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.

Book review: African peace: Regional norms from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from Political Settlements Research Programme

A book by Kathryn Nash published in 2021 by Manchester University Press

African regional organizations have played leading roles in constructing collective conflict management rules for the continent, but these rules or norms have not been static. Currently, the African Union (AU) deploys monitors, authorizes peace support operations, and actively engages to resolve internal conflicts. Just a few decades ago, these actions would have been deeply controversial under the Organization of African Unity (OAU). What changed to allow for this transformation in the way the African regional organization approaches peace and security?

(article continued in right column)

Question for this article:

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

(article continued from left column)

African peace examines why the OAU chose norms in 1963 that prioritized state security and led to a policy of strict non-interference – even in the face of destabilizing violence – and why the AU chose very different norms leading to a disparate conflict management policy in the early 2000s. Even if the AU’s capacity to respond to conflict is still developing, this new policy has made the region more willing and capable of responding to violence. Nash argues that norm creation largely happened within the African context, and international pressure was not a determinant factor in their evolution. The role of regions in the international order, particularly the African region, has been under-theorized and under-acknowledged, and this book adds to an emerging literature that explores the role of regional organizations in the Global South in creating and promoting norms based on their own experiences and for their own purposes.

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Past virtual events in December 2020

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events from December that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

Dec 1, 2020 18:30 PM in London
Students say No to War on Yemen

The war in Yemen has entered its sixth, devastating year. Over 100,000 people have died and millions are the brink of famine. The British Government is complicit in this war; over £5 billion worth of arms have been sold to the Saudi coalition since the start of the war and RAF personnel have maintained Saudi planes and directed the bombings. Stop the War Coalition, alongside organisations around the world, has called a global day of action against the war on Yemen on 25th January 2021. Students have played a major role in fighting against British involvement in the war, organising protests across the country over the summer, and will have a vital role in building the day of action. Join us to discuss how we can take action on the 25th January and end the war on Yemen.
— Speakers (tbc):
Lucy Nichols, Stop the War
Malak Mayet, Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Adhiyan Jeevathol, London Students for Yemen
Lamar Campbell, Young Labour International Representative
Hasan Patel, Young Labour Under 18’s Representative
Register here

December 3-5
Development, Environment and Peace Nexus (DEEPEN): Peace Making in Borderlands

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
— Violence and conflict in borderlands are inseparable from environmental degradation and hinder social development. This close connection, however, also provides the potential to reverse the vicious cycle of conflict, disruption to nature and social exclusion and move, through a holistic transformative approach, toward a virtuous cycle of peace, ecological integrity and inclusive development. At this uniquely multidisciplinary conference, speakers will explore the complex relationships between development, environment and peace in borderlands, challenging conventional approaches and introducing innovative theories and practices for sustainable and peaceful development.
— Click here for the program
— The on-line event is open to a global audience and free of charge. Register here.

Friday 4th December 2020 9.15am–12pm GMT
European peace and security through the 2020s

Mayors for Peace European Chapter, NFLA and ICAN joint webinar
How do we create a safer, more peaceful continent free of nuclear weapons?
— The webinar will bring together mayors and experts on nuclear disarmament, and will concentrate on the important role of local towns and cities in creating safe, resilient, sustainable and more peaceful communities.
— This meeting will be hosted on Zoom and will also be streamed live on You Tube. The meeting will be held in English, with English-Spanish simultaneous translation offered by the City of Granollers.
— Register here

December 5 and 6
Conference for climate justice and peace

United for Intercultural Action : European Network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees
— We want to invite you to join us online for a conference which is going to take place online on December 5th and 6th, 2020 on the 10th anniversary of thePrague Spring 2 network.
This time the following questions are going to be raised:
— How can we organize a campaign in all parts of Europe for an eco-social transformation and disarmament and a Nuke Free Europe and Climate Justice?
— How can communities strengthen each other across borders finding ways to build trust and resilience through local food production and stronger solidarity economies?
— How can we dismantle authoritarian, military, trade and financial international regimes that support the continuation of racist colonial and neocolonial oppression and where and what can be the contribution of our organizations like trade unions, peasant and Human Rights organizations to peace and democracy?
— Click here for the program
— Register here. Zoom link will be sent by email.

9 December 9:00 -10:30 (Mexico City)
“Protecting Human Rights Defenders: the commitment of the European Union”

On the occasion of the International Human Rights Defenders Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Mexico invites you to this webinar with the participation of human rights defenders in Mexico.
— Registration required: http://bit.ly/39umEMv

Mercredi 9 décembre 10H-12H France (en français)Le désarmement conventionnel, influence t-il le désarmement nucléaire ?

— L’Union européenne, et plus largement les Etats du continent européen ont une approche très variée concernant le sujet du désarmement nucléaire. . . Dans le domaine du désarmement conventionnel l’unité est plus forte, tous ayant adhéré aux différentes normes internationales. La récente fin du Traité sur les forces nucléaires à portée intermédiaire (qui visait à éliminer des missiles emportant aussi bien des charges nucléaires ou conventionnelles) a montré une nécessité de renforcer une voie européenne du désarmement (face à la Russie, la Chine, les Etats-Unis). Mais cette voie commune peut-elle exister au niveau du désarmement conventionnel et nucléaire ? Ou c’est l’unité face aux enjeux de désarmement classique qui peut permettre d’entrainer (une sorte d’étapes par étapes) une position plus forte et commune sur l’interdiction et l’élimination des armes nucléaires ?
— ICAN France, avec le soutient de la Heinrich Boell Stiftung Paris, vous invite à entendre des chercheurs et parlementaires sur ces réflexions, puis à débattre avec eux.
— Inscription : https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dkTCQ7d7SDaK2vBwghTtcw

9 December 2020, 3.00 PM – 4.30 PM CET
Webinar on human rights, peace and security in the Americas

Welcome to a webinar on human rights, peace and security in the Americas, organised by the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights together with the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies at Stockholm University.
— In the seminar we will discuss the impact of the Inter-American Commission and Court* on the situation for human rights, peace and security in different countries of the Americas. We will also examine the limitations to their power and the possibilities to influence the ongoing crises we see in for example Venezuela and Nicaragua. We are very pleased to be able to draw on the knowledge of prominent experts in different fields to guide us on the topic of the webinar, including the finalists of the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights student essay competition 2020!
— Panellists and presenters:
— Andrés Rivarola Puntigliano, Director of the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies.
— Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Professorial Lecturer in Residence and Co-Director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law (WCL).
— Pär Engström, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights at the Institute of the Americas, University College London.
— Amalia Ydrefelt Hanell, law student, Uppsala University.
— Lovisa Kårelius, law student, Uppsala University.
— Helmer Jonelid, law student, Uppsala University.
— Moderator: Sofia Fotini Ekarv, Swedish Foundation for Human Rights
— Please register for the webinar here

Thursday – Dec 10, 2020, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm CET (Central European Time)
Peace and Human Rights issues in the Gulf Region

Join us for a diverse and innovative discussion of Peace and Human Rights issues in the Gulf Region. The Webinar will feature:
— Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB, Bahrain
— Sarah Leah Whitson, former Director of the MENA division of the Human Rights Watch, USA
— Dr. Saeed al-Shehabi, Political Activist and Member of the Bahrain Freedom Movement, Bahrain
— Yasmine Taeb, Senior Fellow on Congress and Foreign Policy at the Center for International Policy, Iran-USA
— Chaired by Amela Skiljan, IPB Coordinator, Germany
— To register, please send an email with your name and affiliation to: info@ipb-office.berlin

10 de diciembre a las 17:30 hora Ciudad de México
“Educación para Paz y Derechos Humanos” (en español)

JunPaz te invita a la converencia “Educación para Paz y Derechos Humanos”,.
Imparte: Roberto arlos Domínguez Cano, Doctorante en Negociación por el Instituto de Medicacón de México
— La podrás seguir por zoom. Inscripciones aqui

