Category Archives: FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Results of the 2023 Luanda Biennale, Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Excerpts from press releases of the Angola Press Agency

Unlike previous additions of the Luanda Biennale, Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace, there was very little publicity about the results. However, there were several press releases by the Angola Press Agency, that included the following excerpts.

The Biennale calls for the continuation of intergenerational dialogue .

According to the final communiqué, the forum organized by the Angolan Government, the African Union and UNESCO, advised the implementation of policies guaranteeing the participation of young people in decision-making processes to ensure that their proposals are heard and integrated in programs and strategies.


(Click on image to enlarge)

It called for a review of education systems, prioritizing the training of critical and active citizens, enabling young people and entrepreneurs to better understand political processes and play greater roles in society.

It suggested the formulation of policies promoting gender equality and the creation of scientific research centers and resilience programs to face climate change.

The forum also recommended the promotion of the culture of peace through access and effective use of digital technologies and the creation of a network of African women for conflict prevention, peace negotiation and national reconciliation.

The Biennale also spoke out in favor of the integration of women in conflict resolution, in compliance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN, as well as the increase of the number of women in conflict prevention and resolution actions.

The forum, which brought together 790 participants from different African countries, advocated the establishment of partnerships between political leaders and young people, in sustainable social and economic projects, which could benefit society as a whole.

The role of women in peace processes dominates the second day of the Biennale.

“The process of transforming educational systems, innovative financing practices in the African context” and the “role of women in the process of peace, security and development at the African level” marked Thursday the second day of the Pan-African Forum for the culture of peace – Biennial of Luanda.

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

(Continued from left column)

The agenda for this second day also included the approach to “Challenges and opportunities for the integration of the African continent and prospects for economic growth” and “Climate change: ethical challenges, impact, adaptation and vulnerability”.

Visit to historical sites marks end of Luanda Biennale.

Visits to the Agostinho Neto Memorial, the Iron Palace and the National Museum of Military History will mark Friday the closing of the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence – Biennial of Luanda, which has been taking place since Wednesday . Participants will also visit the Mint and Anthropology museums. . . .

The Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence was attended by the Presidents of the Republic of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Carlos Vila Nova and the Federal Republic Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Sahle-WorkZewed. The Vice President of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba, and the Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Manuela Roka Botey also took part in the Luanda Biennale.

Biennale participants commit to spreading the message of peace in their country.

Young participants in the Luanda Biennale 2023 pledged on Friday to disseminate as much as possible, in their countries, the contents and experiences learned during the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace, held in Luanda, aimed at consolidating pacification efforts on the continent.

Speaking to Angop, the Botswanan Mpule Kgetsi, the Mozambican Cheldon Maduela, the Tanzanian Genila Hiel, as well as the Angolan Antonira de Carvalho discussed the importance of the forum and the need for young people to be proactive in the promotion of actions that contribute to peace and the well-being of societies, highlighting peace as the main element.

According to Genila Hiel, a university student eager to spread the message to fellow citizens, the spirit of peace must be instilled from a young age within communities so that people grow up and work in healthy coexistence for sustainable development.

 For Cheldon Maduela, it is not only up to governments to address issues related to peace and democracy, which is why he considers the Biennale an inspiring platform to disseminate the experiences obtained. He stressed that peace is the “cornerstone” of the socio-economic development of States and that its preservation requires the contribution of all, without exception.

Namibian leader praises Angola’s commitment to peace in Africa.

The Deputy Minister of Education and Culture of Namibia, Faustina Caley, congratulated this Friday, in Luanda, the Angolan Executive for its key role in the process of the culture of peace and democracy in Africa. . . .

She considered the 3rd edition of the Luanda Biennale a success not only for Angola, but for the continent, because it allowed learning about the concerns of young people, as well as the exchange of knowledge and transmission of experiences between government leaders and former African leaders, with the perspective of leading this fringe towards the best paths for healthy coexistence. 

(click here for the original French version of this article.)

David Malcom Krieger, Man of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An obituary from Waging Peace

David Malcom Krieger, man of peace, passed away on December 7, 2023 and left the world with one less champion.

David was born on March 27, 1942 to Herbert and Sybil Krieger in Los Angeles. The family settled in the San Fernando Valley where his father was the first pediatrician. David attended North Hollywood High before heading to Occidental College where he graduated with a degree in Psychology. He was getting his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii when he met and married Carolee, his wife of 57 years. He did get the PhD, too.

David traveled to Japan to study as part of his PhD work and was so moved by what he experienced and learned in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that he dedicated the rest of his life to abolishing nuclear weapons and achieving peace. He was drafted into the army during the Vietnam War almost simultaneously. However, his clarity of mind and morals would not allow for participating in war and killing. He was, as far as we know, the first Officer in the Vietnam War to sue for Conscientious Objector status.

