All posts by CPNN Coordinator

About CPNN Coordinator

Dr David Adams is the coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network. He retired in 2001 from UNESCO where he was the Director of the Unit for the International Year for the Culture of Peace, proclaimed for the Year 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly.

Main Recommendations of the 6th Edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local Governments

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from United Cities and Local Governments of Africa

The 6th edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local Governments was held over 6 days, from November 28th to December 03rd, 2022 at the Training Center of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Ibn Zohr University in the city of Agadir, Morocco.
The theme chosen for this edition was: “The challenge of training and capacity building of Local Elected Officials and Local Government Staff in Africa in Climate Action”.

This important annual meeting of Territorial Managers, held just one week after COP27, was organized by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) through its African Local Government Academy (ALGA), in partnership and with the support of the European Commission, the Directorate General of Local Authorities of the Ministry of the Interior of Morocco, the Region of Souss-Massa, the Prefectural Council of Agadir Ida- Outanane, the Provincial Council of Tiznit, the Provincial Council of Taroudant, the Ibn Zohr University and the Training Center of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Agadir, the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA), the National Associations of Local and Regional Governments of Morocco (namely ARM, AMPCPP and AMPCC), the Ecological Transition Agency ADEME of France, the 4C-Maroc Center, the Office of the United Nations Project on Governance, Directorate of Public Institutions and Digital Governance (DIPGD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNPOG/ DPIDG/ UN DESA), as well as the Ministry of Energy Transition, and Sustainable Development, and the Municipal Council of Agadir.

During the six days of proceedings, more than 300 participants attended the Forum from 40 countries, including 33 African countries. These delegations took part in and contributed to the work of:

– An official opening ceremony, under the chairmanship of the Honorable Mr. Karim ACHENGLI, President of the Souss-Massa Region Council and the Honorable Mrs. Jeannette NYIRAMASENGESHO, President of the Rwandan Association of Local Authorities (RALGA) of Rwanda , President of the Ngororero District Council of the Western Province, President of the Association of Local Governments of East Africa, having represented the Honorable Mrs. Fatimetou ABDEL MALICK, President of UCLG Africa, President of the Permanent Gender Committee of UCLG, President of the Region of Nouakchott, Mauritania;

– Four (4) Plenary Sessions on issues related to Climate Action;
– Eight (8) parallel workshops on climate challenges and capacity building challenges;
– Three (3) Master classes having focused on the concepts and approaches of Climate Action, Decentralized Cooperation and e-Learning;
– One (1) Training of Trainers Seminar on Climate Action for the benefit of 26 beneficiaries from different African countries, within the framework of the Partnership Agreement with ADEME;
– Three (3) field visits.
– South-South partnership and Decentralized Cooperation agreements, discussed and signed;
– A closing, recognition, and certification ceremony;
– A tree planting by the African Delegations.

The discussions held during the proceedings focused on the challenges related to climate change for local governments, in particular:

– How can we create an enabling environment for the Localization and Territorialization of Climate Action?
– What has COP27 generated for Local Governments?
– How to enable Local Governments to benefit from Climate Finance?
– What are the challenges in terms of education, training, and capacity building?
– How to promote decentralized multi-actor cooperation that can be at the service of climate action?…

The takeaway from these debates is that we find ourselves in a turbulent context as well as a deep world division generating crises; that only 10% of climate finance benefits to the local and territorial levels; that the challenges in terms of training and capacity building are enormous and that it is time to act to enable Local Elected Officials and their civil servants s to take ownership of Climate Action, and integrate it into their Governance and planning.

The proceedings and contributions led to the following 20 main recommendations:

1) Need to increase public funding in terms of volume and as a share of adaptation and resilience funding (Need to mobilize the 140 to 300 billion US dollars needed annually by 2030).

2) Need to strengthen and make more coherent the architecture of concessional climate finance, which includes the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, the Climate Investment Funds, the Adaptation Fund as well as the concessional windows of the multilateral development banks, as well as the Global Infrastructure Fund.

3) Need to become aware of and know how to take advantage of the many opportunities for financing climate action.

4) Need to increase local climate finance for localized climate action, to better understand the role of the local and territorial dimension of climate action in Africa, if we are to thrive as a community of nations, with local governments as a driver of sustainable development.

5) Need to localize and territorialize NDCs, because everything is done in cities; concrete actions must be taken at this level.

6) Need to raise awareness and territorialize political actions related to climate change and involve women and young people in Climate Action.

7) Need to give more space and importance to cities in the context of the localization of the Climate Agenda and put in place mechanisms to facilitate access to international climate finance, because only 10 % of climate finance is found locally.

8) The diversification of energy sources (highlighted by COP27, starting from the importance of the mix of clean energies).

9) Need to take Africa to the next level and provide incentives that leverage innovations already underway in the region that will have greater impact (e.g. acting for the informal sector and encouraging youth participation).

10) Need to prioritize financial innovation (80% of climate finance in Africa comes from public resources) and therefore there is an urgent need to increase private sector finance in climate action.

11) A paradigm shift is needed in Africa’s climate narrative; the continent’s current narrative must shift from projecting responsibility and risk to projecting investment and opportunity.

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Question for this article:

Despite the vested interests of companies and governments, Can we make progress toward sustainable development?

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12) Need to transform Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Commitments into clear investment plans with a clear return on investment in the different areas prioritized in the NDCs.

