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.

The Páramo de Sumapaz, will be the scene of Colombian cinema festival

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from El Cine Suma Paz

The protection of the environment, citizen participation and the culture of peace will be the main themes of the first edition of the International Festival El Cine Suma Paz.

The festival will take place from September 10 to 25 with 10 face-to-face stages and a worldwide access platform to the festival’s contents for training, creation, transmission, promotion and circulation of audiovisual and cinematographic content.

Bogotá, DC, August 2021. The last great páramo in the world, El Páramo de Sumapaz, will be the setting for the first edition of the International Film Festival “El Cine Suma Paz” which aims to generate spaces for reflection through cinema that allow the discussion on the protection of the environment and the culture of peace to be shared by an international audience.

(Editor’s note. The scene, the Páramo de Sumapaz, is a unique high-altitude ecosystem in Colombia, above the tree line.)

On this occasion, the programming has been carried out in a hybrid way from September 10 to 25, with face-to-face and virtual activities. This project was born as an initiative of the Social Cinema Foundation with stories about the protection of the environment and the culture of peace.

(article continued in right column)

(Click here for the Spanish original.)

Questions related to this article:
 
What is the relation between the environment and peace

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

(article continued from left column)

The first edition of the Festival will feature international exhibitions, academic spaces and an official selection made up of 80 films from around the world that positions cinema as a tool that raises awareness about the protection of the environment and the culture of peace among humans and the ecosystems that surround it.

It should be noted that this festival takes place in a complex social context, in a country that has seen more than 100 assassinated social leaders. “The Suma Paz Cinema is a space with which we seek to reaffirm our commitment to environmental education, with the defense of the environment and with the people who fight for social and environmental transformations, from different parts of the world,” said Cristhian Ossa, Director of the Social Cinema Foundation.

“We believe that this is a great opportunity to make visible the stories of the community and the relationship between the protection of our environment and the culture of peace. In these times where Colombians go through such a deep division, we need to generate bridges of communication and dialogue between us, in addition to nourishing ourselves with experiences related to the themes of the festival where the world has already explored historical paths and solutions, which sometimes we do not know. and make it impossible to implement them in our daily lives. ” Ossa added.

One of the films within the framework of the festival is Pico de Plata, which tells the story of a group of peasants who fought a historical battle to protect the Pico de Plata hill from mining in Fusagasugá . This short film will premiere on September 10 at the Festival’s opening ceremony.

Within the framework of the festival there will be exhibitions of the films in the communities that make up the Province of Sumapaz, Municipalities of Cundinamarca and the city of Bogotá, in the same way, during the development of the festival, there will be a platform that will allow to reproduce the films and the contents of the festival without any cost in any country of the world.

For more information visit www.elcinesumapaz.com.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

United Nations High-Level Forum on The Culture of Peace: Chair’s Summary

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Received at CPNN from Georgina Galanis

The President of the General Assembly (PGA) convened on 7 September 2021 the High-Level Forum on The Culture of Peace, as mandated by the GA resolution 75/25 of 2020. The High-Level Forum, participated by the Member States and Observers to the United Nations as well as other stakeholders, renewed the call for full and effective implementation of the UN Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.

UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, opened the High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace

The theme of High-Level Forum – “Transformative Role of The Culture of Peace: Promoting Resilience and Inclusion in Post-Covid Recovery” reflected the relevance of the abiding values of the culture of peace in combating the Covid-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impacts, and underscored the importance of empowering all segments of the society towards a resilient recovery, including by ensuring vaccine equity, bridging digital divide, promoting equality and empowerment of women and harnessing the power of youth, among others.

In his opening remarks, the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, pointed out how humanity was brought together by the pandemic and stressed the need to “build on this shared sense of grief and anxiety, and work together to not only tackle COVID-19 but all other challenges that stand in our path.” Referring to the sufferings of the Rohingya and Afghanistan people, the President emphasized on elements such as conflict early warning, fact-finding missions, early deployment of peacekeepers when needed, and of course humanitarian assistance, to maintain and support a culture of peace. “Peace is much, much more than the absence of conflict. Peace is a conscious effort by each of us, each moment, to talk, to listen, and to engage. It is a sustained effort to understand and overcome differences”, he added.

