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.

Training for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Pace e Bene

(Editor’s note: As Pace e Bene coordinates thousands of actions for a culture of peace during the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days between September 21 and October 2 (see CPNN July 17), they propose many opportunities for training by partner organizations as follows.)

Introducing Nonviolence

Participants are introduced to the vision and methods of nonviolence by exploring: the creative power of nonviolence; the dynamics of violence and nonviolence; practices for nonviolent living; tools for communicating nonviolently; and/or the process and effectiveness of principled and strategic nonviolent social change. Examples: Nonviolence 101 Training; Active Nonviolence Introductory Workshop.

Training partners that hold this type of training:
Meta Peace Team, Veterans for Peace, War Resisters League, World Beyond War, Alliance of Community Trainers, Backbone Campaign, DC Peace Team, Association for Active Nonviolence, NVC Academy, Center for Nonviolence & Peace Studies, Alternatives to Violence Project, Bay Area NVC, Center for Nonviolent Communication, Giraffe Social Enterprises, Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute, Nonviolent Communication Australia, Peace Factory, Campaign Nonviolence, Metta Center for Nonviolence, Community Peacemaker Teams, Children And Youth For Peace Agency – Sierra Leone, Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, The Non-Violence Project Uganda, Imani Works, Little Friends for Peace, Moose Anger Management and Healing Anger, MahaKaruna, Active Peace, The Circle Works Social Justice Consultants, East Point Peace Academy, Resource Center for Nonviolence, Beautiful Trouble, Catalizador Social

Nonviolent Social Change

These trainings build skills for changing our communities, our society and our world. These programs include trainings on: models of successful nonviolent social change; the philosophy, dynamics, history, and effectiveness of nonviolent action and civil resistance, including nonviolent civil disobedience; concrete strategies for building campaigns and movements; creating a culture of peace and nonviolence; domestic violence advocacy training; and connecting personal, interpersonal and social change. Examples: Nonviolent Action Training; Social Change Skill Building; Nonviolent Cities Training. 

Training partners that hold this type of training:
Center for Nonviolence & Peace Studies, Backbone Campaign, Metta Center for Nonviolence, Community Peacemaker Teams, Children And Youth For Peace Agency – Sierra Leone, Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, The Non-Violence Project Uganda, Compassionate Listening Oregon, Imani Works, Little Friends for Peace, YWCA of Greater Portland, Moose Anger Management and Healing Anger, The Article 20 Network, Active Peace, The Circle Works Social Justice Consultants, East Point Peace Academy, Resource Center for Nonviolence, Beautiful Trouble, Catalizador Social

Questions related to this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

Communicating Nonviolently

These trainings focus on applying nonviolence for more effective communication and relationship-building, often with a focus on active listening, I statements, non-defensive approaches, and identifying the needs of both parties. Examples: Nonviolent Communication (NVC); Powerful Non-Defensive Communication (PNDC); Compassionate Listening. 

Training partners that hold this type of training:
NVC Academy, New York Center for Nonviolent Communication, Bay Area NVC, Center for Nonviolent Communication, Giraffe Social Enterprises, Nonviolent Communication Australia, Peace Factory, Family Heart Camp, Community Peacemaker Teams, Children And Youth For Peace Agency – Sierra Leone, Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, Center For Building A Culture Of Empathy, The Non-Violence Project Uganda, Compassionate Listening Oregon, Imani Works, Little Friends for Peace, Moose Anger Management and Healing Anger, MahaKaruna, The Circle Works Social Justice Consultants, East Point Peace Academy, Beautiful Trouble, Catalizador Social

Nonviolent Conflict Transformation

Trainings in unarmed peacekeeping, conflict resolution and restorative justice trainings. Examples: Restorative Justice Peace Circles; Nonviolent Trauma Healing; Domestic Peace Team Training; Mediation Training. 

