Friends Committee on National Legislation Awarded 2024 US Peace Prize

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Excerpts from the website of the US Peace Prize

The 2024 US Peace Prize has been awarded to the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) “For Efforts Over 81 Years to Educate, Build Coalitions and Influence Congress to Stop Funding War and Nuclear Weapons.”

The US Peace Prize was presented on November 16, 2024, at the FCNL Annual Meeting by Michael Knox, Chair and Founder of the US Peace Memorial Foundation. In his remarks, Dr. Knox said, “We greatly appreciate the crucial work that FCNL is doing to end war, militarism, and nuclear weapons by educating the public, building coalitions, and lobbying Congress and the administration. For over eight decades, the Friends Committee has developed an impressive portfolio of antiwar actions. Most recently, demanding that the U.S. call for a ceasefire in Palestine and Israel, de-escalation, and humanitarian access to Gaza. The US Peace Prize is a commendation that will help call attention to and reinforce your important work for peace.”


The award was accepted by Bridget Moix, General Secretary, who responded, “On behalf of our board and staff, thousands of advocates around the country persisting for peace with us, and all those who have been part of FCNL’s work over the years, we are honored and grateful to receive this 2024 US Peace Prize. For over 80 years, FCNL has sought to be a clear and consistent voice for peace and justice on Capitol Hill. Receiving this prize is especially significant as we face escalating war in the Middle East, growing global violence and authoritarianism, and enormous threats to our own democracy here at home. A world of justice and peace for all people may seem a distant dream, but our Quaker faith and the powerful communities with whom we work every day sustain us in this ongoing struggle for the world we seek.”
 

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Question related to this article:

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

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Friends Committee on National Legislation is a nonpartisan Quaker organization that lobbies Congress and the administration to advance their priorities of peace, justice, environmental stewardship, and a world free of war and the threat of war. FCNL played a pivotal role in helping to create the Peace Corps and promoting the slogan “War is Not the Answer” through signs and bumper stickers. The organization also advocates for peacebuilding and against nuclear weapons and U.S. Militarism. FCNL works with a grassroots advocacy network of tens of thousands of people across the country and leads a coalition of organizations pushing for U.S. support for a ceasefire in Israel/Palestine.
 
The other US Peace Prize final nominees this year were Community Peacemaker Teams, Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal, Louis H. Pumphrey, and Ellen Thomas. You can read about all nominees’ antiwar/peace work in the US Peace Registry.

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The US Peace Memorial Foundation  awards the US Peace Prize to recognize and honor the most outstanding and prominent American antiwar leaders. These courageous people and organizations have publicly championed peaceful solutions to international conflicts involving the U.S. and/or opposed U.S. war(s), militarism, and interventions including invasion, occupation, production and distribution of weapons of mass destruction, use of weapons, threats of war, or other hostile actions that endanger peace. We celebrate these extraordinary role models to inspire other Americans to speak out against war and work for peace. Recipients have been designated as Founding Members of the US Peace Memorial Foundation. Read details about the inspiring antiwar/peace activities of the recipients and all nominees in the US Peace Registry
.

Previous US Peace Prize recipients are National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth, Costs of War, World BEYOND War, Christine Ahn, Ajamu Baraka, David Swanson, Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace, Kathy Kelly, CODEPINK Women for Peace, Chelsea Manning, Medea Benjamin, Noam Chomsky, Dennis Kucinich, and Cindy Sheehan.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, North America

The Real Nobel Peace Prize: Join the World, not the U.S. Empire

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A speech published by War is a Crime (the version here is abbreviated. The original speech that you may read by following this link is more than twice as long, as it also contains the arguments used to justify war preparations and a detailed critique of NATO.)

Remarks by David Swanson upon acceptance of Real Nobel Peace Prize, Oslo, Norway, November 10, 2024.

It’s wonderful to be here with many of you whose work I’ve known but whom I’ve rarely if ever been with in person. I am very grateful to John Jones and Tomas Magnusson for arranging this event. I am thrilled to be here at the start of what I expect will be years of terrific work by the Lay Down Your Arms Foundation — an appropriate name here in the House of Literature. The great [Fredrik Heffermehl, who has been gone from us for nearly a year now, often stressed the influence on Alfred Nobel in the creation of the Nobel Peace Prize by Bertha von Suttner, the author of the 1889 novel Lay Down Your Arms.


The impact of that book was not, I think, due to the characters or the plot or any depiction of how horrific war can be, but rather to the way the book framed war abolition within a story of advancing civilization. . .
.
In 1889, war itself was being civilized. The Red Cross was seeking to tend the wounded. Atrocities were being banned. Disputes among royals were being mocked by republicans as proper grounds for wars. Arbitration was proving itself as an alternative to slaughter. With slavery and pillage being left behind, with religion beginning to fade, with the technology of weaponry rapidly advancing, war was losing its economic motive, its theocratic justification, and its suitability as a test of individual skill or courage. The ending of war was an idea that went from fringe craziness to mainstream popularity during Bertha von Suttner’s lifetime, and in great measure because of her.

And here we are, well over a century later, with many forms of violence fading fast. . . . And yet, war is on the rise, the risk of nuclear war is on the rise, and the weapons business through which a small number of countries fuel war around the world has lost all shame, replacing it with the pride of performing a laudable public service. Worst of all, the vision of successful war abolition has been set aside by a too easily discouraged public. In the words of Fredrik Heffermehl, “the main obstacle to global peace is the common belief that it is impossible.” . . .