In 1972, David came to Santa Barbara to work as an assistant to Elisabeth Mann Borgese at the Center for The Study of Democratic Institutions. Here he collaborated with some of the greatest minds of the time on the subject of democracy. He and Carolee stayed in Santa Barbara, raising their three children among the blood orange trees and peacocks on the property they worked tirelessly to convert from rocks and weeds to the artists’ and gardeners’ paradise that it is now.

In 1982, David, Frank Kelly, Wally Drew, and two others founded the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. This was to be David’s proudest accomplishment. David Krieger led the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation until his retirement in 2019. His work, educating, advocating, writing extensively, and speaking all over the world about the dangers of the nuclear age and the insanity of the nuclear arms race helped advance the cause of peace with justice, particularly among young people, however, also with nearly everyone he personally encountered. David’s charisma, honesty, and depth of knowledge on the subject were hard to disagree with. David Krieger was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize ten separate years.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

David developed a passion for karate when he was in Japan in his early 20s. As with everything he was passionate about, he dedicated himself to being among the best at it, earning his black belt in the Shito-Ryu form, and founding and running his own Dojo, Pacific Karate-Do Institute. He taught many Santa Barbarians karate in the 1970s and 1980s, and counted some of those former students among his closest friends.

David loved to play tennis and for years, his free afternoons and weekend mornings were spent playing with some of his other closest friends.

David was also a prolific poet. He found poetry to be an excellent way to express his impression of world events and daily joys.

David Krieger was a man of thought, of conviction, and of honor. He wanted to make the world safer, more peaceful, and ultimately a kinder and more just place for everyone and everything. He never stopped believing it was possible. In his honor, we admonish you to carry this work on.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to: The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

– –

Here is an excerpt from his last message as President of the Nuclear-Age Peace Foundation:

When we founded NAPF in 1982, the world was adrift in nuclear dangers. We began with a belief in the necessity of awakening people everywhere to the dangers of the Nuclear Age – a time in which our technological prowess exceeded our ethical development. This dilemma continues today. For nearly four decades, we have been a steady, consistent and creative voice for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons.

As the calendar page turns to 2020, we are working to create a peace literate world, based upon empathy, caring, kindness and overcoming fear, greed and trauma: a world in which nuclear weapons can be abolished and stay abolished. Our Peace Literacy Initiative, headed by Paul K. Chappell, a West Point graduate, goes to the root causes of war and nuclear weapons. It is a profound way of waging peace.

As the next generation prepares to take the helm at NAPF, I ask you to believe in the power of our work now more than ever. We have exciting plans to scale up our Peace Literacy work and deliver measurable and increasing impacts over the coming months and years.

UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution Demanding Immediate Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza, Parties’ Compliance with International Law, Release of All Hostages

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A meeting report from the United Nations

Demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution reiterating its insistence that parties to the conflict there comply with international law, all hostages be released immediately and without conditions, and humanitarian access be ensured.

The Assembly adopted the resolution titled “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” (document A/ES-10/L.27) by a recorded vote of 153 in favour to 10 against (Austria, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Liberia, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, United States), with 23 abstentions, during a resumption of its tenth Emergency Special Session on Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.


(click on image to enlarge)

Prior to adopting the resolution, the Assembly failed, by a recorded vote of 89 in favour to 61 against, with 20 abstentions, to adopt an amendment introduced by Austria, which inserted “held by Hamas and other groups” after “hostages” and “immediate” after “ensuring” (document A/ES-10/L.28).  The Assembly also failed, by a recorded vote of 84 in favour to 62 against, with 25 abstentions, to adopt an amendment introduced by the United States, which added an unequivocal condemnation of heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting 7 October and the taking of hostages (document A/ES-10/L.29).

In opening remarks, Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the General Assembly, said it is incumbent upon the United Nations to bring an immediate end to the suffering of innocent civilians.  “Right now, what we are seeing is an onslaught on civilians, the breakdown of humanitarian systems and profound disrespect for both international law and international humanitarian law,” he said.  “The carnage must stop.”

The representative of Egypt, speaking for the Arab Group, introduced draft resolution “L.27”, describing it as simple, clear and explicit.  Israeli aggression has destroyed Gaza’s public health system, he said, characterizing the argument about the right of Israel, the occupying Power, to defend itself as a pretext.  Israel is not above international humanitarian law, he said.  By the text, the Assembly demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and reiterates its demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably regarding the protection of civilians.  Through the text, the resolution also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and ensuring of humanitarian access.

(continued in right column)

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

Introducing “L.28”, the representative of Austria welcomed recent humanitarian pauses that enabled the release of some hostages and provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid.  Recognizing the right of Israel to defend its citizens in line with international law and international humanitarian law, he said his country’s amendment is based on agreed language from Security Council resolution 2712 (2023).