The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh H.E. DR A.K. Abdul Momen participated in the Opening Session with a pre-recorded statement. In his remarks, the Foreign Minister recalled Bangladesh’s pioneering role in the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution on The Culture of Peace since 1999 and organization of the High-Level Forum since 2012. Recognizing the need for creating an environment for peace for a resilient recovery from Covid-19, the Foreign Minister invited the international community to mainstream culture of peace in all pandemic recovery efforts. He underscored the strong correlation between peace and development and in this regard, called for ensuring timely implementation of the Agenda 2030.

Speaking on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, the Chef de Cabinet Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, highlighted the foundational role of culture of peace for “building a better, fairer, more sustainable future for all—the future in which human rights are realized for every person.” She called attention not only to the devastating consequences of climate change and the threatening effects of the pandemic on health and economics but also to the rising conflicts, gender-based violence, inequality and hate speech. The Chef de Cabinet stressed that working to achieve peace not only covers traditional notions of security, but also challenges such as social injustice, the normalization of hate speech, terrorism, violence against women, and conflict.

The High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilization (UNAOC), H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos in his remarks stated that the culture of peace is becoming relevant every day in the context of multidimensional impacts of Covid-19 and urged all stakeholders to re-commit to taking result-oriented actions towards uprooting all forms of discrimination and eliminating inequalities through dialogue, tolerance, diversity and respect among state and non-state actors. Speaking on behalf of Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Mr. Eliot Minchenberg, Director a.i., Office of UNESCO in New York, underlined that the very notion of the Culture of Peace was born in UNESCO in 1992 and reaffirmed that the Organisation, together with its partners, stands ready to build peace and overcome the challenges of today. He also pointed out that due to Covid-19 pandemic, education has been gravely affected, particularly among girls and young women.

(continued in right column)

Question(s) related to this article:

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

(continued from left column)

During the plenary meeting, Member States stressed that the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerabilities and inequalities, increasing intolerance and tensions within communities, and between states. They underlined the importance of fostering a culture of peace through education by revising the educational curricula to promote qualitative values, attitudes, and behaviours of a culture of peace, including peaceful conflict-resolution, dialogue, consensus-building and active non-violence. The High-Level Forum also discussed how the culture of peace is fostered by the promotion of sustainable economic and social development and heard arguments towards the need to reduce inequalities and eradicate poverty if we are to alleviate grievances. The Member States also highlighted the importance of protection and promotion
human rights and ensuring gender equality in achieving the objectives of the declaration and the programme of action on culture of peace.

Following the plenary segment in the General Assembly Hall in the morning, a panel discussion was held virtually in the afternoon with the participation of invited panellists, discussants, and representatives of civil society organisations. The Founder of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace (GMCoP), Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations, Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury moderated the panel discussion. A wide range of stakeholders – H.E. Ms Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, H.E. Mr. Rodrigo A. Carazo, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN, H. E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN, Mr. Federico Mayor Zaragoza, President of Foundation for a Culture of Peace, former Director-General of UNESCO (1987-1999), Dr. Ada Juni Okika, Global Director of the Centre for Transformative Advancement of Development of Africa (CTADA), Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, UN, Mr. Francisco Rojas-Aravena, Rector of the University of Peace in Costa Rica participated in the panel discussion.

Hon. Mr Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima, Japan and President of “Mayors for Peace” and Ms Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary General’s Youth Envoy, presented pre-recorded video statements.

Chair and Moderator Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury in his opening remarks paid warm tribute to PGA-75 H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir under whose leadership the High-Level Forum on The Culture of Peace convened. He drew attention to the reality that the Culture of Peace has yet to attain its worth and its due recognition at global as well as national levels. He called for renewed attention to the Declaration on Culture of Peace which, “after the UN Charter, is the only major document of the UNGA which focuses on peace in the most comprehensive manner.” He underscored the difference between peace and culture of peace and called for individual actions to advance culture of peace which aims at making peace and non-violence a part of our own self, our own personality – a part of our existence as a human being.