In fact, nothing ever justifies war, and nothing ever justifies preparing for war. Even if we imagine a war that has never been, a necessary and noble war that does more good than harm, that protects against subhuman monsters, that does not slaughter the innocent for the gleam in a politician’s eye . . . even if we imagine such a war, the fact will remain that keeping around the bases, weapons, ships, and personnel that make war possible does more harm than war itself — and will until war goes nuclear. The institution of war wastes money that could save many more lives than are lost in wars. War preparation, like war, is a major destroyer of the environment, and the chief impediment to international cooperation on the environment, on disease, on poverty, on homelessness. War is, of course, the chief cause of homelessness. War preparation is the justification for government secrecy and surveillance. It is a major source of bigotry and hatred, and the biggest influence in our culture in favor of continued violence. It concentrates wealth, corrupts politicians, erodes liberties, and celebrates sadism.

Fredrik Heffermehl understood the need to abolish the entire institution of war. I think he would probably have cheered for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipients and considered them the first such recipients in at least six years to have merited the award based on the purpose for which it was created. Abolishing nuclear weapons is essential to our survival. But when some nations maintain nuclear weapons as a misguided response to the dominance of another nation in non-nuclear warmaking, we are faced with the need to abolish the entire war enterprise if we are going to abolish its worst weapons.

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Question related to this article:

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

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Reforming war isn’t going to work. Taboos on certain weapons aren’t going to hold. Restrictions on war’s cruelty are not going to be honored. During each war in recent years, we have heard the cries of the outraged: “This is not a war, it’s a genocide!” “This is not a war, it’s an occupation!” “This is not a war, it’s terrorism!” “This is not a war, it’s a crime!” And so forth. All perpetuating the myth that there ever has been or can be a war that isn’t cruel, that doesn’t terrorize, that kills only the proper people for killing. The desire to reform war has always been a noble one, but survival requires that we End it, Not Mend It. . .

What can we do to move the world in that direction?

Some of us try, as Fredrik Heffermehl did so well, to nudge the world along through books, as well as articles and speeches. I work for two organizations — RootsAction.org and World BEYOND War that, like many others, have an impact through online actions, organizing, and webinars. At World BEYOND War we also create in-depth online courses that provide an education often missing in schools. And we work with universities and schools to change that.

Most importantly, we organize local chapters with volunteer organizers who get assistance from our paid staff. World BEYOND War chapters hold meetings, book clubs, rallies, demonstrations, protests. They pass resolutions through local governments. They persuade institutions to divest from weapons profits. They put peace messages into local media. They oppose new and existing military bases.

On the World BEYOND War website we’ve created a tool that lets you spin a globe and zoom in on any of 917 U.S. military bases outside of the United States. We need your help with making sure we’ve got all the new ones. But we’re also taking them off when they’re closed, and never adding them when they’re planned but those plans are stymied. We’ve helped people in Montenegro prevent a major new NATO base from being built. People in the Czech Republic have kept a U.S. base out of their country. In Colombia, activists have blocked base construction on one island and are now protecting another. In Italy, activism failed to prevent a new base but kept it to a smaller size than planned. People have gotten bases out of Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Ecuador. The president of Ecuador told the United States that it could keep a base in Ecuador if Ecuador could have a base in the United States. Now there’s a new president who wants to bring U.S. bases back, so the struggle never ends. But can you imagine the Norwegian government demanding a Norwegian military base in Wisconsin in exchange for the U.S. having bases here? I certainly cannot imagine the U.S. government allowing it.

The lesson I draw from having worked to oppose bases in several countries while based in the Washington, D.C., area or not too far from it, is that we are stronger when we have solidarity across borders, and in particular when we are working together both at the location of a base or a proposed base and at the location of the heart of the empire in Washington. A number of times now I have worked with opponents of U.S. bases in distant corners of the globe and watched as they were asked the inevitable question by U.S. Congress members or staffers, namely: “Well, if you don’t want the base there, then where do you want it?” And in each case, to their everlasting credit and praise, these good people have responded “We do not want it anywhere.”

That kind of principled opposition should be coordinated globally. We should have days of protest at U.S. bases across Scandinavia, together with protests delivering the same message in Washington, D.C. We should put our organizers, but also our writers and video producers and photographers, artists and song writers to work building a movement to get the bases out. But not because war will be better without a particular base, rather because closing a particular base can move us a bit closer to the total abolition of war.

That’s what we need to recover from the days of Bertha von Suttner, the vision of success ahead. That we’ve had more wars, that we’ve seen more years go by, is really not relevant. This is now a matter of survival. We desperately need to turn our attention to non-optional crises instead of these ginned up festivals of the lowest depravity that Russia calls special military operations and the U.S. calls overseas contingency operations or Israel’s right to defend itself, but the rest of us call war. No more now than in 1889 is there anything in our genes or the laws of physics requiring war. There is just something in our culture that says the most useful thing you can do, as done in virtually all Hollywood movies, is to pick up a weapon. We need a culture in which the most admirable and courageous thing you can do is to Lay Down Your Arms. Let’s work on getting there.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe, global,

C­o­m­p­a­n­i­e­s P­r­o­f­i­t­i­n­g f­r­o­m t­h­e G­a­z­a G­e­n­o­c­i­d­e

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An analysis by the American Friends Service Committee

The companies listed here have provided Israel with weapons and other military equipment used in its attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria since October 2023.

Last updated on June 6, 2024

*Companies marked with (*) are included in our divestment list. The list below is not intended to be used as either a divestment list or a boycott list, as it includes many privately-owned companies as well as companies with a very minor or one-time involvement.

Since October 2023, Israel has waged unprecedented aerial and ground attacks on Gaza after Hamas-led attacks on Israel. Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed at a historic pace, mostly unarmed civilians, and most of the Gaza population has been displaced. These attacks may amount to a genocide, according to a preliminary ruling by the International Court of Justice, a , as well as dozens of U.N. experts and legal scholars. Israel’s attacks in Gaza have been accompanied by a surge of Israeli violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, clashes between the Israeli military and militant groups in Lebanon, and Israeli aerial strikes in Syria.

