Caracas, September 13 (RHC)-- Heads of state and representatives of more than one hundred Third World nations are on Venezuela's Margarita Island for the 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which got underway on Tuesday and runs through next Sunday.  Among the issues up for discussion is the promotion and defense of world peace, one of the fundamental principles of the movement. 

The global body has been instrumental in the fight against colonialism, imperialism, racism and oppression.  With the slogan "United on the Path for Peace,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez gave the inaugural speech as her country assumes the organization's rotating presidency for the next three years after taking over from Iran. 

With 120 member states, the NAM is the second largest international body after the United Nations.  It has 53 members from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 17 observer countries and 10 observer organizations. 

The summit will include meetings scheduled in three consecutive segments: meeting of senior officials, foreign ministers' meeting, and a conference of heads of state and government, to be held over the weekend.