Training partners that hold this type of training:
War Resisters League, World Beyond War, Veterans for Peace, Association for Active Nonviolence, Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute, Alternatives to Violence Project, DC Peace Team, Meta Peace Team, Community Peacemaker Teams, Children And Youth For Peace Agency – Sierra Leone, Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, Center For Building A Culture Of Empathy, The Non-Violence Project Uganda, Compassionate Listening Oregon, Imani Works, Little Friends for Peace, Moose Anger Management and Healing Anger, The Article 20 Network, Active Peace, The Circle Works Social Justice Consultants, East Point Peace Academy, Beautiful Trouble, Catalizador Social

Spiritually-Based Nonviolence

These trainings explore nonviolence rooted in the teaching, principles, and practices of specific faith traditions and spiritualities. Examples: Awakening Soulforce; Gospel Nonviolence Training; Engaged Buddhism Workshop. 

Training partners that hold this type of training:
NVC Academy, Center for Nonviolent Communication, Metta Center for Nonviolence, Community Peacemaker Teams, Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, Compassionate Listening Oregon, Little Friends for Peace, East Point Peace Academy, Resource Center for Nonviolence

Training for Trainers

These trainings prepare individuals to facilitate nonviolence programming including trainings, workshops, classes, webinars, etc. Examples: Training for Trainers Weekend Workshop. 

Training partners that hold this type of training:
Nonviolence Institute, Children’s Defense Fund, Center For Building A Culture Of Empathy, The Non-Violence Project Uganda, Compassionate Listening Oregon, Imani Works, Little Friends for Peace, Moose Anger Management and Healing Anger, MahaKaruna, The Circle Works Social Justice Consultants, East Point Peace Academy, Resource Center for Nonviolence, Beautiful Trouble

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

Video about Ukraine war by US Presidential Candidate Kennedy

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

Text from X video republished on July 12 by Transcend Media Service

(Editor’s note: The following is the text of a video interview with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., independent candidate for President in the United States. It completely contradicts the usual news from the mass media that justifies American involvement in the Ukraine War. We could not find the text anywhere on the Internet, but only a critique of it by the Washington Post.)

You know, Putin every day says, I want to settle the war. Let’s negotiate. And Zelensky said, we’re not going to negotiate. But Zelensky didn’t want to start that way. I don’t want to,  you know, belabor the history, but Russia was invaded three times through Ukraine. The last time Hitler killed one out of every seven Russians. They don’t want to have Ukraine join NATO.

So when the wall came down in the Soviet Union, Europe, Gorbachev destroyed himself politically by doing something that was very, very courageous. He went to Bush and he said, I’m going to allow you to reunify Germany under a NATO army. I’m going to remove 450,000 Soviet troops. But I want your commitment.  After that, you will not move NATO one inch to the east. And we solemnly swore that we wouldn’t do it.

Well, then in 97, Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was the first of the bneocons said, we’re going to move NATO a thousand miles to the east and take 15 countries into it and surround the Soviet Union.  So then we not only move it into 14 new nations, but we unilaterally walk away from our two nuclear weapons treaties with the Russians.  And we put Aegis missile systems in Romania and Poland 12 minutes from Moscow.

When Russians did that to Cuba in 62, we came this close to nuclear war until they removed them. So the Russians don’t want nukes 400 miles from Moscow.

We then overthrow the Ukraine government in 2014, their elected government,  and put in a Western sympathetic government.

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Is the media an arm of the culture of war?

(Continued from left column)

Russia then has to go into Crimea because they have a port, because they’re only warm water port and they know the new government that we just installed is going to invite the US Navy into their port. So Russia then went into Crimea without firing a shot because the people of Crimea are Russian.

Then the new Ukrainian government we installed started killing ethnic Russians in Donbas and Lugansk, and they voted to leave and join Russia.  Putin said, I don’t want them.  Let’s give them protection and give them semi-autonomy and make an agreement to keep NATO out of Ukraine.

That treaty was written by Germany, France, Russia and England, the Minsk accords. And the Ukrainian parliament, which is controlled by ultra-rightists, and that’s a nice way of talking about them, refused to sign it.

Zelensky runs in 2019.   He’s an actor.   Why did he get elected, with 70 % of the vote?   Because he promised to sign the Minsk accords.  He promised peace. He gets in there and he pivots.  Nobody can explain why, but we know why. Because he was threatened with death by ultra-rightists in his government and a withdrawal of support by the United States, by Victoria Nuland, who’s the leading Neocon in the State Department. We told him he could not sign it.