10 de diciembre a partir de las 2:00 p.m.(Colombia hora local)
Foro “Genocidio comunal y social en Colombia” (en español)

Con motivo de la conmemoración del Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, la revista Derecho y Realidad se complace en invitar al Foro “Genocidio comunal y social en Colombia”, que contará con la participación de reconocidas personalidades del ámbito nacional e internacional y en el que se debatirán acciones en defensa de la vida y obra de los líderes sociales y comunales, quienes están siendo víctimas de un genocidio sistemático, en medio del silencio estatal y la indiferencia social.
— Se podrán conectar por los siguientes links:
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82302616418
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLgcDD5yfQkGp80PC6QU77w

Thursday December 10. 8am Central Europe Time (10 am Moscow, 1pm Dhaka, 4pTokyo/Seoul, 7pm Suva)
Friday December 11. 11:30 Eastern time USA/Canada. (5:30pm CET)
Launch of Youth Fusion: website and youth actions for nuclear abolition

— Youth around the world are standing up for peace and nuclear disarmament, and taking action in innovative ways that are making a difference. The Youth Working Group of Abolition 2000 global network to eliminate nuclear weapons builds cooperation amongst these youth actions, brings youth voices into key UN and other disarmament processes, and facilitates inter-generational dialogue to turn youth energy and vision into effective policy action.
— We invite youth, and the not-so-young, to join the Abolition 2000 youth working group as they launch Youth Fusion – the new online platform and youth action plan for a nuclear-weapons-free world.
— Program and other information for session 1 will be posted on the Session 1 event facebook page. Click here to register.
— Program and other information for session 2 will be posted on the Session 2 event facebook page. Click here to register.

11 diciembre – 13:30-16:30 GMT (Intérpretes: En/Es/Fr/Pt/It)
Llamado a la Asamblea Mundial Virtual de Habitantxs (3ª sesión)

— Para hacer el balance de la movilización global Cero Desalojos para Coronavirus
— Para acordar los ejes estratégicos de movilización: construir la alternativa basada en los derechos humanos y ambientales y la redistribución equitativa de los recursos
— Para definir la Agenda Solidaria de lxs Habitantxs 2021, la convergencia de las re-existencias en tiempos de pandemia
— Participación: Gunnar Theissen, Encargado de Derechos Humanos en apoyo del Relator Especial ONU sobre el Derecho a la Vivienda, OHCHR
— Haga clic para recibir el enlace Zoom para participar en la Asamblea!

December 9-12
Festival hip hop Cartagena

Bajo el lema ‘Cultura y artes para la paz’, El Festival hip hop Cartagena surgió como respuesta y alternativa a la crisis social y cultural que se vive en la ciudad de Cartagena, buscando mantener viva la cultura hip hop de la ciudad a través de acciones encaminadas al fortalecimiento de las raíces histórico culturales.
— El festival se llevará a cabo del 9 al 12 de diciembre, de manera virtual. El evento se transmitirá por las redes sociales oficiales del festival, por las redes oficiales de la Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena en cabeza del Instituto de Patrimonio y Cultura de Cartagena-IPCC y los canales aliados independientes que se sumen a la causa. Además se contará con una excelente agenda académica con invitados de lujo que consta de los siguientes 5 conversatorios:
— Miércoles 09 de diciembre- 10:00 a.m.(hora local) Movimiento Hip hop en Cartagena 1980- 2000: ‘Resistencia y poesía callejera por una cultura de paz’
— Jueves 10 de diciembre – 10:00 a.m.(hora local) Cultura para el desarrollo: la cultura Hiphop en Cartagena de Indias.
— Jueves 10 de diciembre – 4:00 p.m.(hora local) La danza como escenario de poder
— Viernes 11 de diciembre – 10:00 a-m.(hora local) Industria de la música: salas de conciertos y distribución digital.
— Viernes 11 de diciembre – 4:00 p.m.(hora local) Derechos culturales, cultura hip hop y equidad de género.
— Click here for live videos

Thursday – Dec 10, 2020 and Sunday, December 13 @1 pm ET (Canada)
How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy and Its Hope for the Future: A Personal Perspective

Canadian Friends of Peace Now
How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy and Its Hope for the Future: A Personal Perspective
with Ami Ayalon and guest host Jim Torczyner
— Admiral (res.) Ami Ayalon is a former director of the Shin Bet (Israel’s security service), commander of the Israeli Navy, government minister and member of Knesset (Labour). He recently co-authored Friendly Fire: How Israel Became its Own Worst Enemy and the Hope for its Future. This is a memoir of Ayalon’s journey towards becoming a strong voice for peace between Israelis and Palestinians and his analysis of the barriers impeding peace. He critiques self-defeating policies that have undermined Israel’s civil society while heaping humiliation upon its Palestinian neighbours. The book discusses what Israel must do to achieve relative peace and security and to sustain itself as a Jewish homeland and liberal democracy.
— Audience questions welcome. You may send advance questions to info@peacenowcanada.org
— Register for this event here.

Monday, December 14-15
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (New York), Monday 14 December
9:00 am to 10:30 am (Japan), Tuesday 15 December

Please join PeaceBoat for a very special online discussion with Ms Michiko Hattori, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
— Organised by Peace Boat and #Youth4Disarmament, a project of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).h
— Seventy five years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world still faces the grave threat of the nuclear weapons. As the hibakusha survivors age, there are fewer opportunities to listen to their first-hand stories. We can continue to honour them by celebrating their lives and work and by discussing possible actions we can take together and individually.
— A discussion wil be followed by a youth-led question and answer session.
— RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3qKpm6v

Dec 14-15
Dec. 14 at 8:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Dec. 15 at 10:00 AM KST

Militarization, Killer Robots, and the Korean Peninsula: The Case for Peace
— Join the transnational feminist campaign Korea Peace Now! for this discussion on on Dec. 14 at 8:00pm EST about killer robots in South Korea: what they are, why you should care, and how ending the Korean War can help stop them.
— Featuring:
Ray Acheson, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
YouKyoung Ko, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Youngmi Cho, Korean Women’s Movement for Peace
Moderated by Catherine Killough, Women Cross DMZ
— Simultaneous interpretation in Korean and English will be provided***
— Register here

Tuesday, Dec 15, 5:00 PM Pacific Time USA
“How to Avoid a War in Asia”

Join Code Pink, Beyond the Bomb, Women Cross the DMZ and World Beyond War for an amazing panel.
Panelists:
Hyun Lee: National Organizer, Women Cross the DMZ
Jodie Evans: Co-Founder, Code Pink
Molly Hurley: Organizer, Beyond the Bomb
David Swanson: Exec. Director, World Beyond War
Leah Bolger: Board President, World Beyond War
— Register here in advance for this meeting
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Wednesday 16 December 2020 from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM CET
Live Webinar: Accelerating Youth Inclusion in Building Peace

— To honour the 5th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security Resolution, the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kofi Annan Foundation are hosting an online panel discussion on how to accelerate change towards the meaningful inclusion of young women and men in shaping peace.
— Our panel of experts will share concrete examples and good practices of how member states, the EU and civil society organisations are contributing to the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and discuss what remains to be done to make youth inclusion a reality.
— Register here

Wednesday, December 16th 11:00 am EST. (1600 GMT)
“Jonathan Kuttab’s Booklet Launch” Webinar Registration – We Are All Part of One Another

— “I am launching a book which I hope, with your help can address the current impasse, and perhaps change the conversation around Israel / Palestine. Many activists are frustrated, despondent, and floundering with no clear vision or direction. We need some fresh out-of-the-box thinking. This is true for Palestinians, Israelis, and our friends in the international community. I’ve asked Nonviolence International, a group I co-founded and value deeply, to lead the effort to get this book into the hands of people across the political spectrum and across the world.
— To learn more about the text and see what people are saying, please visit: Beyond The Two-State Solution.
— Please RSVP here to join the launch event.

