This Sunday, March 3, men and women across countries, cultures and demography will come together to support a citizen-led initiative and appeal for peace between India and Pakistan.
This Sunday, March 3, men and women across countries, cultures and demography will come together to support a citizen-led initiative and appeal for peace. The Global StandOut For Peace in South Asia is a show of solidarity across nationalities, time zones and borders.
The event was initially started by Indian and Pakistani nationals who want their countries to share good neighbourly relations and resolve issues through dialogue. The organizers have extended an open invitation to peace activists everywhere to join from wherever in the world they may be and raise their voice and awareness about the need for peace. The activists also will show solidarity against violence and bigotry of any kind.
As India and Pakistan continue their hostilities, there is also a rallying call across the globe to say no to war. Peace activists around the world have come together to address the rising tensions between the South Asian neighbours. They said that the tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have held the region hostage for too long.
In India, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata have registered their participation for the event. The 2020 Walk For The Future event will happen on March 2 at 4 pm at Shivaji Park, Mumbai. Performers, artists, writers, actors, and directors from the city will be a part of the performance parade and speak about how there is no place for hate in a democracy. It will be a choreographed parade of over 1000 performers.
On March 3, Sunday, the event will be organized at Iran Society, Kolkata at 5 pm. Delhi will host two events on Sunday as well. Youth for Peace International will host one at Youth Alliance office in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi from 10 am to 6 pm. Artists Unite will host an event at Red Fort on the same day at 8 pm.
A meeting was held by Citizens Against War, a joint initiative by PIPFPD and Delhi Solidarity Group. It was joined by organisations, teachers, artists, professionals, young activists from Delhi’s urban groups, writers and academia, filmmakers, Trade unions, people’s movements representatives, and so on. They gave a call for a human chain for peace on March 4 at 3.30pm, from Connaught Place through Parliament Street (point of assembly Jantar Mantar corner on Sansad Marg).
They also vowed to hold a joint public meeting series between India, Kashmir and Pakistan to be initiated from the March 11, in consultation with friends and organising from Kashmir add Pakistan, to initiate a people’s process for peace, as a regular programme. They also discussed to arrange a Skype call between three sets of panellists, one group being in Delhi, to be telecast live for the public.
A procession of around 150 people, comprising a number of civil society organisations, demonstrated in front of the Karachi Press Club on Feb 28, Thursday afternoon, urging both India and Pakistan to refrain from an armed clash and to replace the jingoistic threats with constructive dialogue and negotiations.
The StandOut will take place in various cities in the USA, UK, India and Pakistan so far. People in other places are welcome to join. Confirmed locations where the event will take place on Sunday include Washington, D.C. (Dupont Circle, 3 pm), Boston (MIT main entrance, 4:30 pm), London (Tavistock Square, 2 pm), New York (Peace Fountain, 110th Street, 2-3 pm), Dallas (Al Markaz restaurant, 12 noon), Michigan (22575, Ann Harbor Tri, Dearborn Heights, 6 pm), Lahore (Press Club at 4 pm), Delhi (Red Fort, 8 pm), Kolkata (Iran Society, 5 pm), Dublin (the Spire, 3 pm), Karachi, (Beach Luxury Hotel, 6 pm), Los Angeles, (Pasadena Public Library, 2:30- 4:30 pm), Providence, RI (Brown University, Faunce Steps, 12 noon – March 4).
Peace groups that are supporting the initiative include the Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD), Aman ki Asha and Aaghaz-e-Dosti. Other supporters include the South Asia Solidarity Group, Artists Unite, student organizations at MIT, Columbia University, George Washington University, SOAS (London), SAIS (John Hopkins University), Brown University and several human right advocates around the world, the release said.
The list is being updated and more information can be found here.
“Those who’d like to join an event but unable to do so for any reason are invited to get together with friends sometime on Sunday, 3 March. Carry signs of support in a public space or landmark, then take a picture and share it with the hashtags: #NoWar #SayNoToWar #iStandForPeace #iStandAgainstWar #PeaceInSouthAsia #GlobalStandOutForPeace. You are welcome to include slogans like “I am Indian and I stand with Pakistani peacemongers” or “I am Pakistani and I stand with Indian peacemongers,” they wrote in their release.