Ms. Beatrice Fihn, the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) presented the keynote speech. In her keynote speech, Ms Beatrice Fihn highlighted the enduring values of the culture of peace in addressing the both the contemporary and the longstanding challenges facing the humanity. She emphasized on renewed commitment and stronger action to eliminate nuclear weapons that continue to threaten the very existence of the human society.

As a panellist, Ambassador Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York, underscored the long-standing commitment of Bangladesh to the culture of peace at the UN and its continuing, proactive role in advancing the implementation of the UN resolutions on the culture of peace. She stressed on eliminating digital divide and restructuring conventional education system in ensuring uninterrupted access to education by all children. Expressing her concern at the alarming rise in inequality within and among societies, she urged the global community to address inequality in a holistic manner. She also called for increased efforts including dialogue for elimination of hate speech, xenophobia and discrimination across the society for an inclusive recovery.

All panellists recognised the renewed relevance of the culture of peace in combating COVID and stressed on the importance of utilizing transformative role of culture of peace in fostering inclusion and tolerance in the society through inclusive and non-discriminatory recovery efforts. They highlighted that the culture of peace needs to be strengthened within all peoples, especially women, to prevent conflicts and sustain peace. They also stressed respect for human rights as essential to peace, to further promoting the culture of peace in educational programmes. The culture of peace, it was stressed, cannot be built if hate speech continues to exist. Participants also noted that everyone must be a multi-stakeholder in this process, including educators, parents, governmental officials and civil society organizations, as highlighted in the UN declaration on the culture of peace.

Civil society organizations actively participated in the High-Level Forum interactive session. They stressed that peace should be embraced as a way of life. The culture of peace should be nurtured through strengthening mutual respect and protecting the dignity of all members of the society regardless of their race, religion, belief or gender.

The High-Level Forum provided an opportunity for Member States, observers, UN entities, non-governmental organizations, academia, and other interested parties, to exchange ideas and make suggestions on how to utilise the values of culture of peace in post Covid recovery efforts, especially to ensure that the recovery from Covid-19 is durable, resilient and inclusive. In this context, the High-Level Forum provided a meaningful contribution to the pivotal discussions and commitments expected at the General Assembly during the High-Level Week later in September 2021.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

Upcoming Virtual Events

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

At CPNN, we are beginning to receive notices of free virtual events concerning the culture of peace. In order to inform our readership of these events, we will try an experiment: a “rolling article” about these events. We will try to update the listing every day or two, removing the events that are past (listed here) and adding new events as they are received at our contact email address. To be included here, an event must be free and must provide a registration link. Unless otherwise indicated the events are in English.

We will also include here the application deadlines for initiatives promoting the culture of peace.


Zoom is one of many new technologies available for virtual conferences.

Saturday October 2, 10am – 12 noon Eastern Time USA, 4-6pm Central Europe Time
Nonviolence in the 21st Century / La non-violence au 21ème siècle

Methods and examples of nonviolent actions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. An event to commemorate the International Day for Non-violence and the 152nd anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Simultaneous translation in English and French.
— Les méthodes et exemples d’actions de la non-violence pour répondre aux défis d’aujourd’hui et de demain. Un évènement en ligne pour célébrer la journée internationale de la non-violence et le 152ème anniversaire de la naissance de Mahatma Gandhi. Traduction simultanée en anglais et en français.
— Register here

Wednesday, October 06, 2021 • 8:00 AM • Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada)
Peace Boat to Receive Award as Lifetime Organizational War Abolisher of 2021

An online presentation and acceptance event, with remarks from representatives of Peace Boat.
Click here for details
— Zoom link with the passcode 4D.Ev^

Oct 9, 2021 10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Mapping Peace Education: Virtual Launch Event

Please join us for the virtual launch of “Mapping Peace Education,” a global research tool and initiative documenting and analyzing peace education efforts around the world.
— This interactive event will be hosted by Micaela Segal de la Garza, Mapping Peace Education Coordinator, and will feature a dialogue between Tony Jenkins, Coordinator of the Global Campaign for Peace Education, and Cecilia Barbieri, Chief of the UNESCO Section of Global Citizenship and Peace Education. Tony and Cecilia will also be joined by a panel of contributing researchers from around the world.
— To learn more about the project and the event, please visit: https://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/mapping/
— Register here

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Toumodi, Ivory Coast: Community leaders trained in the culture of peace

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from Abidjan.net

Heads of village, community and associations of women and young people of the department of Toumodi participated, Wednesday, September 1, 2021, in an awareness-raising workshop on the culture of peace and living together initiated by the National Program for Social Cohesion (PNCS).