So then the Russians go in. They don’t send a big army. They only send 40,000 people. It’s a nation of 44 million people. They clearly do not intend to conquer Ukraine, but they want us back at the negotiating table.

We won’t allow Zelensky to go back, so he goes to Israel and Turkey and says will you please help me negotiate a treaty. The Russians just want a guarantee that Ukraine won’t join NATO. Zelensky signs a treaty. Putin’s people sign the treaty. And Putin starts withdrawing the Russian troops in good faith.

What happens? Joe Biden sends Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, over to Ukraine in April and forces him to tear up the treaty.

Since then, 450,000 kids have died. Not one of them should have died. For every one Russian that dies, five to eight Ukrainians die. They don’t have any men left! You know, we’re giving them all these weapons, but they don’t have men left. It’s a catastrophe! And we look kind of like the aggressor, that’s the way the rest of the world sees us.

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Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, North America,

Restore the Olympic peace: Over 50 Nobel laureates have written an open letter calling for a global ceasefire for the duration of the Paris Olympics

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from Novaya Gazeta

There are at least 55 ongoing wars around the world. Politicians have consistently failed to end the armed conflicts that are ravaging their societies, and the dangers have been multiplied by the fact that local wars no longer remain local.

The bloody conflict between Russia and Ukraine — the biggest war on the European continent since 1945 — has entered its third year and is still reverberating worldwide. The spillover effects have included increased famine in Africa, a migration crisis in Europe, and the release of harmful substances into water, food, and milk supplies that ultimately reach people on six continents.

By the end of this year, the number of people killed and injured as a result of the war in Ukraine is expected to exceed 1 million — a casualty toll not seen in Europe since World War II. In Gaza, where war has raged since last October, the United Nations puts the death toll as of January at 25,000 — but the number may well be much higher. And in Yemen, the UN says that 377,000 have died in the fighting or from disease over the past decade of civil war.

As these and other conflicts rage, defence budgets around the world are expanding substantially; and hanging over it all is the threat — repeated again and again in Ukraine — of nuclear war. The resources being mobilised are comparable to those needed to address climate change, or to eliminate hunger globally for the next 80 years.

Instead of sustaining life, resources are being wasted on spreading death.

Just think about that: No one would go hungry or die of exhaustion, and no child would be undernourished, if the money now being spent on weaponry and soldiers was instead used to better the lives of the world’s poor. Instead of sustaining life, resources are being wasted on spreading death.

The victims of today’s wars are mostly people between the ages of 30 and 40, meaning that each death represents approximately half a life that could have been. Every 100,000 people killed is another 4 million years not lived. Consider all the breakthrough discoveries that will not be made, the children who will not be born, and the orphans who will suffer alone.

We and our co-signatories (below) are not representatives of states. But if the efforts of states to establish peace are insufficient, individuals — no matter their work or their station in life — must step up. The world must confront today’s wars with one voice. That is why we are asking His Holiness Pope Francis, His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, and Muslim and Jewish leaders to use their moral authority to appeal to all citizens of the world and to their governments.

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris is an ideal opportunity to do this. During the Olympic Games of antiquity, the frequent wars between the Greek city-states were suspended while competition would take place between athletes in search of excellence. We hope the billions of people who watch the Paris Games will follow this example and join with the world’s religious and moral leaders in calling for peace.

The conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere call for an immediate ceasefire, followed by the exchange of all prisoners, the release of hostages, the return of human remains, and the start of negotiations. Our primary duty as adults is to ensure that our children survive us. Instead of destroying each other and our societies with violence, let us devote our energies and resources to saving our planet. Let us begin by reviving the Olympic peace.

(Editor’s note: Despite the following important signatories from around the world, it is shameful that, as of July 29 according to the google search engine, this powerful statement has been ignored by the major mass media of the West although it has been republished by Ahram Online from Egypt, the Japan Times , the TCE Exchange based in the Netherlands, the Bangkok Post, the Project Syndicate, based in the United States, and, of course, here in CPNN, based in France.)