The representative of the United States, introducing “L.29”, said the last two months have been nothing short of devastating.  “Devastating for Palestinians who have lost their homes and their loved ones because of a conflict that Hamas set into motion; and devastating for Israelis who still face a barrage of rocket fire, even as they continue to reel from Hamas’ barbaric attacks on 7 October,” she said, adding that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and requires urgent and sustained attention.

Civilians desperately need food, water, shelter and medical care, she said, noting that a distressing number of innocent people have been killed and expressing support for the release of all hostages, immediately and unconditionally.  She said Member States should speak out with one voice to condemn Hamas for the terrorist attacks on 7 October.  “Why is that so hard?”, she asked.  “It should not be that difficult.”

Israel’s delegate, speaking after the vote, said the adopted resolution will prolong death and destruction.  On 6 October there was a ceasefire, and it was violated by the Hamas attack.  “What would your country do if it were in Israel’s shoes?  What would Moscow do?  What would Beijing do?”, he asked.  Hamas is refusing to release hostages or give the Red Cross access to the hostages, he said, adding that Israel has allowed the entry of aid into Gaza, but that United Nations bodies are refusing to solve logistical difficulties to allow its entry.

A ceasefire will only benefit Hamas, he said.  “What will happen the day after the ceasefire?”, he asked.  By voting in favour of the resolution, Member States are supporting terrorists and the exploitation of Palestinians, he said.  The time has come to put the blame where it belongs.  The resolution does not even mention Hamas by name or condemn Hamas.  If States want a real ceasefire, they should call Hamas leaders and ask for a release of the Israeli hostages.  This disgraceful resolution only allows Hamas to continue its reign of terror, he said, adding that Israel believes in life and peace.

“Israel has dropped 25,000 tons of explosives on Gaza, nearly the equivalent of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” said Pakistan’s delegate.  “Israel’s goal is to erase […] the entire idea of Palestine,” he added, noting his country’s support of the adopted draft resolution.

Syria’s representative noted the Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza because of the United States’ veto.  “The United States insists on giving Israel the green light to continue its brutal aggression in Gaza,” he said.

Tunisia’s delegate echoed concerns about such inaction.  “The Council is clearly unable to shoulder its responsibilities, both moral and legal,” he said.  His delegation voted for the draft resolution, as it calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and end to the barbaric aggression against Palestinian civilians.  “These attacks have led to unprecedented humanitarian tragedies,” he said.

Media outlets of developing countries call for louder voice of Global South

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Xinhua English news service

Representatives from developing countries at the fifth World Media Summit being held in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Kunming have made a strong call for a louder voice of the Global South.


Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the 5th World Media Summit (WMS) in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, Dec. 3, 2023.(Xinhua/Deng Hua)

In an era of increasing global interconnectedness, a louder voice from the Global South has become more imperative than ever before, and the media also shoulder the responsibility for promoting global common development through exchanges and cooperation, they said.

President of Prensa Latina News Agency, Luis Enrique Gonzalez Acosta, said he takes this summit as an opportunity to collaborate with other media outlets in providing objective and responsible reports that can amplify the voices of developing countries and jointly address the challenges facing the Global South.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Question related to this article:
 
How can media from the Global South break the media hegemony
of the Global North?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

“We must not be afraid to position ourselves as the voice of the Global South,” said Iqbal Surve, chairman of South Africa’s Independent Media. “Our narrative, our communication, our stories must be about the possibility of global growth and development.”

Media’s role extends beyond conveying facts, Surve said, adding that it should catalyze social-economic change and development.

“If we have one task only as a social responsibility, that task is to ensure that media must be a change agent in the world today, to promote a common humanity and a shared future and shared prosperity,” he added.

South-South cooperation among media is crucial in ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard worldwide, said experts present at the summit. It plays a significant role in fostering diverse and inclusive narrative perspectives on a global scale, they said.

Creating a grand shared narrative that would promote common prosperity is imperative, said Seife Deribe Endale, CEO of Ethiopian News Agency.

“We are now in the critical juncture to create an inclusive media ecosystem through the lens of alternative narratives like that of the BRICS,” he said, adding that the true and success stories of Ethiopia and the whole of Africa need to be heard worldwide.

South-South communication is of great importance, said Maria Bernarda Llorente, president of Telam, Argentina’s official news agency. Communication between developing countries is fundamental to building relations, she added.

To foster more dialogues among nations and cultivate a culture of peace and understanding within the international system, it is crucial and urgent to formulate a shared agenda in response to global threats, she said.

Roger Agana, managing director of News Ghana, said the world needs to know a real Africa and a real China. “As African media, we do have a story to tell,” he said.