December 16-18
Workshop on contributions of smart city projects to climate resilience

— Co-organizers: Hiroshima University (Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability), Global Carbon Project-Tsukuba International Office, Future Earth, Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change
Research (APN)
— This 3-day workshop is consisted of sessions related to three main activities:
1. The first day is allocated to presentations by authors who have submitted their works to be considered for publication in a special issue of Environment and Planning B. Details about the special issue are available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/epb/collections/special-issues 2.
On days 2 and 3 the participants will take part in interactive sessions focused on investigating the actual and potential contributions of smart cities to climate resilience.. . .
3. On day 3 a parallel session will be organized to discuss contributions of smart cities to urban climate change mitigation. . .
— Registration: Please register here to receive zoom link prior to the event. https://bit.ly/2HsrTQz

Sunday 20 December, 23:00 UTC+01
The Venezuelan Election, a blow to US Imperialism.

Organised by the United National Antiwar Coalition et Bahman Azad
— The United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the party of Nicolas Maduro won a stunning victory in the recent election for the National Assembly. However, the US has sought to undercut this victory and to deny the will of the Venezuelan people. This webinar will give us the chance to hear voices of people who were there as election observers and independent journalists and saw a different picture than the one projected by the US government. Their talks will be followed by questions and answers. Please join us and share the information about this webinar.
— Speakers:
— Margaret Flower, Popular Resistance
— Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
— Bahman Azad, U.S. Peace Council
— Zoe PC, Peoples Dispatch
Register here
Click here to watch replay on youtube

24 December 2020, 4:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (New York)

Deadline to submit application for Online Youth Consultation on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport
— Invitation from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) within the framework of the UN Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism, implemented by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in partnership with UNAOC, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the International Centre for Sport and Security (ICSS).
— The consultation aims to gather the input and guidance of young people in developing various outputs such as an awareness campaign to be launched concurrently with global sporting events next year and with the involvement of professional athletes; a policy guide; a handbook; and an app. These products will aim to advance the power of sport and its social values as a tool to prevent violent extremism, and to strengthen the engagement and cooperation of youth and Member States in using sport to promote sustainable peace and development.
— Participants must be :
* between 15 and 19 years old
* Wish to contribute to the advancement of sport in promoting social inclusion, ensuring sustainable peace and preventing radicalization and violent extremism
* Have experience with policy guides, innovative programmes, knowledge sharing tools and/or awareness raising/communication campaigns
— Click here for results of the Consultation.

Sunday, December 27. 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (US/Canada)
Global Town Hall

On the last Sunday of every month, Project Save the World hosts a one-hour conversation via Zoom videoconference about our various projects working to prevent one or more of these threats: war and weapons / global warming / famine / pandemics / radioactive contamination / cyberattacks.
— Video conference URL: https://zoom.us/j/9108970203

December 29

Deadline for nominations for the Peace and Climate action European Youth (PACEY) Plus Award 2021.
— Please make your nomination in one of the two categories:
1. European youth project: A project based in Europe or run by youth from Europe;
2. Beyond Europe youth project: A project based outside Europe or a Global youth project.
— Self-nominations are permitted.
— The Award is organised jointly by the Basel Peace Office and the Präsidialdepartement des Kantons Basel-Stadt, Kantons- und Stadtentwicklung (Office of Cantonal and Urban Development, Department of Presidential Affairs, Canton of Basel-Stadt, Switzerland).
— Questions to info@baselpeaceoffice.org.
— For more information please visit www.baselpeaceoffice.org
— Nomination form

global

India: Activist Disha Ravi, 22, Arrested Over Toolkit, Faces Conspiracy Charge

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from NDTV

A 22-year-old climate activist from Bengaluru, Disha Ravi, was the first person to be arrested by the Delhi Police in the case involving “Toolkit” tweeted earlier this month by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg to show support for protesting farmers. The police — which earlier said “Toolkit” was a Khalistani conspiracy — have accused her of being a key conspirator in the document’s formulation and dissemination and alleged that she is trying to revive a Khalistani group.

Video about Disha Ravi arrest

“I did not make Toolkit. We wanted to support the farmers. I edited two lines on February 3,” Disha Ravi told the Delhi court where she was produced earlier on Sunday. She wasn’t accompanied by any lawyer and spoke in the court for herself. The court has sent her to police custody for five days for further questioning. Several opposition parties and activists have condemned the arrest.

Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:

* “Disha Ravi is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc & key conspirator in document’s formulation & dissemination,” the Delhi Police tweeted, adding that she started a WhatsApp Group and collaborated to make the Toolkit doc. “In this process, they all collaborated with pro Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State,” the police tweeted.

* “She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg. Later, she asked Greta to remove the main Doc after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain. This is many times more than the 2 lines editing that she claims,” another tweet by the Delhi Police read.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

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

What is the relation between movements for food sovereignty and the global movement for a culture of peace?

Are we seeing the dawn of a global youth movement?

How can just one or a few persons contribute to peace and justice?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

* “Completely atrocious! This is unwarranted harassment and intimidation. I express my full solidarity with Disha Ravi,” tweeted Congress’s Jairam Ramesh.

* “Some serious charges applied against a 21 year old for sharing a ‘dangerous’ toolkit. As per BJP our nation is so weak that a written document about farmer agitation shared by an international celebrity will lead to its ‘breakup’ The nation is much stronger than this toolkit, BJP,” tweeted Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi.

* “Modi regime thinks by arresting a grand daughter of farmers, under Sedition, it can weaken the farmers’ struggles. In fact, it will awaken the youth of the country and strengthen the struggles for democracy, tweeted CPM’s Sitaram Yechury.

* “The question is when will those people be arrested who continue to issue a literal ‘toolkit’ to break the national and social unity of India morning and evening, giving rise to hatred and division among the masses,” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted in Hindi.

* The 22-year-old is a graduate of Mount Carmel College, one of Bengaluru’s top women’s colleges. The Delhi Police, which arrested Disha Ravi on Saturday evening, claimed she is influenced by terrorists like Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and Khalistani groups like Poetic Justice. Thousands of others are involved in the conspiracy and further investigation into the matter is in progress, the police said.

* According to the Delhi police, incidents similar to what was stated in the toolkit took place on the Republic Day, The police also claims that the Toolkit was made by M O Dhaliwal of Poetic Justice Foundation, which is a Khalistani organization. The Delhi Police called the toolkit a part of conspiracy against the Government of India and filed a case of sedition against its creators.

* On February 3, Greta Thunberg had tweeted the “toolkit” to show support for the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s farm laws that has been in progress at the borders of Delhi since November 26.  She later deleted the tweet, posting an updated one.

* The Delhi Police had asked Google and some social media platforms for help with the investigation. The police had sought email ids, URLs and social media accounts related to the creators of “toolkit”. Later, the Centre asked Twitter to remove 1,178 accounts, which it said were spreading misinformation and provocative content on the farmers’ agitation.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, South Asia, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Past virtual events in February

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events and application deadlines in February 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 they are in English.

Feb 4, 2021 05:45 PM GMT (London)
Liverpool StW: The Assange case: what next?

Speakers:
John McDonnell MP
Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks
Deepa Driver, Haldane Society court reporter
Alan Gibbons, Labour activist and author
— Click here for a recording of the event

Thursday, February 4, 2021, 12:00-1:00 EST
Gerald Horne discusses his book, The Dawning of the Apocalypse: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, and Capitalism.