© AIP By DR (Click on image to enlarge)

Questions related to this article:

How should elections be organized in a true democracy?

Can a culture of peace be achieved in Africa through local indigenous training and participation?

“For us, it is about sensitizing communities to the culture of living together in order to contribute to the consolidation of peace through the establishment of community income-generating activities”, explained the director general of the PNCS, Arsène Kouassi.

Toumodi is one of the six localities in the country chosen to host these workshops, because of the violence that punctuated the last presidential elections there. “Toumodi has had difficult times, but tensions have eased now. This workshop will help us build trust between populations,” explained the third deputy mayor, Célestin Sialou.

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

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Chad: Ouaddai Youth Debate on Culture of Peace and Civic Engagement

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Hambali Nassour/Abba Issa in Al Wihda

The awareness-raising project on the culture of peace and civic and electoral engagement, led by the Youth Star Association for Culture and Development, organized on September 4 a forum for discussion on the culture of peace.

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

The one-day event brought together representatives of young people from the city of Abéché. Placed under the theme of “the engagement of a culture of peace among youth”, the meeting allowed young people to share their ideas.

Panelist Saleh Souloum invited young people to have a spirit of national unity, to show love and social cohesion in order to build a better Chad.

He explained that civic and electoral engagement is not just the business of leaders but that it is up to each young person to get involved to make their contribution.

The president of the Abéché Youth Star Association, Hassan Abdoulaye Hassan, gave a brief overview of the achievements of his organization, before discussing the merits of the culture of peace.

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

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Colombia: Beginning September 5, Cartagena will celebrate the Week for Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

An article from Caracol

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, in order to encourage member states, agencies belonging to the United Nations system and various civil society organizations to continue the efforts to promote a culture of peace and trust among nations, through political dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation. This is in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace.


(Click on image to enlarge.)

(Click here for the original article in Spanish.)

Questions related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

On this occasion, the councils of peace, reconciliation, coexistence and human rights of Cartagena and Bolívar joined in a joint agenda that will allow the enjoyment of a series of cultural, academic and city events that will be broadcast virtually and in person with the aim that both children, youth and adults get involved in a culture of peace and city building.

The first cycle of delivery of food packages to the elderly has ended
This joint programming is made up of activities led by the different sectors of civil society that make up both councils, with the participation also in the Cartagena District of the secretary of the interior in charge of David Múnera Cavadía.

The programming will begin from September 1 and will connect with the week for peace in its 34th version that begins from the 5 of this month and has as a national message the phrase “truth that we can”; then through various symbolic acts it will run until September 25, a whole month dedicated to building peace and trust in the territory.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Bogota, Colombia: Youth trained as facilitators of peace and reconciliation

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

An article from the Web site of Bogotá

Thanks to the coordination of the District Education Secretariat, ACDI / VOCA (North American NGO) and the Fe y Alegría Foundation, 110 students and two teachers from the towns of Kennedy and Bosa graduated as facilitators of peace and reconciliation.

This initiative that began in November 2020 was carried out under the guidelines of the ECO Program – Protective and Reliable Educational Environments, with the purpose of contributing to the construction of the District’s ecosystem of peace and reconciliation.

District Network of Facilitators for Peace and Reconciliation

As a result of this exercise, the District Network of Facilitators for Peace and Reconciliation was formed, which includes students from the Soledad Acosta de Samper, Germán Arciniegas, Ciudadela Educativa, El Porvenir, Japan and Tom Adams schools from the localities of Bosa and Kennedy.