United Nations: West votes against democracy, human rights, cultural diversity; promotes mercenaries, sanctions

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Geopolitical Economy

Western governments frequently claim that their foreign and domestic policies are motivated by “human rights” and “democracy”. They often even lecture their adversaries for purportedly failing to respect these concerns.

But on the international stage, Western capitals have shown their commitments to be merely rhetorical, as they have consistently voted against these noble causes and refused to support measures that would tangibly protect them, in flagrant violation of the will of the vast majority of the international community.

These stark double standards were on display on November 7 in the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee, which is devoted to social, humanitarian, and cultural issues.

In this three-hour session, the West opposed draft resolutions that called for promoting democracy, human rights, and cultural diversity, while simultaneously supporting the use of mercenaries and the application of unilateral coercive measures, commonly known as sanctions.

The extended West voted against the rest of the world on these issues. Its positions were virtually uniform as a bloc, led by the United States, including Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan.

In fact, the chair of the General Assembly’s Third Committee is Austria’s representative to the United Nations, Alexander Marschik, and even he could not help but laugh in the session at the constant protestations of the US representative, who dominated the debate, speaking out against nearly every resolution to explain why the world should join with Washington in voting against it. (Marschik could not contain his laughter despite the fact that his own country, Austria, voted along with the US on each resolution.)

Geopolitical Economy Report has created maps that illustrate the clear political divide between the West and the rest.

(Editor’s note: We are sometimes asked what is meant by the “American Empire.” In response, these maps are a good definition.)

Sanctions

In the November 7 session, nations debated a draft that condemned unilateral coercive measures, or sanctions, for violating the human rights of civilians in targeted countries.

The resolution passed with 128 votes in favor and 54 against, and no abstentions.


Promoting “a democratic and equitable international order”

The General Assembly’s Third Committee likewise considered a measure that called for the “promotion of a democratic and equitable international order”.

The resolution passed with 123 votes in favor and 54 against, plus 7 abstentions (from Armenia, Chile, Costa Rica, Liberia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay).


(continued in right column)

(Click here for a version in French.)

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

Respecting “human rights and cultural diversity”

Another resolution sought to promote “human rights and cultural diversity”.

The measure passed with 130 votes in favor and 54 against, and no abstentions.



Promoting “equitable geographical distribution” in human rights treaty bodies

The Third Committee deliberated a draft that called for the “promotion of equitable geographical distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty bodies”.

The resolution passed with 128 votes in favor and 52 against, and no abstentions.


Mercenaries

Another measure condemned the “use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination”.

The resolution passed with 126 votes in favor and 52 against, plus 6 abstentions (from Kiribati, Liberia, Palau, Mexico, Tonga and Switzerland).


The United Nations published a full video of the Third Committee’s session on November 7, in the 48th plenary meeting of the General Assembly’s 78th session.

(Thank you to the Transcend Media Service for calling our attention to this article.)

Update on UN response to Israeli destruction of Palestine

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

Synopsis of data as of November 29 from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Situation in Gaza

As of 29 November, nearly 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were sheltering in 156 UNRWA installations across all five governorates of the Gaza Strip, including in the North and Gaza City.  The average number of IDPs in UNRWA shelters is 9,500, more than four times their capacity. Around 1.8 million people (or over 80 per cent of the population) have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since 7 October.

(Editor’s note: The definition contained in Article II of the UN Convention describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.)


Palestinians moving within the Gaza Strip during the humanitarian pause, 27 November 2023. © 2023 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra

In the Gaza Strip, on 27 and 28 November, 160 bodies were recovered from the rubble, according to the Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza. The office reported that, since the start of hostilities, more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including about 6,150 children and 4,000 women.

As of 29 November, 111 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since the beginning of the war

As of 29 November, UNRWA was able to verify that 104 incidents have occurred at 82 UNRWA premises since the beginning of the war. Thirty installations were hit directly and 52 sustained collateral damage. In addition, UNRWA received reports of the military use of its facilities on at least five occasions

(continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

Since the beginning of the conflict, at least 218 internally displaced people sheltering in UNRWA schools have reportedly been killed and at least 894 have been injured.

Situation in West Bank

In the West Bank, According to OCHA, since 7 October, 238 Palestinians, including 63 children, have been killed by the Israeli Forces in the West Bank. In addition, eight people, including one child, have been killed by Israeli settlers. 

Medical and psychological emergency in Gaza

On 29 November, nine (out of 22) UNRWA health centres were still operational in the Middle and Southern areas, recording 10,312 patients visits, including Palestine Refugees and non-refugees.

UNRWA teams, including 196 social workers in the shelters, provided psychosocial first aid and other specialized protection services to IDPs. Since 7 October, 81,102 people (over 60 per cent of whom are females) have been reached. UNRWA school counsellors in collaboration with other organizations reached around 375,000 children with recreational activities.

