All posts by CPNN Coordinator

About CPNN Coordinator

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

The Elders warn Gaza ceasefire and recovery at risk if UNRWA is not protected

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article from The Elders

January 24: The Elders warn today that a sustained ceasefire and recovery in Gaza are at risk if Israel ends cooperation with UNRWA on 30 January, in line with the legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset in October.

After fifteen months of war and at least 46,000 Palestinians killed, the massive surge in humanitarian relief and the restoration of essential services that are so urgently needed now rely on UNRWA as the indispensable agency in Gaza. 


Photo by Ramzi Mahmud/Anadolu via Getty Images

If implemented, the legislation would prohibit contact between UNRWA and Israeli authorities, ending the de-confliction needed for safe operations in Gaza. It could also end UNRWA’s ability to operate across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  

To do so at the very moment when a ceasefire is opening the way for recovery in Gaza and the welcome release of all Israeli hostages would be morally reprehensible.   

UN member states have a duty to defend UNRWA against this serious attack, which violates the UN Charter. A mandate given by the General Assembly, and reaffirmed in the resolution passed on 5 December, cannot be revoked by a national parliament. UNRWA remains essential until there is a just solution for Palestinian refugees, and its functions are transferred to a Palestinian entity as part of a peace settlement.

Member states should impose targeted sanctions if the Israeli government implements the legislation, given it constitutes a clear violation of international law with grave consequences. 

We regret that US funding to UNRWA remains suspended, and that Sweden decided to stop funding the agency in December. European and Arab states must stand by their commitments to provide political and financial support to UNRWA at this critical time. UNRWA has been independently investigated and is taking action in light of those investigations to ensure its continuing neutrality.

There is a stark choice ahead: a pathway to peace and mutual security for Israelis and Palestinians, or deepening occupation, annexation and renewed bloodshed.

(article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original Spanish version.)

Question related to this article:

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

(article continued from left column)

We welcome the support of President Trump for the ceasefire. We urge him to apply effective pressure on the conflict parties to move towards a peace settlement based on a two-state solution. We also encourage him to reconsider his reversal of US sanctions on extremist Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Provocative settler violence threatens Israel’s security and jeopardises the chance for a real breakthrough following the ceasefire.

Regional stability and prosperity can never be achieved without a just and lasting settlement to the Palestinian question. All parties must comply with their obligations to bring an end to both Israel’s unlawful occupation and attacks on Israeli civilians, and ensure security and self-determination for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

ENDS

Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia, Nobel Peace Laureate and Chair of The Elders

Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General and Deputy Chair of The Elders

Graça Machel, Founder of the Graça Machel Trust, Co-founder and Deputy Chair of The Elders

Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director-General of the WHO

Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former head of the UN Development Programme

Elbegdorj Tsakhia, former President and Prime Minister of Mongolia

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Hina Jilani, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and co-chair of the Taskforce on Justice

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate

Denis Mukwege, physician and human rights advocate, Nobel Peace Laureate

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico

For media inquiries, please contact William French, Head of Communications (+44 7795 693 903) or email: media@theElders.org

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast

CODEPINK Celebrates the Announced Ceasefire in Gaza

DISARMAMENT AND SECURITY .

An article from the X account of Codepink

CODEPINK celebrates the news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. As reported, as of now only the first stage of the ceasefire agreement has been accepted by both Israel and Hamas. We hope all stages are also accepted as soon as possible to ensure a permanent ceasefire and the ability for Palestinians to rebuild with freedom from Israeli attacks.

For fifteen months, the world community has demanded an end to the slaughter, only to witness Israel’s continued bombings and siege, with full backing from the United States. This ceasefire agreement is a welcome development, and we will continue to demand accountability for the war crimes Israel committed over the past 15 months and the past 75 years. This agreement is virtually the same agreement Israel has been rejecting for months, reaffirming that this could have been accomplished long ago, with fewer Palestinians killed.

We hope that Israel and the United States respect the terms of the ceasefire so that Palestinians can rebuild their lives in Gaza. We will continue to organize toward a future that includes a free Palestine with no border fences, checkpoints, or blockades. In this important moment, we are rejoicing alongside our Palestinian siblings in Gaza who have been waiting for far too long for this moment to arrive.