Signatories

Emmanuelle Charpentier, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020, Professor at Humboldt University in Berlin; Director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens;

Elias James Corey, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1990, Professor of organic chemistry Harvard University;

Alan Heeger, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2000, Professor of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara;

Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1981, Professor of Humane Letters, Cornell University;

Martin Karplus, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013, Director of the Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory, Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, Harvard University;

Brian K. Kobilka, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine;

Yuan T. Lee, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1986, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley;

Morten Meldal, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley;

Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Strasbourg;

Richard R. Schrock, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005, Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside;

Hideki Shirakawa, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2000, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, University of Tsukuba;

James Fraser Stoddart, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016, Chair Professor in Chemistry University of Hong Kong and Northwestern University;

(Continued in right column)

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

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

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(Continued from left column)

Finn E. Kydland, Nobel Prize in Economics 2004, Professor of Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara;

Paul R. Milgrom, Nobel Prize in Economics 2020, Professor of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University;

Christopher A. Pissarides, Nobel Prize in Economics 2010, Professor of Economics, London School of Economics;

Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel Prize in Literature 2015, writer, journalist;

Elfriede Jelinek, Nobel Prize in Literature 2004, writer;

Werner Arber, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1978, Professor of Medicine, University of Basel, retired;

Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2008, Pasteur Institute, retired;

Louis J. Ignarro, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1998, Professor Emeritus of pharmacology, UCLA School of Medicine;

Barry J. Marshall, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2005, Professor of Clinical Microbiology, University of Western Australia;

Edvard Moser, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2014, Professor of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology;

May-Britt Moser, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2014, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology;

Erwin Neher, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1991, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Göttingen;

Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2019, Clinical Research Director, Francis Crick Institute;

Charles M. Rice, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020, Professor of virology, Rockefeller University;

Sir Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1993, Chief Scientific Officer, New England Biolabs;

Gregg L. Semenza, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2019, Professor of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine;

Hamilton O. Smith, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1978, Scientific director, Synthetic Genomics;
Jack W. Szostak, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2009, Professor of genetics, University of Chicago;

Torsten N. Wiesel, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1981, co-director of the Shelby White and Leon Levy Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Rockefeller University;

Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, Nobel Peace Prize 1996, Roman Catholic Bishop, Diocese of Maputo, Mozambique;

Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize 1976, Activist, cofounder of Community of Peace People, Northern Ireland;

Beatrice Fihn, Nobel Peace Prize 2017, Former executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons;

Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Prize 2011, Co-founder the human rights group Women Journalists Without Chains;

Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize 2018, founder and director, Panzi Hospital, Bukavu, DR Congo;

Dmitry Muratov, Co-Founder, Publisher, and former editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, Nobel Peace Prize 2021;

Maria Ressa, Co-Founder and CEO of Rappler, Nobel Peace Prize 2021;

Oscar Arias Sanchez, Nobel Peace Prize 1987, Former President of Costa Rica;

Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize 1997, Founder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines;

Pierre Agostini, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Ohio State University;

Barry Clark Barish, Nobel Prize in Physics 2017, Professor of Physics emeritus, California Institute of Technology;

Steven Chu, Nobel Prize in Physics 1997, Former US Secretary of Energy;

Andre Geim, Nobel Prize in Physics 2010, Professor of physics, University of Manchester;

Brian D. Josephson, Nobel Prize in Physics 1973, Professor Emeritus of physics, University of Cambridge;

Takaaki Kajita, Nobel Prize in Physics 2015, President, Science Council of Japan;

Klaus von Klitzing, Nobel Prize in Physics 1985, Director, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research;

Ferenc Krausz, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023, Director, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and a professor of experimental physics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich;

Michel Mayor, Nobel Prize in Physics 2019, Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Geneva;

Roger Penrose, Nobel Prize in Physics 2020, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford;

William D. Phillips, Nobel Prize in Physics 1997, Professor of physics, University of Maryland.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

The heat is on: We must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures, urges UN chief

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from The United Nations

The UN chief on Thursday issued an urgent call to action to better protect billions around the world exposed to crippling effects of extreme heat, as global temperature rise continues unabated.

The appeal comes against the backdrop of record temperatures and deadly heatwaves – from the United States to Africa’s Sahel and Europe to the Middle East – that have killed several hundred people this summer.

