Countries mark May Day with celebrations, rallies

Source: Xinhuanet | 05-03-2007 14:48

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- May Day was marked this year with a diverse array of celebrations, rallies and gatherings across the world.

In Italy, the San Giovanni Square in downtown Rome was the site of a traditional May Day concert that attracted hundreds of thousands of people.

In Turin, the speaker of Italy's Lower House along with the chief of the country's largest ruling party, leaders of the three large labor unions and about 10,000 people joined a march Tuesday. Italy's libraries, museums, historic sites, parks and many public services also opened free to the public or at discount prices, to boost the holiday atmosphere.

About 20,000 Ukrainians marked the holiday by attending a variety of large gatherings and rallies in the capital Kiev.

In Hungary, the government organized various activities and performances in Budapest Tuesday to celebrate both the Labor holiday and the three-year anniversary of Hungary's entry into the European Union.

Spain's major labor unions organized some 30,000 people to demonstrate in the capital Madrid, asking for stable jobs, equal rights for workers and better public services.

Many Latin American countries organized celebrations, gatherings and rallies to mark the Labor holiday.

Nearly 6 million people in Cuba staged celebrations on May Day in country's 14 provinces. In the capital Havana, about 1 million people attended a grand rally in the city square to show their determination to stick to socialism.

More than 40,000 Ecuadorians gathered in the capital Quito Tuesday. President Rafael Correa said at the gathering that this year's May Day bears special significance for Ecuador and other Latin American countries, as they are pushing for revolutionary reforms.

The Bolivian Chief Labor Union organized a large-scale rally Tuesday in the administrative capital La Paz. President Evo Morales joined the rally and pledged that he would fight to improve the living condition of Bolivians. He also announced an increase in the domestic minimum wage to 65.70 dollars from 62.57 U.S. dollars per month.

Nicaragua's labor unions also organized rallies and gatherings on May Day. President Daniel Ortega Saavedra promised at the gathering that the government would speed up tax reforms and hike tax charges from enterprises and financial sectors in order to increase the income of employees, so they can afford education and medical services.

Several million Brazilians attended marches, gatherings and concerts in major cities such as Brazilia, San Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, calling on the government to guarantee labor rights.

About 5 million people marched and rallied in Colombia to celebrate the May Day holiday, and to protest the free trade agreement signed with the United States last year.

Malaysia's labor union also organized gatherings in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday night, inviting several thousand employees from different sectors to celebrate the workers' annual festival.

Switzerland, India, the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and other countries also celebrated the holiday.

Editor:Du Xiaodan