It’s been reported that the Israeli government was pressured to agree to the terms of the ceasefire in a meeting with the incoming Trump administration’s Middle East envoy. If it’s true that the Trump administration finally pushed Netanyahu to end the constant and indiscriminate slaughter of civilians on a daily basis, then President Biden’s legacy as an architect of genocide is set in stone. He was not working “tirelessly” for a ceasefire. He was not willing to use any of his leverage to force a ceasefire. He let the genocide continue because he had no interest or care to stop it. Our deepest hope is that the ceasefire lasts, without Israel breaking ceasefire agreements as they’ve done in the past, and progresses to the final stages of prisoner swaps.

(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

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

(article continued from left column)

The crisis in Gaza did not happen in a vacuum. The people of Gaza were not all of a sudden in a state of war or siege. When the current genocide campaign began, over half of the population in Gaza were children – born there and never able to leave. For years, Israel let only the minimum caloric value of food into Gaza to keep the entire population on the brink of starvation. Periodically, Gaza would face brutal and extended periods of bombing campaigns carried out by the Israeli military. If world leaders are serious about peace, they must also confront the material reality that launched us into this current moment. If we want peace, we also need to demand justice. Neither peace nor justice looks like a return to the status quo pre-October 7. The news of a ceasefire gives us a reason for optimism, and we hope it’s the start to a chapter of accountability, reconciliation, and true peace.

We continue to demand:

• An end to all US military “aid” to Israel

• The reinstatement of USAID and UNRWA funding to Gaza so that Palestinians who are recovering from 15 months of bombardment can be able to feed and shelter themselves, as well as ensuring secured open and uninterrupted access to humanitarian aid trucks

• The freedom of Palestinians who were taken as political prisoners since October 7, 2023, and before, such as Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, who Israel kidnapped in recent weeks

• Accountability for war criminals, including Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, by supporting prosecutions in international courts for Israel’s repeated violations of international law.

• Removal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria

• An end to the siege on Gaza and Israel’s settler colonial occupation of Palestine

• The right of return for all Palestinians barred from their homeland

• A free Palestine from the river to the sea

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Mideast

Michael Moore: From the Rubble Rises 22 Powerful Voices

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An article by Michael Moore

Last week, I, as an Executive Producer of FROM GROUND ZERO: STORIES FROM GAZA, was quoted across the country as stating the following: “No filmmaker, writer or artist should ever have to tell the story of their own extermination.”

And yet…

As I write this, in a scattered group of cinemas across the country, movie-goers are watching this anthology of stories captured on camera by Palestinian filmmakers in Gaza amidst Netanyahu’s reign of terror over the past year. This collection of 22 short films of his shameless extermination attempt — the unending barrage of bombs and bullets, the forced starvation — is what the people of Gaza are facing every single day.

And during this hour and fifty-two minutes on the screen, you will feel the pulse of the Palestinian people. Their resilience. And you are right there with them. 

They are not Hamas. They are not rapists. They are not lying in wait to murder Israelis. They are not a threat to any human or to Democracy as certain propagandists are hoping you’ll be brainwashed into believing.

They are taxi drivers and mothers, toddlers and teachers, comedians and artists — finding ways to survive. To feed their families. To bathe their children. To retain a sense of self and normality. To bring joy to their community. To keep warm at night. To keep hope alive. 

The review from Variety  said it best: 

“Their stories, and their essence, live within these pixels the way the Holocaust was captured on celluloid. The images of the latter that are the most familiar to the public were snapped either by perpetrators or liberators. “From Ground Zero” exists more in the tradition of photographers Henryk Ross and Mendel Grossman, inhabitants of Poland’s Jewish ghettos who not only documented daily life with their cameras, but imbued it with a familiar, beating humanity. In that vein, it’s hard to ignore just how much “From Ground Zero” feels like history unfolding, and tragedy being memorialized, right before our eyes.”
Every American needs to see this film. 

This genocide, though executed by the Israeli government, is Made in the USA. Manufactured in places like San Diego and South Bend, Fort Worth and Fairfax and bankrolled with our tax dollars. Yours and mine. It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. But it also means we hold immense power in our hands at a time when we still have the power to change the outcome. 