“Schools are living and fundamental centers for social transformation, so we work to strengthen them. This group is a pioneer in the constitution of the network and, without a doubt, it will not be the last group with which we hope to advance in the local construction of peace ”, highlighted Rocío Olarte Tapia, director of Relations with the Private Educational Sector of the Ministry of Education .

(Click here for the original article in Spanish.)

Questions related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

For this, a process involved 144 students and two teachers from these schools. The call was held openly, aimed mainly at students between grades 5 to 9, with an interest in transforming the relationship of the educational institution with the territory to which they belong and contributing to the construction of a culture of peace in their environment, on the basis of dialogue, respect and empathy.

During 15 weeks sessions were held aimed at enhancing their capacities and commitments for the strengthening of peace and reconciliation. The pedagogical strategies reflected on the daily experiences in each of their environments as a central element to understand the process in the local context.

Trained in peace and reconciliation

In this training process the participants addressed issues such as the management and transformation of conflicts, the construction of a culture of peace, the recognition and appreciation of diversity and the prevention of all forms of gender-based violence, among others.

In the case of participating teachers, the scope of their actions will be reflected in the framework of their role within the educational institution.

“The commitment to replicate is fundamental, not only in educational institutions, but in all everyday spaces where learning from the network can be made visible. From the Secretariat, our commitment is to continue working in the construction of peace ”, said the director of Relations with the Private Educational Sector.

The ECO Program will provide continuity and support to the Network of Educational Institutions that contribute to the District’s Peace and Reconciliation Ecosystem, including replication in more locations in Bogotá from a new cycle of the training process during 2022.

It is expected that more institutional and social sectors will join this project and contribute to the construction of the city.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Past Virtual Events in September

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events and application deadlines in September that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Where possible links are provided to recordings of the events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

September 7, 10:00 AM-5:45 PM Eastern Standard Time (USA)
United Nations High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace

Theme: “The Tranformative Role of the Culture of Peace: Promoting Resilience and Inclusion in Post Covid Recovery”
— Plenary segment 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Remarks by President of the General Assembly, UN Secretary-General and 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, followed by remarks by Member States.
— Virtual panel discussion 3:00 PM to 5:45 PM.
— Live broadcast by UN Web TV

Sep 9, 2021 9-11am Eastern Time USA, 2:00 PM in London,
Nuclear Weapons & Climate Change: In commemoration of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests

An intergenerational dialogue on nuclear-climate impacts & avenues for action. This will be a hybrid event with a limited number of guests participating in person while most others will participate via zoom online platform.
— The event is co-hosted by the Kazakhstan Embassy in London, Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, and Youth Fusion.
— Zoom registration

September 11 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (USA)
Never Forget: 9/11 and the 20 year War on Terror

The world changed on September 11th 2001. The tragic deaths of almost 3,000 people and the destruction of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City had a deep effect on the American people. 9/11 fundamentally altered the culture of the United States and its relationship with the rest of the world. The violence of that day was not confined, it spread throughout the world as America lashed out both at home and abroad. The almost 3,000 deaths of September 11th became hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of deaths from wars the US launched in retaliation. Tens of millions lost their homes. Join us, on Saturday September 11th, as we reflect on the lessons of 9/11 and the lessons of the 20 year Global War on Terror.-
— We’ll hear testimonials from Medea Benjamin, Danny Sjursen, Assal Rad, Kathy Kelly, David Swanson, Matthew Hoh, Kevin Danaher, Jodie Evans, and more!
— zoom registration

Sunday, September 12, 4:00 pm PDT/7:00 pm EDT (USA)
North American Solidarity Activists Speak Out: US Sanctions against Africa and Latin America

Instead of reversing Trump’s unilateral coercive measures, Biden has extended the sanctions, which are illegal under international law. Sanctions are a form of war. They are directed against the people from countries that will not follow the dictates of the US. The goal is to make the lives of the people in these countries intolerable so they will oppose their governments and support the US regime-change agendas in their countries. In their most severe form, as is being imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, and other countries, they deny these countries food, medicine, and trade and cause great suffering for the people of the sanction countries.
— Hear: Ajamu Baraka (Black Alliance for Peace and UNAC Administrative Committee member), Omowale Clay (December 12th Movement), Sara Flounders (International Action Center and UNAC Administrative Committee member), and Margaret Flowers, (Popular Resistance and UNAC Administrative Committee)
Sponsored by the Sanctions Kill Coalition
— Register here

