[Aug. 4] Grand March ended its finale with a great success. Thanks for your solidarity!

[아름드리 나무]

Related link: All about the march (click) 

Image source: Jeju Sori, Aug. 4

It was around 3pm that the two teams joined by the Peace Cruise team who came from the nationwide could finally meet in the Jeju City.

It was not precedent that such long lines of parade have ever occurred in the Jeju City and Island. The media reported that about 2,000 people marched the city on the day but when people gathered in the Tapdong square for the evening peace concert, more and more people joined. The event operation team estimated that about 3,500 people filled the square. The man-days number of the march is estimated about 7,000 people.

( * The police counted the numbers as 970 on Aug. 4. Upon the reporters' question to them since even in the reporter's bare eyes, it was thousands, the police replied that they only counted the people with yellow t-shirts. Such police estimation mentioned by Fr. Mun in the concert brought a big audience laugh. )

Any of the photos in the links cannot really describe the energy and heat on the day. The people had walked about 290km (East team: 147km, West team 140 km) for five nights six days, breaking through strong sun light and storm.

Solidarity video messages by Kyle Kajihiro, Loring Wirbel and Noam Chomsky (in the past) were screened in the square, cheered by big audience. A singer from Okinawa performed music with a video screen of the beautiful nature scenes of Takae. A group from Tokyo had a banner that reads ‘no base in Jeju and Okinawa.’ Thanks very much to all the friends in the world that sent us the solidarity messages.

Sept. 8 is the 14^th nationwide action to revoke the Jeju naval base.  Upon the IUCN-hosted World Conservation Congress in Jeju from Sept. 6 to 15, about 10,000 people from 180 countries will come to Jeju. We appeal to the peace-loving people in the world to have any small and big solidarity event in your regions to revoke the Jeju naval base project and/or visit the village. For more on appeal, please see http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/I51g/440

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Bows by Mr. Kang Dong-Kyun (55), mayor of the Gangjeong village and Mr. Go Gwon-Il (49), chairman of the Villagers' committee to Stop the Naval Base 

After their short speeches in the opening of the concert that made the final event of the march, the two men who had led the East and West march team respectively bowed to the audience including march participants for their solidarity to save their hometown and peace in the world.

The two leaders who have endured hard struggle (Both have been imprisoned last year) with their strong faith that they can win now find that they have strong friendship and solidarity throughout the nation and world.

We, people, also thank for their devoted leadership and conviction on the greater cause. It is the people themselves who can save the peace of the Earth. 

You can see the photo of two leaders who finally met in the Jeju City after five nights six days here. 

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=118628

Image source: http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=156547

Gangjeong children's Okarina music performance

About 20 Gangjeong children in the Gangjeong elementary school performed the music with okarina. The title of the songs are 'Beautiful things in the world,' and 'Rock Island.' (Korean title translated)

When Kim Mi-Hwa, a famous comedian and moderator of the concert asked about Peace to a 12 year old boy, he replied that, "Without peace, people are not happy." 

An international friend from Hawaii said the children are the reason why we have to continue fighting. 

You can see a photo of children in yellow t-shirts at 
http://www.vop.co.kr/A00000527796.html

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Links that you can see the photos of Aug. 4

http://www.vop.co.kr/A00000527796.html

“폭우도, 폭염도 평화 향한 열망 뚫지 못했다”

[3신] 무더위까지 날려버린 '평화콘서트'...모두가 하나 되다2012-08-04 16:33:29 l 수정 2012-08-05 06:43:30

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=118628

제주땅 290km에 새긴 외침은 “해군기지 NO”

데스크승인 2012.08.04  17:49:10

http://www.jejusori.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=118634

노란색 구럼비의 여름, 강정 희망을 노래하다

2012.08.04  21:20:23

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=156533

"해군기지 절대 안돼!" 5박6일간의 대장정 마무리
강정평화대행진, 290km 제주 순례 완료...제주시 입성 폭염-태풍 속에서도 7000명 참가...제주시내 행진-선전전