Lack of food, drinking water and sanitation in Gaza

UNRWA distribution of flour outside of shelters continued on 29 November in the southern governorates. A total of 30,222 families have been reached so far.

UNRWA continues to operate eight water wells pumping about 9,000 cubic metres to provide potable and domestic water supply. Potable water trucking operations to the shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis areas continue.

Provision of potable water through tankers of Coast Municipalities Water Utility started to have the shelters provided with potable water in Rafah.

Solid waste collection from the camps, emergency shelters and transfer to landfills continues in the Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. About 45 loadings were transferred to temporary dumping sites on 29 November.  There is an urgent need for additional sanitation trucks and vehicles.

Mazin Qumsiyeh: Are we being duped to focus only on Gaza suffering?

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

A blog by Mazin Qumsiyeh

Israel’s genocide of Gaza is intentional, planned and ongoing with no sign of slowing down. The contrary, with no water, food and medicine it is accelerating. Israel leaders boast openly that they do not care about what the UN says or what world leaders say. Israeli fascist leaders say they do not care what statements are issued by governments of Muslim and Arab countries. Nor do they care if public pressure causes some western leaders to moderate their language from unconditional support for Israel to show concern for the “humanitarian catastrophe” unfolding in Gaza (without naming the perpetrator). Israel actually can use the humanitarian catastrophe (as if it is an act of God not their agency) as bargaining chips. Israel can offer pauses in the slaughter in exchange for further weapons from Western governments and for release of Israeli prisoners. Maybe even a temporary ceasefire and fuel to any remaining hospitals in exchange for additional support to continue the genocidal occupation and for impunity from facing tribunals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israeli leaders are crystal clear about their crimes and they get their way by genocide and total state terrorism against populations. If you have any doubt, listen to them (see below).


Extreme nationalism leads to genocide: Nazis and Zionists
(click on image to enlarge)

They even  say openly that if Hizbollah continues its resistance in South Lebanon, then all of Lebanon will pay a devastating price and Beirut will be like Gaza (i.e. totally devastated). Israeli military spokesemen gave the same threats to cities in the West Bank like Jenin and Tulkarem and even Ramallah. These are not idle threats. If the world is not willing to to stop Israel from devastating cities in Gaza strip and is even giving it more weapons to commit its genocide there, why would it not also devastate Lebanon or the West Bank. If you get away with one genocide you get away with others.  After all International law cannot be enforced in this case. According to Israeli leaders global public opinion and “diplomatic” pressure will not end its carnage. Many human rights advocates are at a loss as to how to end the carnage.

Israel is the only country on earth that did not set any border for itself. It is also the first colonial power whose base is not a geographic area away from the area it colonized (e.g. France was the base for colonizing Algeria). The Zionist base is wherever Zionists occur in positions of power in Western Countries(originally France and England but now the US and other countries). The original Zionist plan is setting up an Eretz Yisrael is in the area between the Nile of Egypt to the Euphrates. But this is changing where Israel dominion as Netanyahu showed in a map at the UN includes the Arabian Peninsula and the gulf states. But the Zionist plans are far more than about geography. Geography is negotiable if there are guarantees of economic and colonial hegemony. Gaza is needed because of the gas fields there worth hundreds of billions but that is a small part of a wider plan for which 2.3 million people are dispensible.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are already colonized economically and are run by easily contolled leaders who will do the US/Israel bidding.  Zionist grip on the US system is visible everywhere from Hollywood to mainstream media to congress that allocates more mone to Israel than South America and Africa combined. In many western countries, the Zionist lobby succeeded in even silencing free speech so asking for freedom in Palestine is persecuted. There is a war on truth.

So what is to be done? First please note that while many media like Al-Jazeera show Palestinian suffering, they do not provide coverage of Israeli/Zionist statements or intent. The genocidal statements are rarely seen in either Western but also in Eastern media. This is important because humanitarian suffering elicits sympathy from those with peope who care about fellow human beings. But most people and certainly most leaders are willing to ACT only if they see direct impact on them. Unfortunately, the statements of Zionist leaders and their direct actions including suppression of free speech in supposed “democratic countries” if exposed would be more likely to get results than pleading to save Palestinian children (as important as that is). Thus, we must spend at least as much time in publicizing the Zionist plans and words . Documenting slaughter must be accompanied by documenting the intent and plans for slaughter. We must expose why this is not merely about Palestine but about an evil tribal ideology called Zionism that is not content with Palestine but subverts and hurts people around the world. For example, it is critical to show how Israel is hurting US public interest and destroying the US and even got away with killing US citizens like the sailors of the USS Liberty.

(continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?