13) The urgency of harnessing empirical evidence on key gaps and opportunities to be filled to scale up these successes and create targeted incentives that will need to be applied to enable them to progress.

14) Need to increase support for holistic capacity development assessments at the national, subnational, and local levels.

15) Need to apply a multi-stakeholder approach by involving a wide range of actors and stakeholders, at all levels of governance (national, subnational, and local).

16) Develop long-term capacity building interventions.

17) Need to strengthen international, regional and national knowledge networks, platforms, communities of practice as well as peer-to-peer learning and support.

18) Developed countries should ensure that more climate finance is available for stand-alone capacity building programs at the national, subnational, and local levels and to increase coordination among entity capacity building service providers of developed and developing countries.

19) Need to invest in conflict prevention through a supportive and facilitating environment.

20) Capacity building for the promotion of the Culture of Peace and the art of negotiation.

“We attach importance within UCLG Africa to the efforts of our Academy: ALGA. We will try to follow up on the implementation of all the recommendations that will come out of this important meeting”, declared, through a video intervention, the President of UCLG Africa, the Honorable Mrs. Fatimetou Abdel Malick.
The Forum also served as a framework for the holding of the meetings of three Professional Networks of UCLG Africa, namely:

– The meeting of the Network of Human Resources Directors (Africa Local RHNet);
– The African Network Meeting Permanent Secretaries/Executive Directors of National and Regional Associations of Local Governments;
– The meeting of the African Network of Territorial Directors in charge of Decentralized Cooperation and International Action of Territorial Governments (RAMCD).

Field visits were made to 3 cities in the Souss-Massa Region to inquire about transformational projects and cultural heritage as a vector of peace and development. The Delegations were divided into three groups:

– Group 1 visited the Province of Taroudant and was received by the Honorable President of the Provincial Council of Taroudant. The participants had the opportunity to discover the ancestral Walls of the City of Taroudant, as well as Cooperatives which promote and market local products, such as Argan Oil, Saffron, Honey, Olive Oil, etc.

– Group 2 visited the Province of Tiznit where the Delegations were welcomed by the Governor of the Province and the Honorable the President of the Provincial Council of Tiznit. Participants discovered part of the city’s cultural heritage, transformational projects linked to climate action, cooperatives promoting and marketing local products, as well as shops that market silver jewelry in addition to other reputable products from that Province;

– Group 3 visited the City of Agadir where the delegations were received by the Honorable Vice-President of the Municipal Council. They had the opportunity to visit two transformational projects in connection with Climate Action, namely the Chtouka -Aït Baha water desalination station intended for the drinking water supply of the Greater Agadir area, as well as the wastewater treatment plant.

To materialize their ecological commitment, the African Delegations present at FAMI6_2022 planted thirty (30) Argan trees, provided and offered by the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) in the premises of the Ali Ben Chekroun High School and College in Agadir. The delegations also discovered the creative genius of the students of these two institutions, as well as their mastery of Moroccan, patriotic, and modern music and songs.

The closing ceremony was moderated by Dr. Najat ZARROUK , Director of Development and of the African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa, member of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration of the United Nations, and President of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA), representing Mr. Jean Pierre ELONG MBASSI, Secretary General of UCLG Africa who was during the same week attending another mission in Brazil to promote relations between Africa and this Latin American country.


This ceremony was marked by the presence of:

– The Honorable Madam Jeannette NYIRAMASENGESHO, President of the Rwandese Local Government Association (RALGA), President of the Ngororero District Council of the Western Province, President of the Association of Local Governments of East Africa, who said in her speech: “I would like to thank the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting us throughout this week. The theme of this Forum reflected the firm commitment of Local Authorities to the implementation of the Climate Agenda, but above all our commitment to support the roadmap for COP 28 scheduled to take place in Dubai in 2023”;


– Mr. Morris MBOLELA, Deputy Secretary General of UCLG Africa; The Vice-President of the Council of the Region of Souss-Massa, representing the Honorable Mr. Karim ACHENGLI , President of the Council of the Region of Souss-Massa,
The Honorable Mr. Lahcen AMROUCH, President of the Communal Council of Argana, Vice-President of the Provincial Council of Taroudant, and Vice-Treasurer of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC),
The Vice-President representing the Honorable President of the Prefectural Council of Agadir Ida-Outanane.

The participants in FAMI 6_2022, finally sent a Message of Gratitude and Thanks to the High Attention of His Majesty King MOHAMMED VI of the Kingdom of Morocco -May God Assist him- .

PJ: Photos of days :
1 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672214@N05/sets/72177720304050556/
2 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672214@N05/sets/72177720304095249/
3 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672214@N05/sets/72177720304161662/
4 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672214@N05/sets/72177720304251154/
5 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672214@N05/sets/72177720304258583/

Video of the Best of days:

1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwM1xm2fuHs

2 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFicOVMrglA

3 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i21ctlwOhR8

4 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFX0Hzwnaxs

5 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnmlMw-HQ_Y

Report of the Forum:

For more information, please contact:
Gaelle Yomi: Phone: + 212 610 56 71 45
e-mail: gyomi@uclga.org; UCLG Africa website: www.uclga.org
ALGA website of UCLG Africa : www.uclgafrica-alga.org

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Colombia: In Caquetá social leaders, students and victims of the conflict graduate with a diploma course on transitional justice

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

An article from Unidad para las victimas (translation by CPNN)

With 45 graduates including university students, social leaders and victims of the armed conflict, the diploma “Transitional Justice: a contribution to the construction of territorial peace” culminated in Florencia (Caquetá). The course started last July for which ten accredited national and international organizations contributed their knowledge and experience.