We have been in this position before as a nation. And we failed. We turned away ships carrying thousands of Jewish refugees who fled Germany as the Holocaust was unfolding. We let fear and bigotry overtake our humanity — “We have no idea who these Jews are!” — and turned our backs, refusing to let them dock, and sealing their fate. Let’s not accept the fate of the Palestinian people as decreed by Netanyahu and his racist Likud party hacks (“Between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty!”) any more than we will accept the fate of the 13 million immigrants who have come to this country to work, raise their children and pay taxes — human beings that Trump and his racist MAGA sycophants have decreed will be rounded up and dragged back across the border beginning nine days from now.

(continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

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

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

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

Art has always been a powerful weapon of the oppressed — Philosopher Viktor Frankl honed his theory that our primary motivation for living as humans is to find meaning while imprisoned in Dachau and other concentration camps for being Jewish. Oscar Wilde wrote “De Profundis” while imprisoned in England for the crime of loving a man. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” while imprisoned for protesting against racist segregation. There is no better means of cultivating understanding and empathy than through art. And for me, there’s no better outlet to convey truth and inspire resistance than the art of the moving image.

I believe that one great movie can change the world. 

This is that movie. 

You are that audience. 

Don’t look away. Find a way to watch this work of art by these 22 artists imprisoned in Gaza and see the Palestinian people for who they are. 

Right now FROM GROUND ZERO: STORIES FROM GAZA is playing in theaters across the United States from San Fransisco and San Diego to Louisiana and Tennessee, from Chicago to New York City. It is not playing everywhere, as you can imagine just how hard it is to convince theaters to play a movie like this. Even though it is currently the best-reviewed film in the U.S. — 98% on Rotten Tomatoes! Motion Picture Academy voters two weeks ago declared it to be one of the 15 best international feature films in the world for this year’s Oscars. It has already been placed on the shortlist for nomination consideration for the Academy Awards. At New York City’s Quad Cinema last week, it was the third highest grossing film in the last 12 months. And yet…

And yet… In the land of free speech and freedom of expression you will be hard-pressed this weekend in certain parts of the country to find the much-acclaimed FROM GROUND ZERO: STORIES FROM GAZA.

This is one of the reasons that I have stepped in as an Executive Producer, to see that as many Americans as possible get the chance to watch this brilliant movie.

Please know that I and others are doing our best to jump every hurdle placed in front of us to guarantee your right to go to the movies and experience the truth.

Please ask your local independent theater to book FROM GROUND ZERO. For Theatrical, Non-Theatrical & Festival Booking/Screening inquiries: bookings@watermelonpictures.com

And go here for the most up-to-date locations and showtimes for you to see it:

https://fromgroundzero.url.film/

If you live in the vicinity of a showing, or have the means to get to one, please go and support these courageous storytellers. Help their voices be heard. We will do our best to make sure that the forces which would prefer you not see this movie are defeated. In a true Democracy, it’s as easy as that.

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast, North America,

The new military governments in Africa: Are they promoting a culture of peace?

A good approach to the problem of islamic extremism has been described by General Djibril Bassolé from Burkina Faso: privileging dialogue over military confrontation.

In the case of the new military government in Burkina Faso, it seems that they are following General Bassole’s advice. As for Niger, it seems that they continue the dialogue approach of the government that preceded the military coup.

In the case of Mali, it seemed at one point that they would also follow his General Bassole’s advice. See the CPNN articles of April and May 2024 . But as of the end of 2024, they had taken the military route instead, leading to atrocities against the civilian population.

Here are the CPNN articles on this subject:

Letter from Mali: a plea for peace

Diffa, Niger: The COSNA/CNSP regional coordination organizes a cultural evening to support youth for peace and social cohesion

Burkina Faso: Living together: Traditional and religious leaders speak to their communities

The Inter-Malian Dialogue for Peace and National Reconciliation

On the road to lasting peace in Mali: “A mother hen must reunite her chicks”

d-disarmament

Letter from Mali: a plea for peace

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

CPNN has received the following copy of a letter coming from Mali for the UN Secretary-General. It provides details for the report from Human Rights Watch about Mali government and mercenary atrocities committed on innocent civilians. (translation by CPNN)

In publishing this letter, we hope that it will be read by some in the military government of Mali, and that they will follow the example of the military governments in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger and turn to dialogue instead of military force to deal with the conflicts in their country. The rationale for dialogue is explained clearly by General Djibril Bassole.