Shortly after Oct. 7, the U.S. government started transferring massive amounts of weapons to Israel. By Dec. 25, Israel received  more than 10,000 tons of weapons in 244 cargo planes and 20 ships from the U.S. These transfers included more than 15,000 bombs and 50,000 artillery shells within just the first month and a half. These transfers have been deliberately shrouded in secrecy to avoid public scrutiny and prevent Congress from exercising any meaningful oversight. Between October and the beginning of March, the U.S. approved more than 100 military sales to Israel, but publicly disclosed only two sales. A list of known U.S. arms transfers is maintained by the Forum on the Arms Trade.

Much of these weapons were purchased using U.S. taxpayers’ money through the Foreign Military Sales program, while some were direct commercial sales purchased through Israel’s own budget.  An undisclosed amount of weapons was also transferred from U.S. military stockpiles already stored in Israel, known as War Reserves Stock Allies-Israel (WRSA-I). The use of WRSA-I to provide Israel with weapons serves to further obfuscate the full picture of U.S. arms transfers, as there is no public record of these stockpiles’ inventory.

The scale of destruction and war crimes in Gaza would not be possible without this continued flow of weapons from the U.S. Despite massive public protests, the Biden administration has been working to give Israel over $14 billion to buy more weapons. This is on top of the $3.8 billion the U.S. already gives to the Israeli military annually. Israel is required to use this money to buy U.S.-made weapons. This is a form of corporate welfare not only for the largest weapons manufacturers, like Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, and General Dynamics, which have seen their stock prices skyrocket, but also for companies that are not typically seen as part of the weapons industry, such as Caterpillar, Ford, and Toyota (see below).

As a Quaker organization with a long history of work in Palestine and Israel, including in Gaza, AFSC supports a full arms embargo to both Israeli and Palestinian militant groups. This list focuses on weapons used by Israel because all Palestinian militant groups are already sanctioned and receive no support from Western governments or corporations.

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Question related to this article:

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

How can a culture of peace be established in the Middle East?

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This research relies on media sources, social media, and other open sources. Information was also collected by Who Profits and the Database of Israeli Military and Security Export, a project of the Israeli organization New Profile. We welcome any additional information, please contact us.

(Editor’s note: The AFSC website includes descriptions for each of the following companies. The links below to these descriptions do not work, but there is an index of links on the left side of the AFSC website that go directly to the descriptions.)

  • AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV)
  • Agilite
  • Aimpoint
  • AM General
  • *BAE Systems (LSE: BA)
  • *Boeing (NYSE: BA)
  • *Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT)
  • *Colt (PSE: CZG)
  • Corsight
  • Day & Zimmermann
  • DJI
  • *Elbit Systems (NASDAQ & TASE: ESLT)
  • Emtan
  • Flyer Defense
  • Ford (NYSE: F)
  • *General Dynamics (NYSE: GD)
  • *General Electric (NYSE: GE)
  • General Motors (NYSE: GM)
  • Ghost Robotics
  • Google/Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)
  • *Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON)
  • Hyundai (KRX: 329180)
  • InfiniDome
  • Israel Aerospace Industries
  • JCB
  • *L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX)
  • *Leonardo (BIT: LDO)
  • Leupold & Stevens
  • *Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)
  • MDT Armor
  • Mercedes (FWB: MBG)
  • NextVision
  • Nordic Ammunition Company
  • *Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC)
  • Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK)
  • *Palantir (NYSE: PLTR)
  • *Paz Oil (TASE: PZOL)
  • Plasan
  • Rafael
  • *Renk (FRA: ZAR)
  • Rheinmetall (FWB: RHM)
  • *Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR)
  • *RTX (NYSE: RTX)
  • Shield AI
  • SK Group
  • Skydio
  • SMARTSHOOTER
  • SpearUAV
  • *Textron ( NYSE: TXT)
  • *ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA)

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    HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast

    The Amsterdam ‘Pogrom’ That Wasn’t: Corporate Media Fails To Tell the Whole Story: The Israeli fans instigated the violence 

    FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

    An article from Common Dreams

    (Editor’s note: Before printing this story, CPNN verified it by checking other media around the world. The facts described here are verified by Anadolou Ajansi (based in Turkey), Al Jazeera (based in Qatar) and Liberation (based in France), as well as other media based in Iran, Tunisia, Finland, Pakistan and Morocco.)

    Thursday night, Israeli soccer fans clashed with Amsterdam residents before and after a Europa League soccer match between their team Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam.

    Clashes occurred outside the Johan Cruyff Arena and across the city on Thursday night. Police on Friday said five people had been taken to hospital, and 62 arrests had been made.

    The violence reportedly started when the far-right Israeli soccer hooligans began chanting racist and violent anti-Arab slogans, attacked Arab and Muslim residents, and vandalized houses and businesses with Palestinian flags.

    Al Jazeera reported:

    In one video, Israeli supporters were heard singing: “Let the IDF win, and f*** the Arabs!” referring to the Israeli army’s offensive on Gaza. Another video captured a fan screaming: “F*** you terrorists, Sinwar die, everybody die,” in reference to the Hamas leader who was killed last month.

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    Questions related to this article:

    Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

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    The Israeli fans instigated the violence after arriving in the city and attacking Palestinian supporters before the match, an Amsterdam city council member said.

    “They began attacking houses of people in Amsterdam with Palestinian flags, so that’s actually where the violence started,” Councilman Jazie Veldhuyzen told Al Jazeera on Friday.

    “As a reaction, Amsterdammers mobilised themselves and countered the attacks that started on Wednesday by the Maccabi hooligans.”