— sponsored by the New Haven Free Public Library
Acclaimed historian Gerald Horne joins us for a virtual lunch hour discussion of his book, The Dawning of the Apocalypse: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, and Capitalism in the Long Sixteenth Century. Horne is John J. and Rebecca Moores Professor of African American History at the University of Houston. He has published more than three dozen books, including The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism and Jazz and Justice, both by Monthly Review Press.
.. The Dawning of the Apocalypse is a riveting revision of the “creation myth” of settler colonialism and how the United States was formed. Here, Gerald Horne argues forcefully that, in order to understand the arrival of colonists from the British Isles in the early seventeenth century, one must first understand the “long sixteenth century”– from 1492 until the arrival of settlers in Virginia in 1607.
During this prolonged century, Horne contends, “whiteness” morphed into “white supremacy,” and allowed England to co-opt not only religious minorities but also various nationalities throughout Europe, thus forging a muscular bloc that was needed to confront rambunctious Indigenes and Africans. In retelling the bloodthirsty story of the invasion of the Americas, Horne recounts how the fierce resistance by Africans and their Indigenous allies weakened Spain and enabled London to dispatch settlers to Virginia in 1607. These settlers laid the groundwork for the British Empire and its revolting spawn that became the United States of America.
— No registration necessary. Join us in Zoom using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81097812539
— This event will also stream live on our Facebook Page. Click here for the recording.
— For more information, email Isaac Shub at ishub@nhfpl.org or call 203-946-8130.

Saturday, February 6 at 2 PM EST
Building the Antiwar Movement Under the Biden Administration

This will be a discussion with UNAC [Unied National Antiwar Coalition] administrative committee members:
Bahman Azad, Ajamu Baraka, Judy Bello, Sara Flounders, Margaret Flowers, Margaret Kimberley, Cassia Laham, Autumn Lake, Joe Lombardo, Jeff Mackler, Rhonda Ramiro)
— Click here for the youtube recording

February 7-8 (see program for times)
PyeongChang Peace Forum (PPF) 2021

Experts from around the world will discuss concrete approaches and effective campaigns to abolish war and eliminate nuclear weapons, key objectives of the United Nations, with the aim of achieving these no later than 2045, the 100th anniversary of the UN.
— You are cordially invited to register for the three sessions on Peace ans SDGs hosted PNND, APSD, PCK in partnership with many international CSOs during the PPF 2021.
The outcome of the sessions will be incorporated into the PyeongChang Agenda for Peace (PCAP) 2021.
A zoom or youtube link and background materials will be sent to those who have registered here in advance.
— Click here for the recording of day 1.
— Click here for the recording of day 2.
— Click here for the recording of the closing ceremony

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9 p.m. (EST)
Asia-Pacific Political Economy: Dynamics and Their Implications

In recent decades, the Asia/Indo-Pacific region has been transformed by unprecedented economic growth, driven in significant measure by globalization, law wage production, growing economic inequality, repressive labor laws, technological coemption and disregard for the environment. With the world’s three largest economies the region is responsible for 60 percent of global gross domestic product.
–Impacting these dynamics are the impacts of the pandemic, the U.S.-Chinese trade war including sanctions and restrictions on technological export, China’s Belt and Road, the recent Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, competition for control of the South China Sea, and increasing military tensions across the region.
— The newly launched Asia-Pacific Working Group will host a webinar providing background and analysis about the political economy of the Asia/Indo-Pacific region.
— Featured speakers will be:
Walden Bello, Focus on Global South & University of the Philippines
Juliet Lu, Cornell University
Achin Vanaik, Transnational Institute and University of Delhi (ret)
— You can watch the recording here

Thursday, Feb. 11, 7:00 – 8:00 pm EST =
Fri, February 12, 2021, 1:00 AM – 2:00 AM CET
Mohonk Consultations (USA)

Please join us for an online panel presentation on how to overcome polarization and find common ground. Our speakers will highlight practical approaches, building on the 125-year living tradition of peacebuilding at Mohonk Mountain House. Our panel members and the titles of their presentations are as follows:
— Dennis Kucinich, “Stepping Out of Polarization”
— Lester Strong, founder and director of the Peaceful Guardians Initiative, “The Four Gateways of Communication
— Dior Williams, Rondout Valley High School student and member of its Human Rights Club, “The Importance of Humility”
— It is clear that we are in a period of intense polarization in the US and in many areas around the globe. Recent events have given hope that a shift may be underway, presenting us with an opportunity to change the perspective of enmity to one of collaboration and unity in working toward a common understanding. Tools for avoiding conflict and finding common ground are extraordinarily useful and needed at this unique time, as is the spreading of goodwill. How can each of us, in our own way, be part of a solution?
— Visit our website for more details, including speaker biographies.
— REGISTER HERE
— Click here to see a recording of the event

Friday, February 12, 2021 • 10:00 – 11:30 AM EST (GMT-05:00)
Webinar: Bahrain 10 Years After

10 years after the Bahraini government violently cracked down on mass pro-democracy protests in February 2011, the country remains riven by levels of unrest, political crisis, and human rights violations. Bahrainis continue to protest and demonstrate almost nightly, continuing their calls for greater political and economic freedoms as well as greater respect for human, civil, and political rights. The government continues to meet these demonstrations with force and violence, arresting dissidents and critics, and filling jails with peaceful protesters. These moves by the government have not led to sustainable peace, but have helped fuel dissatisfaction among many.
— After four years of the Trump administration’s total disregard for human rights in U.S. policy toward Bahrain, this panel will discuss what steps Congress and Biden’s administration should take to address the ongoing crisis in Bahrain. The panel will address the efforts to release political prisoners and end the culture of impunity in the country. In addition, the panel will address ways to pressure the Biden administration to end U.S. military support for the Bahraini government.
— Moderator: David Swanson
— Panelists:
Husain Abdulla  
Ali Mushaima
Medea Benjamin
Barbara Wien
— Participants had the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Sunday 14 Feb., 2021, 3 PM, EST
ZOOM with Dr. FRANK ROMANO on ICC decision re: ISRAELI WAR CRIMES

The program will be moderated by activist/artist Jacqueline Taylor Basker, New York City.
— Lawyer Frank Romano was one of the lawyers submitting a brief to the ICC to accuse Israel of war crimes. Hear his amazing story that involved his kidnapping, jailing, escape and evasion of Israeli authorities so he could complete his brief! We will also discuss briefly the ICC – International Criminal Court – its history and function.
— The event will be recorded so If you cannot join in then, send an email to Jacqueline Taylor Basker for a link to the event at: jtaylorbasker@gmail.com.
— Here is the recording of the event.

Monday, Feb 15th from 7-8pm EST / 4-5pm Pacific time.
Campaign Nonviolence Organizer Meeting

Calling all Campaign Nonviolence Organizers,
— If you can’t make it, please fill out this short survey. This is another way to participate in the conversation and share responses to the discussion prompts we’ll explore on Monday. We will also be planning more calls throughout the year at different days/times.
— On Monday, we’ll explore:
What’s most exciting to you about building a culture of nonviolence?
What are you interested in working on this year?
What pro-tips can you share with your fellow organizers?
What’s YOUR vision for Campaign Nonviolence in 2021?
— Register here

February 18 at 8 p.m. EST
For Peace in Korea, No More War Drills!

With the U.S. and South Korea scheduled to resume massive wargames targeted against North Korea, Women Cross the DMZ has organized a webinar, For Peace in Korea, No More War Drills!
— Speakers include: Wooksik Cheong, Director of Peace Network (South Korea), Catherine Killough, Advocacy and Leadership Coordinator of Women Cross DMZ (US), and Jovanni Reyes, Member Coordinator of About Face: Veterans Against War (US)
Click here for the youtube recording of the event.