(continued from left column)

Millions of people are mobilizing. You do make a difference. All individual efforts count.  Below are materials you can use and publicize. Telling the truth is a revolutionary act. The pen can be mightier than the sword sometimes.

Anyway, please do take the time to look over this material and use them extensively:

Middle East Monitor

Huffington Post

 The Wire : Israeli President says there are no innocent civilains in Gaza and that they are responsible

Youtube video : “The only solution is the complete destruction of Gaza” Moshe Feiglin 

facebook page : Zionist thought about Churches and mosques 

facebook page : Zionist thought about civilians

“When 2.5 million people live in a closed-off Gaza, it’s going to be a human catastrophe. Those people will become even bigger animals than they are today, with the aid of an insane fundamentalist Islam. The pressure at the border will be awful. It’s going to be a terrible war. So, if we want to remain alive, we will have to kill and kill and kill. All day, every day.” – Amnon Sofer, Israeli demographer in 2004

“There will be no food, no electricity, no food, no fuel. Everything is closed. We are fighting animal people, and we are acting accordingly” – Yoav Galant, Israeli Defense Minister on 9 October 2023

“We will turn Gaza into an island of ruins” – Benjamin Netanyahu 8 October 2023

”We are dropping hundreds of tons of bombs on Gaza. The focus is on destruction, not accuracy” – Daniel Hagari, Israeli army spokesperson 10 October in Haaretz

“Animal Humans will be treated accordingly, you wanted hell and you’ll get hell” Ghassan Major General of the Israeli army October 9 Social media post

“There is an entire nation who are responsible. This rhetoric about civilians supposedly not being involved is absolutely untrue (…) We will fight until we break their backs” – Yitzhak Herzon, Israeli President Press conference

“Jericho missile! Doomsday weapon! That is my opinion. Powerful rockets to be fired without limits/borders. Gaza to be smashed and razed to the ground. Without mercy” – Tally Gotliv Likud Partly, 9 October on X/Twitter

“Wipe out their families, their mothers and their children. These animals must not be allowed to live any longer” – Ezra Yachin, Israeli Veteran who participated in the ethnic cleansing of 1948 (Nakba)

“Now there is only one goal: Nakba. A Nakba in Gaza that will dwarf the Nakba of 1948” – Ariel Kellet, :Likud Party Politician 7 October on X/Twitter

“The only thing that needs to enter Gaza are hundreds of tons of explosives, not one ounce of humanitarian relief” – Itamar Ben Gvir (Israeli minister in Charge of Police and arming setters)

“They should go, as well as the physical homes in which they raised the snakes in. Otherwise more little snakes will be raised there” – Ayelet Shakid
“We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children, We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children ” – Golda Meir (old but shows the racist ideology)

“I am here today not only as the US Secretary of State but also as a Jew … as long as the US exists, you will never have to do this [alone] because we will always be with you” – US Secretary of State Blinken 12 October (already hundreds of special US Delta force boots are on the ground).

Michael Ben-Ari, ex-member of the Knesset: “There are no innocents in Gaza. Mow them down … Kill the Gazans without thought or mercy.”

Israel Katz, Minister of Transportation: “Gaza should be bombed so hard the population has to flee into Egypt.”

Avi Dichter, Current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Former Shin Bet director and Minister of Internal Security: “Gaza should be wiped clean with bombs.”

Israeli military Rabbi and Israeli soldiers

And here on this link  you can find more damning statements from Zionist leaders.

UNESCO: How can young people become actors of peace?

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from UNESCO

On the celebration of the UNESCO Associated School Networks’ 70th anniversary, more than 10.000 students from 68 countries were gathered for a series of three digital Campuses in three languages.

Peace, intercultural dialogue and understanding, sustainable development, and quality education. These are the foundations of the UNESCO Associated School Network (ASPnet), who is commemorating its 70th anniversary.

With many regions of the world facing war and armed conflict, actions on how to build lasting peace remain crucial more than ever. To this end, UNESCO Campus  organized a series of campuses, in three different languages, to reach English, French and Spanish-speaking students and teachers. A unique opportunity to celebrate the first day of the 42nd UNESCO General Conference.  

The dialogues between the experts, students, and teachers led to a list of actions and activities that not only promote peace but enrich our understating on how to be multi-level active global citizens. 
 
Starting from an international point of view, cooperation of different actors, such as international organizations and civil society groups, is essential. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Special Advisor Africa for the Director-General at UNESCO emphasised on cultivating a culture of peace. Historically, peace was defined as the absence of armed conflict and hostilities. However, peace is composed of values, attitudes, and behaviours, which we can all learn from a young age. Peace is a continuous action, in which everyone can contribute to. 

(continued in right column)

(Click here for a French version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

Peace is not only the absence of war. All situations of personal or collective conflict, social or economic insecurity and environmental instability contribute to the absence of peace. Each generation has a mission to accomplish: to guarantee peace for the generations to follow.

