A WHITE WAVE FOR SYRIA

With AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE, the INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (FIDH) , HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, the HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE (LDH), the PARIS BAR ASSOCIATION, the ACAT, the EURO-MEDITERRANEAN NETWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, SOURIA HOURIA (Syria Freedom), the DAMASCUS DECLARATION, the COLLECTIF DU 15 MARS POUR LA DEMOCRATIE EN SYRIE (support group of March 15th for democracy in Syria), the CALL OF AVIGNON FOR SOLIDARITY WITH THE SYRIAN PEOPLE, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, the COLLECTIF URGENCE SOLIDARTE SYRIE (support group “Emergency and Solidarity Syria”), the UNEF (National Union of the French Students), the CGT (French trade-union), the CONSEIL DE COMMUNES ET REGIONS D’EUROPE (CCRE), the WORLD ORGANISATION AGAINST TORTURE (OMCT), the CITES UNIES FRANCE, and the support of the international advertising agency TBWA/Paris. Friday 15 March 2013, 7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. International gathering for the two-year anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution in Paris, Place du Panthéon, at 7 p.m. In order to say “Stop!” to crimes against civilians, to demand that justice be done in favor of the victims, and to let the Syrian people know that they are not alone, we have launched a call for international protest, in solidarity with the Syrian people: “A WHITE WAVE FOR SYRIA” In less than three weeks, more than 30 cities in France have joined this movement, and in many occasions, the city council has decided to get deeply involved, like in Lille, Montreuil or La Rochelle : they have elaborated actions, designed giant-sized visuals, and mobilized the public within the city itself and in its surroundings, from associative networks to universities and the local press, so they may all unite with the Syrian people, holding a white piece of paper or cloth in their hands with the word “Stop!” on it. Cities and countries are getting mobilized all around the world: Geneva, Brussels, Sarajevo, New York, Cairo, Koweit City… We also count with the support of numerous villages in France and the Gorée Island in Senegal, and many individual initiatives have also spontaneously emerged here and there. We will be able to spread the White Wave across different time zones. Everyone will be able to post their pictures, wherever they live, with the word “Stop!” in their hands, on: http://www.vagueblanchepourlasyrie.org and thus amplify the movement by creating a massive web-event on the Internet. Several links have been set up to facilitate access to social networks (Facebook, Twitter…) in French and in English. A “500,000 screens” campaign has been launched on Dailymotion: “There are some images that you cannot turn a blind eye to…” In Paris, a central gathering will be held on the Place du Panthéon at 7 p.m. Bertrand Delanoë, the mayor of Paris, will start the Wave with the Appel d’Avignon à la Solidarité avec le peuple syrien (Call of Avignon for solidarity with the Syrian people), the Théâtre du Soleil, the company of artists Les Passagers, and the Fédération des arts de la rue (street arts federation). The films “2’ for Syria” are currently being broadcast on France Télévision (across all their channels), TV5 Monde, France 24, La Chaîne parlementaire, Public Sénat, and receive support from messages of Radio France and from the websites of the newspapers and press organs Libération, Médiapart, Le Nouvel Observateur, Au féminin.com, Saphir News, as well as those of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of the city of Paris, and of the numerous cities that have joined our movement. All personalities, journalists and NGO officials are invited to meet between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the hall of the Mairie du 5ème arrondissement, Place du Panthéon. For further information, read this press release.