During the Hajj, for instance, scorching heat claimed over 1,300 pilgrim lives.

“Billions of people are facing an extreme heat epidemic – wilting under increasingly deadly heatwaves, with temperatures topping 50 degrees Celsius around the world. That is 122 degrees Fahrenheit – halfway to boiling,” Secretary-General António Guterres said at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

“The message is clear: the heat is on. Extreme heat is having an extreme impact on people and planet. The world must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures.”

Mr. Guterres also underscored the need to step up protections for workers.

Over 70 per cent of the global workforce, or 2.4 billion people, are at substantial risk of extreme heat, according to new report from the UN International Labour Organization (ILO).

The situation is particularly dire in the Africa and Arab regions, where more than 90 per cent and 80 per cent of workers are exposed, respectively. In Asia and the Pacific  – the world’s most populous region – that figure is three in four workers (75 per cent).

(article continued in right column)

Question for this article:

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

(Article continued from the left column)

In addition, heat stress at work is projected to cost the global economy $2.4 trillion by 2030, up from $280 billion in the mid-1990s. 

Protect workers

“We need measures to protect workers, grounded in human rights,” Mr. Guterres stressed.

“And we must ensure that laws and regulations reflect the reality of extreme heat today – and are enforced.”

Boost resilience

He also underscored the need to strengthen resilience of economies and societies, citing impacts such as infrastructure damage, crop failures, and increased pressure on water supplies, health systems, and electricity grids.

Cities are particularly vulnerable, experiencing heating at twice the global average rate.

To address these challenges, Mr. Guterres called for comprehensive and tailored action plans based on scientific data are essential for countries, cities and sectors.

“We need a concerted effort to heatproof economies, critical sectors and the built environment.”

Fight the disease

The UN chief reiterated that it is crucial to recognize the myriad symptoms beyond extreme heat, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels.

The core issue is the reliance on fossil fuels and climate inaction, he stated, stressing that governments, especially G20 nations, the private sector, cities and regions, must urgently adopt climate action plans to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Alongside, countries must urgently phase-out fossil fuels and end new coal projects.

“They must act as though our future depends on it – because it does.”

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global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, United Nations,

US Labor Unions Call on Biden Administration to Immediately Halt All Military Aid to Israel

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America

A group of 7 unions have sent a letter  to President Biden calling on him to “immediately halt all military aid to Israel” in advance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. next week. The letter states that the unions “believe that immediately cutting US military aid to the Israeli government is necessary to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict.”


Union banner against visit of Netanyahu

The unions that signed on to the letter include the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), American Postal Workers Union (APWU), International Union of Painters (IUPAT), National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW) and United Electrical Workers (UE). 
(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:
 
What is the contribution of trade unions to the culture of peace?

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

(article continued from left column)

“Our unions are hearing the cries of humanity as this vicious war continues,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “Working people and our unions are horrified that our tax dollars are financing this ongoing tragedy. We need a ceasefire now, and the best way to secure that is to shut off US military aid to Israel.”

The unions expressed hope that President Biden’s three-part ceasefire proposal that he outlined in the final week of May would bear fruit, but expressed concern that it hasn’t been fully accepted yet while the violence continues. The letter states that “large numbers of Palestinian civilians, many of them children, continue to be killed, reportedly often with US-manufactured bombs. Rising tensions in the region threaten to ensnare even more innocent civilians in a wider war. And the humanitarian crisis deepens by the day, with famine, mass displacement, and destruction of basic infrastructure including schools and hospitals. We have spoken directly to leaders of Palestinian trade unions who told us heart-wrenching stories of the conditions faced by working people in Gaza.”

The letter declares that “the time to act decisively to end this war is now. Stopping US military aid to Israel is the quickest and most sure way to do so, it is what US law demands, and it will show your commitment to securing a lasting peace in the region.”

Contact: Media@seiu.org

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Mideast, North America,

Transforming Youth from Violence to Champions of Peace in Uganda

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . . .

Special to CPNN

Access Youth Initiative Uganda is implementing a project “Amplifying Community Voices for Sustainable peace in Rwenzori Region” in selected communities of Maliba and Bulembia sub counties in Kasese district. The project aims at promoting reconciliation and social cohesion by reinforcing the resilience of youth indoctrinated along cultural, religious and political lines and their capacity to face hate speech in Kasese district, in South Western Uganda. The project is implemented by Access Youth Initiative Uganda and supported by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations through its Youth Solidarity Fund, 2024 edition.

The project also focusses at preventing re-radicalization in a bid to prevent the targeted youth from sliding back into acts of violence. To achieve this, it is built on 3 main components of peace building; mentorship, capacity building and sports.

The project places youth at the center of its programming by empowering Youth Peace Champions to engage in peace-building sensitization and awareness activities including mobilizing communities through sports activities, dialogue campaigns and peace camps.

It also involves working with religious, cultural and community leaders through capacity building interventions to work as supportive agents in peace building.

According to Ibrahim Kakinda, Executive Director of Access Youth Initiative Uganda, the project places the youth and community leaders at the center of decision making – identifying the “what” needs to be done and “how” it should be done through meaningful engagement of young people.

Questions related to this article:

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

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

Kasese district in the Rwenzori Region of Uganda has witnessed longstanding inter and intra ethnic conflicts and tensions orchestrated by geo-ethno-political, cultural, religious and economic diversities compounded further by the uncontrolled influx of refugees from D.R Congo and Rwanda. These divides have widened the “revenge attitude” leading to formation of violent youth brigades and alliances intensifying community polarization, with a recent example being an attack on Lhubiriha secondary school killing over 37 students in June 2023.

“the project is implemented in an inclusive and active participatory manner with active participation of youth, women, girls and other actors like community members, community religious and cultural leaders, local government leaders, CSOs, existing community infrastructures for peace, – applying a “whole of society” approach of transforming conflicts and promoting and sustaining peace, says Bridget Achaakit, the project coordinator.

Morris, a “Community Peace Mediaor” says the project is now referred to as a model best practice for transforming the lives of youth – especially in conflict and post-conflict contexts and we hope the learnings from the project will make other actors to initiate similar projects in other areas. “Many of us who used to be looked at as perpetrators have transformed from champions of violence to ‘champions of peace’ and we are trusted as agents of peace in our communities,”
About Access Youth Initiative Uganda

Access Youth Initiative Uganda (AYI-Uganda) is a grass root youth-led Non-Governmental Organization fostering a culture of justice, peace and respect for human rights in Uganda.
Feel free to reach out: Email: kaksterry@yahoo.com, Link: www.accessyouthuganda.org

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Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

UNAOC Hosts Capacity-Building Workshop for the 7th edition of its Young Peacebuilders programme in Cáceres, Spain

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Aspiring leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean convened in Cáceres, Spain for a transformative capacity-building workshop as part of their participation in the 7th edition of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Young Peacebuilders programme.

The in-person workshop took place from 24 to 28 June, following an extensive online training phase throughout the year. The Young Peacebuilders participated in a series of interactive sessions guided by facilitators, and were challenged to implement their newly gained knowledge by diving deeper into peacebuilding concepts and relevant skills. The participants are expected to leverage their newly acquired insights to implement the peace projects they designed during the workshop to address pressing challenges in their respective communities. These initiatives, which are an integral output of their participation in the programme, will aim to build bridges between diverse cultures and communities upon returning home from the workshop.

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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?

(continued from left column)

The 7th edition of the UNAOC peace education initiative brings together young civil society leaders from Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as well as local peacebuilders from Spain. The participants were selected following a rigorous and competitive process through which they demonstrated their commitment to peacebuilding and sustainable development.

About the programme


The UNAOC Young Peacebuilders programme is a flagship peace education initiative dedicated to nurturing the next generation of peacebuilders. The programme aims to enhance the positive role of youth in issues of peace and security and in preventing violent conflict by equipping young leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge to do so. The 7th edition, focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, is implemented with the generous financial support of the Agencia Extremeña De Cooperación Internacional Para El Desarrollo (AEXCID) of Junta de Extremadura.

For more information about the Young Peacebuilders programme, please click here.