The rational for dialogue explained by General Djibril Bassole

Open letter to the Secretary of the United Nations, New York, United States of America`

I will go straight to the facts to save time that seems to be lacking for the leaders of a world that is losing all its bearings.

On the day of January 2, 2025, a Toyota brand pickup going from Niono (Mali) to Mberra (Malian refugee camp in Mauritania) with a dozen civilians on board, the majority of whom were women and children, disappeared on a national road frequented by the Malian army and its Wagner auxiliaries. For a whole night and a day, the parents of the missing searched in vain for news.

The macabre discovery of their charred bodies hastily buried under branches and stones marked the beginning of an unprecedented tragedy since the FAMA and Wagner’s assassins have been spreading terror throughout northern Mali from Abeibara (Kidal region) in the East to the Mauritanian border in the West.

The vehicle was diverted from its route, time taken to identify the travelers and then to execute them summarily after raping the women, one of whom was pregnant for almost 6 months. The bodies were found between the town of Fatissouyou and Dioura in central Mali.

(article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original article in French.)

Question for this article:

Islamic extremism, how should it be opposed?

The new military governments in Africa: Are they promoting a culture of peace?

(article continued from left column)

This is indeed the signature of the Malian junta’s thugs and their fellow Wagner assassins, unlike the jihadists operating in Mali, who never kidnap children and women, let alone execute them. Mr. SG, it is high time that the institution you lead breaks its deafening silence on the tragedy and daily dramas experienced by the populations (Tuaregs, Moors and Fulani) in these areas including on the Mauritanian border, including Mauritanians since 2022.

The Tuaregs who were assassinated are neither terrorists, nor drug traffickers, nor rebels. The young humanitarian who was assassinated with his son (2.8 months) is the first cousin of the illustrious general leader of the Kel Ansar affiliated with Mali and the greatest defender of the Malian army and the putschist Goita. His wife carrying her second son in her womb is the daughter of a colonel major of the Malian gendarmerie well-known by the Malian military and security establishment.

One of the young people assassinated is the son of an important customs officer, an early companion of the putschists. The 10 people murdered belong to the Kel Ansar group or are affiliated with it. This is of course a targeting not only of the Tuareg but also of the Kel Ansar, a tribe that has always served the Malian state, that has never rebelled and has always refused to succumb to the sirens of fundamentalism. This brand of patriotism has never ceased to worry and to appear suspect in the eyes of the Malian state since its independence.

What is happening in Mali, in particular, in the north and center, amounts to genocide and a crime against humanity. Is human life in Gaza or Ukraine more valuable, more precious than that in Azawad, in Macina and on the Mauritanian border? Is it only people who are victims of Israel or Putin who have the right to speak out and denounce the highest authority of the international community? Can we not speak and comfort the weak not only in Palestine or Ukraine but around the World?

Mali is not a respectable State, it is condemnable. Please have the courage to condemn it and consider bringing it before the international courts that the United Nations have set up.

Mali is a failed and criminal State but it continues to receive support and backing from several Western countries. In the absence of sanctions and the removal of support, the peoples and communities who are suffering the hell of the felonious colonels in power in Bamako, can only consider all this support as complicity.

Stop the madness of a handful of felonious colonels and their relays, before the worst happens in the Sahelian sub-region. Mr. SG, it would soon be a question of threat to international peace and security (Chapter 7 UN statement).

You should forgive me, between shock and tragedy, I do not have the heart for polite expressions, which does not mean that I do not have the greatest regard for you and your title.

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Colombia: PazRock, an initiative of the Ministry of Cultures for the culture of peace through music

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Ministry of Cultures of Colombia (translation by CPNN)

This year the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge, through the Culture of Peace Strategy, has addressed the violence associated with conflict and inequality by promoting cultural rights.

One of the actions was the development of the PazRock initiative, traveling concerts that brought a message of reflection through music to Bogotá, Pereira and Duitama.


Photo: Lina Rozo.

“PazRock closes with a very positive balance. First was the one in Plaza de Bolívar, in Bogotá, which brought together more than 40 thousand people. The three concerts featured great artists, with great collective work around this space for reflection through the arts,” said Gina Jaimes, advisor to Minculturas.

