The World March in Bahrain

BAHRAIN's residents are being urged to take a stand against war and poverty in a first-of its-kind worldwide march.

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence is due to begin in New Zealand on October 2, and will last for 90 days, with 98 different countries taking part.

Almost 10 million participants are expected to march in their respective countries over three months to demand an end to all conflicts and the dismantling of nuclear weapons in all forms.

Amnesty International's (AI) Bahrain campaign head Fawzia Rabea, one of the volunteers in charge of the Bahrain leg of the march, said it was vital that people begin to take notice and assume responsibility for the world around them.

She said the march would be held in Bahrain on October 7 with many Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) taking part.

"It is important not just for Bahrain, but for people across the world to show that we are aware that wars are happening and that we feel it is unacceptable that a significant portion of our planet's population is living in war zones.

"There will always be wars while poverty, hunger and inequality exist and it is about time that we all join together and fight against these problems in our world."

Bahrain's leg of the march will begin outside Al Fateh Mosque, Manama at around 4.30pm.

Ms Rabea said that all were welcome to celebrate peace and encourage a "world without war".

"Bahrain has to do what it can, even if it doesn't seem like much at the time," she said.

"Although we may be small in size, Bahrain's citizens can join a global collective of many millions who will be marching over the next three months.

"Part of our message is to encourage diversity and we want people from all backgrounds - different ages, nationalities, religions and races - to march as one and unite under the banner of non-violence."

Ms Rabea explained that the World March will begin on October 2 as it coincides with the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth and has also been declared the United Nations' International Day of Non-Violence.

It is due to conclude in the Andes Mountains in Punta de Vacas in Argentina on January 2.

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence was launched during the Symposium of the World Centre for Humanist Studies held at the Park of Study and Reflection in Argentina on November 15 last year.

It states its key aim is to "generate consciousness of the dangerous global situation in which all people are living, a situation marked by the heightened probability of nuclear conflict, a renewed arms race and the violent military occupation of foreign territories".