Wednesday, February 18, at 7 am EST (Boston)
U.S.-China Relations: Challenges and Prospects for Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific

Joseph Gerson will be joining Prof. Wang Danning for an International Peace Bureau webinar.
Discussants include Anurada Chenoy from India, Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan from Mongolia, and Lee Jun-kyu from South Korea.
— YouTube video of webinar available here

February 18 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm GMT
Conflict, Peace, & Covid-19

— Sponsored by the Political Settlement Research Programme
— This event will offer insights into how local and regional actors in the MENA region and the African continent are responding to the pandemic. Panellists will introduce their research on the response to Covid-19 in the following areas:
— Iraq and Syria: Dr Juline Beaujouan will examine how the pandemic has affected political trust and social cohesion in northwest Syria.
— Yemen: Robert Wilson will explore how local actors in Yemen could support the response to Covid-19 by navigating regional and sub-regional local dynamics, alongside early insights into how security actors are enforcing Covid measures in Taiz.
— There will be ample opportunity for questions from the audience after the presentations.
— The webinar will be held over Zoom, with joining links emailed to participants ahead of the event. Register here

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 – 2:00PM EST
“The Story of Forgiveness”

We warmly invite you to the premiere of “The Story of Forgiveness,” presented by The Stanford University Forgiveness Project and PEPSTAR. In this inaugural event, we will be screening the short film, “Admissions”, starring Academy Award nominee, James Cromwell, and winner of 26 international awards.
— This will be followed by a moderated discussion with a distinguished panel that will focus on the intersection of peace and forgiveness. For more information please click the button to view and download the flyer.
— Link for Zoom Meeting

February 22 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm MST (Calgary, Canada)
Panel on Student Leadership and Activism

sponsored by Educators for Peace and Justice
— We are excited to have five student activists sit on our panel to discuss student activism and leadership: Nyakier Buong, Tanisha D, Alicia Aikens, Chase Cardinal, and Erin Knight!
— We will be learning more about how these leaders were inspired, what opportunities they have had to be leaders, and what they think teachers can do to support students! These students are working to bring change in the Canadian communities that they are part of.
— Join us in discussion on how educators can continue to support their students and work for a better tomorrow. Additionally, all participants will be given the opportunity to ask our panelists any questions they may have.
— Join Zoom meeting here

Feb. 22, 3 PM EST/12 PM Pacific Time
Julian Assange Appeal & the First Amendment

Sponsored by the United National Antiwar Coalition
— An online panel discussion on the persecution of Julian Assange. A British judge has recently blocked his extradition from the UK to the US, where he would face unprecedented charges that aim to criminalize basic journalistic activity. The US is appealing that decision, but the indictment against Assange was drawn up during the Trump administration, and the newly elected Biden DOJ should take a new look at the case and drop the charges.
— Our panel will give an overview of Assange’s case, the threat his prosecution poses to the First Amendment, and the latest on his legal proceedings in the UK.
— Hear: Alice Walker, Mumia Abu-Jamel, Nathan Fuller & Joe Lombardo with Jeff Mackler moderating
— For more information: AssangeDefense.org
— Click here for the recording of the event on YouTube

Tuesday, February 23 at 10 am EST (Boston)
Nuclear disarmament webinar

The Peace and Planet international network will be holding the first of a series of nuclear disarmament webinars, as we build toward this summer’s Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference. Titled The International Nuclear Disarmament Agenda, it will feature Oleg Bodrov of the Public Council of the South Coast of the Gulf of Finland (Russia), Jackie Cabasso of the Western States Legal Foundation (US), Ariel Denis of the International Peace Bureau (France), Sharon Dolev of the Middle East Treaty Organization (Israel).
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Feb 24, 2021 07:00 PM EST
Is Nonviolent Policing Possible?

The Center for Nonviolent Solutions presents:
Charles Alphin Sr. a retired police captain and veteran trainer in Kingian Nonviolence who thinks that nonviolent policing is possible. Join us for an engaging evening on nonviolence and policing.
— A close associate of civil rights leader Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr, Mr. Alphin has provided trainings in Kingian Nonviolence around the world and to numerous police departments in the US including Atlanta, GA, St. Louis, MO, Detroit, MI, Beaumont, TX, Providence, RI, Oakland, and Beverly Hills, CA.
— YouTube recording of the event

Feb 26, 2021 01:00 PM EST
Dialogue: “Women Artists Making an Impact”

NGO Committee on Sustainable Development
Our Dialogue will highlight women artists who are having an impact in their communities through their social good initiatives. They are empowering women of all ages to be leaders with a focus on sustainable solutions to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for the SDGs so we “Leave No One Behind.” In addition we will focus on the UN75 Peoples’ Declaration for the UN We Need and the futuree we want.
— Webinar registration

Friday, 26 February 2021, 15:30 CET
Webinar del Progetto “L’intersezione sessismo-razzismo”: InTRATTAbili
Webinar on the project “The intersection of sexism and racism”: InTRATTAbili

The webinar will take place through the “Zoom” platform. The event will be recorded and followed by the Facebook pages of the sponsoring associations. English / Italian – Italian / English translation is provided.
— Il progetto “L’intersezione sessismo/razzismo: rete di donne contro la violenza”, promosso dalle associazioni IParticipate, Progetto Arcobaleno e AntropoLogiche, finanziato da Fondazione Marchi, organizza Venerdì 26 febbraio 2021 (ore 15.30 – 1730) il webinar “InTRATTAbili: schiavitù contemporanee e il caso della tratta delle donne” di confronto e incontro con alcune tra le principali realtà dell’associazionismo femminile sul territorio di Firenze, Scandicci, Pisa che si occupano delle schiavitù contemporanee e in particolare della tratta, nel quadro dell’intersezione sessismo/razzismo. Ospite d’onore Meena Patel, da Londra fondatrice delle Southall Black Sisters, che con i loro 40 anni di attività sia sociale che politica allarga al confronto internazionale su questi temi.
— The project “The intersection of sexism / racism: a network of women against violence”, promoted by the IParticipate associations, Progetto Arcobaleno and AntropoLogiche, financed by Fondazione Marchi, organizes the webinar “Intractable: slavery on Friday 26 February 2021 (3.30 – 1730) and the case of the trafficking of women “of confrontation and encounter with some of the main realities of women’s associations in the territory of Florence, Scandicci, Pisa that deal with contemporary slavery and in particular with trafficking, within the framework of the intersection of sexism / racism. Guest of honor Meena Patel, founder of the Southall Black Sisters from London, who with their 40 years of both social and political activity has expanded to international debate on these issues.
— Click here for more information

Feb 27, 2021 04:00 PM EST
Training on the New Sanctions Kill Toolkit

The Sanctions Kill coalition created a new toolkit that anyone can use to educate their organization, group or community about what economic sanctions are, the impact they have, why they are illegal and how they also hurt people in the United States. The toolkit is composed of a 20-minute slideshow, a sample script and resources.
— You are invited to a webinar to learn more about the toolkit, hear a sample presentation and ask questions. This is led by members of groups in the Sanctions Kill coalition. All who are interested are welcome. Please spread the word.
— Zoom register here

Saturday February 27 from 5:30 – 7:00pm Central European Time
Let’s talk Nuclear Disarmament

Sponsored by UNFOLD ZERO, the UN Youth Association of Denmark and Youth Fusion
— The program includes experts on global initiatives for nuclear disarmament, nuclear weapons & the law, Danish nuclear weapons policy, gender & disarmament, and the inter-generational impact of the B-52 nuclear weapons bomber accident at Thule airbase in 1968 (which Youth Fusion has recently raised in UN Human Rights Committees).
— Click here to register for the event.

