An immense nuclear arsenal of more than 30,000 atomic bombs exists today that can destroy all life on Earth many times over? Presidents Bush and Chirac believe in their "tactical" use... The list of nuclear countries grows?. Where are the voices demanding Disarmament today? They are gathering in public squares all over the world! Join us in Toronto and raise your voice. Our first petition will be Sunday December 10, at City Hall Speakers' Corner (on the Queen Street sidewalk between Bay and University). We will be doing the petition at 1pm, 1:30 and 2:00.

Humanist Petition

Reader:More than 60 years ago the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, instantly murdering hundreds of thousands of people, and killing many more from the effects of cancer and other illnesses resulting from these nuclear attacks. Today some governments and groups are again talking about using nuclear weapons to resolve conflicts. There now exists an immense nuclear arsenal of more than 30,000 atomic bombs, and a nuclear bomb 10 times more powerful than those that murdered the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki can be carried in a briefcase. Where are the Voices demanding Disarmament and World Peace today? We here today insist that those who hold the power to build peace act now to put an end to the nuclear and conventional arms buildup. We do not want your wars. We say "enough!"

Reader and participants make the petition, reading aloud:

• We raise our voices to end the arms buildup and nuclear threat in all countries of the world.
• We raise our voices because we want to avoid a new catastrophe that would mean the loss of millions of human lives and the destruction of vast regions of the planet for thousands of years.
• We demand that all who are invading territories withdraw immediately and initiate a definitive dialogue for peace.
• We ask for light to be ignited in all minds and hearts, so that from today on all people struggle publicly and devote all possible efforts to immediate and total worldwide nuclear disarmament.
• We ask for everyone, everywhere on Earth, to recognize the urgent need to replace the attitude of belligerence and warlike confrontation with understanding and persuasion.
• We, common people, publicly declare that we want no more wars anywhere in the world.
• We publicly demand all countries with nuclear arsenals, particularly the United States, England, France, India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, Russia and China, to destroy them.
• We demand that no one, for any reason or under any circumstance, possess nuclear arms.

Reader:  Recognizing our similarities before our differences, we ask for those who have the power of destruction to recover their sanity and reject violence. We ask for these words to be heard and these aspirations to be fulfilled.

Participants:  We believe deeply that Peace is Strength and that peace is reached by treating others as we would like to be treated.

Reader:  Peace, Force and Joy for everyone.

Participants:  For you also, Peace, Force, and Joy.