The diploma was constituted in a commitment to inter-institutional articulation between the System of Attention and Comprehensive Reparation for Victims (SNARIV), the Comprehensive System for Peace (SIPAZ), the Peace Office and the legal office of the University of the Amazon ( UDLA), together with the German international cooperation organization (GIZ).

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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Questions related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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The participants learned basic knowledge about transitional justice, with a focus on Caquetá, where, in addition to understanding the processes of care and reparation for victims, land restitution, truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-repetition, they acquired tools in the fields of human rights and international humanitarian law,.

Valentina Almario, future lawyer and leader of women victims of abuse, highlighted the issue of the implementation of the gender approach in transitional justice contexts, as well as the territorial mechanisms for the implementation of the public policy for victims.

“To this must be added the importance of understanding the need for truth as a public good, to contribute to the construction of a culture of territorial peace in Colombia,” she said.

The student José Luis Tinoco Rivera said in this regard that he was particularly struck by the contrast made between the negotiation processes based on DDR -Demobilization, Disarmament, Reinsertion- of the last century, compared to the negotiation processes of this century, which are part of the logic of transitional justice.

The course took place over five months and 160 hours, including face-to-face classes, practical exercises, and homework.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Meduza’s statement regarding the revocation of TV Rain’s Latvian broadcasting license

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Meduza

The Latvian National Electronic Media Council has revoked TV Rain’s license. The agency has banned the network from broadcasting on cable and also plans to block access within the country to its YouTube stream. According to the council’s chairman, Ivars Āboliņš, the decision was made “in connection with the threat to national security and public order.”

(Editor’s note: Regular readers of CPNN will know that Meduza and TV Dozhd – “TV rain” in Russian – were two of the independent Russian media that reported opposition to the war in Ukraine and were therefore banned in Russia and forced to move abroad in order to keep broadcasting.)


Logo of TV Rain

We are watching these developments very carefully and with concern.

In the eight years that Meduza has already spent in Latvia, the local authorities have never once attempted to interfere in our editorial policies. We are grateful for this hospitality. We have had no reason to doubt that Latvia, which has become a second home for many here at Meduza, is aware of the vital role that the independent media plays in democratic societies.

After February 24, Latvia welcomed journalists from Russia who risked many years in prison for doing their jobs and resisting the war Russia unleashed on Ukraine. We greatly appreciated the Latvian authorities’ decision, understanding how difficult it was, given the enduring pain this country’s people still experience from Soviet occupation.

At the same time, we recognized that a mass influx of journalists from Russia in wartime conditions would likely lead to conflicts. After all, the news media created by Russians is almost always focused on Russian problems, viewing the surrounding world through this same lens. This often confuses and sometimes enrages foreign audiences, especially during a war for which Russia bears full responsibility.

Unfortunately, the situation has developed very poorly. We believe that the decision by Latvia’s National Electronic Media Council to revoke TV Rain’s license is unfair, wrong, and disproportionate to the official violations flagged by the agency.

Arguments that these violations pose a “national security threat” are unconvincing. The network’s antiwar position is obvious, as is its critical stance towards the Putin regime. TV Rain’s significance in countering Russian state propaganda is colossal. Roaring about “national security” conceals what is actually a heavy blow to free speech and ultimately to European security, as well. There can be no democracy without the independent media, above all, and an undemocratic Russia will remain a threat to its neighbors and the entire world.

Even if it was reached completely legally, the National Electronic Media Council’s decision is also an incredible gift to the Russian authorities. By banning TV Rain, Latvian officials are helping the Kremlin with something it started: the complete destruction of the Russian independent media’s infrastructure. We believe the political situation in Russia will not change if the country’s inhabitants are abandoned to propaganda. (There’s also the risk that this propaganda becomes the only information source for Russian-speaking EU citizens.)

And it’s important to remember that TV Rain is one of the few truly independent media outlets that retains a large audience inside Russia. Viewers need TV Rain. The anti-war movement needs TV Rain. Watch any of its newscasts, and you’ll see the network’s position on this repulsive war and how it views those who illegally usurped power in Russia.

Were TV Rain’s journalists wrong? Was their wording inaccurate? Yes. But all media outlets, including the highest quality publications, make mistakes, even at critical moments. In times of war, forced emigration, and polarized public opinion, the likelihood of mistakes sadly only grows. Readers and viewers, as well as fellow colleagues, evaluate our reporting, too, and these assessments can be brutal.

Journalism knows no boundaries. Free speech is a universal value, but it’s nothing if we don’t defend it and fight for it, every day, wherever we are.

We stand in solidarity with the team at TV Rain. Dear colleagues, we hope you’ll persevere, and we’ll do our best to help you through this crisis.

Meduza invites other journalists and media outlets to support this statement. If you’d like to do so, please contact us here: requests@meduza.io.

