AFP/Perugia
Tens of thousands of Italians took part in a traditional march yesterday for peace between Perugia and Assisi in central Italy to demand a fairer society, organisers said. Dozens of politicians were among the marchers, alongside associations and local community groups supporting the 25km march which this year was celebrating 50 years since it was first held. Organisers presented a five-point programme of demands: new policies for young people paid for by cuts in military spending, the recognition of a Palestinian state, more international support for the Horn of Africa, an end to armed conflicts in Libya, Afghanistan and Sudan, and protection of human rights in the Middle East. Not all marchers were completing the whole distance – some were just walking a few kilometres to be able to say they had taken part. Several dozen young Arabs were taking part in the march, including 18 Libyan refugees who arrived in Italy in spring seeking asylum. The march for peace is backed by President Giorgio Napolitano, who send a message of support to participants hailing “the aspiration of younger generations for a future based on the principles of liberty, tolerance and social justice.”