By Wendy Anders

The number of women’s marches planned across the U.S. and around the globe for Saturday, January 21, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the U.S., are growing exponentially.

With 616 ‘sister march’ events organized and counting, and almost 1.5 million participants pledged across the planet, the Women’s March on Washington has spurred a global movement to “affirm our shared humanity and pronounce our bold message of resistance and self-determination,” according to a statement by event organizers.

In Costa Rica, seven such sister events are planned, some are marches, others are gatherings.

Only four are officially registered on the sister march website; the others are being organized on Facebook. People are encouraged to wear white clothes, and both men and women of all ages are invited to participate.

Events will take place in Playa Potrero and also Nosara beach both on Guanacaste’s Pacific coast; in Cahuita (Limón’s Atlantic coast); Monteverde, Puntarenas in the Tilarán mountains; Grecia about 30 minutes west of San Jose; Escazú outside of San José; and in downtown San José.

March organizer in Monteverde, Katy Van Dusen said via e-mail that, “We are asking participants to be FOR human rights, women’s rights, dignity, and justice. Just as Martin Luther King Jr. stated,, ‘I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.’”

Van Dusen added that, “We will not be silent about the need to stand up for what is right.” The march will leave the Friends Meetinghouse at 11:00 a.m.on Saturday and head to the center of Monteverde.

Heidi Lee, Cahuita march organizer says, “The Women’s March will send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us. This is an INCLUSIVE march, and EVERYONE who supports the march’s goals are welcome to join this peaceful gathering! We will gather at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 21st at Cahuita Playa Negra in front of the gym.”

Kathy Rothschild, march organizer in San José said in a statement that, “We are not using anti-Trump slogans and political parties are not allowed to display their banners. It is about peace, inclusion, strengthening the CAJA, public employment and a nonreligious state.”

In Nosara the activity is described as, “A march to protest the inauguration of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump,” and is planned for 7:30 a.m. at Playa Guiones.

Meanwhile, Grecia’s Mas q’Sabor restaurant and Escazú’s Little Theatre Group are holding “watch parties” to view the live streaming from the Women’s rally in Washington. D.C.. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

According to comments shared on the event page on Facebook, students who attempted to organize a rally at the University for Peace in Ciudad Colón were denied permission by the school’s administration due to a perception that the activity would be an “anti-Trump” rally.

The Huffington Post reported that 1,200 tour buses applied for permits to park at RFK stadium in Washington, D.C. on Saturday for the women’s march. That is six times the number of buses coming for Trump’s swearing in.