Cardiff Walk Against Violence
Robert Persson | 29.09.2001 23:38
"A WALK FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL PEOPLES OF THE WORLD" took place in Cardiff today (29/9/01), using gentle language to defeat the present climate of fear and hopelessness. There was astonishingly good coverage of the event from BBC Wales.
Sat 29 Sept.
Not content to wait a whole two weeks for this coming Saturday's CND-Cymru demo (which will be fantastic, by the way), two Cardiff women, Celia Webb and Rabab Ghazoul, used an informal network of friends and colleagues to put together "A WALK FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL PEOPLES OF THE WORLD".
From 11am to 5pm a small procession walked a short loop around Cardiff's central shopping area. Celia and Rabab wanted people to feel free to drop in and out of the procession, maybe just sparing a few minutes from their shopping trips. Perhaps because of the very gentle and relaxed atmosphere that we created, quite a few did. Others voiced their solidarity from balconies and cafe tables.
The slogan, carried on placards and a single long banner, was deliberately un-Saatchi & Saatchi. The action came across very clearly for what it was - something created by ordinary people, rather than spin-doctors and their pet politicians. You had to spend a little time to read it - a little time for thought.
No chanting. No shouting. Just an ocean of joy and hope from a raggle-taggle bag of homemakers, peaceniks, Buddhists, Quakers, care workers, kids, artists, shoppers. It seemed innocuous enough - no particularly confrontational language. In truth it was nothing less than a full-frontal assault on fear - the fear that makes us feel powerless and bitter, easy prey for the sacharrine homilies of the war-mongers.
Earlier in the morning the walk had received full publicity on both BBC Radio Wales and BBC television. Incredibly, given the difficulty most peace actions have in being reported, the presenters of the Wales Today regional news programme told their viewers to get down to Cardiff city centre and join us.
The walk needed very little preparation compared to, say, a demo. It was accessible to people who might find a more formal action a little daunting. It didn't need huge numbers of people to participate. Anybody could do it, not just seasoned activists. Local business people helped with photocopying of fliers, sign-making etc. It was straight-up. It got through to people. It touched them. It gave them courage and hope.
Not content to wait a whole two weeks for this coming Saturday's CND-Cymru demo (which will be fantastic, by the way), two Cardiff women, Celia Webb and Rabab Ghazoul, used an informal network of friends and colleagues to put together "A WALK FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL PEOPLES OF THE WORLD".
From 11am to 5pm a small procession walked a short loop around Cardiff's central shopping area. Celia and Rabab wanted people to feel free to drop in and out of the procession, maybe just sparing a few minutes from their shopping trips. Perhaps because of the very gentle and relaxed atmosphere that we created, quite a few did. Others voiced their solidarity from balconies and cafe tables.
The slogan, carried on placards and a single long banner, was deliberately un-Saatchi & Saatchi. The action came across very clearly for what it was - something created by ordinary people, rather than spin-doctors and their pet politicians. You had to spend a little time to read it - a little time for thought.
No chanting. No shouting. Just an ocean of joy and hope from a raggle-taggle bag of homemakers, peaceniks, Buddhists, Quakers, care workers, kids, artists, shoppers. It seemed innocuous enough - no particularly confrontational language. In truth it was nothing less than a full-frontal assault on fear - the fear that makes us feel powerless and bitter, easy prey for the sacharrine homilies of the war-mongers.
Earlier in the morning the walk had received full publicity on both BBC Radio Wales and BBC television. Incredibly, given the difficulty most peace actions have in being reported, the presenters of the Wales Today regional news programme told their viewers to get down to Cardiff city centre and join us.
The walk needed very little preparation compared to, say, a demo. It was accessible to people who might find a more formal action a little daunting. It didn't need huge numbers of people to participate. Anybody could do it, not just seasoned activists. Local business people helped with photocopying of fliers, sign-making etc. It was straight-up. It got through to people. It touched them. It gave them courage and hope.
Robert Persson
e-mail:
bossanova@ntlworld.com
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