The city of Vitry-sur-Seine is continuing its mobilization for peace and public services. On September 21st, for the International Day of Peace, a march organized by the municipality and local associations took place between the town hall and the Saint-Germain church square. Following the march, speeches emphasized the commitment to peace, solidarity, and fraternity. The Vitry committee of the Peace Movement stressed that "peace will not come as a gift. It will be the fruit of our struggle," advocating for a society based on solidarity and tolerance.
On September 26th, the "Schools rather than missiles" campaign was relaunched with the installation of a mock missile shaped like a pencil on the Mail Roger Derry. This action aims to draw attention to the state's budgetary choices and the resources allocated to public services after decades of cuts. The 2024-2030 military programming law allocates 436 billion euros to defense, while building a school group costs approximately 20 million euros. In Vitry, the municipal budget has decreased by 3 million euros this year.
Residents, such as Inès and Youssef, praised the strong symbolism, supporting the campaign to prioritize education for future generations. Mayor Pierre Bell-Lloch reiterated that the slogan "Schools rather than missiles" represents a societal project. The missile will soon be displayed on the town hall square, and the municipality plans to transport it to Bercy with signed petitions to engage the government.
The municipality aims to extend its action to Bercy. Further discussions will take place on November 6th and 7th during the 3rd Peace Conference. Pierre Bell-Lloch reaffirmed that "the war economy is what will plunge us into poverty. Our mobilization must continue."
The objectives of this mobilization include restoring necessary resources for Vitry's public services, preserving schools and sports/cultural facilities, enabling the construction of essential facilities for new housing, and returning investment capabilities to municipalities, making education and public services a national priority.
