Guillermo

Testimonio about the World March

Guillermo & Memoscopio

dec/17/2009

Written testimonio

Spanish with English translation

TMM207

Lecaneiba

Testimony about the March

Lecaneiba is a Colombian teacher who followed the march from Bogotá to Punta de Vacas, Argentina, as part of the Viajer@s por la Paz.  She wrote down the following testimonio while waiting at the Colombian customs office to attend a WM rally for binational cooperation at Ecuador border (English translation below):


La Marcha  y Yo. “Soy educadora y por tal razón tengo que enfrentarme a la violencia intrafamiliar, la violencia de los jovenes y se tiene que buscar estrategias para mejorar la convivencia en todo sentido.”
La Marcha y el Mundo. “El mundo esta convulsionado, en guerra y conflicto; la marcha hace un llamado a los gobiernos del mundo para que contribuyan al desarme y a invertir los dineros de la guerra para el bienestar de la poblacion en general.

Translation
The March and I. “I am educator and for this reason I must confront domestic violence, young people’s violence, and strategies much be sought out to improve the relationships [convivencia] in every way.”
The March and the World.“The world is convulsing, in war and conflict; the march makes a call to the governments of the world so that they contribute to disarmament and to invest the moneys of war towards the wellbeing of the general population.”

Lecaneiba & Memoscopio

dec/17/2009

Spanish with English translation

TMM088

Nury Hurtado

Testimonio about the World March

Nury, a Colombian secretary and social communicator, followed the March from Bogotá to Punta de Vacas, Argentina, as part of the Viajer@s por la Paz. She wrote down the following testimonio while waiting at the Colombian customs office to attend a WM rally for binational cooperation at Ecuador border (English translation below)


Transcription
La Marcha  y Yo. "Conocí esta marcha por un boletín electrénico e inmediatamente sentí empatía y gran interés por participar. Lo poco que he recorrido me ha mostrado que otras personas sienten y piensan como yo: la paz y la no violencia se dan por convicción personal, pero sin organizacion ni apoyo de los "poderosos" (líderes, gobernantes, etc.) es difícil alcanzar cambios y mejorar nuestra convivencia. La marcha es una forma de expresión para que la voluntad de todos sea realidad y la paz un modo de vida."
La Marcha y el Mundo. "Creo que parte de esto ya lo respondí en el ítem anterior. Agrego que es la primera vez que veo que el mundo entero se mueve alrededor de un tema tan importante."

Translation
The March and Me. “I learned about this march through an electronic bulletin and immediately felt empathy and great interest in participating. The little traveling [I’ve completed] has shown me that other people feel and think like me: Peace and nonviolence come though social conviction, but without organization or supper from the ‘powerful’ (leaders, governments, etc.) it is hard to reach changes and improve our life together [convivencia]. The march is a way of expression so that the will of everyone may become realty, and peace [may become] a way of life.”
The March and the World. “I believe that I already responded part of this in the prior item. I add that it is the first time I see that entire world mobilizes around such an important theme.”

Nury & Memoscopio

dec/17/2009

written testimonio

Spanish with English translation

TMM086

Veronika

Testimonio about the World March

Veronika, a college students from Colombia,  followed the march from Bogotá to Punta de Vacas, Argentina, as part of the Viajeros por la Paz. She wrote down the following testimonio while waiting at the Colombian customs office to attend a WM rally for binational cooperation at Ecuador border (English translation below):

La Marcha  y Yo. “En el camino de la vida de cada persona se le presentan circumstancias que lo ayudan a convertirse en quien es. De esta manera llego a la marcha en mi vida personal, y aunque tengo claro que los cambios no se producen de manera instantánea, las metas se consiguen dando pasos que nos acerquen a lo que queremos. Todos los cambios mundiales se producen por que cada persona cambia internamente y contribuye a la transformación.”
La Marcha y el Mundo. “En un mundo globalizado en el cual vistes ropa de china, comes alimentos de latinoamerica, y tomas vino de Europa es imposible considerar que los derechos humanos son para unos pocos. Constantemente se alardea del avance que ha generado la Democracia, no obstante sólo las mayorías toman las decisiones, así que pues considero es uno en el que aún las minorías pueden opinar y ser tomadas en cuenta. Así mismo considero que el objetivo de la marcha es dejar una huella en las personas de cada uno de los paises que recorrios, para conseguir una paz sin fronteras, concientizar a las personas que la violencia no es una solucion , por el contrario es la riaz de todos los problemas.”

Translation
The March and I. “In the path of life each person faces circumstances that help her become who she is. In this way I arrive at the march in my personal life, and although it is clear to me that changes don’t take place instantaneously, our goals can be reached taking steps that place us closer to what we want. All world-level changes take place because each person changes internally and contributes to this transformation.
The March and the World. “In a globalized world in which you wear Chinese clothes, eat Latin American foods, and drink wine from Europe, it is impossible that human rights could be considered only for a few. Constantly we brag about the advances generated by democracy. However, only majorities make the decisions, so what I consider better is when minorities can state an opinion and be taken into account. Similarly, I consider that the objective of the march is to leave an imprint on the people of each of the countries that were visited to obtain a peace without frontiers, to raise awareness [i.e., concientizar] within people that violence is not a solution; on the contrary, it is the root of all problems.”

Veronika & Memoscopio

dec/17/2009

Written testimonio

Spanish with English translation

TMM085

María Cristina

Testimonio about the World March

As a college student, María Cristina (Colombia) followed the March from Bogotá to Punta de Vacas, Argentina, as part of the Viajeros por la Paz. She wrote down the following testimonio while waiting at the Colombian customs office to attend a WM rally for binational cooperation at Ecuador border (English translation below):

La Marcha  y Yo. "Este acto de resistencia es importante para mi formación como sujeto político. Participar en la marcha, tomando conciencia de los problemas actuales en terminos de guerras, agresiones, armamentos, ocupaciones, invasiones, regimenes autoritarios, que son la evidencia que el ser humano y las naciones han tomado la violencia como medio y también como fin. De manera que participando en esta marcha reafirmo mi posición en contra del uso de la violencia y en favor de la paz, la libertad y la democracia."
La Marcha y el Mundo. "Considero que como parte de un mundo globalizado en donde todas las personas con acceso a medios de comunicación como la internet pueden tener conexión, la Marcha [Mundial] es un escenario propicio para aprovechar estas condiciones y a través de ella --sin importar el idioma, raza, edad, país-- todos podamos contrubuir a través de una comunidad y entregar un mensaje de Paz y No violencia que conlleve por lo tanto, a través de este acto simbólico, un legado que para más adelante signifique el inicio de un movimiento pacifista y a través de los canales de comunicación comenzar a dejar una huella de presión hacia la eliminación de las guerras."

Translation
The March and Me. "Participating in the march is an act of resistance [that] is important to my formation as a political agent [by] gaining awareness about current problems regarding wars, aggressions, armaments, occupations, invasions [and] authoritarian regimes, which are the evidence that human beings and nations have taken violence as a means and also as an end, so it is through my participation in this march that I reaffirm my position against the use of violence and in favor of peace, freedom and democracy."
The March and the World. "I think that as part of a globalized world, in which all people with access to means of communication such as the internet can be connected, the March is a propitious stage to make the most of these conditions so that through it, regardless of language, race, age, and country, we may all contribute through a community and deliver a message of Peace and Nonviolence. [A message] that carries, through this symbolic act, a legacy that later on may signify the start of a pacifist movement that through the channels of communication began to leave a footprint of pressure towards the elimination of wars."

María cristina & Memoscopio

dec/17/2009

written testimonio

Spanish with English translation

TMM084