– Firmin Edouard Matoko, Special Advisor Africa, Director-General, UNESCO

Important goals can also be achieved at the national and community level. Actions for peace are essential in conflict and post-conflict zones. In this kind of situation an operation of mediation is vital to settle the situation.

To inspire students and to enlighten them about the sheer of mediation, Saurea Didry Stancioff, West Africa Program Manager at Promediation, shared her experience. Mediation is a key tool to establish trust and dialogue between the contending parties of a conflict. The mediation process can help build the first blocks to establish lasting peace, through creating a bridge of dialogue to find innovative solutions. 
 
Talking about the local point of action, Panji Haryo Purnomo, Teacher of Pradita Dirgantara High School, School leader of Fostering Global Citizens through the Memory of the World, provided students and teachers with an example of a successful local peace initiative. His commitment to education and his unwavering dedication to nurturing the youth through knowledge and culture have fostered a sense of peace among his community in Boyolali, Indonesia. Through conflict resolution, the empowerment of youth and the preservation of a shared cultural heritage is fundamental. 

Peacebuilding is not abstract; it’s made of actions and conversations. Let’s be ambassadors of peace, champions of dialogue, and preservers of heritage. Together, we can turn the dream of peace into a tangible reality.

– Panji Haryo Purnomo, Teacher of Pradita Dirgantara High School, School leader of “Fostering Global Citizens through the Memory of the World”

The multiple questions by students and teachers led to a lively discussion on how each one of us can act for peace. Within our day-to-day lives, the experts left the participants with the inspiration on how each one of us can act for peace. For Firmin Edouard Matoko, it is to embrace diversity and seeing it as a strength. For Saurea Didry Stancioff, each of us can start by active listening. Lastly, for Panji Haryo Purnomo, it starts with respect for everyone and everybody. 
 
Fostering peace exists and can be done at multiple levels. All it takes is the courage to start.
 
This event has made possible thanks to TECH4ALL and with the support of France. 

The 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda THEME: “Education, Culture of Peace and African Citizenship as tools for the sustainable development of the continent”

. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

A media advisory from the African Union

INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What:  The 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda   THEME: “Education, Culture of Peace and African Citizenship as tools for the sustainable development of the continent”

When: 22-24 November 2023, Luanda, Angola.

Who: The event is organized by the African Union and the Government of the Republic of Angola (the National Biennale Management Office) in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Why: The Biennale of Luanda – “Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace” aims to promote the prevention of violence and conflict resolution, by encouraging cultural exchanges in Africa and dialogue between generations. It is held every two years in Luanda, the capital city of Angola.

The 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, 6 & 7 February 2021, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, underlined the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Biennale of Luanda, as a privileged space for the promotion of cultural diversity and African unity, provides a unique platform for governments, civil society, the artistic and scientific community, the private sector and international organisations to discuss and define strategies for the prevention of violence and conflict with a view to building lasting peace in Africa.

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

Can the African Union help bring a culture of peace to Africa?

(Continued from left column)

Objectives:

The aim of the Biennale of Luanda for the Culture of Peace in Africa is to work towards a daily and sustainable individual and collective appropriation and implementation, on the continent, of the concept of a culture of peace. 

This initiative reinforces the implementation of Goals 16 and 17 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 7 Aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, in particular its ”Silencing the Guns by 2030″ initiative. 

Background:

The first edition of the Biennale of Luanda, “Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace” was held from 18 to 22 September 2019 in Luanda, which was a celebration of various African values, beliefs, forms of spirituality, knowledge and traditions that contribute to the respect of human rights, cultural diversity, the rejection of violence and the development of democratic societies. 

The second edition of the Biennale of Luanda took place from 27 November to 2 December 2021 and was celebrated under the African Union’s 2021 theme, “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want”.

For more information, visit the Biennale of Luanda webpage.

Journalists are invited to cover the 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda.

For further inquiries, please contact:
Ms. Ebba Kalondo | Spokesperson to the Chairperson, African Union Commission | E-mail: kalondoe@africa-union.org
Mrs Christiane Yanrou-Matondo | Principal Communication Officer, Cabinet of the Chairperson | E-mail: Yanrouc@africa-union.org
Ms. Limi Mohammed | Web Administrator, African Union Commission, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, Governance and Conflict Prevention Directorate E-mail: shashlm@africa-union.org
Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org


Web: www.au.int | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

In memoriam: Betty Reardon (1929-2023)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Betty A. Reardon, internationally celebrated as a founder of the field of peace education and feminist peace scholar, passed away on November 3, 2023. She was the co-founder of the Global Campaign for Peace Education.

