A call to intellectuals and progressive artists to create a world defense network was made in Caracas by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez at the inauguration of the In Defense of Humanity World Conference. Chávez offered the Venezuelan capital as the headquarters for such an initiative when addressing some 400 participants from more than 50 countries who responded to the broadbased call from Cuba and Venezuela to take part in this event to find new alternatives in the battle against neoliberal thinking.

What takes places in Latin America over the next few years could have powerful repercussions for the rest of the planet, affirmed the president, according to a report from the Prensa Latina news agency.

He stated that the network of intellectuals could be linked with the project for Standing Congress of the Peoples in order to form a joint response to the challenges currently facing humanity.

In that respect, he specified that throughout the continent the resurgence of a growing force can be seen among the youth, the landless, indigenous peoples and intellectuals. He elaborated on the fact that international problems today do not have national solutions and for that reason there is a need for a world movement.

In October 2003 in Mexico, eminent intellectual Pablo González Casanova suggested the idea of the network for the In Defense of Humanity movement, an idea that was taken up once again in January of this year by artists from Cuba and Venezuela when they conceived the idea of this international conference.

The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela spoke yesterday in the Teatro Teresa Carreño during the official opening ceremony of the In Defense of Humanity world conference of artists and intellectuals that ends on December 5 after debating 10 subjects.

Cuba is represented at the event by 30 artists, led by Culture Minister Abel Prieto. (AIN).

(Granma)  December 2, 2004