    Yet the corporate media – both in the US and abroad – portrayed the events as one-sided “anti-semitic” attacks on helpless soccer fans:

    US President Joe Biden, his Secretary of State Tony Blinken, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were quick to echo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that the events in Amsterdam were unprovoked anti-semitic attacks reminiscent of pogroms or the Kristallnacht.

    However many social media posts reported the context of the violence that was missing from corporate media reporting:

    Abier

    Ashok Swain

    martyrdoesnotplay

    Mehdi Hassan

    Yanis Varoufakis

    Owen Jones

    TRT World

    Double Down News

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    Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

    Yucatán: UADY will host the first Nobel Peace Summit Center for Education

    . EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

    An article from 24 Horas, el Diario sin Límites Yucatán

    The Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) has been selected as the venue for the first “International Center for the Nobel Peace Summit for Education” in the world.


    Photo: Tomás Martín

    This new physical space and educational platform will offer an innovative and multidisciplinary approach to promoting a culture of peace, combining face-to-face and online activities for students and teachers.

    A unique space for training in a culture of peace

    The center seeks to promote education for peace through a structured and original approach. In its first phase, all universities in Yucatan, as well as those in other states of Mexico, will have access to this platform.

    (Click here for the original Spanish version).

    Question for this article:

    Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

    Where is peace education taking place?

    Even institutions without a specific peace chair will be able to use its teaching modules, adapted to provide complete and effective training on peace issues. This approach is based on the experience and knowledge of influential voices, including Nobel Peace Prize winners, activists and non-governmental organizations.

    Innovative and multidisciplinary methodology

    Through an integrated methodology and innovative educational content, UADY and the center will provide practical tools to teach about peace and human rights teachers from all over the country.

    In addition, students will participate in a unique educational experience that encourages the development of skills to resolve conflicts and work towards peaceful coexistence.

    Commitment to peace at a local and global level

    From this center, UADY will implement actions to address problems of violence in schools and homes, as well as to build alliances that promote the culture of peace. The university seeks to collaborate with governments, businesses and communities to extend the impact of the center at a local and regional level.

    The objective is to promote educational projects that strengthen the values ​​of respect and solidarity in Yucatan and the rest of Mexico.

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    EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

    Positive Peace in action: a collaborative journey in Trinidad

    .. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

    An article by Rotary Peace Fellows and Rotary Positive Peace Activators María Antonia Pérez and Scott R. Martin in the Rotary Service Blog

    The island of Trinidad has one of the most diverse populations in the Caribbean. In recent years, however, the political and economic instability of its closest neighbor, Venezuela, has led to a sharp increase in migration, tension and potential for conflict. Cashew Gardens, a neighborhood in Trinidad that has worked to build a stronger community, contacted Mediators Beyond Borders  International for help integrating Venezuelan migrants.  

    With support from Rotary International, the Institute for Economics and Peace, Mediators Beyond Borders International and the community of Cashew Gardens, we led the “Building Bridges: Connecting Communities for Positive Peace and Harmony” workshop.

    Local Trinidadians and Venezuelan migrants got together to explore conflict resolution, trauma healing, social entrepreneurship, and the eight Pillars of Positive Peace. The goal was to co-design an inclusive and sustainable green market (a place for local agriculture, artisanal products and social entrepreneurial services) for the community.

    We wanted to bring leaders together from each of the cultural communities in the region to learn from one another and establish a common language. The Positive Peace framework helped them identify their needs and express them through different value systems. The hope was that the participants could then help design the green market and develop the social and economic programs essential to its success. The Pillars of Positive Peace provided an excellent platform to support that success.

    This initial workshop, supported through seed funding for Rotary Positive Peace Activator projects, was conducted in both English and Spanish and brought together a culturally diverse group of dedicated Trinidadians and Venezuelan immigrants, ages 15 to 65, for four days of learning, sharing, and building together. This also marked the first time Rotary Positive Peace Activators from the North American and Caribbean cohort and South American cohort had collaborated together.

    In addition to being Positive Peace activators, we are also Rotary Peace Fellows  with different professional experiences, so our participation was deeply personal and fulfilling, not only as part of our commitment to the vision of Rotary, but also to our shared belief in the power of community engagement, art, and social entrepreneurship as tools for peacebuilding.

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    Questions for this article:

    How important is community development for a culture of peace?

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    The workshop focused on these key areas:

    Community Cohesion, Conflict and Trauma Awareness
    Understanding the Positive Peace framework and the eight Pillars
    Cross-Cultural Communication and Social Entrepreneurship
    Project Design and Collaboration

    These themes were crucial in addressing the unique challenges faced by the participants, who came from unique backgrounds and experienced different economic and social challenges. Many participants had known of each other for years, but this was their first time working together.

    The interactive model fostered meaningful conversations, collaborative activities, and powerful storytelling that underscored the potential of unity and shared understanding. The group utilized the tools, methodologies, and resources centered around conflict management, trauma, universal needs, and Positive Peace to think critically about their current roles in the community and brainstorm what more is possible. The dedication and enthusiasm of the participants was truly inspiring, and resulted in clear directives and areas for collaboration moving forward.

    We were grateful and inspired by local organizations such as The Ryu Dan Empowerment Foundation, La Casita, and Living Waters for their contributions and commitment to continue collaborating with our team and Cashew Gardens to weave the social fabric for joint prosperity.

    While our journey is still in its early stages, the first workshop marked a significant step forward. Participants deepened their understanding of the Positive Peace framework, enhanced their conflict literacy, and learned to navigate cross-cultural interactions. This foundation will empower them to become effective partners within their communities.

    The workshop also yielded tangible outcomes. Participants actively discussed and began to envision the potential spaces of the green market. Ideas included a dedicated playground for children and the incorporation of vocational services like a nail salon or barber shop, providing opportunities for underemployed youth.