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for the Spanish version of this article)

 

Question related to this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(Article continued from left column)

This year concerts were held in Bogotá, Pereira and Duitama. They featured the participation of artists such as Plu con Pla, La Muchacha, Gillman, Panteón Rococó, La Pestilencia, 1280 Almas, Aterciopelados, among others.

Following the first concert in Bogotá, the International Promotions Festival (FIP) of Buenos Aires, Argentina, awarded the PazRock concept the gold prize in the category ‘Best municipal event or government actions’.

This international competition rewards creativity in Promotions, Events, Marketing Innovation and New Communication Technologies worldwide. In this edition, PazRock competed with other success stories from Spain, Mexico, the United States and Brazil.

“It is very gratifying and satisfying “I am very grateful to know that projects like this one cross borders and achieve very important effects in Latin America and, especially, among young people in Colombia. I think it is very important for the country, very important for public shows,” added Gonzalo Villalón, director of Villalón Entertainment, the production company of PazRock.

More than a recognition of the event, this award highlights the importance of continuing to generate spaces for the exchange of arts to contribute to social transformation and as a contribution to the construction of a culture of peace in our country.

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Democratic Republic of Congo: At least 450 orphaned children initiated into the culture of peace and peaceful living together in Bogoro

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Radio Okapi

About 450 orphaned children from four tribal communities in Ituri are being initiated into the culture of peace and peaceful living together, as part of a two-day retreat, organized since Monday, December 30 by the NGO Bacone Of Hope in Bogoro.

According to the coordinator of this NGO, Arali Bagamba, the objective of this activity is to combat tribal hatred which is often at the origin of cycles of violence in this province.

These orphaned children from Lendu, Bindi, Hema and Bira communities came from localities such as Kavelega, Kotoni, Bogoro, Lakpa accompanied by notables and religious leaders from their respective entities.

They learn about living together, the culture of peace and non-violence.

During these two days of retreat, they eat, play and sleep together to strengthen the feeling of brotherhood despite their cultural differences.

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original version in French

Questions related to this article:
 
What is the best way to teach peace to children?

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

Can you add to this analysis of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

(Article continued from left column)

For the coordinator of the NGO Bacone Of Hope, this training will break the tribal hatred transmitted from one generation to another, which is at the origin of the cycles of violence in Ituri.

Other meetings on the culture of peace and peaceful cohabitation involving young people and students from these different communities were organized a few months ago by this same organization.

Read also on radiookapi.net:

Djugu : 7 communautés ethniques s’engagent à mettre fin à leurs différends pour promouvoir la paix

L’Eglise du Christ au Congo appelle la population à s’investir pour la paix en Ituri

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

China, Japan reach 10 agreements on people-to-people, cultural exchanges

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, and Takeshi Iwaya, Japanese minister for foreign affairs, jointly attended the second meeting of a high-level consultation mechanism on people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Japan, in Beijing on Wednesday, [December 25].

The meeting resulted in 10 important agreements, as follows.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

First, the two sides will promote youth exchange visits, and encourage and support study trips between the two countries.

Second, the two sides will deepen cooperation in the field of education, strengthen the exchange of overseas students, and support primary and secondary schools in the two countries to establish sister schools and institutions of higher education to carry out inter-school cooperation.

Third, the two sides will support tourism cooperation and introduce more facilitation measures to promote mutual visits between tourists from the two countries.

Fourth, the two sides will build more bridges for exchanges between sister cities and make good use of mechanisms and platforms such as the China-Japan Governor Forum, the China-Japan-ROK Cultural Exchange Year and the Culture Cities of East Asia to expand friendly exchanges at the local and non-governmental levels.

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?

(Continued from left column)

Fifth, the two sides will strengthen sports exchanges and cooperation, and support each other in hosting major sports events such as the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026.

Sixth, the two sides will support continued cooperation in film, television, music, publishing, animation, games and other cultural and entertainment industries, exchange visits of high-level art groups, and support the translation and publication of classic works between the two countries.

Seventh, the two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation between media and think tanks, play a positive role in bilateral relations, and strive to improve public opinion and the environment for public opinion. The two sides will support exchanges and cooperation in new media and encourage exchanges between positive vibes of the two countries.

Eighth, the two sides will conduct exchanges between women’s groups and share experience on promoting the common development of men and women. China invites Japan to attend the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Ninth, the two sides will build the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, into a platform for exchanges and friendship between the two peoples. China supports Japan in hosting the expo, while Japan welcomes China’s participation and will provide assistance in the preparation and operation of the China Pavilion.

