One year of war in Ukraine. Parades and assemblies, the initiatives of pacifists throughout Italy

Parades, assemblies, torchlight processions, debates, tents and fasts, a Perugia-Assisi night march: one year after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the network of pacifist, nonviolent and antimilitarist movements grouped around the acronym ‘Europe for peace’ organized numerous initiatives throughout Italy. All focused on February 22, 23, 24 and 25. “Peace is the victory we need”, is the slogan that hats off the various mobilisations. There will therefore not be a single large demonstration, similar to the one in Rome last November 5 where over 100,000 people took part. The four days of events will be opened by the historic path inaugurated by Aldo Capitini in 1961, between Perugia and Assisi: appointment on Thursday 23 February at 24, to then end at the tomb of San Francesco at 6 in the morning on the 24th.

But in almost every Italian city – there are over 50 at the moment – there is at least one event promoted by Rete pace disarmo, Emergency, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Cgil, Cisl and Uil, Anpi, Arci, Legambiente, left-wing political parties and etc. “Let’s go back to asking for ceasefire, military de-escalation and negotiations because in addition to the crises we are already observing, the risk of a nuclear conflict is real” – he says Sergio Bassolicoordinator of the Italian Peace Network e disarmament – “The response of the cities to the mobilization is widespread throughout Italy and there are positive signs in Europe as well. In Italy we are already at 85 initiatives distributed in 74 cities. Parliament and the government must listen to the majority of Italians who do not want this war continue. The courageous and responsible choice is that of peace with a ceasefire and with negotiations with all the players sitting at the table because not only Ukraine is at stake but the future of all of us”.

From Milan to Bologna, from Acireale to Asti, from Padua to Palermo, the demonstrations start from an assumption: what happened a year ago was “a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law (by Russia, ed) calling for immediate justice”.

Then on Wednesday 22 the Nonviolent Movement, engaged in the cell Objection campaign to war in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, brings to Rome three exponents of the respective countries, where conscientious objection to military service is not guaranteed: Darya Berg (Go by the forest), Olga Karach (Our house) e Catherine Lanko (Pacifist movement). The three activists will remain in Italy until the 26th to take part in other events in the pacifist galaxy. The events will symbolically conclude in the Capital on the afternoon of Saturday 25 February with the event promoted by the national coalition: a torchlight vigil of Peace which will conclude on the Campidoglio.