The child of Julia Florence Reardon (Burke) and Michael Augustus Reardon, she was born on June 12, 1929 and brought up in Rye, New York where she attended Rye Grammar School and then Rye High School. She spent her adult life as a resident of New York City.  She held a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University, a master’s degree in history from New York University, and a B.A. in history from Wheaton College, Norton, MA.  She is survived by nieces Noël Menadier, Christie Menadier, Coley Menadier-Fisher and husband Rick Fisher, great nephew Adam Fisher and wife Whitney Timmons, great nephew Grayson Fisher, nephew Mark Menadier and great nephew Burke Menadier and great niece Kalani Menadier, niece Dani Menadier Thorn and great nieces Sabrina Thorn and Savannah Thorn.

She began her teaching career at Rye Country Day School, and then in 1963 she began her work in peace education as Director of the Schools Program with the Institute of World Order. What intrigued and drove her was an interest in war, not as an isolated eruption in human affairs, but as a social system justified by particular ways of thinking. She had a hunch that not only the structures of society, but the structures of consciousness as well, could, and should be, transformed through a comprehensive education for and about peace. Betty Reardon’s life-long endeavor has been informed and shaped by this perspective and these formative experiences.

She held prominent roles in the establishment and work of key institutions that define the field of peace studies and peace education, including the founder and long-time director of the Peace Education Center and Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, the founder and director of the International Institute on Peace Education, the General Coordinator, of the Feminist Scholar Activist Network on Demilitarization, Coordinator International Network of Peace Education Centers, the founding Academic Coordinator of the Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education,  the Director of the Peacemaking in Education Program, United Ministries in Education, Executive Secretary of the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction, the School Program Director, Institute for World Order, New York, NY, the Associate Director of Leadership and World Society (LAWS), and a founder of the Peace Education Commission of the International Peace Research Association.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

How can we carry forward the work of the great peace and justice activists who went before us?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

Dr. Reardon also held a number of prestigious visiting professorships, including the Savage Chair, Distinguished Visiting professor of International Relations and Peace, University of Oregon, the A. Lindsay O’Connor Chair in American Institutions, Colgate University, Visiting Professor of Peace, Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Visiting Professor, Kanda University of International Studies, Chiba, Japan, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, Visiting Professor, Department of International Relations, Ritsumeikan Unviersity, Kyoto, Japan.

In addition, Dr. Reardon was an accomplished scholar of peace studies and peace education.  She published numerous articles, books, book chapters, and reports, and has presented scholarly papers at numerous scholarly meetings. Her essential works include:

° Comprehensive Peace Education (Teachers College Press, 1988);
° Educating for Global Responsibility (Teachers College Press, 1988);
° Women and Peace: Feminist Visions of Global Security (State University of New York Press, 1993);
° Educating for Human Dignity (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1994);
° Sexism and the War System (Syracuse University Press, 1996);
° Tolerance: The Threshold of Peace (UNESCO,1998);
° Passport to Dignity: The Human Rights of Women (PDHRE, 2001); and
Education for a Culture of Peace in a Gender Perspective (UNESCO, 2001).
° The Gender Imperative: Human Security vs. State Security. (Routledge, 2010).
Betty A. Reardon: A Pioneer in Education for Peace and Human Rights. (Springer Press, 2015)
° Betty A. Reardon: Key Texts in Gender and Peace. (Springer Press, 2015)

Her many prestigious awards include:
° the Pomerance Award for contributions to disarmament efforts within the UN system,
° Nomination and honorable mention for UNESCO Peace Education Prize by ICAE, IPRA, WCCI,
° the American Association of University Women (AAUW) New York State Peace Award,
° Golden Balloon Award for Peace Education from World Children’s Association (presented at the United Nations),
° the 1986 Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing for Sexism and the War System,
° the 1994 Peace Studies Award from the Peace and Justice Studies Association,
° the 2000 Jane Adams Peace Activist Award,
° Distinguished Alumna Award from Teachers College Columbia University, 2004,
° Volvo Heroes nomination 2006,
° Nomination for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize (among 1000 women nominated as a group).
° Nomination for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize by the International Peace Bureau (Norway).
° The 2010 Sean McBride Peace (International Peace Bureau).
° The 2013 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize (The El-Hibri Foundation)

World War II, and then later, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and the Feminist movement were formative in the development of her worldview. In the face of the horrors of world war, she believed, as early as the fifth grade, that there must be an alternative to war, and in the face of racism and sexism she pondered early on the limits and possibilities of justice.  In these formative experiences were the seeds of her fundamental approach to peace, as both the elimination of violence and the establishment of justice.  She chose to be a teacher, believing that education was the key to a peaceful and just world.
Betty Reardon was a tireless student, exponent, and advocate of peace, justice, and peace education. She mentored and inspired generations of educators, scholars, and activists through her teaching and scholarship.