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

(Continued from left column)

This statement has been signed by

the editors of Meduza
the editors of Novaya Gazeta Europe
Sabīne Sīle, editor-in-chief, Media Hub Riga
the editors of Bumaga
the editors of Provereno
the editors of Novaya Vkladka
Irina Malkova and Pyotr Mironenko, The Bell
the editors of Kit
the editors of Signal
the editors of Samizdatonline.org
the editors of Pskovskaya Gubernia
the editors of Sirena
the editors of Proekt
the editors of Dovod
the editors of DOXA
the media project Stradayuschee Srednevekovye
the editors of Mediazona
the editors of iStories
the editors of OVD-Info
the editors of Avtozak Live
Konstantin Sonin, economist
Nikolay Ovchinnikov, journalist; editor-in-chief, Volna | Latvia
vandrouki.ru, a travel company
the editors of Svobodnye Media
the Telegram channel Russian Refugees in Germany
Victor Shenderovich, writer
Stanislav Kucher, journalist
the editors of Rezonans, a Vladimir-based Internet publication
Valeriy Panyushkin, editor-in-chief, Spektr magazine
the Student Anti-War Movement project
Konstantin Gorozhanko, editor, Grazhdane Gdovskogo Kraya
the editors of Vot Tak
the editors of SOTA
Ilya Azar, journalist
the editors of Verstka
the editors of Republic
the podcast studio Libo/Libo
the editors of 7×7 — Horizontal Russia
the editors of Kholod
the editors of Astra
Ilya Krasilshchik, Alexander Polivanov, Igor Safonov, and other journalists at Sluzhba Podderzhki
the editors of Spektr
Mikhail Zygar, writer and journalist
Olga Churakova, journalist
Liza Surganova, journalist
Ilya Shepelin, journalist
the editors of Echo
the editors of RusNews
the editors of Pereulki Lissabona
the editors of Skat Media
Arkady Mayofis, founder of TV-2 (Israel)
Emil Khalikov, co-founder of Pogulyanka media (Lithuania)
the editors of Cherty
the Opyt Svobody project
Lev Ponomaryov, human rights advocate, and the Telegram channel World Progress and Human Rights
the editors of Perm 36.6
the editors of Perito
Mine gåter og spindelsinn, a Telegram channel
the editors of Khroniki.Media
the editors of Daptar
the editors of The Vyshka
the editors of Media Loft
the youth democratic movement Vesna
the editors of Groza
Mikhail Svetov and the editors of SVTV News
the editors of Pezduza
Talking Heads YouTube channel (Latvia)
the editors of Advocacy Street
the editors of Lyudi Baykala
the editors of Otkrytyi Gorod (Latvia)
the editors of February 24 Eyewitnesses
the editors of Govorit ne Moskva
the editors of It’s My City
the editors of The Guide to the Free World
the editors of The Insider and Roman Dobrokhotov, journalist
Yevgenia Albats, editor-in-chief, The New Times
the editors of The Moscow Times
Kirill Rogov, political scientist
Irina Shikhman and the YouTube channel A Pogovorit?
the editors of Re:Russia
Conflict Intelligence Team
the editors of Prodolzhenie Sleduet
the editors of Novaya Gazeta — Baltia
Ksenia Larina, journalist
the editors of The Village and Kirill Rukov, editor-in-chief
the editors of Fergana.ru
Maxim Katz, blogger and politician
the editors of Khronika Turkmenistana
Navalny LIVE YouTube channel
Jean-Michel Shcherbak, media activist
Ishchem Vykhod YouTube channel
Alexander Plyushchev, journalist
Tatyana Felgenhauer, journalist
Vitaly Mansky, film director
Natalia Manskaya, film producer
the editors of Poligon.Media
Khodorkovsky LIVE YouTube channel
Ilya Rozhdestvensky, journalist
Ivan Pavlov, lawyer
Ilya Zhegulev, journalist
the editors of Fourth Sector
Ilya Shumanov, director, Transparency International Russia
Andrei Loshak, journalist
Nataliya Gevorkyan, journalist
the editors of ROMB
the editors of Taiga.info
the editors of Popular Politics
Roskomsvoboda, an advocacy organization
Chulpan Khamatova, actress
Antero Mukka, editor-in-chief, and the editors of Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)
the editors of Krautreporter (Germany)
Pervyi Otdel, an association of attorneys and rights activists
the editors of Agentura.ru
Masha Phillimore-Slonim, journalist
Kovcheg and Anastasia Burakova, founder
Andrey Pivovarov, political prisoner
the editors of NewArmenia.am and Garik Chilingarian, editor-in-chief
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
MR7.ru (St. Petersburg) and Elena Mikhina, editor-in-chief
Polina Shilina, journalist, Delfi (Russian edition, Latvia)
Clownstan Today
the editors of Discourse
the editors of Serditaya Chuvashiya
the editors of RSh and Maria Karlin, editor-in-chief (Switzerland)
the editors of Hromadska Pravda (Ukraine)
Russian Libertarian Party
OBC Transeuropa (Italy)
Kometa News (Moldova)
the editors of Telegi i Memasy Telegram channel
St. Petersburg Human Rights Center
the Moscow branch of Memorial, a center for human rights and historical education