Sunday, September 19, 2:30-3:45pm, Eastern Standard Time, USA
NO FIRST USE, AND BRINGING AN END TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The Comprehensive Test Ban, which ended nuclear testing. What are the next steps, to bring an end to these weapons of mass destruction?
Speakers:
– Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr.
– Erin Hunt, ICAN & Canada Landmines Action
— Offered By: Coalition for Peace Action in cooperation with UNAGP and Pennsylvania PSR
— Zoom regisration

lunes 20 de septiembre, a las 17 hs. (horario Argentina)
Encuentro virtual “Homenaje a Paulo Freire”

Le invitamos a completar el presente formulario para inscribirse al tercer encuentro del Ciclo “Pensar la educación del porvenir desde las tradiciones pedagógicas latinoamericanas” organizado por el Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Sociales (ILES) y la Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos (OEI) en Argentina.
— El encuentro virtual se realizará por el canal de YouTube de la OEI. Se le enviará el enlace de acceso en los días previos al Encuentro al correo que nos informe en el presente formulario.
— formulario para inscribirsen

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 • 6:00 PM • Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi (GMT+05:30)
Online India & Afghanistan Chapter Launch Event: Celebrate International Peace Day!

Join us for a online launch event to kick-off the new World BEYOND War India and Afghanistan chapters!We’ll discuss World BEYOND War’s mission and campaigns, the current state of the peace movement in Afghanistan and India, and why we need a world beyond war. We’ll have time to break out into discussion groups to talk about what anti-war issues matter to you and how we can work together to create World BEYOND War chapters in India and Afghanistan.
— registration

22 September 2021, 9:00 am – 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time (USA)
Promoting Peaceful, Just, And Inclusive Societies

Based upon the feedback and recommendations received from the first Global Webinar Series, Religions for Peace, in coordination with Regional Offices, will convene the second series of global capacity development webinars in 2021, with a view to continuing to facilitate the process of strategic Learning Exchange among IRCs across the movement. These webinars will focus on our Six Strategic Goals:
— Promote Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies
Advance Gender Equality
Nurture A Sustainable Environment
Champion the Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion
Strengthen Interreligious Education
Foster Multi-religious Collaboration and Global Partnerships
Simultaneous translations for Arabic, French, and Spanish will be provided for all global webinars. Following each of these, regional webinars will be organized under the leadership of the Religions for PeaceRegional Secretaries General, in coordination with the Religions for Peace International Secretariat.
— This event is by invitation only. Inquiries can be sent to pbartoli@rfp.org.

Thursday, 23 September 2021, 12:00 – 15:00 Central European Time
Launch of manual “Peace Education meets Religion

Religious traditions can play an ambivalent role: in some settings they can foster violence or act as a powerful driver of conflict, while in others they can be a resource for peaceful actions in being a ‘connector’. Faith-based actors and institutions have a central role to play in harnessing religion’s potential for building peace and transforming conflict.
— Aiming to support the efforts of faith-based multipliers, the Berghof Foundation and partners developed and piloted the ‘Peace Education meets Religion: Manual for Multipliers’ over the past two years.
— The Berghof Foundation invites you to the manual’s virtual launch and an interactive workshop introducing some of the manual’s specific methods.
— Register here

Wed. Sept 29, 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (Canada)
Annual Mahatma Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence

Title: Environmental responsibility, social justice, and the Haudenosunee Great Law of Peace
— speakers
Prof. Dawn Martin-Hill, MacPherson Chair in Indigenous Studies at McMaster University
Prof. Rick Monture, Director of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University`
— Zoom link: Meeting ID 948 0213 8608, Passcode: 515278

Uncategorized

United States Conference of Mayors Calls on the United States to Welcome the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to Act Now to Prevent Nuclear War and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from Pressenza (reprinted by permission)

At the close of its 89th Annual Meeting, held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, on August 31, 2021, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) Executive Committee unanimously adopted a bold new resolution Calling on the United States to Welcome the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [TPNW] and to Act Now to Prevent Nuclear War and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons.