    Furthermore, a group chat has been established where members from the four participating organizations can connect, attend each other’s events, and cross-promote their initiatives. This fosters ongoing partnerships and strengthens community engagement.

    The experience highlighted the importance of collaboration among Rotary Peace Fellows and Rotary Positive Peace Activators from across different regions. The cultural and gender balance of the team was also important for connecting fully with the participants. The workshop not only reinforced the principles of Positive Peace but also illustrated the impact that cross-cohort collaboration can have in driving meaningful, sustainable change. As Rotary Positive Peace Activators, we remain committed to continuing this journey, building more bridges, and creating spaces where peace can flourish.

    Rotary Positive Peace Activators are Rotary and Rotaract members, Rotary Peace Fellows, and Rotary Action Group members who have been trained through the Rotary Positive Peace Activator program. Learn more about the Rotary Positive Peace Activator network  and the Rotary-Institute for Economics and Peace partnership.

    DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

    Fostering a Culture of Peace. Member Spotlight: Dr. Stephanie Myers

    … EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

    An article by Sarah Stenovec from Mediators Beyond Borders

    Dr. Stephanie Myers, a distinguished leader and passionate advocate for change, has dedicated her life to community activism, nonviolence, and providing opportunities for young people. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Dr. Myers earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from California State University, Dominguez Hills and went on to earn her graduate degree through the Coro Foundation in collaboration with Occidental College. In a nutshell, Dr. Myers held a presidential appointment for twelve years across the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

    She went on to become the national chair of Black Women for Positive Change (which was initially Black Women for Obama in its founding year, 2008). She served as Co-Chair of Black Women for the Biden/Harris campaign in 2020, and is currently producing Non Partisan memes to encourage GenZs to vote in the critical 2024 election. And, of course Dr. Myers is personally supporting our historic Vice President Kamala Harris, for President of the USA.

    Along the way, Dr. Myers and her husband co-founded a publishing company, R.J. Myers Publishing & Consulting Co. Passionate about history and recognizing underrepresented voices of the past, Dr. Myers wrote and published her very own book in 2017, Invisible Queen: Mixed Race Ancestry Revealed, on the history of Queen Charlotte and her neglected story (available for purchase at www.myerspublishing.com). In 2006, Dr. Myers felt drawn to return to school and earned her doctorate degree in Applied Management and Decision Sciences from Walden University. Today, Dr. Myers’s primary work rests in her commitment to Black Women for Positive Change, where she remains unremittingly dedicated to nonviolence initiatives both in her local community and abroad.

    Founding Black Women for Positive Change (BWFPC) & The Nonviolence Initiative

    Black Women for Positive Change initially began as Black Women for Obama, a loyal group supporting President Obama’s campaign in 2008. After Obama’s reelection in 2012, the group decided to stay together and rebranded to become their current organization. Originally focused on creating pathways for young individuals in the Washington DC area, the organization shifted its focus to nonviolence initiatives following the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin. Dr. Myers and her team felt struck with an unimaginable reality––nobody should have to fear death in their daily lives, on a trip to the convenience store. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the BWFPC team launched a non-violence initiative that has continued to evolve and strengthen over the past thirteen years, growing from a single day of awareness to an entire month of advocacy in 2021.

    Today, their initiative includes participants from six African nations, as well as the United Kingdom, South Korea, and various organizations across the United States. Such growth has been met with both challenges and achievements, and Dr. Myers recognizes MBBI as being a key strategic partner in collaborating with these overseas participants and supporting their continually expanding global network. Dr. Myers was originally introduced to MBBI through the National Association for Community Mediation, whose members work within local courts in their communities as legal mediators, and with whom MBBI partners regularly.

    BWFPC is not only focused on supporting black women; it is also multi-cultural, interfaith, intergenerational, and includes men who are active members, known as “Good Brothers.” BWFPC is working to demonstrate how being inclusive to all can lead towards positive change. Dr. Myers herself is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, balancing family life with her leadership role in BWFPC as well as her publishing company. Despite her busy schedule, she remains steadfast in bringing people together. She believes deeply in the importance of inclusivity and collaboration:

    “Inclusivity and working together, those are the themes that we simply have to get across to people. It’s just so sad, that even today in 2024, we have people who don’t understand the interconnectedness we all share. And we’ve got to emphasize that… We have to get past this silo mentality that everyone has, and we have to come together,” she emphasizes.

    Changing Our Culture of Violence

    A key idea in Dr. Myers’s philosophy and motivation is “changing our culture of violence” in America. Rooted in Dr. Myers’s complex understanding of American history, this driving force in her advocacy work recognizes centuries of violent frameworks engrained in our nation’s culture. “America was born into violence, we know that through the genocide of Native Americans, through the slavery of Black Americans, and through the white indentured servants… who, despite being freed from servitude, still had to struggle. So, they were subject to violence as well. Thus, we have had a culture of violence.” This history, Dr. Myers argues, exists systemically and has permeated the modern boundaries of social and racial activity and dynamics in society.
    “Change has to happen. The hatred, the racism, the anger, the confrontation, our American system is built on laws, which are very important, but intrinsic to our legal system is confrontation. ‘You’re right, I’m wrong’. A lot of the violence starts right at the kitchen table at home.”

    Much of her work focuses on returning to the underlying causes of youth violence, which are often associated with frustrations within the home. Dr. Myers aims to help students work through these frustrations and address them with peaceful strategies of mediation and de-escalation, while simultaneously providing an emotional outlet that allows individuals to comfortably express their feelings.