Sergey Lukashevsky, director, Sakharov Center
Svetlana Gannushkina and Grazhdanskoe Sodeystvie, a non-profit foundation
the editors of Russians Against the War Telegram channel (Poland)
Russian Independent Media Archive
Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance (RCDA)
Irina Kizilova, journalist, co-organizer of Memorial Israel
Artem Liss, former editor, BBC World Service
Dmitry Elagin, film critic, Snob
Kristina Lunina and Kak Poluchitsya media
Rimma Polyak, columnist, Republic
Alexey Durnovo, writer and journalist
Andrey Novichkov, editor-in-chief, Fronde TV and Nastuplenie na Nasledie
Efim Neizvestny, contributor, Panorama
Lidia Ageeva, journalist
Natalia Galkina, journalist
Oleg Ivanov, photo-journalist
Vadim Kondakov, journalist
Andrey Rebrov, journalist
Olga Leontyeva, journalist
the editors of Equality Telegram channel
Ivan Slobedenyuk, journalist, Belsat
Anastasia Sechina and Chetvyortyi Sektor media
Maria Latsinskaya, journalist
Oleg Basalin, journalist
Nikolay Kandyshev, journalist
Victor Yukechev, journalist
Boris Tukh, journalist and film critic
the editors of TJ ne umer! satirical news
Artem Androsov, news host, RTN (New York)
Afanasy Emelyanov, journalist
Alexander Gerasimov, journalist
Anton Chernin, journalist
Ivan Fedosov, blogger
Pyotr Kozlov, journalist
Vijai Maheshwari, journalist, Politico Europe
Mark Novikov, journalist
Denis Cherdov, journalist
Vasily Zakharko, journalist
Sofia Epifanova, journalist
Kirill Alexeyev, author, Analiteg Telegram channel
Semyon Zelenovich, journalist
Angela Kalsynova, YouTube blogger
Ilya Kozin, journalist
ZIMA Magazine (London)
the editors of Oni za Voynu
the editors of Pravda o Voyne
The Voice of Reason movement
Dmitry Tolstosheyev, journalist
Evgeny Galitsky, journalist
Nina Abrosimova, journalist
Elena Samoylova, journalist
Vera Vasilyeva, journalist
Ivan Makridin, journalist, podcaster
Lev Kadik, journalist
Ruslan Totrov, journalist
Apolitichnost Gubit, a social movement
the editors of Russky Kovcheg Telegram channel
the Vornadzor anti-corruption movement
Dima Zitser, teacher
the editors of Echo of Petersburg (banned in Russia) and Ischem Vykhod, a YouTube channel
Alex Dubas, journalist
Zygmunt Dzieciolowski, journalist (Poland)
Obyektiv YouTube channel
Warsaw Local Anti-War Committee Telegram channel
Dozor v Volgograde project
The Polycrates Foundation
Alexander Artemyev, human-rights advocate
Dmitry Bayandin, attorney
Arseny Lytar, member, Russian State Duma Committee on Science and Education
Ilya Furman
Maria Klementyeva
Polina Shubentseva, activist and volunteer, Memorial
Andrey Yakimovich
Dmitry Simanovsky
Linur Arslanov
Vadim Dmitriyev
Mikhail Biryukov, attorney
Dmitry Gerasimenko
Sergey Kovalchenko
Maria Kabysh, costume designer
Timofey Andropov and the Ochnis movement
Lena Pylaeva and FreeRussiaNL
Olga Chernykova, former faculty member, Moscow State University
Alina Gnatyshina and Rossiya Buduschego (Switzerland)
Sergey Losev
Alexey Shmelev
Sergey Galin
Ekaterina Komissarova
Nikolay Matrosov
Ilya Bobrik
Alisher Artykov
Zhanna Shchukina
Igor Naginer
Alexey Volkov and the Canadian Russian Association Telegram channel
Olya Kazimirchuk
Sonya Blade
Joseph Malkin
Shimon Glazshteyn
Protokolnaya Redaktsiya project
Ivan Romanov
Elena Kvasyuk
Georgy Sushilin
Olga Degtyareva
Paul Robertus
Elena Lukyanova, attorney
Timofey Ilyushin, human rights advocate
Nikolay Golikov, artist
Alexander Kabanov, professor, University of North Carolina
Kirill Povarov
Irina Karpova
Irina Sokolovskaya
Mila Zemtsova
Andrey Kotov
Julia Ioffe, journalist (United States)
Lolita Roze (Latvia)
Mihail Gokhman (United States)
Greg Dolgopolov (Latvia)
Juris Raudulis (Latvia)
Lev Mendelson (United States)
Michael Mamontov (United States)
Eleonora Scheerseu (Germany)
Artur Heidt (Germany)
Marks Lisnanskis (Latvia)
Dmitrijs Krupņikovs (Latvia)
Dmitri Gouzévitch, historian (France)
Herta Hansena
Konstantin Kabanov
Tatiana le Roy (Belgium)
Laure Thibonnier (France)
Gennadi Kreps (Germany)
Natalia Kuzmina (Germany)
Association for Solidarity with Civil Society and the Development of Democracy in Russia, Russia of the Future (Spain)
the editors of Lenizdat.ru
Penguin Travel YouTube channel
Aiza Dolmatova, rapper
Ruslan Sokolovsky, blogger
the Iskra media training team
the KermlinRussia project team
the Smorodina: for Democracy in Russia association (Norway)
Oleksandr Tsyba
Andrey Lukashevich
Vadik Sirekanyan
Oleg Ponomarev
Sofia Gribkova
Alex Zatsman (United States)
Mykola Shpylchin
Marina Polishuk
Vladimir Yurovsky, conductor (Germany)
Olga Deryabina
Dmitry Cherne
Natalia Telegina
Vitaly Bovar
Maria Gabisov
Sofia Pulver
Nikita Petrashen
Lyudmila Kasa (Latvia)
Vladimir Rayevsky, journalist and television host
Fyodor Pavlov-Andreevich, artist and curator
and many other journalists and editors.

