European youth anti-nuclear bike ride arrives in Brussels

Photographs from the bike tour are available, free from copyright:
http://www.motherearth.org/photo.php?album=v/2006/bike

A group of 50 young people from 15 European countries will arrive in Brussels on Saturday afternoon, 5th August, at the end of their anti-nuclear bike ride across Belgium.
The group, who began their 150km ride on Wednesday morning in Ypres, is made of young people from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Wales.
They will be welcomed at Brussels city hall at 4 pm by Deputy Mayor of Brussels, Bruno De Lille.

On Sunday 6th August, the group will take part in a commemoration for the 61st anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The commemoration, which will begin at 20:00 will involve floating traditional Japanese laterns on a lake in the city (Vijvers van Elsene/Etangs d'Ixelles at the statue of Tyl Uylenspieghel).
Also present at the commemoration will be Pierre Lardot, Mayor of Ixelles/Elsene.

The group will also travel to Mons, for a Hiroshima commemoration in the "Atomic Bomb Survivors Park" at the university of Mons. There will also be a nonviolent protests at SHAPE, the NATO military headquaters.

The events take place in the context of the "Mayors For Peace" campaign for worldwide nuclear disarmament by the year 2020.

On Wednesday 9th August, the young people will take part in a nonviolent blockade of the nuclear weapon base at Kleine Brogel, to mark the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on 9th August 1945.
Appoximately 20 illegal US nuclear weapons are stored at Kleine Brogel, with a destructive power equivalent to 200 times the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.
Last year, the Belgian Senate and House of Representatives passed historic resolutions calling for the withdrawal of the US nuclear weapons based at Kleine Brogel, and from the other European countries where they are stationed. The European parliament has also passed resolutions calling for nuclear disarmament.

There are currently US nuclear weapons stationed in 6 countries in Europe: at Lakenheath in England, Volkel in the Netherlands, Buechel and Ramstein in Germany, Aviano and Ghedi Torre in Italy, Incirlik in Turkey, as well as at Kleine Brogel in Belgium.
Tobias Bollinger, a participant from Germany, said: "I am here because I do not want to live in a world full of terrible weapons of mass destruction like nuclear bombs. With the youth exchange and especially with the blockade I want to make people aware of the big problem of nuclear weapons in Europe."


Press Appointments:
*** Arrival of bike tour in Brussels, Saturday 5th August:
16:00 (please call +32(0)495 280259 for confirmation of arrival time)
Town Hall, Brussels


*** Hiroshima Commemoration, Sunday 6th August:
11:00
Hiroshima Commemoration at Parc Hibakusha, Plaine de Nimy (side street off Brusselsesteenweg), Mons

12:00
Hiroshima Commemoration at main entrance SHAPE (NATO military headquarters), Casteau, Mons

20:00
Japanese floating lanterns and Hiroshima Commemoration, at Vijvers van Elsene/Etangs d'Ixelles, Place Flagey, Brussels


*** Nagasaki Commemoration and nonviolent blockade of Kleine Brogel Airbase,
Wednesday 9th August:
10:00
Main entrance Kleine Brogel Airbase (end of Onze-Lieve Vrouwelaan, side street off Vrijheidslaan, 3390 Peer)

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General Press Contacts:
Pol D'Huyvetter pol@motherearth.org (Dutch - French - English)
+32(0)495 280259

David Heller david@motherearth.org (English)
+32(0)472 342463

Zoï Dethier zoi@motherearth.org (French)
+32(0)486 955852

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Country contacts for Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, UK, Wales

PLEASE CALL NUMBERS
+32(0)495 280259
+32(0)472 342463
IF YOUR PRESS CONTACT HAS NO PHONE

Austria
Karol Felsner karol.felsner@chello.at

France
Jean-Yvon Landrac jean-yvon.landrac@sortirdunucleaire.fr
+33-6-99 56 29 67

Germany
Stefan Hittmeyer eulexxl@web.de

Greece
Vasia Chioti chiotivas@gmail.com

Finland
Kristina Korjonen helimarianne@gmail.com
Liisa Niemi liniem@utu.fi

Italy
Valentino Pase valentinopase@libero.it

Norway
Inguild Naerum +47-47648900

Portugal
Lau Maria laumaria@gmail.com

Slovakia
Darija Czibulkova darijacz@pobox.sk

Spain
Monica Linan Mendez monikibiza@hotmail.com

UK
Amy Gilligan amygilligan@hotmail.co.uk

Wales
Emily Freeman deepvioletfrogs@hotmail.com