Tenth, the two sides will hold the third meeting of China-Japan high-level consultation mechanism on people-to-people and cultural exchanges in Japan in due course.

Noting that next year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Wang said that the purpose of remembering this history is to draw lessons from it and cherish the hard-won peace.
China hopes and believes that Japan can once again demonstrate its determination for peaceful development and work with China to promote the sound and stable development of China-Japan relations in the spirit of facing history squarely and looking to the future, said Wang.

Iwaya said Japan is willing to work with China to improve the quality of people-to-people exchange projects, deepen exchanges between sister cities and take more measures to facilitate personnel exchanges.

(Editor’s note: Thank you to TFF Transnational Foundation and Jan Oberg for alerting us to this story. The official Japanese report of the meeting confirms the agreements.)

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

East Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Diffa, Niger: The COSNA/CNSP regional coordination organizes a cultural evening to support youth for peace and social cohesion

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from aNiamey (translation by CPNN)

The Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture (MJC) Madou Manama in Diffa served as the setting, on Wednesday, December 31, 2024, for a cultural evening organized by the Diffa Regional Coordination of the Convergence for National Sovereignty (COSNA/CNSP).

This evening, placed under the theme “Supporting youth to work with defense and security forces in the cultural framework and raising awareness of the role of youth in maintaining peace and social cohesion”, attracted a large crowd of young people, who came to celebrate the commitment of youth in preserving peace and social harmony in the region.


© Other press by DR

The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Mamoudou Hama, Prefect of the Diffa department, in the presence of the Secretary General of the urban commune of Diffa Mr. Mahamadou Seydou. They welcomed this initiative which aims to strengthen the role of youth in building a united and peaceful society.

(Click here for the original article in French.)

(continued in right column)

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

The new military governments in Africa: Are they promoting a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

The Prefect stressed the importance of supporting the defense and security forces in their fight against threats to peace, while emphasizing the need for strong social cohesion between the different communities in the region.

Finally, Prefect Mamoudou Hama stressed the role of youth in maintaining order and stability, while encouraging active engagement in promoting the culture of peace and solidarity.

For his part, the regional coordinator COSNA/CNSP of Diffa, Mr. Ousmane Gra, highlighted in his speech the importance of the commitment of young people in securing the region and their crucial role in raising awareness of peace issues.

It should be noted that the event was marked by performances by local artists, mixing traditional and modern music, illustrating the cultural diversity of Diffa.

Among the highlights of the evening, there was also a parade of traditional outfits from the different communities of the region, which highlighted the colorful costumes and traditions of the Kanouri, Peulhs, Toubou, Boudouma and Arabs. This parade was a true testimony of unity in diversity, highlighting the importance of peaceful coexistence.

This evening was a real success, having brought young people together around a common goal: to strengthen peace and social cohesion in Diffa. It also served as a reminder of the importance of cultural commitment in building a united and supportive society.

– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on United Nations Alliance of Civilizations” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Burkina Faso: Living together: Traditional and religious leaders speak to their communities

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article by Romuald Dofini in Lefaso.net

The Peulh community of Bobo-Dioulasso organized a day to promote culture, peace and social cohesion in Burkina Faso on Sunday, December 22, 2024 in the city of Sya. The theme of this day was: “For good living together in Faso: Traditional and religious leaders from Western Burkina speak to their communities”. During this day, which brought together several social groups, commitments and resolutions were made by the actors to promote social cohesion by giving priority to dialogue in conflict resolution.


Traditional and religious leaders commit to promoting peace and social cohesion

It was with an open heart that traditional and religious leaders spoke to their communities on Sunday, December 22, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso. According to them, it was more than necessary to organize this day in view of the situation that the country has been going through for several years. Indeed, the security situation in Burkina Faso has led to dysfunction at all levels, causing in certain areas a disintegration of all segments of the social fabric.

For traditional and religious leaders, this security crisis has also generated conflicts within the populations and led to mistrust between individuals and between communities. For them, the fight led by the defense and security forces against terrorists is commendable, but they believe that for lasting peace, it would be necessary to “re-sew” the social fabric, in order to improve social cohesion, prevent and manage disputes between communities. For this, the establishment and promotion of spaces for dialogue have proven necessary. It is therefore aware of this erosion of the social fabric caused by the security crisis and the role of customary and religious leaders in social mobilization that the Peulh customary chiefdom of Bobo-Dioulasso initiated this day to promote the culture of peace and social cohesion.