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Revealing He Too Had Manning Leaks, Ellsberg Dares DOJ to Prosecute Him Like Assange

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An article by Jessica Corbett in Common Dreams

Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg on Tuesday dared U.S. prosecutors to come after him like they have Julian Assange by  revealing  in a BBC News interview that the WikiLeaks publisher sent him a backup of leaked materials from former military analyst Chelsea Manning.

“Let me tell you a secret. I had possession of all the Chelsea Manning information before it came out in the press,” Ellsberg said to BBC’s Stephen Sackur in the on-camera interview. “I’ve never said that publicly.”

Assange had sent him the materials—which include  evidence  of U.S. war crimes—in case “they caught him and they got everything,” the 91-year-old explained. “He could rely on me to find some way to get it out.”

Australian-born Assange is currently detained in London and  fighting  in British and European courts against his extradition to the United States, where he could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted under Espionage Act charges.

Inviting action by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Ellsberg said that “I am now as indictable as Julian Assange and as everyone who put that information out—the papers, everybody who handled it.”

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Question related to this article:
 
Is Internet freedom a basic human right?

Julian Assange, Is he a hero for the culture of peace?

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

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“Yes, I had copies of it and I did not give them to an authorized person. So, if they want to indict me for that, I will be interested to argue that one in the courts—whether that law is constitutional,” he continued, referring to the Espionage Act.

Highlighting that the highest U.S. court has never held that it is constitutional to use the Espionage Act as if it were a British Official Secrets Act, Ellsberg said that “I’d be happy to take that one to the Supreme Court.”

The Espionage Act, “used against whistleblowers, is unconstitutional,” he asserted. “It’s a clear violation of the First Amendment.”

Ellsberg’s public confession comes after editors and publishers at five major media outlets that collaborated with WikiLeaks in 2010 for articles based on diplomatic cables from Manning  released  a letter late last month arguing that “it is time for the U.S. government to end its prosecution of Julian Assange for publishing secrets.”

“This indictment sets a dangerous precedent, and threatens to undermine America’s First Amendment and the freedom of the press,” the letter states. “Obtaining and disclosing sensitive information when necessary in the public interest is a core part of the daily work of journalists. If that work is criminalized, our public discourse and our democracies are made significantly weaker.”

The new Ellsberg interview also follows the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) confirming earlier this month that 51-year-old Assange has asked the tribunal to block his extradition to the United States.

Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton  told  Reuters last week that “I would imagine the U.S. wants to avoid” a case going before the ECHR for “trying to extradite a publisher from Europe for publishing U.S. war revelations when the U.S. is asking Europe to make all sort of sacrifices for the war in Ukraine.”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, HUMAN RIGHTS

Nicaraguan regime sanctions audiovisual recordings`

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article by Lorena Baires in Dialogo Americas (translation by CPNN)

The National Assembly of Nicaragua has approved a list of reforms to the Creative Law of the National Cinematheque and to the Law of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts, to limit the “development, public exhibition and commercialization of cinematographic and audiovisual products, as well as the confiscation of these”. With them, lawyers and filmmakers warn, the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo will control and censor audiovisual productions in the country.

Carlos Guadamuz, defense attorney for the Costa Rica-based NGO Human Rights Collective Nicaragua Nunca Más told Dialogo, “We are concerned about all the attributions of the National Cinematheque, because it places culture and the production of audiovisual material as an initiative of the State and not as an initiative of an individual or legal entity to promote thought. It is a Law that violates the Political Constitution and places freedom of expression and thought at serious risk and vulnerability; as well as the patrimony of all the people who wish to carry out activities in the field of filming and documentation”.

As of October 13, Nicaraguan cinematography will have supervision and control with an article that establishes that “any natural or legal person, national or foreign, who intends to develop audiovisual and cinematographic activities of any kind in the national territory, must comply with the registration requirements before the National Cinematheque and have the proper authorization for the execution of such activities”. The Cinematheque may issue insurance measures to guarantee that nationals or foreigners comply with the regulations “in the making and development of cinematographic or audiovisual products,” reported the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa.

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Click here for the Spanish original of this article.

Question related to this article:
 
Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

Can “culture of peace” be mis-used?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

Ricardo Zambrano, Nicaraguan filmmaker, director and producer in exile, told Diálogo; “This is what is worrying because, in a context like Nicaragua’s, where it is already known that one cannot publish things against the regime because there are consequences, now there is is a law that not only prevents and prohibits the display of the works, but also their production,” “The filmmakers will not be able to make documentaries or films that criticize the regime. If any person, producer, tiktoker or youtuber tells their stories with a camera in the street in a way that the Cinematheque, considers is not contributing to the peace and well-being of Nicaragua, their production will be boycotted and the material confiscated”.

The Nunca Más Nicaragua Collective emphasizes that these reforms bind and force the development of film or audiovisual activities and the production of documentaries on Nicaraguan television channel 6; a state television station that only reproduces the signal of television channel 4, the main broadcaster of the propaganda system of the Ortega-Murillo regime.

The lawyer Guadamuz added, “We are concerned that these records are carried out before authorities where the processes or guarantees of due process are not fulfilled, and there is no possibility of filing complaints or using judicial instances to ensure compliance with the freedoms and human rights of Nicaraguans” .

Nicaraguan sociologist and documentalist Leonor Zúñiga also highlighted the regime’s strategy of using ambiguous concepts, such as “Culture of Peace”, to justify actions against the freedoms of Nicaraguans.

“This concept has already been used in other post-2018 rebellion laws, to justify the censorship of everything that represents a criticism of power, and therefore threatens ‘peace’,'” Zúñiga posted on Twitter. “With this, they not only control producers that require the support of the State. This authorization to the Cinematheque can prohibit any individual with a camera (Yes, TikToker) to produce something if it does not align with the ‘Culture of Peace.’

Independent Nicaraguan filmmakers shared a press release on social networks, where they call on audiovisual producers and creators in Latin America and the world to “reflect on the importance of defending creative freedom and acting collectively to guarantee that the rights of freedom of expression are respected.” expression and cultural creation that have cost so much to conquer in Nicaragua and Central America”.

The National Cinematheque is in charge of the ex-daughter-in-law of Ortega and Rosario Murillo, Idania Castillo, who would become the new inspector not only of audiovisual products in Nicaragua but also of those who are dedicated to this activity, warned La Prensa

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Mexico: In San Juan del Río, Rotary promotes a positive culture of peace

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from El Sol de San Juan del Rio

In the municipality of San Juan del Río, various commitments were established by Rotary International to provide support to the San Juan community, among them; disease treatment, water, sanitation and hygiene, literacy and basic education, support for the environment, among others.


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(Click here for the article in Spanish)

Questions for this article:

How important is community development for a culture of peace?

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The commitments contribute to “Building a Culture of Positive Peace”, an event held at the Tithing Portal, headed by the representative of the organization in the municipality, Rafael de Jesús Molina Lara. in coordination with other members of Rotary International District 4140 , a support plan for the population was designed.

The group is dedicated to providing support to the population with actions in different areas, making an alliance with some companies, civil associations and others to pay attention to issues such as maternal and child health, the economic development of the community as well as promoting peace and conflict prevention.

In this same event of strategy to support the San Juan community, the Sculpture of Peace was unveiled, which was designed at the request of Rotary International District 4140, by the Jalisco sculptor Camilo Ramírez, born on July 18, 1957, in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco.

“Rotary is a global network of neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem solvers who see a planet where people come together and take action to create lasting, positive change in communities around the world.”

He said that for more than 117 years, Rotary’s people of action have used their passion, energy and intelligence to improve lives through service, “so in Rotary we are fully convinced that understanding, goodwill and peace among people is possible and achievable”.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Mexico: Culture of Peace Day in Atlixco for first time

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from Intolerancia (translation by CPNN)

With the aim of working on the reconstruction of the social fabric, the Atlixco city council in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior will hold the First Day of Culture of Peace on December 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the Plaza de Armas of the city.


Atlixco is a city in central Mexico, at the foot of the Popocatépetl volcano

Questions for this article:

Can festivals help create peace at the community level?

According to the municipal president of Atlixco, Ayala Camarillo, in addition to this First Day of Culture of Peace and Reconstruction of the social fabric, there will be a discussion with local actors, an event aimed at the general population.

The mayor thanked the authorities of the Ministry of the Interior for their support for undertaking actions focused on rebuilding the social fabric, thereby creating a better society.

The Dialogue or Conversation will generate a space for the exchange of knowledge, dialogue and learning for reconstruction of the social fabric and the construction of a Culture of Peace. The event will be divided into a magisterial presentation and dialogue tables led by various sectors of the population.

(Click here for the Spanish original. . )

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Burkina Faso: FESPACO will take place in February with the theme “African Cinemas and Culture of Peace”

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Libé (translation by CPNN)

The Director of Cabinet of the Burkinabe Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Atéridar Galip Somé, announced on Thursday the holding of the 28th edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou “FESPACO” from February 25 to March 04, 2023.


“It seems appropriate to announce to you, officially and solemnly, the organization of the 28th edition of FESPACO to be held from February 25 to March 04, 2023”, declared Mr. Somé, according to the Agency of Information from Burkrina (AIB).

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

Question for this article:

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

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Adressing the national and international press, he indicated that “the decision has been taken by the president of the Transition, the captain Ibrahim Traoré, who observes significant progress in the preparations”, adds the same source, emphasizing that this 28th edition will take place under the theme: “African Cinemas and Culture of Peace”.

The Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, according to his chief of staff, invited “cinema and audiovisual professionals to take ownership of this theme and above all to make their cinematographic works a a factor of cohesion and integration for the construction of a stronger and more united Africa”.

The general delegate of FESPACO, Moussa Alex Ouédraogo, taking stock of the preparations, indicated that at the current stage, the delegation has recorded 1142 registered films, including 84 Burkinabe films.

According to him, Burkinabé films are classified in the categories feature film, documentary, short fiction, short documentary, school film, TV series and animation.