    Multimedia and Film as a Tool for Change

    BWFPC embraces a multimedia approach to their work as a tool for change. Dr. Myers recently produced two short films, both of which are available on the BWFPC website. One of the films, “On Second Thought”, is based on a true story of confrontation and reimagines the scenario with a focus on examining the impact of escalation versus peaceful resolution. Dr. Myers recognizes the power of using media to disseminate the messages of violence prevention and to promote alternatives to violence, while also emphasizing the urgency with which these topics should be handled.

    The Role of Mediation in Community Work

    Though Dr. Myers doesn’t necessarily think of herself as a mediator, she manages the coordinating of BWFPC’s activities and programs with a strategic approach. Recently, Dr. Myers shared, BWFPC organized an impactful event where sixteen high school students visited the White House’s Executive Office Building to have a discussion with Greg Jackson, the Deputy Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The students shared personal stories of violence that they had witnessed or experienced, guided by two skilled peace circle facilitators who encouraged and supported the students to express themselves emotionally in what Dr. Myers calls a “restorative justice peace circle.”

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    Question for this article:

    Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

    (Article continued from left column)

    “Now it may not have been that they were the direct victim, but it was stories like seeing their fathers robbed or like seeing their mother under attack at a store, having a cousin beaten up. The fact that our young people have to go through this is just very distressing. So that’s what mediation means to me. To be able to try to expose the reality to people who are policy makers and help them realize we must find ways to change this kind of behavior.”

    The prevalence of violent experiences among young people was a deeply distressing realization for Dr. Myers and her team, reinforcing the glaring importance of implementing peaceful pathways for young individuals. Her work aims not only to bring awareness to the harsh realities of youth violence but also to implement changes that will combat systemic injustice and build foundations for sustainable development.

    Goals for Future: Peace Circles and Opportunities as Alternatives

    One of Dr. Myers’s main advocacies is the implementation of facilitated peace circles inside of schools, which BWFPC is seeking funding to launch. “It would be so wonderful for mediators and other professionals like facilitators to be paid to go into the school and to be able to work with the kids,” she explains. “The young people often don’t get a chance to express their grievances until their anger escalates and they get into a fight and get suspended, and one thing leads to another.”

    One very important revelation for Dr. Myers was that these children are not gaining exposure to potential future opportunities, both professional and personal, that recognize their potential and allow them to recognize their own capabilities to succeed. She envisions introducing young individuals to professional opportunities that showcase their potential, an idea she has termed “Opportunities as Alternatives.” This initiative could include, eventually, a Positive Change Academy that would expose students to fields like AI, cybersecurity, and other industries they may not otherwise consider.

    “I’d like to see the field of mediation expanded because most people don’t even know that it exists. And most people are not aware of the impact that this profession has. I got my undergraduate degree in psychology, but I had no idea that mediation was a dimension of behavioral science. It needs to have more emphasis. Through peace circles and through more exposure, I think mediation needs to advertise itself more as a career so that people can learn about the opportunities and also to demonstrate how it works.”

    Path to Becoming a Presidential Appointee

    In reflecting on her path to becoming a presidential appointee, Dr. Stephanie Myers illustrates the power of seizing moments and building connections based on her own personal experiences. As a graduate student, she would escort students to Sacramento, California to interview various legislators––one happened to be Governor Ronald Reagan. She later attended a meeting where Reagan shared a story about his first broadcasting job, explaining how he was hired on the spot for confidently improvising when the red light went on. In a moment of inspiration, Dr. Myers chimed in, “The moral of this story is to know what to do when the red light comes on!” The comment struck a chord with Reagan, sparking a connection that would grow over the years. Dr. Myers continued to engage him, writing letters to advocate for Black communities and challenging his policies—correspondence he acknowledged by responding thoughtfully. Dr. Myers’s father, Robert W. Lee Sr., encouraged her throughout this process, reminding her that, “Access is power. If you are close to someone who’s a decision maker, you can make a difference.”

    Years later, when Reagan became president, he recognized her commitment and insight, leading to his office reaching out to her with an invitation to come work in Washington and recognizing her honorable work within the Black community. Accepting this role, she headed the Minority Business Development transition team, where she courageously defended the program from cuts, successfully advocating to expand it—a legacy that endures today. She also helped create the Office of Minority Health  at the US Department of Health and Human Services, and was the top official in charge of the “Just Say No” campaign against drugs.

    For Dr. Myers, young people have a unique power to influence change by connecting with experienced leaders. She encourages letter writing as a meaningful and often overlooked way to build intergenerational relationships, bridging perspectives and fostering solutions. “Being involved, having the determination, writing letters to people, however you can reach them, especially when you’re young. Older people don’t really get a chance to interact with young people that much. It provides an opportunity… as an alternative to violence, and allows people to see that there’s another world out there.” Dr. Myers’s unwavering commitment to fostering community, encouraging inclusivity, and promoting opportunities as alternatives to violence embodies her lifelong mission of positive change.

    Advice for New Mediators

    When asked to share advice or recommendations for new mediators starting out in the field, Dr. Myers emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, compassion, and fostering unity and peace. She would advise a new mediator to “look at their own life first, and make a list of maybe the ten primary relationships they have… look and see how those relationships are working. It would start with self-examination. As they go through the mediation process, they should not be a hypocrite who tells others how to fix their lives when, in fact, their own lives are still out of kilter.”

    Dr. Myers speaks to the current political climate in America and the broader need for mediation in society: “Right now, we have a nation that is really struggling with values and attitudes. There’s a lot of anger out there… so we’re all seeing now that there’s a lot of division, and we have to find a way to heal that and bring people together.”

    An important element of social interaction Dr. Myers highlights is the tolerance for, respect of, and acceptance of differing perspectives: “We have to find ways to let people know that I will respect your right to disagree with me, that’s okay, but you need to disagree in some way other than turning towards violence.” Again, Dr. Myers emphasizes changing our nation’s culture of violence. Mediation embodies the potential for a culture of peace, according to Dr. Myers, and we can forge this path by recognizing our responsibilities as active citizens.