The resolution calls on the United States government “to welcome the Treaty as a positive step towards negotiation of a comprehensive agreement on the achievement and permanent maintenance of a world free of nuclear weapons.” It continues: “The United States Conference of Mayors welcomes the June 16, 2021 Joint Statement by President Biden and Russian President Putin in which they ‘reaffirm the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought’; and calls on the Biden Administration to reduce nuclear tensions through intensive diplomatic efforts with Russia and China, and to actively pursue a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals in conformity with requirements of international law preceding the TPNW by decades.”

Observing that, “according to a report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, in 2020, the nine nuclear-armed states spent $72.6 billion on nuclear weapons, with the U.S. leading at $37.4 billion, or $70,881 per minute,” the USCM resolution opens with a stark warning from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:

WHEREAS, on January 27, 2021, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced it is keeping the hands of its Doomsday Clock at 100 seconds to midnight, the closest we’ve ever been to global annihilation, stating: “By our estimation, the potential for the world to stumble into nuclear war-an ever-present danger over the last 75 years-increased in 2020,” and noting: “the existential threats of nuclear weapons and climate change have intensified in recent years because of a threat multiplier: the continuing corruption of the information ecosphere on which democracy and public decision-making depend…[T]he COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call.”

The USCM resolution underscores that “tensions between the United States and Russia and between the United States and China have increased dramatically, with flashpoints in Ukraine and Taiwan that could potentially spawn nuclear confrontations.”

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

The USCM expresses its concern that “President Biden’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2022 increases military expenditures by $11 billion and extends funding for all nuclear warhead and delivery system upgrades in his predecessor’s budget, as well as its massive investment in the nuclear weapons infrastructure, to project nuclear weapons research, development, production, and deployment well into the 21st century, in violation of United States disarmament obligations under the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.”

The USCM resolution reports that “the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force on January 22, 2021, prohibiting the development, acquisition, possession, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons for those countries that have ratified it.” But it points out that, “while the TPNW represents the total repudiation of nuclear weapons by most of the states that do not possess them, the United States, the eight other nuclear-armed states and almost all of the countries under the U.S. nuclear umbrella boycotted the negotiations and have not joined the treaty.”

The USCM makes several concrete policy recommendations in its new resolution:

“call[ing] on the Biden Administration to fully incorporate United States obligations regarding non-use and elimination of nuclear weapons under international law into its forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review”;

“call[ing] on the President and Congress to cancel the plan to replace the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons and to redirect funds currently allocated to nuclear weapons and unwarranted military spending to address decades of inaction on infrastructure, poverty, the growing climate crisis, and rising inequality”; and

“call[ing] on the President and Congress to elevate arms control and disarmament as a federal priority by reestablishing the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.”

As recognized in the resolution, “Mayors for Peace, founded in 1982 and led by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is working for a world without nuclear weapons, safe and resilient cities, and a culture of peace, as essential measures for the realization of lasting world peace;” and “Mayors for Peace has grown to 8,043 cities in 165 countries and regions, with 219 U.S. members, representing in total over one billion people.”

Noting that, “The United States Conference of Mayors has unanimously adopted Mayors for Peace resolutions for sixteen consecutive years,” the USCM “urges all of its members to join Mayors for Peace to help reach the goal of 10,000 member cities.”

The 2021 USCM resolution was sponsored by Mayors for Peace U.S. Vice-President Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines, Iowa, and co-sponsored by Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton, Ohio and current President of the USCM; Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina and past President of the USCM; Patrick L. Wojahn, Mayor of College Park, Maryland; Roy D. Buol, Mayor of Dubuque, Iowa; J. Christian Bollwage, Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey; Jon Mitchell, Mayor of New Bedford, Massachusetts; and William Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The United States Conference of Mayors  is the official nonpartisan association of more than 1,400 American cities with populations over 30,000. Resolutions Adopted at annual meetings become USCM official policy.

Click here for the full text of the resolution.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, North America

UN High Level Forum on The Culture of Peace

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An announcement from the United Nations


The High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace will be convened by the President of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday, 10 September 2020 as a virtual event via online platform.


