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On Eve of UN NPT, Thousands March for Nuclear Weapons Abolition
NEW YORK - April 30 - On the eve of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the UN, more than ten thousand nuclear abolitionists from the U.S., Japan, Europe and other nations will rally, march and join a peace festival at the UN on Sunday May 2, urging the world’s leaders to start talks to eliminate the world’s nuclear arsenals immediately.
The mass demonstrations follow a historic conference, “For A Nuclear-Free, Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World,” which begins Friday, April 30, 2010. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will speak Saturday May 1 at Riverside Church.
“Besides the more than ten thousand people in the streets, we have over seven million petition signatures (100,000 from the US) from around the world calling for a world free of nuclear weapons in our lifetime. We want the U.S. to start negotiations at the Non-Proliferation Review conference,” said Judith Le Blanc, Field Organizer for Peace Action and a conference organizer.
WHAT: More than ten thousand people from around the word will participate in an interfaith convocation, rally, march and peace festival at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza demanding a world free of nuclear weapons More information at available at:
http://peaceandjusticenow.org
WHEN & WHERE:
Sunday May 2
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Interfaith Convocation (Church Center for the United Nations)
Church Center for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza (corner of 1st Avenue and 44th Street, Manhattan)
1:30 p.m. Assembly (7th Ave South of 41st St)
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Rally
3:30 p.m. March across 42nd Street, North on 3rd Ave, East on 47th Street into Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. International Peace & Music Festival in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
WHO: Rally speakers include the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – Mayor Akiba and Mayor Taue; Nadine Padilla, activist addressing uranium mining in Native American communities; Kimura Hisako, survivor of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima; Michael Kinnamon, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches; Raed Jarrar, Iraqi blogger and political analyst; Maryam Shansab, Afghan-American activist; Pierre Djédji Amondji, Governor of the district of Abidjan in Ivory Coast; Kristin Blom, Campaigns Manager, International Confederation of Trade Unionists; and performances by The Recipe, spoken word duo from Kansas City, MO; Stephan Said, Iraqi-American musician known for his anti-war song, “The Bell;” and Emma’s Revolution, known for their beautiful songs of peace.
Performances at International Peace & Music Festival include:
Earthdriver – a New York City based world funk band
Matters – an international group of musicians from the US, France, Japan, Italy and India that bring a message of peace and hope.
Cacibajagua Taino Cultural Society – an inter-Tribal, inter-generational community of indigenous Caribbean singers, musicians, and artists
The Drummers for Peace of Japan – a renowned group from cities all over Japan to perform who inspire all efforts for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament.
Utagoe Chorus of Japan – spread peace songs at grass-roots, contributing the struggles for peace.
Catherine Lecoq – a renowned actress and singer from France
Deux Ex Machina (Divine Intervention) – an International group, featuring SahjKaya, whose music is a mix of Reggae music, African percussion & rhythms with song and Spoken Word
The event is organized by the 2010 NPT Review Organizing Committee, a network of 25 U.S., Japanese, European and Israeli nuclear weapons abolition and peace organizations. For more information, visit www.peaceandjusticenow.org
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