2012.08.04  17:22:38

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articlePhotoView.html?idxno=156547

전국시민행동 3천명 함성, "해군기지 결사 반대!"
5박6일 강정평화대행진 마무리...탑동에 3000여명 집결 "대행진 통해 희망 찾아...해군기지 반드시 막을 것"

2012.08.04  21:57:01

http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=153091

올레7코스 걷던 보통주부들, 1년 뒤 "제주해군기지 반대"
강정평화대행진 290km 대장정 마무리…누적인원 7000명 추정

2012.08.04  17:52:16   고동명 기자 

http://www.mediajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=133144

"폭염에도 해군기지 반대투쟁 열기 지치지 않아"
"강정은 평화의 성지" 5박6일간 290km 대장정 성황

012.08.04  23:01:56

김진규 기자 | true0268@nate.com

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=34729

제주 탑동광장 뒤흔든 평화의 외침

4일 저녁 ‘강정평화대행진 6일간 여정’ 콘서트로 승화
문정현 신부도 마이크 잡고 노래… 김미화·안치환·들국화 등 출연

2012.08.04  22:22:44

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[Aug. 4] Sherrin Hibbard, an Australia Sea-diving woman says why we have to protect the Gangjeong Sea

Sherrin Hibbard (54), an Australia sea-diving woman, who is the first international graduate of the Jeju haenyo (sea-diving woman) school in Hallim and who has initiated the Jeju Big Swim event to inform the public on the importance of marine environment in 2010 has joined the march on Aug. 4. In 2010, she swam around the whole Jeju Island for 40dyas, progressing about 10Km every day.

Since them she has emphasized how the Gangjeong Sea is the most pristine among the Jeju Seas that have been suffering for the marine trashes.

“It was really shock to know the naval base is built in the Gangjeong village. I am still shocked and infuriated.”

“The Sea is a root that sustains our lives. All the seas in the world is one. A thing that happens in a sea greatly influences to the other ocean, too. It is the reason that everybody should pay attention to the Jeju naval base issue.”

She has a plan to actively inform the public on the naval base issue through social media.

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Reference and summary from

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=156695

'호주 해녀' 셰린, 이번엔 '강정평화'에 콕 찍다
[세계人제주] (39) 제주 바다수영의 '신화', "아, 강정이여" "강정바다 해군기지 건설은 충격...그냥 놔둬서는 안되죠"
2012.08.07  09:28:54	고용희

http://thejejubigswim2010.blogspot.kr/2010/09/guest-blog-by-sherrin-hibbard.html

The Jeju Big Swim blog

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See also Bruce Gagnon blog

 http://www.space4peace.blogspot.kr/2012/08/grand-finale.html

SUNDAY, AUGUST 05, 2012

GRAND FINALE

The grand march ended yesterday with a grand finale concert and celebration in Jeju City attended by 3,500 people.

Both east and west march teams came together at the end creating an impressive long line of march through the city.  A famous Korean comedian was the moderator for the evening program. About 20 children from the Gangjeong elementary school performed the music with okarina. The title of their songs were 'Beautiful things in the world,' and 'Rock Island.' Speakers, dancing, music and more were part of the spirited event.

The grand march was in itself a concluding event of a massive month-long push of activity throughout South Korea against the Navy base.  A candlelight vigil relay tour to 23-cities and a nationwide bicycle pilgrimage helped to promote the Grand March around Jeju Island.  

Next on the agenda will be the IUCN-hosted World Conservation Congress on Jeju Island from Sept. 6 to 15.  About 10,000 people from 180 countries will come to Jeju. There will be a huge effort undertaken by the village to get delegates from this environmental conference to come and stand with the struggling villagers.  The village "appeals to the peace-loving people in the world to have any small and big solidarity event in your regions to revoke the Jeju naval base project and/or visit the village" during that time.
  
Almost 600 people have been arrested trying to stop the Navy base in Gangjeong village.    

You can see many more photos from the last day of the grand march here.