Press Release Announcing a Peace Parade in Prague on March 1st

25.2.2003
PRAHA [Iniciativa proti válce / International Peace Movement]
Autor: Arie Farnam, tel: 608819276

The International Peace Movement in the Czech Republic and the Czech organization Initiative Against War will sponsor an anti-war demonstration and peace parade in the centre of Prague on Saturday, March 1. This action will emphasize ties to traditional Czech carnival parade traditions.

A peace parade with carnival masks and musicians will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Wenceslas Square. After brief announcements, demonstrators will march to Old Town Square where they will be greeted by music and theatre performances. Finally, the demonstration will continue to the US Embassy via Charles Bridge to deliver a declaration against preparations for a war against Iraq.

Czechs and colleagues from the international community in Prague, including business-people, students and artists, will march to show their opposition to current war plans. This is the moment for residents of the Czech Republic to express their will for peace in a non-violent way.

Ordinary people feel that it is vital to voice their opinions at this crucial point in history.
Blanka Charvatova, one of the Czech organizers of the peace movement, says, “War is always the worst solution. It is incredible that as a democratic nation we are preparing to enter a war, even though 70 percent of the public is opposed to it. It is necessary to discuss this openly.”

American documentary film-maker Arie Farnam says, “Politicians in the Czech Republic Britain and many other countries are trampling on the democratic rights of their people. The fact is that most people in this country don’t want anything to do with an aggressive war against Iraq. The recent war in Afghanistan has brought only more misery and instability. Enough is enough.”

Pakistani business man Tahir Mohammed adds, “There is so much conflict going on around us. It is only politicians who are dividing people and creating hatred and racism. Instead of becoming friendlier in this world, people are becoming ever more dangerous to each other. That has to change now or else we will see more and more wars and less and less in terms of democratic solutions.”

Press contacts: Johana Ruzičková t: 606392067 (Czech), Arie Farnam t: 608819276 (Czech and English) and Elisabeth Schwabe t: 603370996 (German and English).

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