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Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, United Nations,

World Court Condemns Israeli Apartheid

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

A press survey by CPNN

Human Rights Watch: The following quote can be attributed to Tirana Hassan, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

In a historic ruling the International Court of Justice has found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid. The court has placed responsibility with all states and the United Nations to end these violations of international law. The ruling should be yet another wake up call for the United States to end its egregious policy of defending Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and prompt a thorough reassessment in other countries as well.


Judges for the International Court of Justice rise before delivering a non-binding ruling on Israeli rule in the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the ICJ in The Hague on July 19, 2024. (Nick Gammon/AFP)

Amnesty International: Responding to the historic advisory opinion delivered today by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the consequences of Israel’s conduct for other states and the UN, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said . . .

“The international community, and in particular Israel’s allies, must now take unequivocal action to ensure Israel ends its unlawful occupation, starting with the immediate halting of the expansion of Israeli settlements and reversing the annexation of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and dismantling its brutal system of apartheid against Palestinians. Ending the occupation is crucial in order to stop the recurrent pattern of human rights violations across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

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Question related to this article:

Israel/Palestine, is the situation like South Africa?

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

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“Israel must withdraw its forces from all parts of the occupied territories, including the Gaza Strip and remove all settlers from the West Bank, including from the illegally annexed East Jerusalem. Israel must also relinquish control over all aspects of Palestinians’ lives, as well as ceding control of borders, natural resources, air space and territorial waters of the occupied territory. This means lifting the illegal blockade of Gaza and allowing Palestinians to travel freely between Gaza and the West Bank.” 

The Times of Israel quoted the ICJ ruling extensively and reported the reactions of Israeli political leaders:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, numerous cabinet ministers as well as settler leaders roundly denounced the ruling, with some calling for the immediate formal annexation of the West Bank in response. . . . Members of left-wing opposition parties insisted, however, that Israeli policy was at fault, with Labor MK Gilad Kariv stating that the government’s “de facto annexation” of the West Bank, “theft of land” and refusal to conduct negotiations with the Palestinians meant that it would by definition be unable to preserve “Israel’s status as an accepted democratic country.”

As reported by Reuters, the official response of the United States was negative:

“The U.S. criticized “the breadth” of the top U.N. court’s opinion that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, with Washington saying it would complicate efforts to resolve the conflict.”

The Guardian says that the ICJ decision will have a profound impact:

“Thorough, detailed and all encompassing, the international court of justice’s advisory ruling on the illegality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and settlement building represents a stark refutation of Israel’s claims, and will have a profound impact for years to come. . . . While numerous UN reports and resolutions in the general assembly have made the same point, the ICJ ruling, by virtue of being made in reference to treaty and individual laws, represents a judgment that will be hard to ignore. . . . While non-binding, the ruling will provide ample ammunition for government lawyers already actively examining future sanctions against those linked to Israeli settlement.

The mention of sanctions by the Guardian brings to mind the important historical precedent that sanctions were of critical importance in the victory over apartheid in South Africa.

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When Nothing Else Works to End Israeli Genocide of Gaza, Urge Governments to Use UN General Assembly Res 377 “Uniting For Peace” for Peace in Palestine

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An article from World Beyond War

The crime of genocide is happening. The intentional destruction of a people, in whole or in part, is genocide. The law is meant to be used to prevent it, not just review it after the fact.

We sent over half a million emails  to key governments urging them to invoke the genocide convention at the International Court of Justice. South Africa did so, charging Israel with genocide. Nicaragua, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia formally filed declarations of intervention in support of the case. Several other nations said they would do so as well. The court has ordered Israel to cease its genocidal acts, and the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants. And still the United Nations Security Council does not act, and in fact allows its members to provide Israel with the weaponry needed to continue the crime.

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Question related to this article:

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

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

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United Nations General Assembly Resolution 377 (Uniting For Peace) allows the General Assembly to act when the Security Council fails. The General Assembly should NOT escalate the war or deploy armed troops. It should convene an emergency session and use “Uniting For Peace” to impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on the Israeli government, suspend the Israeli government from the United Nations, and send to Palestine unarmed peacekeepers   (who have repeatedly  shown their superiority to armed peacekeepers).

The General Assembly has already voted overwhelmingly for a ceasefire, but not for the actions above.