Overview

The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 74/21 on 12 December 2019 at its 74th session, in which the Assembly requested the President, H.E. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, to consider convening a high-level forum, as appropriate and within existing resources, devoted to the implementation of the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace on the occasion of the anniversary of its adoption, on or around 13 September.

This is an opportunity to renew our commitment to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, our commitment to the United Nations and multilateralism, in particular under the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, the President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly will convene this year a virtual High-Level Forum, on 10 September 2020, to highlight the importance of the culture of peace to move forward in these trying times.
 
Background

On 13 September 1999, the UN General Assembly adopted, by consensus and without reservation, its pioneering resolution 53/243 on the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. Asserting and reaffirming the commitment of all the UN membership for building the culture of peace, the General Assembly has been adopting resolutions on this issue every year since 1997. Through annual substantive resolutions for the last 20 years as well as annual High-Level Forums since 2012, the General Assembly has highlighted the priority it attaches to the full and effective implementation of these decisions and recommendations, which serve as a universal mandate for the international community, particularly the UN system, for the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence that benefits humanity, in particular future generations.

Last year, on the occasion of the historic 20th anniversary of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly, H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, convened a successful High-Level Forum on 13 September 2019, under the theme “The Culture of Peace: Empowering and Transforming Humanity”. The discussion reflected on the enduring value of the culture of peace, inter alia, for full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and for a lasting peace.

In 2020, despite the difficulties in ensuring business continuity in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is of utmost importance that the United Nations continues to support the global movement to promote the culture of peace, its Declaration and Programme of Action, and that our response and recovery efforts are guided towards implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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Question(s) related to this article:

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

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The Culture of Peace: Change our world for the better in the age of COVID-19

This year’s High-Level Forum is intended to be an opportunity for an exchange of views on possible ways to further promote the culture of peace, while the world is striving to recover and respond to the global pandemic and trying to address other pressing issues affecting the lives of many people around the globe. The COVID-19 situation has underscored the urgent need to leverage a culture of peace as a means of bridging divides across and within societies, as well as ensuring peaceful coexistence as a foundation for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

International cooperation and multilateral partnerships are necessary to tackle the pandemic and other global threats. Concrete action is needed by all stakeholders to realize this vision through education, inclusion, poverty eradication, and social cohesion, with more participation from women, the youth, and other segments of society.

The theme for the 2020 High-Level Forum will be “The Culture of Peace: Change our world for the better in the age of COVID-19”. Building global solidarity is the need of the time and can be achieved through promoting inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue that enable communities to come together to better understand each other and stand against the spread of hate, intolerance, division, and discrimination. The resilient nature of people to overcome the challenges with renewed optimism should be strengthened and put at the core of all our collective response and recovery plans, so that this crisis does not exacerbate the already high levels of inequality and discrimination. Vulnerable populations with less access to health care, basic public services, and economic resources should be our top priority. The event will provide a platform to explore opportunities to change our world for the better after the pandemic.
 
Participation

Member States and Observers of the General Assembly are invited to participate in the virtual High-Level Forum. The meeting will be webcast and it is open to UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
 
Format of the High-Level Forum

The High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, convened by the President of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, will take place on Thursday, 10 September 2020, via online WebEx platform from 10 am to 1 pm. The event will consist of an opening segment and a plenary segment. The opening segment will feature statements by the President of the Seventy-Fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary-General, H.E. Anwarul K. Chowdhury Ms. Gabriela Ramos, Ms. Nihal Saad, and Dr. Francisco Rojas Aravena. The plenary segment will comprise statements by Member States and Observers of the General Assembly.

Member States are encouraged to deliver statements on behalf of a group of States, whenever possible. Member States are encouraged to limit their statements to three (3) minutes for individual delegations and five (5) minutes for statements made on behalf of a group of States. There will be a pre-established list of speakers and it will be open for registration before the event. In view of time constraints for the online plenary segment, delegations that did not have the opportunity to speak can send their statements for uploading on the PGA’s website. A President’s summary of the meeting will be circulated to Member States upon its conclusion.

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