Sunday, February 28, 2021 • 5:00 PM • Eastern Standard Time
The journey to a world free of nuclear weapons – where we are and how you can get involved

The Florida Peace & Justice Alliance Presents: “The journey to a world free of nuclear weapons – where we are and how you can get involved” with presentations by Dr. Lynn Ringenberg of PSR-Florida and David Combs of the Union of Concerned Scientists
— Host Contact Info: Al Mytty, amytty@hcamllc.com
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Sunday, 28 February 2021 at 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Global Town Hall

Project Save the World invites you to our next monthly Global Town Hall. On the last Sunday of every month, we hold an open meeting on Zoom for activists worldwide who are addressing issues of militarism (especially nuclear weapons), global warming, famine, pandemics, radioactive contamination, and/or cyber risks. We talk for two hours with our video cameras on (not just audio, please), edit the recording, and put it on YouTube, Facebook, and our website: https://tosavetheworld.ca and then we publicize it widely.
— Zoom URL

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

These six global struggles show the power of nonviolence in action

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Rivera Sun from Waging Nonviolence (reprinted according to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license)

In today’s media world — especially if you live inside the U.S. media bubble — if you hear news about foreign countries, it tends to be about business, political leaders, wars or disasters. Overall, it presents a dismal view of our fellow citizens — not to mention a disempowering one. But here are six of the many stories of ongoing nonviolent campaigns for change in countries across the world. They show the agency and power of ordinary people working for justice, rights, peace and dignity. They show that people don’t have to hold wealth, weapons or traditional power to be powerful. Instead, they need community, connection and some tools of nonviolent action.


Women farmers prepare roti bread (chapattis) as they block a railway track during a protest against the recent passing of agriculture reform bills in the parliament on the outskirts of Amritsar on October 17, 2020. (Photo by NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images – Creative Commons)

1. India’s women farmers reassert their place and presence in farmer protests: India’s farmer protests have captured headlines around the world — as well they should. They are the largest protests in human history. On Jan. 18, Mahila Kisan Diwas (Women Farmers’ Day), women farmers across India demonstrated to reassert their place in the ongoing farmers’ struggle against Modi’s neoliberal agricultural laws. This action was organized in part to redress gender imbalances, particularly around media coverage that cut women out of the struggle’s story.

Due to the impacts of global patriarchy, women in movements have often needed to correct the record, rebalance who’s in the room and invited to the table, and (re)assert their pivotal roles in creating change. Studies show that women play powerful roles in nonviolent movements. They were at the heart of Sudan’s 2019 nonviolent revolution against a 30-year dictatorship. They propelled Chile’s recent constitutional revision campaign so decisively that the slogan for the re-write is “never again without women.” And, in India, women and women farmers have been organizing mass demonstrations, general strikes and protest encampments in such large numbers that they’ve consistently broken world records over and over in the past two years. It’s important to get the story straight!

2. Striking Palestinian workers triumph: Much of the news about Palestine is heart wrenching and tragic. We hear of bombings, orchards being razed, houses bulldozed and more abuses of Israeli occupation. Yet, here is a nonviolent campaign that is significant because the Palestinian workers not only won human and labor rights, they also won an apology for the racist comments their Israeli employer made. During the 19 days of an open-ended strike, the workers lost all wages and were threatened with being fired and replaced with other workers. But they persevered, and they won. (A word of caution: the strike’s agreement must still be upheld by an Israeli court.)

(Article continued in the right column)

Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

(Article continued from the left column)

Palestinian organizers are heartened by the news. The secretary of the trade unions in Palestine said, “We hope that this small victory is the beginning of other victories for our workers and our people that have been subjugated by Israel’s inhumane apartheid and settler colonial oppression.” They also credited international solidarity and words of encouragement from global workers with helping them persevere and succeed.

3. In Sri Lanka, hundreds of tea plantation workers strike to defend jobs and social rights: In Sri Lanka, workers on tea plantations are unionized, but due to lack of action by union leadership, Gartemore Estate workers have been on a wildcat strike (a strike without union approval) since the end of December. After the Gartemore Estate sold off a portion of its lands, the workers feared the erosion of their rights and the loss of their jobs under the new management. They are worried that the current owner plans to develop tourist facilities on the estate instead of tea, which would drastically reduce the workforce. Some workers also fear that important personal documents, including birth and death certificates, health and other family papers, currently in the estate office would not be protected under the new management. The strike organizers are demanding a written agreement — not a verbal promise — that outlines a set of demands to protect workers around these issues. 

4. Doctors in Peru launch hunger strike over lack of protections and equipment: Since the start of the pandemic, Peru’s healthcare workers have been using nonviolent action to push for improved protections and equipment. Now, at least four doctors began a hunger strike as a protest against the substandard working conditions. Medical personnel have been protesting for a week just as a second wave of coronavirus cases is hitting the country. They’re not alone. Medical worker strikes have been erupting around the world. Just two weeks ago, medical students in Ecuador won similar demands after walking off the job and withstanding police repression. Will the Peruvian doctors succeed? Time will tell.

5. Oil workers strike in Kazakhstan: More than 60 oil workers have gone on strike in Kazakhstan’s northwestern region, seeking a salary increase. The workers walked out on Jan. 29 saying that their monthly salaries of about $160 should be doubled, as they currently fail to allow them to provide for their families. They could find solidarity with the office employees of a British gas company, who have held numerous strike actions over substandard wages. These workers — and those in many other industries — are up against the “fire and rehire” policies that the pandemic’s economic impacts have aggravated.

6. Canadians block weapons trucks going to the Yemen War: Serious about halting the Yemen War, Canadians blocked a caravan of trucks hauling armored vehicles and other weapons to shipping locations headed for Saudi Arabia. Sitting down in front of the wheels, stretching banners across the roads, and risking arrest were a few of the tactics used. The direct action in Hamilton, Ontario coincides with hundreds of events to pressure the Biden administration, and other governments, to stop arming Saudi Arabia. Their action is reminiscent of the ways Italian dock workers have repeatedly refused to load weapons onto ships headed to Saudi Arabia in opposition of the Yemen War. 

These six nonviolent campaigns are just a fraction of the stories Nonviolence News collects and circulates week after week, both in the United States and abroad. (You can read more in this week’s round-up here and sign-up to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox.) These stories reveal that nonviolent action is a global phenomenon — and that it’s being used for everything from peace to increased wages to human rights and health protections and more. Each struggle has unique lessons to offer all of us in our organizing work. At the same time, these stories also remind us of our common humanity — and that ordinary people everywhere are striving for justice, peace and fairness. 

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

With 10-Point Declaration, Global Coalition of Top Energy Experts Says: ‘100% Renewables Is Possible’

.. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ..

An article from Common Dreams (reprinted according to provisions of Creative Commons)

Setting out to rebut defeatist and cynical claims that transitioning the entire global energy system to 100% renewables by 2035 is infeasible, a group of dozens of leading scientists from around the world unveiled a joint declaration Tuesday arguing that such a transformation of the fossil fuel-dependent status quo is not only necessary to avert climate disaster but eminently achievable.


Video of Declaration

What’s required, argue the 46 signatories  of the new 10-point declaration  (pdf), is sufficient political will, international coordination, and concrete action on a massive scale to institute a total “re-design of the global energy system.”

“We have lost too much time in our efforts to address global warming and the seven million air pollution deaths that occur each year, by not focusing enough on useful solutions,” said Mark Jacobson, director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program and professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.

“Fortunately, low-cost 100% clean, renewable energy solutions do exist to solve these problems, as found by over a dozen independent research groups,” added Jacobson, one of the seven original signers of the declaration. “The solutions will not only save consumers money, but also create jobs and provide energy and more international security, while substantially reducing air pollution and climate damage from energy. Policymakers around the world are strongly urged to ensure we implement these solutions over the next 10-15 years.”

The year 2035 has been described by some scientists as the “deadline for climate action” at which humanity “could cross a point of no return” if governments fail to drastically reduce global carbon emissions in the years prior.

The scientists’ new declaration, characterized as a concise summary of decades of findings from some of the world’s leading energy researchers, argues that a “transformation to 100% [renewable energy] can occur faster than current expectations: the power sector can transform by 2030 and the other sectors soon thereafter.”

In addition to helping the world avert catastrophic warming, the researchers argue that such a transformation would also “stimulate investments of trillions of dollars and create millions more jobs than lost worldwide” while providing “sustainable energy security for future generations.”