The objective of this day was to promote social cohesion in Burkina and particularly in the Grand-Ouest of Burkina. This activity brought together about sixty traditional and religious leaders from the Grand-Ouest of Burkina, citizen watch organizations, women’s organizations as well as the population of Sya, the majority of whom are Peulhs. According to the Peulh chief of Bobo-Dioulasso, Issiaka Sidibé, this day aims to recreate harmony and symbiosis between communities, to invite populations to talk to each other, to accept each other, to forgive each other and to create the conditions for the return of peace in the region and in Burkina Faso.

“It was a duty for us to organize this day because we really want to help the authorities finish their mission to reconquer the territory. We see that they have done a lot, which is why we want to make our contribution through actions. We want to tell our FDS [Force for Defense and Security] and VDP [Volunteers for Defense of the Homemand] that we are with them in heart because it is thanks to them that we live here. This meeting with the customary and religious leaders of the Grand-Ouest is to help ourselves first,” he explained.

During this activity, the traditional and religious leaders were informed about their roles in social mobilization and conflict resolution within their communities; commitments were also made by actors to promote social cohesion, by favoring dialogue in conflict resolution. From the delegation of women, the message conveyed to the community was the same. All the delegations promoted understanding, forgiveness, peace and social cohesion. Furthermore, a message of awareness, support and collaboration between the FDS and the population was conveyed for greater efficiency in the fight against terrorism.

(article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original article in French.)

Question for this article:

Islamic extremism, how should it be opposed?

The new military governments in Africa: Are they promoting a culture of peace?

(article continued from left column)

The strong mobilization of all actors leaves the Fulani leader of Bobo-Dioulasso with a feeling of joy and satisfaction. According to him, this mobilization demonstrates their commitment to the culture of peace and cohesion in Burkina Faso. “We are happy and satisfied because the message has been received and all the communities have understood it,” he rejoiced.


Battalion Chief Lassané Porgo, Commander of the Second Military Region of Burkina, welcomes the initiative of the activity

The initiative is welcomed by the military and administrative authorities

The day was attended by Battalion Chief Lassané Porgo, Commander of the Second Military Region of Burkina. In his speech, he did not fail to welcome the initiative of the activity. He believes that the population is finishing the work of the defense and security forces because for him, this war is almost over. “Beyond the room which is full, all the communities, all the points of view, came to give a message and that makes us happy. We are committed to serving the population, to serving Burkina Faso; so as long as this population does not have peace, does not have tranquility, it is our duty not to sleep. And we are not going to sleep until it is over,” he insisted.

Before continuing: “If religious and customary leaders speak to their communities and everyone in their family listens to the big brother or the elder, who listens to the chief and who knows his place, we will end this crisis right away and now. The problem is that we no longer respect the elder. We respect money or the one who has money more than the elder in the family and that must change.” This is why he asked everyone to be sincere, honest and upright and above all to love their neighbor. Battalion Chief Lassané Porgo affirmed that if all the messages passed in the room are sincere, Burkina Faso will soon end this security crisis.

This activity was chaired by the governor of the region, represented by the secretary general of the Hauts-Bassins region, Abraham Somdo. On behalf of the governor, he also welcomed the initiative of this day. “This activity is welcome because it is in line with the government’s priorities. Obviously, the priority that is worth it is the reconquest of the national territory, but in addition to reconquering the territory, we must have activities that allow us to sew the social fabric that has been torn apart by war and conflicts,” he said.

He did not fail to pay tribute to the fighters who watch over the well-being of the civilian population. For him, this day will help strengthen collaboration between the FDS and the population. He stressed that “the FDS create the conditions for the return of peace and it is up to the customary and religious leaders to work to consolidate this peace, to strengthen social cohesion through messages that advocate living together.” The governor’s representative invited the daughters and sons of the region to listen to the community leaders. To these community leaders, he asks them to march resolutely to the rhythm set by the country’s authorities because it is, he said, about building a strong nation, a nation where the daughters and sons speak with one voice, look in the same direction.
– – – – – –

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION