Lima (Peru), May 19th 2011 - Mayors for Peace signed an agreement of co-operation with the Federación de Municipios Libres de Perú (FEMULP) during their VI National Meeting on May 18th in Lima, Peru. On the following day FEMULP organized several events at City halls near the capital. A meeting with representatives of the City Hall of Lima was also held, where progress was made for Peru's capital to join Mayors for Peace.
The VI National Meeting brought together nearly 150 representatives of local governments to discuss decentralization, political corruption, public security and the fight against poverty.
For the official opening of the VI National Meeting of Municipalities, FEMULP invited Pol Heanna, Hiroshima's Executive Advisor for Mayors for Peace, and Lizett Vasquez, Peru's 2020 Vision Campaigner. For the occasion Mr. Tomihisa Taue, the Mayor of Nagasaki and Vice President of Mayors for Peace, convened a message for the participants ''in the hope [that] many people will further deepen their understanding of the efforts for the abolition of nuclear weapons''.
At the opening of the VI National Meeting an agreement of co-operation was signed by Mr. Juan Sotomayor Garcia, the President of FEMULP, and Luis Lobaton Donayre, the Executive Secretary of the Peruvian Federation of Free Municipalities. Pol Heanna and Lizett Vasquez signed on behalf of Mayors for Peace.
The agreement stipulates the determination to work together to free cities from the scourge of war and mass-destruction. FEMULP declared that they support the 2020 Vision Campaign for the elimination of all nuclear weapons by 2020 and will invite all the Peruvian Mayors to formally join Mayors for Peace. After the signing ceremony Mr. Juan Sotomayor, President of FEMULP and Mayor of Callao, was the first to join Mayors for Peace. Before the end of the day another 12 Mayors became members of the organization.
On the following day, FEMULP organized a meeting at the City Hall of Carabayllo in the morning and another meeting at the City Hall of Ate in the afternoon. In between we had a very encouraging meeting with representatives at the City Hall of Lima, where progress was made for Peru's capital to join Mayors for Peace.
During a ceremony at the City Hall of Carabayllo, the Vice Mayor, Mr. Claudio Ivan Zegarra Arellano, officially joined Mayors for Peace in the presence of City Council members and the press. The City Council of Carabayllo also adopted a resolution to declare Pol Heanna a Honorary Citizen of Carabayllo.
At the historic City Hall of Lima the Mayors for Peace representatives had a meeting with Mr. Ricardo Fort, Advisor for the Mayor, and Ms. Natalia Gomez de Travesedo, for Lima's International Relations. During the meeting several questions concerning the objectives and campaign strategy of Mayors for Peace were clarified. Mr. Ricardo Fort explained that Lima City Hall was confronted with many daily problems, but said that he was hopeful that Peru's capital would join Mayors for Peace coinciding with the next August 6th Hiroshima commemoration.
In the early afternoon, the Mayors for Peace representatives were welcomed for a ceremony at the City Hall of Ate. The Mayor of Ate, Mr. Oscar Benavides Majino, officially joined Mayors for Peace during a public ceremony attended by City Council members and press. Also the Mayors of Ataura, Masna Chicche-Jauja, Tunan Marca and Yaujos officially became members of Mayors for Peace during this ceremony.
The 18 new members will be added to the 8 Peruvian cities that were already members of Mayors for Peace on June 1st. With the new co-operation agreement with FEMULP and the new members Mayors for Peace notes significant progress in Peru.
Mayors for Peace wishes to thank FEMULP for its kind invitation and support. Within the next weeks FEMULP will invite all its members to join Mayors for Peace. And with the support of Ms. Lizett Vasquez, we are now well underway to establish a firm basis of support in Peru.
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