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Video
World March 5 Proposals Video
Welcome by M. Ban Ki Moon Countries and territories on
the World Peace March route Oceania and East Asia Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines. Continental Asia Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russian Federation, South Korea, Palestine, Turkey. Europe Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom. Africa Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, CÙte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Togo. America Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela. Antarctica The World Peace March
is supported by
Abolition 2000
Abolition 2000 is a network of over 2000 organizations in more than 90 countries world wide working for a global treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. www.abolition2000.org |
Rekohu (Chatham Islands)
The World Peace March will be welcomed onto Kopinga Marae (Moriori marae) on Rekohu (Chatham Islands) for an opening blessing ceremony hosted by the Hokotehi Moriori Trust. This will include special gifts from Moriori (the indigenous inhabitants of Rekohu) to travel with the Peace March for its entire journey. Rekohu is the Moriori name for the Chatham Islands which are about 800 kilometres east of mainland Aotearoa – New Zealand. There are two inhabited islands (Rekohu/Chatham Island and Rangiauria/Pitt Island) and a number of smaller uninhabited islands. Lying just west of the international date line, Rekohu is the first part of Aotearoa-New Zealand to see the dawning of the new day. Rekohu has been inhabited by Moriori for hundreds of years. 500 years ago the Moriori adopted a Peace Covenant, rejecting war and violence. When Rekohu was invaded in 1835 by two Maori tribes from New Zealand (taken there by an English trading ship), despite many Moriori being slaughtered and enslaved, the elders forbade breaking with their ancient Peace Covenant. For 170 years following the invasion, Moriori suffered terrible loss of land, life and identity. Their lands were awarded to the invaders by the Native Land Court in 1870 and by 1933, the population had reduced to one known Moriori of full blood. After this Moriori were virtually written out of history by the New Zealand education system and became the stuff of mythology. However, surviving descendants of Moriori had other ideas and in the early 1980’s began a renaissance of their culture and identity which has continued to this day. It was not until 2001 that Moriori rights were formally recognised by the Waitangi tribunal (See Rekohu: A Report on Moriori and Ngati Mutunga Claims in the Chatham Islands). The settlement of these claims is still being negotiated with the government. However, in 2008, a Moriori Identity Trust (Te Keke Tura Moriori) was launched with the assistance of a special gift from the government of $6 million to promote Moriori identity, heritage, culture and the legacy of peace. See Gift to preserve peaceful culture). As part of honouring their legacy of peace Hokotehi Moriori Trust has assisted with the development of the new Aotearoa-New Zealand Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and will collaborate on teaching youth about peace including the Moriori Peace Covenant. The World Peace March international team will also have the opportunity to enjoy some of the beauty of the island. These include Kopinga Marae, and stunning marine and island landscapes, seabirds, seals as well as rakau momori or live tree carvings – made by Moriori over the centuries which can still be seen on trunks of living kopi trees (See Rekohu: Social and spiritual values). |
Nuclear Free Nation
Video 10th World Summit
of Nobel Peace NZ Supporters
Press Releases Latest news
World Peace March to start from most peaceful nation on earth! Scoop – NZ June 5 Mundo sin Guerres (World without Wars), an international organisation working to prevent war and promote non-violence, has decided to start a 90-day World March for Peace and Non-violence www.worldmarch.co.nz in New Zealand, the country recently affirmed by the Global Peace Index (GPI) as the most peaceful nation on earth. The World March will start in Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday 2 October and then travel through 95 countries culminating in Argentina. Thousands of concerts, festivals, forums, and demonstrations are planned to coincide with the march worldwide. Rafael de la Rubia, founder of Mundo sin Guerres and the international spokesperson for the World March says “We chose New Zealand because it is the first country to grant women the right to vote, to legally ban nuclear weapons, and the first and only country to establish a Minister for Disarmament, so we are pleased at the recognition now given to New Zealand by the Global Peace Index.” See World Peace March to start from most peaceful nation on earth! Did You Know?
Fun facts about New Zealand |
