April, 30 2010, 08:28am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action, 951-217-7285, pmartin@peace-action.org
Dave Kunes, Peace Action, 585-474-2614, dkunes@peace-action.org
On Eve of UN NPT, Thousands March for Nuclear Weapons Abolition
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.
NEW YORK
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:
https://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 Djedji
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
Peace Action is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization with over 100,000 members and nearly 100 chapters in 34 states, works to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs and encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights.
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