Final actions within the one hundred days of activism in Mexico
The closing ceremony for the 100 days of activism in Mexico for the Control Arms Campaign was organised by Oxfam and Amnesty International at Zocalo Plaza, in downtown Mexico City, 18 June.
Festivities included groups wearing traditional costumes, music and surprises, with hundreds of spectators enjoying the performance of different musical bands, instrumentalists and singers such as Muna Zul, Juan Pablo Villa, Jurief Nieves, and finally “sones jarochos” (traditional songs from the State of Veracruz). During the performances, activists from both Oxfam and Amnesty International along with the musicians invited the public to join the campaign to stop weapons proliferation. They also emphasised the need of controlling weapons trade internationally.
Also as part of these cultural activities, Angélica Carllieri, Lizbeth Cruz, Fabiola Sosa and Isabel López presented a performance symbolising the danger of weapons in hands of groups or governments that violate human rights, and the suffering of those who live under a system where weapons are out of control.
More than 3000 faces were gathered in Mexico City during these 100 days. They join the plea made by another million around the globe.
Finally on Tuesday 20 June 2006, representatives from both Oxfam and Amnesty International visited the General Manager of the United Nations in Mexico, Mr. Ulises Canchola Gutierrez, to make the symbolic delivery of the national Million Faces petition. With such an action, they invited the Mexican government to join the signing of principles of the Arms Trade Treaty, which is to be discussed from June 26 to July 7 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
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