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Diario
Clarin
The idea of compiling 204 letters
of presidents and former rulers began 11 years ago, with the
idea of an Argentinean man.
Perhaps the common dream that identifies
human beings, beyond sex, race or religion, is to see the
Earth- the home we all share- in peace", Carlos Peralta
says on the introduction of the "Messages of peace for
the New Millennium" book. When turning the page, you
can read one of the most extraordinary collections of messages
of all times: 191 Heads of State, 12 former rulers and the
leader of an international organization offer to the reader
their messages in favour of peace.
The idea was born eleven years ago, when
Peralta, who is from San Nicolás but "his soul
is from Santa Fe”, decided to compile this work that
was very expensive- thousands of calls and faxes and continuous
trips around the world-. Each leader should contribute with
his own message and “that” was the difficult mission.
Up to now, there are only 2000 copies
written in English, bound in a brilliant white of 2,6 kilos
each one. Two pages of the book- one with a big country representative
photograph and the other with the image and the statesman's
message- are dedicated to each country (including Palestine
and the Vatican).
The books are destinated to embassies
and governments around the world. But soon many more volumes
will be printed, in English and Spanish, and will be distributed
in foundations and public libraries, for being, later on ,
sold in bookstores. It is foreseen, yet undated, to be published
in 18 languages.
Peralta admits that "it is necessary
to have a grade of important madness to undertake this Pharaonic
project." During this whole time he has travelled to
85 countries, looked for a team of collaborators who were
distributed all over the world and he was received by diplomats
and Heads of State of all races and religions. "It would
never finish", he remembers, now more relaxed.
Finally it could be accomplished. But,
something essential was the approval of the current General
Secretary of the United Nations Organization (UN), Mr. Kofi
Annan, who suggested to Mr. Peralta that he should take advantage
of the edition to later commemorate the fiftieth anniversary
of said organization, founded in 1954.
On the pages dedicated to Argentina, he
reproduces the message of President Eduardo Duhalde 's message,
in which says that “the United Nations will find in
the Argentina not only a member among the 189 countries member
of the organization, but also a brother and an ally of all
the peoples willing to build a universe of spiritual values
and concrete actions in favour of the strongly desired Peace."
On the Peralta’s perilous, there
were surprises. For example, Sweden -a historical country
on behalf of peace - was one of the most difficult countries
to get the presidential message. Or that the president from
the United States, George Walker Bush, would write his message
on August 14th , 2001, less than a month before the terrorists
attacked the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.
For that reason, in certain way, the idea
of Peralta was born in a world, and was accomplished in a
different one. September 11th " hit the heart of everybody",
the compiler remembers- "It was a madness, when I found
out, the airplane seemed to have stacked into my chest."
In this new world, Bush speaks about using
as necessary weapons as possible- even the nuclear ones- to
attack Iraq. Now its message of peace sounds anachronic: he
speaks of
" creating new methods to preserve peace and to promote
prosperity along Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe"
and he says that the United States " will continue being
a UN partner to advance towards the cause of peace."
"Today, any advance of any country
with strong weapons can be a catastrophe for everybody",
Peralta explains. But he has faith, despite some events, that
it is possible to avoid war. Somehow-he says- the world leaders
that signed and sent those messages of peace, assumed "a
commitment" when making it. And he fervently believes
that the UN " will make the impossible" to avoid
a conflict.
The collective message
is in progress. And it is possible to share restlessness and
reflections with Peralta and his team of collaborators by
sending an e-mail to pazalmundo@hotmail.com.
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