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Question for this article:

Are we making progress in renewable energy?

(Continued from left column)

The full 10-point declaration states:

1. Numerous studies have investigated 100% renewable energy (RE) systems in regions, countries, and worldwide, and they have found that it works, not only for providing electricity, but also for providing all energy.

2. A transformation to 100% RE can occur faster than current expectations: the power sector can transform by 2030 and the other sectors soon thereafter. With political will, a transformation of the global energy sector by 2030-35 appears to be possible!

3. Electricity in a 100% RE system will cost less than in our current energy system; the total energy cost of a 100% RE system will be lower than the cost of conventional energy, even if we exclude social costs.

4. The total social cost (energy, environmental, climate, and health cost) of a 100% RE system will be drastically lower than of business as usual. The sooner we achieve  a 100% RE system, the faster these savings will be realized!

5. A 100% RE system can supply regions, countries, and the world reliably (24-7) with energy at low cost.

6. A massive re-design of the global energy system will be needed, including increasing energy efficiency on all levels.

7. Solar and wind will be the key pillars of energy supply, plus flexibility in many forms, especially storage, sector coupling, demand response management, large- and small-scale grid integration.

8. The studies agree that electricity will take a massively increasing share (about 80-95%) of the global energy supply. Electrification will result in a superabundance of cheap clean, renewable energy, increasing prosperity for all humanity.

9. All our studies show that creating the new 100% RE system will benefit the world economy. It will stimulate investments of trillions of dollars and create millions more jobs than lost worldwide. Superabundant clean, renewable energy will create wealth and provide a boost for every sector of the global economy.

10 . Such a rapid transformation is necessary to stop the 7 million human deaths that occur annually today worldwide from air pollution, to slow the growing damage due to global warming and thus avoid the climate catastrophe, and to provide sustainable energy security for future generations.

Stressing the viability of the kinds of transitions that will be necessary to achieve 100% renewable energy across the globe by 2035, the coalition’s website points out that

To date, 11 countries have reached or exceeded 100% renewable electricity; 12 countries have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030; 49 countries have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2050; 14 U.S. states and territories have passed laws or executive orders to reach up to 100% renewable electricity by between 2030 and 2050; over 300 cities worldwide have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by no later than 2050; and over 280 international businesses have committed to 100% renewables across their global operations.

“The transformation to 100% renewables is possible,” the scientists said, “and will be coming much faster than the general expectation.”

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

13 Years Is Too Long for Victims of Shell’s Oil Spills in Nigeria to Wait for Justice

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Donald Pols from Common Dreams (reprinted according to provisions of Creative Commons)

Justice has finally prevailed for the people of the oil-soaked Niger Delta. On Friday 29th January, after a thirteen year struggle for redress for lives ruined by oil spills, three Nigerian farmers, supported by Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands, beat one of the world’s most powerful transnational corporations, Shell, in court in the Netherlands. Across Nigeria’s southern Delta region, people who have never heard of the Court of Appeal in the Hague celebrated with victory parties. But no victim should have to wait thirteen years for justice. Better laws are needed now to give victims quicker and more effective ways to win remedy.


Donald Pols (R), director of Dutch environmental organization Milieudefensie, and Channa Samkalden (L), lawyer for Milieudefensie, react following the court ruling.  (Photo: Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP via Getty Images)
”

The discovery of oil in the Niger Delta has brought untold suffering to its people. Shell was there from the start in the 1950s—and with it came oil spills and pollution. The repeated failure of oil companies and the Nigerian government to clean up the pollution has left hundreds of thousands of Ogoni people with serious health problems – breathing toxic fumes, drinking poisoned water, farming contaminated soil, unable to earn a living. Life expectancy is ten years shorter than the rest of Nigeria.

Chief Barizaa Dooh was a successful businessman in the lush, thriving village of Goi—he had a bakery, fertile farmland, and several deep-sea fishing canoes – until two major oil spills from Shell’s poorly maintained pipeline struck in 2003 and 2004. The village was virtually wiped out, the land contaminated, the fish died off, and Dooh was left with almost nothing. Shell denied any responsibility. So Dooh bravely joined with three other farmers from nearby villages and Friends of the Earth to sue Shell in its home country, the Netherlands. Dooh did not live to see the verdict that ordered Shell to take responsibility for wrecking his village. But his son, Eric, who stepped into his place as plaintiff, said, “finally there is hope, some justice for the Nigerian people suffering the consequences of Shell’s oil.”

(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)

This is a significant ruling. It is the first time any survivors of Shell’s pollution have won justice and compensation in the home country of the oil giant. It will have Shell HQ reconsidering what it thought it could get away with in Nigeria. Crucially, the court ruled that both Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary have breached their duty of care. Shell did not do all that was necessary to prevent damage from leaks. Shell has a duty to intervene in the behaviour of its subsidiary: it can no longer pass the buck and hide behind a complicated veil of sub-entities and service companies. Best of all, the ruling means that any Dutch company failing to adhere to human rights and environmental regulations overseas now risks being taken to court, held accountable, and fined.

For my brilliant colleagues in Nigeria who have worked tirelessly with communities in the Delta, this judgement brings hope to the entire region. It can help the people of the Delta rewrite their bloody history, living up to the promise of environmental resistance martyr Ken Saro-Wiwa. With thousands more oil leaks across the Niger Delta, victims now have a pathway to justice and redress.

But what took so long? The truth is that our lawyers had to spend a majority of those thirteen years debating procedures with the court and jumping hurdles with Shell. Years were frittered away trying to access Shell’s key documents, trying to prove that Shell HQ bore responsibility for its subsidiary, and that the case should be heard in the Dutch courts. Years in which the Nigerian plaintiffs were sitting in front of a judge rather than enjoying lives with their families.

It shouldn’t require a marathon effort by Friends of the Earth for just four farmers to win compensation from Shell in its home country. This should have been a relatively clear-cut case. This is why we need better laws to hold European companies like Shell liable for what happens in their name overseas. A duty of care to ensure companies are actively preventing harm throughout their supply chains; transparency to see what they’re doing; and parent company liability, to cut through the complicated web of buck-passing. It must be made easy for all people affected by human rights abuses and environmental damage by European companies overseas to access justice in Europe: if you can’t take them to court, they’re not accountable. 

Right now, the EU is debating establishing European-wide legislation for so-called ‘corporate due diligence’. It could be the most powerful tool yet to ensure European companies are liable for their actions abroad. This case has beaten a path through the undergrowth for victims of corporate crimes. Now we need strong laws to make this avenue easier to access. To make holding companies like Shell legally accountable the norm, not the exception. Only then can we hope to deter these abuses in the first place.

Donald Pols is director of Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands  and chair of Friends of the Earth Europe). Follow him on Twitter: @DonaldPols

Africa, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Biden asks Congress to ban ‘weapons of war on our streets’ as he uses 3rd anniversary of Parkland shooting to demand gun control

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from RT (see note below)

President Joe Biden has released a statement allowing a closer look at what his “commonsense” policy on gun laws will be, demanding, among other things, that Congress pass universal background checks and ban “assault weapons.” [CPNN readers will recall that students throughout the United States have rallied to demand such action.]


Photo © REUTERS / Brian Snyder

“Today, I am calling on Congress to enact commonsense gun law reforms,” Biden said in his Sunday statement. The timing matched the third anniversary of the Parkland shooting, which saw a gunman open fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 and wounding another 17.

Biden has long promised to put his weight behind stricter gun laws if he were elected president and his ideas run down the list of common demands gun-control advocates often push for. The president is calling for universal background checks on all gun sales, banning high-capacity magazines, an “assault weapons” ban, and “eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets.”

(Continued in right column)

(Click here for an article on this subject in French.)

Question related to this article:

Do you think handguns should be banned?, Why or why not?