Emails sent on the form here will go simultaneously to the governments of South Africa, Nicaragua, Brazil, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Turkey, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, Libya, China, Russia, Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, France, Malta, Mozambique, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, Canada.

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Campaign Nonviolence Action Days 2024 – Calls-To-Action

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Pace e Bene

From Sept 21 to Oct 2, 2024, (Int’l Day of Peace to Int’l Day of Nonviolence), join tens of thousands of people in creatively building a culture of peace rooted in active nonviolence. Last year, people held over 5,000 actions, events, and marches across the USA and in 20 countries. Over 60,000 people participated in these events. 


In 2024, join us in advancing peace and nonviolence, and addressing the entwined issues of violence, war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. 

We welcome your ideas for actions. We also invite you to participate in our calls-to-action that work on specific aspects of a culture of nonviolence. Offer a teach-in on nonviolence. Call for ceasefires. Organize labor strike solidarity. Train in how to interrupt racial harassment. Connect the issues of climate and militarism. There’s something for everyone in these Campaign Nonviolence calls-to-action!

You can organize in several ways:

° Organize your own action to build a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. Just tell us the details and we’ll add you to the Action Days list. 

° Sign-up for one or more of our specific calls-to-action. The actions have been chosen to connect the dots between the issues and explore the many forms of nonviolence including education, constructive programs, healing work, direct action, and protests. You can join actions on Sept 21st (Int’l Day of Peace) and Oct 2nd (Int’l Day of Nonviolence). You can also choose a call-to-action that can be done any time between those dates. You pick a date that works best for you and your group, while still feeling the solidarity of others taking action in similar ways. 

Spread the word! Grow the movement by reaching out to local groups and inviting them to join in. The Campaign Nonviolence Action Days are designed to bring together the many issues, movements, and efforts working to end violence and build a world that works for all of us.

Questions? Contact Rivera Sun: rivera(at)paceebene.org

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Question related to this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

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International Day of Peace: Build A Culture of Peace

° From Ukraine to Gaza, Sudan to Colombia, the need for peace is urgent and widespread. On September 21st, the International Day of Peace, take action to call for ceasefires, educate the community about peace, and honor the peacemakers on the local and global levels.  More info.

International Day of Nonviolence: Nonviolence Teach-Ins

° October 2nd is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and the International Day of Nonviolence. On this day, connect with as many children and adults as possible to discuss, learn about, and explore nonviolence. Use our tools and resources to host creative teach-ins. Do a Facebook live or Instagram post on the subject of nonviolence. Or put up informational posters around town. Or interrupt classes or meetings with a 5-minute speech on nonviolence. Or sidewalk chalk nonviolence principles in public places. More info.

Ending Violence: Train To Interrupt Violence & Harassment

° Train your community in bystander intervention, de-escalation, and anti-harassment skills. Prepare people to be able to stop incidents of violence and harassment at work, on public transit, in the home, at the store, or in the streets. As we approach the 2024 elections, you could also help poll workers and poll watchers prepare to de-escalate potential violence at the polls. More info.

Ending Poverty: Mutual Aid & Labor Strike Solidarity

° Organize a group to participate in mutual aid and/or labor strike solidarity, i.e. hold a bake sale for a strike fund, go to a picket line, join a boycott of a business where the workers are striking, or other ways of supporting a strike. More info.

Environment: Peace & Planet Solidarity

° Use our Peace & Planet Solidarity Toolkit to take action on the ways the climate crisis and militarism connect, or how war damages the environment. You will also find creative ideas for organizing peace and planet events with children.  More info.

° Divest From Violence—Move the Money Out of Weapons & Fossil Fuels: Take action to stop money from going into industries that manufacture war, weapons, nukes, and fossil fuels. Plan an action at a bank, public office, or university. Challenge them to reinvest in peace and planet. More info.

Racial Justice: Host a Racial Healing Circle and/or Train To Interrupt Harassment

° Help your community address racism that impacts Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian-American, Arab-American, and Jewish individuals. Host a Racial Healing Circle that allows personal stories to be shared and heard. Train your community in practical ways to intervene when someone is being targeted by hate. Your actions can focus on the issues your area is struggling with, such as welcoming migrants or addressing both antisemitism and Islamophobia. More info.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global