Faced with the Coronavirus, the Lyon collective Jai Jagat has succeeded in creating, for more than a year now, a convergence of struggles in Rhône-Alpes, thanks to the non-violent tool of the march. The various member associations have been able to adapt to the epidemic and will march from 12 to 26 September from Lyon to Geneva.
The Jai Jagat Lyon’s collective is a federation of about ten associations[1] from the Lyon conurbation, to democratise the 2030 Sustainable Development Objectives, and to prepare a 15-day and 213 km walk (≃15 km/day) from Lyon to Geneva. Their aim through this march is to raise awareness and to engage civil society to participate in the achievement of the SDOs, because without their involvement, these objectives will not be achieved.
Thanks to the solid network that Jai Jagat Lyon has developed on the way between Lyon and Geneva, the host associations and communes have not declined to welcome them despite the current health context. The walk, already very well organised, will be followed by two trucks, an organic food-truck and dry toilets.
To adapt to the Coronavirus, the marchers will replace the collective tents with individual camps. They will have to respect the barrier gestures and will have their temperature taken every day. The prefecture has not forbidden them to walk, but has made it clear that it is their own responsibility. Consequently, the big events planned, as in Ambérieu, will have to be more modest.
In spite of everything, the itinerary remains unchanged, and 30 to 40 actors from different movements and associations will walk and launch together new alternative and non-violent projects for the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. They will also draw inspiration from the experiences and knowledge of all the activists, farmers, elected representatives and other actors of change that they will meet on a daily basis, and will bring their testimonies to Geneva.
As Philippe Blancher, one of the main organisers of the march, says: “the objective here is not just to march, but to meet”.
[1] Le Mouvement pour une Alternative Non Violente, Alternativa, Secours Catholique, Soutient Ekta Parishad, Altern’Info, rés’OGM, Vivre Saint-Fortunat, Mets Des Couleurs, Théâtre Forum de Lyon, Pax Christi, Association pour la Communication Non-Violente, etc.