(Continued from left column)

“We owe it to all those we’ve lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change. The time to act is now,” Biden said.

Though he is calling on Congress to act, Biden promised his administration will “not wait for the next mass shooting” to take action.

With Democrats holding a majority in the House and an even split in the Senate leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking vote, Democrats find themselves in a slightly favorable position when it comes to potential new gun laws.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that Biden is “personally committed” to pushing new “gun safety measures” while in office.

Leaders of gun-control advocacy groups also recently met with Susan Rice, who leads the White House Domestic Policy Council, and Cedric Richmond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and walked away confident new gun laws will be pushed through, not only via Congress but by executive action as well.

“President Biden is committed to taking executive action and working with Congress to put in place reforms that will keep this country’s kids and communities safe,” Peter Ambler, head of the gun-control group Giffords, said after the meeting.

(Editor’s note: Readers may note that we often use Russian news sources to obtain information about events in the West, although almost identical information is available in Western news sources. News sources in the West generally prohibit the reprinting of their reports, while websites like RT welcome the publicity they receive when their articles are reprinted. For example, RT says in its usage statement: “The information on the website is considered public (unless otherwise indicated) and may be distributed or copied for non-commercial purposes (for personal, educational, scientific, etc.), always referring to the link of actualidad.rt.com.” )

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, North America

‘Women and girls belong in science’ declares UN chief  

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from United Nations News

Closed labs and increased care responsibilities are just a two of the challenges women in scientific fields are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief said in his message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on Thursday. 


Video made by the Secretary-General

“Advancing gender equality in science and technology is essential for building a better future”, Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “We have seen this yet again in the fight against COVID-19”. 

Women, who represent 70 per cent of all healthcare workers, have been among those most affected by the pandemic and those leading the response to it. Yet, as women bear the brunt of school closures and working from home, gender inequalities have increased dramatically over the past year.  

Woman’s place is in the lab 

Citing the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) he said that women account for only one third of the world’s researchers and hold fewer senior positions than men at top universities, which has led to “a lower publication rate, less visibility, less recognition and, critically, less funding”. 

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning replicate existing biases.  

“Women and girls belong in science”, stressed the Secretary-General.  Yet stereotypes have steered them away from science-related fields. 

Diversity fosters innovation 

The UN chief underscored the need to recognize that “greater diversity fosters greater innovation”.  

“Without more women in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], the world will continue to be designed by and for men, and the potential of girls and women will remain untapped”, he spelled out. 

Their presence is also critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to close gender pay gaps and boost women’s earnings by $299 billion over the next ten years, according to Mr. Guterres. 

“STEM skills are also crucial in closing the global Internet user gap”, he said, urging everyone to “end gender discrimination, and ensure that all women and girls fulfill their potential and are an integral part in building a better world for all”. 

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

Questions for this article

Does the UN advance equality for women?

Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

(continued from left column)

 ‘A place in science’ 

Meanwhile, despite a shortage of skills in most of the technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28 per cent of engineering graduates and 40 per cent of graduates in computer science and informatics, according to UNESCO.  

It argues the need for women to be a part of the digital economy to “prevent Industry 4.0 from perpetuating traditional gender biases”.  

UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay observed  that “even today, in the 21st century, women and girls are being sidelined in science-related fields due to their gender”.  

As the impact of AI on societal priorities continues to grow, the underrepresentation of women’s contribution to research and development means that their needs and perspectives are likely to be overlooked in the design of products that impact our daily lives, such as smartphone applications.  

“Women need to know that they have a place in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and that they have a right to share in scientific progress”, said Ms. Azoulay.

‘Pathway’ to equality

Commemorating the day at a dedicated event, General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir informed that he is working with a newly established Gender Advisory Board to mainstream gender throughout all of the UN’s work, including the field of science. 

“We cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to derail our plans for equality”, he said, adding that increasing access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, for women and girls has emerged as “a pathway to gender equality and as a key objective of the 2030 Agenda  for Sustainable Development”. 

Mr. Volkan highlighted the need to accelerate efforts and invest in training for girls to “learn and excel in science”. 

“From the laboratory to the boardroom, Twitter to television, we must amplify the voices of female scientists”, he stressed. 

STEM minorities  

Meanwhile, UNESCO and the L’Oréal Foundation honoured five women researchers in the fields of astrophysics, mathematics, chemistry and informatics as part of the 23rd  International Prize for Women in Science.  

In its newly published global study on gender equality in scientific research, To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive, UNESCO shows that although the number of women in scientific research has risen to one in three, they remain a minority in mathematics, computer science, engineering and artificial intelligence. 

“It is not enough to attract women to a scientific or technological discipline”, said  Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant UNESCO Director-General for Natural Sciences.  

“We must also know how to retain them, ensuring that their careers are not strewn with obstacles and that their achievements are recognized and supported by the international scientific community”. 

global, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

New ICC ruling ‘opens the door’ for justice in occupied Palestine – Independent UN expert

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An article from United Nations News

The ruling of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is does have jurisdiction over grave crimes committed in occupied Palestinian territory is a “significant step forward in the quest for justice and accountability”, an independent UN human rights expert said on Tuesday. 


A girl stands in front of her home in Khan Younis Palestine refugee camp in Gaza. © UNRWA/Hussein Jaber

Q 1: An Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem has labelled Israel as an “apartheid state” over its policy of favoring Jews over the Palestinians earlier this month. How would you comment on this declaration? Could it ease the Israeli aggression on Palestinians?

 “This offers profound hope to those who believe that consequences, not condonation, must be the answer to the commission of grave crimes”, said  Michael Lynk, the Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.  

The judgement, which includes potential war crimes, is a major move towards ending impunity in the 53-year-old occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza. 

“The leading political organs of the United Nations have repeatedly failed to enforce their own significant body of resolutions on the Israeli occupation”, the UN expert said. “This ruling opens the door for credible allegations of Rome Statute crimes to finally be investigated and potentially reach the trial stage at the ICC.” 

Probing the past 

The ICC prosecutor can now investigate a number of past allegations, including “grave crimes” committed by Israel during the 2014 war against Gaza, the killing and wounding of thousands of largely unarmed demonstrators during the Great March of Return in 2018-2019 and Israel’s settlement activities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to the press release from OHCHR.  

(continued in right column)

(click here for a related article in French.)

Question related to this article:

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

Israel/Palestine, is the situation like South Africa?

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Moreover, the prosecutor can also look into allegations of grave crimes involving Palestinian armed groups.  

“In adopting the Rome Statute and creating the International Criminal Court, the international community pledged its determination to end impunity for the perpetrators of grave crimes”, the Special Rapporteur stated. “Yet, in the context of Israel’s protracted occupation, the international community has permitted a culture of exceptionalism to prevail”.  

He also maintained that, had international legal obligations been purposively enforced years ago, “the occupation and the conflict would have been justly resolved and there would have been no need for the ICC process”. 

Unanswered reports 

The Special Rapporteur elaborated on a number of authoritative UN reports in recent years that have called for accountability and for Israel to meaningfully investigate credible allegations of grave crimes – none of which has been implemented.  

He cited one from the 2008-2009 Gaza conflict, which stated that “justice and respect for the rule of law are the indispensable basis for peace. The prolonged situation of impunity has created a justice crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory that warrants action”. 

Another referred to a 2013 report on the implications of the Israeli settlements and called upon Israel to “ensure full accountability for all violations…and to put an end to the policy of impunity”. 

Call for global backing 

Mr. Lynk urged the international community to support the ICC process, reminding that “the preamble of the Rome Statute calls for ‘international cooperation’ to ensure the ‘lasting respect for and the enforcement of international justice’”.  

“Ending impunity and pursuing justice can only bring us closer to peace in the Middle East”, upheld the independent UN expert. 

His call has been endorsed by Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council  to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions and the experts are not paid for their work.

HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast, United Nations,