Unlike FESPACO, several other cultural events have been postponed, in particular the Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO) and the National Culture Week (SNC-Bobo 2022) for difficulties related to the national context.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

The Gambia: WANEP stages youth leaders ‘bantaba’ on peace-building 

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Jankey Ceesay from The Point

West Africa Network for Peace Building-The Gambia (WANEP) recently convened a day’s ‘bantaba’ (group discussion) on youth participation in decision-making and peace-building processes at Metzy Residence in Kololi.

WANEP-The Gambia is a registered not-for-profit organization with a membership of 20 civil society organizations working towards strengthening the capacity of peace building practitioners, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and developing conflict prevention networks and mechanisms to promote the culture of peace.

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Addressing the gathering, Ms. Salama Njie, the National Network Coordinator West Africa Network for Peace Building-The Gambia (WANEP), reminded that youth are mostly used by politicians to win positions and neglect them afterwards.

“The vulnerability of young people to political exploitation and election related violence in an already fragmental society could with growing ethnic diversions and political party disputes cause concern for all of us and we are used by political leaders to gained their posts,” she pointed out. 

She explained that youth consist 64% of the country’s population, yet meaningful participation of young men and women in governance system, remains a challenge. 

She advised them to desist from being used by political leaders to disturb the country’s peace by attacking their opponent and inciting violence, rather they should be involved in politics, decision-making and promote peace ahead of the local election.

Tijan Bah, the assistant national early warning systems manager at WANEP, expressed optimism that the forum would produce a road map for young people to be involved in decision making levels and be agents for peace in their various communities.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Make peace, not war The Kremlin’s internal polling shows that more than half of Russians now favor negotiations with Ukraine

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by Andrey Pertsev in Meduza (Translation by Anna Razumnaya)

Russia’s ongoing military defeats in Ukraine and the social burden of mobilization are rapidly cooling the public’s support for the war. Meduza has gained access to the results of an opinion poll commissioned by the Kremlin “for internal use only.” According to the study conducted by the Federal Protective Service (FSO), 55 percent of Russians favor peace talks with Ukraine, while only a quarter of the respondents still support continuing the war.


Internal polling data commissioned by the Kremlin

The FSO poll does not diverge all that much from the results of an October public-opinion study conducted by the Levada Center, Russia’s only large independent sociological institute. In the Levada study, 57 percent of respondents said that they supported, or would probably support, peace talks with Ukraine. Only 27 percent expressed the same range of support for continuing the war.

The FSO’s own polling indicates that Russians’ attitudes about the war have changed. As late as July 2022, only 30 percent of survey respondents favored ending the war by peace negotiations. Comparing the new results to those collected in the summer make the shift obvious:

Two sources close to the Putin administration told Meduza that the Kremlin now plans to limit the polling data that VTsIOM (the Russian Public Opinion Research Center) releases to the public. One source said, “You can get all kinds of results these days — better not to do it at all.” Also speaking to Meduza, a political consultant who works frequently with the Kremlin explained that it’s “best not to reveal the dynamics” of the Russians’ changing attitudes towards the war.

Denis Volkov, the director of the Levada Center, says the share of Russians likely to support peace talks with Ukraine began to grow rapidly following Putin’s September 21 mobilization decree:

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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This is sheer reluctance to take part in the war personally. They continue to support it, but they have very little desire to participate themselves. Besides, their support was, from the very start, something they declared with regard to what they perceived as having nothing to do with themselves: “Life goes on — it’s even getting better.” Now, the risks are greater, and people want to start the talks. Still, the majority of people leave this to the government: “We’d like it, but it’s up to them to decide.”

Sociologist Grigory Yudin also links rising public support for peace talks to Russia’s draft. This fall, he says, Russians came face-to-face with the “crumbling of their everyday lives and a sense of danger.” Their “loss of faith in the victory” and the “absence of a convincing account of how exactly Russia might win” also contribute to the shift in opinions, says Yudin. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Yudin added,

if this turned out to be mixed with an acute sense of danger to the country itself. In this sense, peace talks followed by legalizing the annexations should make the country safer.

Yudin says the public’s resentment for how the war is going is not far from outright “apathy.” Still, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of anti-war demonstrations in Russia:

Protests do not occur simply because people think something but because something makes protest possible. Russia’s protest potential is very high. When possibilities present themselves, there will be protests. Quite possibly, we won’t have to wait that long.

Kremlin insiders who spoke to Meduza, however, said there’s little concern in the administration about potential mass protests, though they acknowledged that “it’s best not to raise the temperature, and not to anger people if not necessary.” Russia’s state media and propaganda outlets, moreover, have already received instructions “not to dwell on the war.” According to Meduza’s sources, the mass media is now being told to focus instead on a “more positive agenda.”

Political scientist Vladimir Gelman says the dynamics of Russian public opinion are unlikely to pressure the Putin administration into honest negotiations with Ukraine. The Russian side, he argues, is “not ready to make concessions,” and the prospects of any peace talks depend largely on what happens in combat — not in opinion polls.

Last October, Meduza wrote about Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to abandon his claim on the Ukrainian regions he’s now annexed outright. The Kremlin’s recent hints at possible peace talks are likely a scheme to buy time to prepare a new offensive. Meduza’s sources close to the administration say the president still clings to his plans in Ukraine, and officials will reportedly resume Russia’s “partial” mobilization in the winter. Just how many more men the Kremlin hopes to draft remains unclear.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe