Parades and demonstrations

Both Nei til Atomvåpen (No to N uclear Arms) and Fredsinitiativet (Norwegian Peace Movement) will be organizing events in connection with President Obama's visit.

Nei til Atomvåpen will be in charge of the traditional torchlight parade that passes by the Grand Hotel, where the laureate waves to the marchers from the 2nd floor balcony. The official slogans for the parade are "No to nuclear weapons" and "With Obama for a Nuclear Free World." The marchers will congregate at Youngstorget at 17:30, where torches will be sold for kr.20 After an appeal by labor leader Leif Sande, the parade will proceed to Eidsvolls plass, the square in front of the Storting (Parliament) and facing the Grand Hotel. Obama will greet the marchers at 18:55, as they file past the hotel.

After the procession ends, Obama's speech will be broadcast from the big screen at Kontraskjæret, next to the fortress.

The Peace Movement will be organizing a demonstration, commencing at Jernbanetorget at 1800.

Follwing is excerpted from the website:

As the US President, Barack Obama, arrives in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Peace Movement stages a grand demonstration. The main goal of the demonstration is to point at the obligations of the Peace Prize. The event will begin at Jernbanetorget square at 6 pm.

The following are the slogans of the demonstration:
# Change: Stop the War in Afghanistan!
# Yes We Can: Control Arms Trade
# Hope: No Nukes!
# A New Dawn: Stop the Israeli Settlements!

Speakers:
# Cindy Sheehan, US Peace activist
# Alyn Ware, this year's Right Livelihood Award Laureate. New-Zealand-based nuclear disarmament activist.
# Ida Thomassen, leader of the Norwegian Church Aid youth organization Changemaker
# Line Khateeb, leader of the Norwegian Palestine Committee

After their talks, the demonstration will proceed from Jernbanetorget through Karl Johans gate to the south end of Eidsvolds plass, in front of Stortinget (the Parliament building). We will present our message to President Obama, as he appears on the balcony of Grand Hotel at 6.55 pm.

After the event, there will be a free grass-root Peace Concert at Smuget (Rosenkrantz' gate 22).

Organizers: Fredsinitativet, Norges Fredsråd, Hent Soldatene Hjem and Fred og Demokrati i Afghanistan

Participating organizations: Internasjonal kvinneliga for fred og frihet, Sosialistisk Venstreparti, Sosialistisk Ungdom, Rød Ungdom, Oslo AUF, Rødt, Komiteen for et fritt Irak, Fredslaget, Palestinakomiteen, Fellesutvalget for Palestina, Afghanistankomiteen, Norges Kommunistiske parti, Ungkommunistene, KPml, ML-gruppa Revolusjon, EL & IT Forbundet, NTL, Changemaker, Norsk Nærings og Nytelsesmiddelarbeiderforbund, Fellesforbundets Ungdom, Studentorganisasjon for aktivisme og kunnskap, Attac, Norges Kristelige Studentforbund, Miljøpartiet de grønne, IFOR Norge, Komiteen for et fritt Irak, Norges Kommunistiske Ungdomsforbund, Landsrådet for Eelam Tamiler i Norge, Heismontørenes Fagforening