The World March for Peace and Nonviolence

is an unprecedented social mobilization which aims to create consciousness of the dangerous global situation in which we are living -- a situation marked by the heightened probability of nuclear conflict, a renewed arms race, and the violent military occupation of foreign territories.
To avoid a future nuclear catastrophe we must surpass violence today, demanding:

• nuclear disarmament at a global level
• the immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories
• the progressive and proportional reduction of conventional weapons
• the signing of non-aggression treaties between countries
• the renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts

Converging diversity in action

The World March is more than just a march: it is the convergence of thousands of initiatives in more than 100 countries across the planet. Marches, festivals, forums, concerts, cultural, sports and political events, exhibits, acts of civil disobedience: all developed to raise awareness of the urgent need for peace and disarmament and to pressure for a profound change in the violent direction of our society.
The unifying thread of these initiatives will be a symbolic journey by an international team of marchers whose path will cross six continents. This march will start on October 2, 2009 -- the International Day of Nonviolence -- in Wellington, New Zealand, and will culminate on January 2, 2010 at the foot of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.

A rapidly growing phenomenon

The World March was first proposed in November 2008 by the Humanist Movement through one of its affiliated organizations, World Without Wars. Since its launch, the number of countries participating has more than doubled, and the March has received the endorsement of thousands of people, pacifist and nonviolence groups, a variety of educational, political, and religious institutions, and renowned figures from the worlds of science, arts, and politics. It is developing into the largest mobilization for peace in history.

Nonviolence is the only solution

It is more urgent than ever to create consciousness for peace and disarmament. But it is also necessary to awaken a consciousness of nonviolence that rejects not only physical violence, but all forms of violence: economic, racial, psychological, religious, sexual, etc. The March promotes a new sensibility that is based on an understanding of nonviolence as a powerful means of change and as an attitude in front of life.

We demand our right to live in peace and liberty.

We do not live in liberty when we live under the threat of violence. The World March is a call to all people to unite efforts and take responsibility for changing the world, to overcome their personal violence, and to work in their immediate environments, and as far as their influence may reach.