, violence in all parts - on the television, in the street - wherever you can imagine, there is violence. All the time - in all parts," said one demonstrator.
    "Why do they spend more money on weaponry then on health? Than on education? Than on housing? More money to launch bombs. The world has to change," added another.
    About one hundred marchers started in Wellington, New Zealand on the anniversary October 2, Mahatma Ghandi's birthday and an international day of peace.
    Along the course of the trip, they have organized conferences and other events to draw attention to nuclear disarmament and stopping the world's armed conflicts.
    According to study by a German university, in 2008 there were 39 conflicts in the world today, among those nine wars and 30 serious crises. The study said most of these conflicts are in the developing world, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and Latin America.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register