    “All of us are responsible to change the culture of violence. If there’s any message, it’s that we must change that culture through mediation, through love, through faith, through relationships, and we each must find out how best to do this.” Furthermore, this sense of responsibility goes beyond the individual to become a shared responsibility across all sectors of society. “We want our law enforcement officers, our faith leaders, our corporate leaders, and our political leaders to come together and realize we have to find ways to disagree that are peaceful and positive.”

    For Dr. Stephanie Myers, mediation is not merely just a profession, but rather a calling to promote understanding and respect in communities to recognize the destruction of violence and to weave the fabric of a culture of peace.

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    EDUCATION FOR PEACE, North America

    The Elders: World leaders must reject the path of chaos

    FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

    An article from The Elders

    In our latest newsletter, Juan Manuel Santos reflects on his new role as Chair of The Elders, highlights discussions from the recent board meeting in London and calls on world leaders to act responsibly amid escalating global conflicts.
     
     Adapted from The Elders’ monthly newsletter. Sign up for regular email updates from The Elders.
     

    Dear friends,

    I am deeply honoured to be writing to you in my new role as Chair of The Elders. Assuming this position is an incredible privilege and I am truly grateful to follow in the footsteps of Archbishop Tutu, Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson.

    As I assume this new role, the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January 2025 will have worldwide repercussions, not all of which we can yet predict. As the President of Colombia during President Trump’s first term, I have worked closely with him and I am certain that The Elders will work with his administration to uphold our core values of promoting peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable planet, inspired by the mandate Nelson Mandela gave us at our founding in 2007.

    I am particularly grateful to my predecessor as Chair, Mary Robinson, for her continued support. Mary was a founding member of our group and for the past six years has guided us with unwavering leadership and an enduring commitment to our mission. She has played a pivotal role in our organisation’s history and will be an active member of The Elders in the months and years ahead.

    It is also a pleasure to be supported by Ban Ki-moon and Graça Machel, who will continue to serve as Deputy Chairs. With their partnership, and that of our fellow Elders, I am confident that we can drive meaningful change in today’s troubled world.

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    Questions related to this article:

    Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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    Last month, the Elders gathered for our bi-annual board meeting in London. Our discussions focused a lot on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. As we voiced in our statement, we are revolted by the scale of the killings, not only in Gaza and Lebanon, but also in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that stems from a growing disregard for international rule of law.

    Our message to world leaders is clear: reject this path of chaos and act for the common good.

    From my experience in negotiating peace in Colombia, I learnt that true peace demands a persistent commitment to dialogue and compromise. This same dedication is essential in addressing other global challenges, such as climate change, where collaboration and upholding the rule of law are vital for a sustainable and secure future.

    As Elders, we are continuing to take proactive steps to translate this dedication into action. In London, we met the new UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss pressing issues such as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, de-escalation with Iran, arms sales to Israel, and climate finance ahead of COP29. My fellow Elders Ban Ki-moon, Helen Clark and Denis Mukwege also participated in a fruitful discussion with global health experts at Chatham House about the world’s preparedness for the next pandemic.

    As we continue to confront these existential threats, I want to end with a message of hope. One of the most important lessons I learnt from Mandela is the vital role that hope plays in our lives. He believed that hope is humanity’s most precious commodity and our strongest weapon, even when all seems lost. In today’s world, with its many challenges, we need hope more than ever to drive bold, progressive changes toward a better, safer, and more just future.

    With thanks for your ongoing support,

    Juan Manuel Santos

    Former President of Colombia; a Nobel Peace Laureate who led complex peace negotiations, ending over 50 years of intractable civil war; Chair of The Elders.

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    Uncategorized

    Uganda: Championing a Culture of Peace – A Training Toolkit on Conflict Prevention

    . EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

    An announcement from the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre

    Championing A Culture of Peace: A Training Toolkit on Conflict Prevention, Transformation and Peace Building. The Curriculum builds on lessons learned by the Eminent Women in the WSR-Uganda* (2016), whose work confirmed that a culture of peaceful elections needs to be inculcated in the country.

     Author and publisher: Women’s International Peace Centre   

     Publication date: November 8, 2024

    (The publication is online here.)

    CONTENTS

    Introduction
    Customised Curriculum Overview
    Structure of the Curriculum
    Content and Process of the Curriculum

    1. Election Framework And Procedures
    What Is Democracy
    Understanding Multiparty Democracy
    Women and Governance
    The Electoral Cycle
    Actors And Agents of Electoral Conflict

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    Question for this article:

    Culture of peace curricula: what are some good examples?

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    2. Early Warning
    Understanding Early Warning
    Dynamics in Conflict Monitoring
    The Conflict Monitor
    Basics Of Monitoring and Information Gathering

    3. Understanding of Conflict and Tools for Analysis
    What Is Conflict
    Perceptions
    Interpersonal Conflict
    Conflict Dynamics
    Needs, Interests And Positions
    Governance Systems and Conflict Triggers
    Sysmptom vs Root Cause
    Conflict and Natural Resources
    Natural Resource Conflict in War and Post War Societies

    4. Communication and Disemination of Human Rights
    Violations, Threats, Instability
    What to Report About
    Tools for Conflict Reporting

    5. Conflict Prevention Early Response
    Institutionalised Early Warning Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention
    Disaster Preparednss: Warning & Response Mechanism in Uganda
    Civil Society-Led Initiative
    Human Rights Defenders Rapid Response
    Women’s Situation Room on EWER To Election Violence (Early Warning Early Response)

    6.Peace Building and Security
    Pillars of Peace
    Lobbying and Advocacy
    Negotiation Skills for Peace Builders
    African Traditional Mechanisms for Peace Building
    Feminist Leadership and Movement Building

    *The WSR (Women’s Situation Room was started in 2011 by Angie Brooks International Center, mobilising women, youth and media to reduce tension and ensure peaceful elections in Liberia. The model has had success in different parts of Africa. The WSR was set up in Uganda elections of 2016 as a model approach to mitigation of election related violence.

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    Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

    Building Peace Through Cinema: The XVI Edition of the Human Rights Film Festival in Naples

    EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

    An article from Il Mattino

    Building peace in a global context marked by tensions such as the Russian-Ukrainian one and especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: an urgency that requires the commitment and sensitivity of everyone, but also the professionalism of many.

    From November 11 to 22, 2024, Naples will host the XVI edition of the Naples Human Rights Film Festival “Building a Culture of Peace”, dedicated to building peace precisely in days when the risk of escalation is most felt. Now a consolidated event on the national and international scene, the Festival, through cinema, aims to raise awareness and inform the public about major social issues and the state of Human Rights, and proposes itself, especially in this historical moment, as an important moment of reflection for the affirmation of rights in every part of the world, starting from the South, through the power of cinematic images and the testimony of the protagonists.


    This year, the goal of the event, realized with the contribution of the Campania Region and the Campania Region Film Commission and with the support of the Municipality of Naples, is twofold: dedicated to the memory of the pacifist, anti-fascist, and non-violent Danilo Dolci, born exactly 100 years ago in Sesana in Friuli (now Slovenia), the XVI edition aims to orient young people towards the Professions of Peace, a competence too often ignored by schools and universities in European countries, and will do so by emphasizing, with a series of specific events, the role of Peace experts in the international context and announcing the birth, in collaboration with the Eastern University and the UN UPeace of Costa Rica, of a Summer School dedicated to the memory of Mario Paciolla, the Neapolitan cooperator who died in Colombia while serving the local UN Mission.

    An opening evening dedicated to international dialogue

    The inaugural ceremony, to be held on November 11 starting at 6:00 PM at the Spazio Comunale Piazza Forcella, will feature the participation of prominent international guests, including Ashok Swain, Director of the Department of Conflict Studies at Uppsala University (Sweden), Julie Khrebtan Hoerhager from the University of Colorado, and Enrico Calamai, former Italian vice-consul in Argentina, known for his commitment to Human Rights. It will be an opportunity to present the Festival program and kick off a series of meetings and screenings that will explore themes such as Peace, migrations, Human Rights, and resistance to their violations.

    A program of screenings, international debates, and moments of reflection

    The Festival will present a rich selection of films, competing for awards, chosen from works from 50 countries, with stories ranging from armed conflicts to challenges related to migrations, to struggles for freedom of expression. The film screenings in competition will take place at Palazzo Corigliano (Piazza San Domenico Maggiore) in the spaces of the Eastern University of Naples, which is among the main partners of the Festival. The screenings will take place every evening from 7:00 PM onwards and will feature the participation of international directors and authors.

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

    Question for this article:

    Film festivals that promote a culture of peace, Do you know of others?

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    Alongside the screenings, the Naples Human Rights Film Festival will offer a series of events, with meetings and debates open to experts and witnesses, introduced by films out of competition. On November 14, at the Conference Room of the Eastern University, a seminar entitled “Training Paths for Peace Operators” will be held, with the participation of Roberto Savio (UPeace, Costa Rica), Ashok Swain (Uppsala University), Renato Briganti (Univ. Federico II of Naples) and Laurent Goetschel (University of Basel), introduced by Rector Roberto Tottoli and the faculty of the Eastern University. At the opening of the second week, a guest of the Festival will be Daniela Dolci, daughter of Danilo and member of the Festival jury, interviewed by Anna Polo, journalist of Pressenza and witness of the Trappeto (Palermo) experience. Another highlight will be the meeting on November 19 with the organization Combatants for Peace, formed by former Israeli and Palestinian combatants, represented by Ezster Koranyi and Rana Slman, who will share their experiences of peace and reconciliation, launching an appeal from Naples.

    A Festival of civil commitment through cinema

    The Naples Human Rights Film Festival confirms its commitment as a space for dialogue and denunciation, offering visibility to stories of resistance, struggle, and hope. In particular, awards such as the Peace Prize, presented by Minister Michele Coduri of the Swiss Embassy in Italy on the evening of November 14 at Palazzo Corigliano, and the awards dedicated to the best cinematographic works presented in competition will be awarded.

    During the closing evening on November 22, presented by Mario Leombruno, coordinator of the Festival’s film competition, the winners of the different categories and special mentions will be announced; the establishment of the Summer School “Mario Paciolla” will also be announced, which will begin in the spring of 2025, a commitment that will see the Naples Human Rights Film Festival, the Eastern University, and the United Nations Peace University (Costa Rica) united to present the training paths and professional horizons of Peace Operators to young university students in Campania. The Summer School will be able to count on the collaboration of some important Italian and foreign universities, already present at the 2024 Festival, and will be named in memory of Mario Paciolla, Neapolitan cooperator and Peace Operator.

    “The Naples Human Rights Film Festival is not just a cultural event, but a true invitation to civil commitment,” explains the Festival coordinator Maurizio Del Bufalo. “In a world marked by conflicts and injustices, it is necessary to continue defending Human Rights with strength and determination, and we continue to do so even this year, using Cinema as a means to tell and denounce violations and to promote Peace concretely as a commitment of life and not just as an aspiration.”

    The Festival also this year relies on prestigious partnerships such as with FICC (Italian Federation of Cinema Circles), Un ponte per and ExpoItaly.

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    EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe