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.

USA: Culture of Peace: The wisdom of the 8th-grade Peace Flame Keepers

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE .. .

An article by David Wick from the Ashland Daily Tidings reprinted by the Global Campaign for Peace Education

As the World Peace Flame was lit at the Thalden Pavilion on the Southern Oregon University campus on Sept. 21, Ashland was recognized internationally. A unique part of this ceremony was the role of the newly formed Flame Keepers, made up of students from Kristina Healy’s class at nearby Ashland Middle School. They volunteered to keep the World Peace Flame lit by refueling the oil lamp every Friday during the school year with 100 percent sustainable biomass lamp oil, and keeping the lamp and enclosure clean.


A member of the Ashland Middle School Flame Keepers group tends to the flame. (Photo: Ashland Culture of Peace Commission)
(click on photo to enlarge)

After 11 weeks of Flame Keeper experience, they were asked two questions:

Why is it important to have a World Peace Flame?

What do you like about being a Flame Keeper?

Here are their responses:

Lauren Drabik: The Peace Flame gives hope for peace and it can help change the world and make it a better place for new generations. It is a big honor and there aren’t very many in the world, and you get to be part of something so big! It’s just special to do.

Kendra Caruso: The World Peace Flame brings people together and it helps everyone know there is peace in the world. The Peace Flame represents how everyone is one in the world. I really like it because I was chosen to be handed the flame (during the Sept. 21 lighting ceremony) and I handed it off to someone else who lit the flame. That was a huge honor! I felt like I was a part of the whole celebration of the flame. I think it is really cool to have Flame Keepers because it is a huge honor and because you are doing good for the world and I believe giving back is really nice.

Samara Penn-Kout: Having a World Peace Flame, especially in our small community, is really nice because its being part of something bigger. There are only two in this country and we are helping and being the representatives in the United States and the Northern Hemisphere. We are part of something greater to share with anybody. I love being a Flame Keeper because I feel so good about my actions, it is a big responsibility, and it is really nice because it feels like we are helping peace around the world.

Tara Vivrett: It is such a reminder for people to stay peaceful where they are and it is a constant thing going that you can always look to. It feels like being included because we’re being part of it and we are keeping it going. It is also something you can tell to people around you and that feels good.

Levi Predpelski: It is a reminder every day. Every time I see it I am reminded, “oh ya, be peaceful every day and don’t forget about it.” It is being part of something bigger than myself, it is about community and it is not just about me, it’s about everyone.

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Question related to this article:

What is the best way to teach peace to children?

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Finley Taylor: It is important because it shows us that peace isn’t just one day of the year. It is every day. And it is always there in the background and we should focus on making the world a more peaceful place. It feels like I am doing something important that changes the world. It’s just a good feeling.

Kade Price: It is important because then we know we will have peace all around the world. I like how I can be a part of peace.

CJ McDonnald: It brings people together and it makes you feel peaceful when you are around it, then every place you go you have this going on. It is a huge responsibility and I like refueling the flame with my friends.

Cash Cota: It shows you how much you should enjoy peace and that everybody should enjoy peace and not just certain people. It also shows that our culture is very peaceful as a community and that we deserved it because we can resemble peace a lot and we can also show other people how to be peaceful around the world. I like it because it is really cool to be part of something that no one else has done at this age, and it is also fun just being with friends and enjoying peace together.

Tara Lusk: It is important to represent how peace is all around us, especially in Ashland, a small community town that has a lot of organics and very community (focused). It is nice to have the World Peace Flame represent how peaceful we are here and how we get along together. It’s really fun; I like the responsibility of it. It is a little bit stressful at times, but overall it is a really nice experience.

Madeline Bolin: It reminds us that we should be constantly trying for peace, like always not just one event. The responsibility and knowing that we are helping to achieve peace.

River Collins: Having the World Peace Flame shows triumph over hate and is a check point in our history to accomplish peace. It is fun and because people see me as a peaceful person, not angry and more peaceful. This supports the change in the world.

Kristina Healey (teacher): I think it is always wonderful to have a reminder about peace. Peace in your own mind and heart and community and all the way beyond. And to know that they are originating from the same place of peace here on our planet. I like that I was able to do it, to be the vehicle to keep it (a focus on peace) going here in Ashland. I really loved to see the kids and how they we saying, “Oh this is so much responsibility, I don’t know if I can do it,” and just to empower them that we can do it if we all work together. We check that calendar, we go over (to the World Peace Flame Monument across the street) and we go through the directions. (The students) have felt very privileged and responsible about keeping the flame going for people who come and visit the Peace Flame in Ashland. We talk about it in class and some of the kid’s families have gone over, outside of class to see what it is all about. Anything to remind kids, our school district, our city that we are not finite, we are connected, we are bigger than that. So having the Peace Flame here reminds us of the importance of the commitment to peace.

When we wonder what peace really means, go ask an eighth grader at Ashland Middle School.

Email comments and questions to ashlandcpc@gmail.com. The ACPC website is www.ashlandcpc.org; like the commission on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AshlandCultureofPeaceCommission;

follow twitter.com/AshlandPeace on Twitter. All are welcome to join the ACPC’s Talking Circle at 11 a.m. each Tuesday and Community Meeting at 4 p.m. each Wednesday, both at the ACPC office, 33 First St., Suite 1, diagonally across Lithia Way from the Ashland Post Office.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, North America

Pope hopes his Arabian trip will help Islam-Christian relations

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Philip Pullella from Thomson Reuters (reprinted by permission)

Pope Francis said on Wednesday [February 6] he hoped his historic trip to the Arabian peninsula will help dispel the notion of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Christianity and Islam.


Photo: Pope Francis leads the weekly general audience at Paul VI hall at the Vatican February 6, 2019. REUTERS/Max Rossi
(click on photo to enlarge)

Francis returned to Rome on Tuesday from the United Arab Emirates, where in Abu Dhabi he presided at the largest public Mass ever celebrated on the peninsula where Islam was born.

“In an era, like ours, where there is a strong temptation to see a clash between Christian civilization and the Islamic one, and even to consider religions as a source of conflict, we wanted to send another clear and decisive signal that encounter is possible,” he said at his regular general audience.

Francis was referring to a document he signed during the trip with Sheik Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt’s al-Azhar mosque and university, one of the most authoritative theological and educational institutions in Islam.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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The pope said the “Document on Human Fraternity” was proof that “it is possible to respect each other and hold dialogue, and that despite differences in culture and traditions, the Christian and Islamic worlds appreciate and protect common values …”

The document, signed on Monday, called on “all concerned to stop using religions to incite hatred, violence, extremism and blind fanaticism, and to refrain from using the name of God to justify acts of murder, exile, terrorism and oppression.”

He invited everyone to read the document, saying it would offer ideas on how individuals can work for tolerance and coexistence.

Ultra-conservative Catholics have been opposed to any dialogue with Islam, with some saying its ultimate goal is to destroy the West.

On the plane returning from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, a reporter asked Francis about possible negative reaction to the document by Catholics “who accuse you of allowing yourself to be used by Muslims”.

Francis, a progressive who has been in the crosshairs of conservatives since his election in 2013, responded with a joke: “Not only the Muslims. They accuse me of allowing myself to be used by everyone, even journalists. It’s part of the job.”

But he said “from a Catholic point of view, the document had not strayed a millimeter” from teachings on inter-religious dialogue approved by the 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council.

“If anyone feels bad, I understand. It is not an everyday thing. But it is a step forward,” he said on the plane.

Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Ethiopia: Mystery behind the Peace Accord

. .DISARMAMENT & SECURITY. .

An article by Neamin Ashenafi in The Reporter

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), who assumed the premiership months ago, extended his invitation to all exiled political groups to come back home and conduct their struggle through peaceful means. Hence, following the invitation, many political groups and forces started returning home.

Eventually, political groups and forces, which were labeled as terrorist organizations by the Ethiopian government such as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and Patriotic Ginbot 7, all came back home.

In an effort to reinforce the move, the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) unanimously voted on a motion to rescind the designation of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and Patriotic Ginbot 7 from its terrorists list. The political groups were labeled as ‘terrorist’ groups back in 2010 in line with the much controversial bill dubbed ‘the Anti-terrorism Proclamation (Proc. 652/2009), which is currently under revision.

Following the invitation, the OLF on July 12, 2018 stated: “We believe that the recent meeting of a high-level delegation of the Oromo Liberation Front led by its chairman with the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed (PhD), is one step forward towards resolving the existing political problem.”

Taking the seriousness of this affair into consideration the OLF declared a unilateral ceasefire in order to accelerate the initiated peace talks to a successful conclusion.

“We hope this temporary declaration of ceasefire will take us to the final declaration of bilateral cessation of hostilities once for all and the conclusion of the conflict,” the Front stated.

In that regard, the Oromo Liberation Front instructed the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which has been operating all over Oromia, to implement the temporary declaration of the ceasefire.

The agreement reached with the OLF was much publicized and a delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Workneh Gebeyhu (PhD) and President of the Oromia Regional State, Lemma Megerssa, traveled to Asmara, Eritrea to sign a peace agreement with the OLF, which aimed at ending the hostilities between the two.

Lemma and Chairman of the OLF, Dawd Ibsa, inked the peace agreement on August 7, 2018, in Asmara.

Subsequently, the top leaders of the OLF traveled to back home and were welcomed by thousands of their supporters at a rally that was held at Meskel Square. The then Chief of Staff of the Office of the Prime Minister, Fitsum Arega, tweeted a message that read in part: “We welcome warmly the leadership and members of the OLF to Ethiopia. A peaceful contest of ideas will move us from a culture of conflict into a culture of peace.”

This marked an important milestone in the long political turmoil that shook the nation and the leadership of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) to its core. The peace agreement between the two was considered by many as the beginning of an all inclusive peaceful political struggle in the country. However, to the contrary, the return of the OLF was marred by clash between its supporters and residents of Addis Ababa, which caused the death of many and the destruction of private and public properties around the capital. 

The clash in the city and other problems led political commentators and ordinary citizens alike to inquire about the contents of the agreement that the Ethiopian government signed with the OLF. However, the content of the agreement as not been made public and is still an enigma.

Adding insult to injury, the government and the OLF started some verbal volleys over the matter of disarming the soldiers of the latter which also costs the lives of so many innocent civilians and the destruction of private and public properties throughout the country mainly in the Oromia Regional State.

And hence the leaders in the region and at the federal level and the leaders of OLF started to blame each other for the breach of agreement. Be that as it may, many still keep on asking about the detailed contents of the agreement.

While the verbal volley transformed into the clashes and confrontations, leaders of the OLF, in early October 2018, said that the OLF does not have a specific agreement with the government Ethiopia that requires it to disarm.

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Question for this article:

Can peace be achieved between Ethiopia and Eritrea?

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However, in a statement that sounds like a response for the statement issued by the OLF, the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) blamed the OLF for failing to implement the peace plan both parties had agreed upon, including the disarmament of the OLF.

Amid such tensions between the two, the OLF complained that the government, particularly the military, is behaving and acting in a way that violates the points in the agreements, and it would not be responsible for any possible outcomes, which may emanate from such actions.

At this stage many political commentators also started to ask the genuineness of the blames because, on the one side, the OLF has said that the agreement does not include disarmament and, on the other hand, it said that the OLF does not have any specific agreement with the Government of Ethiopia.

The verbal altercations eventually transformed into minor skirmishes and it was reported that armed groups linked to the OLF clashed with the military and in some instances such in Western Wollega the army wing of OLF blocked roads and took control of some government offices.

Such intensified clashes again led to another round of talks between the two sides so as to give a lasting solution to the problem. However, this time around, the negotiation was called by the Abba Gadaas, Hade Sinqe and prominent individuals from the region. This round of talks seems to have been fruitful as the two sides again signed a peace agreement in the presence of elders from the region, Abba Gadaas, and Hade Sinqe. Following the agreement, both sides confirmed their commitment to bring peace, stability and order.

Unlike the previous agreements, the recent one was agreed in the presence of a third party, which, according to many, might give negotiators a chance to review the development and implementation of the agreement.

In this regard, former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and a former executive committee member of the erstwhile Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO), Negasso Gidada (PhD) said: “To solve the problem between the two a committee which comprises some 71 individuals has been established and this is a great move to address the problems between the two. The committee will follow the developments and will contain problems and differences before they escalated to clashes.”

On the flip side, Wasihun Tesfaye, Head of Research Department of the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) considers the role of the committee or the elders as fragile. “Unlike other rounds of agreements it is good that the recent agreement between the two is being conducted with the involvement of elders in the region. However, I don’t believe that the elders have the tools and powers to enforce the agreements.”

“The recent agreement is based on consensus and the leaders in the region – by using their position within the society – will try to bridge the gap between the two and bring them to the table to sign the agreement. Nonetheless, what are they going to do if one party breaches the agreement? Do they have any detailed and well-articulated mechanism to force the parties to comply with their words?” Wasihun asks.

On the contrary, for Mulatu Gemechu, Deputy Chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), the presence of a third party especially the Abba Gadaas and Hade Sinqes give the agreement more sense and reason to be implemented. According to him the clashes and confrontations reached to this level because the agreements were not attended by a third party. However, now, the Abba Gadaas and Hade Sinqes have played a pivotal role in bringing the two sides together and its up to them to monitor and pinch the one who breaches the agreement.

Similarly Negasso stated: “The committee will play its role in monitoring and implementing the agreements. The Abba Gadaas, Hade Sinqes and the general Oromo public are all part of this agreement; therefore, these groups will guarantee that there will not be another round of clashes between the two.”

On the contrary, Wasihun is skeptical about the implementation of the recent agreement and blames the federal government for its double standard treatment. “The Ethiopian people have been told that all exiled political forces that entered the country did so to pursue peaceful and unarmed struggle for justice and democracy inside the country. However, it is not clear how and why the OLF has managed to stay armed and then complain against federal government troops movements,” Wasihun says.

According to Wasihun, the federal government has the sole authority for carrying arms under the constitution. “If, indeed, the current government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is turning a blind to this development, it is creating a dangerous precedent where other parties will also want to arm themselves, leading the country into further lawlessness and anarchy,” he says, criticizing the federal government for being too lenient on the OLF.

Whether the federal government is too soft or not, the question that needs to be answered, according to many political commentators, is, what are the contents of the agreement that was signed between the two sides in Asmara and how long they will it stay undisclosed?

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

USA: Season for Nonviolence begins 5th Season

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by John and Bev Titus in the Urban Citizen

The Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund is proud to announce the fifth annual Season for Nonviolence initiative. Joined by Urbana University, a branch campus of Franklin University, and the City of Urbana, the 140th International City of Peace, this year’s Season for Nonviolence is taking place Jan. 30-April 4. The 64-day national educational, media and grassroots campaign is dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform and empower our lives and our communities.

The Season for Nonviolence was organized in 1997 to commemorate the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. With a growing foundation of support, the Season for Nonviolence has become an important educational and media opportunity to bring communities together, empowering them to envision and help create a nonviolent world, one heart and one program at a time.

This year’s Season for Nonviolence kicked off this week with the Great Kindness Challenge. The Challenge is a bullying prevention program for Pre-K through 12th-grade students that creates a culture of kindness.

Students are encouraged to perform as many acts of kindness as they can throughout the week. Last year, more than 4,500 students from the Urbana City schools, Graham Local, West Liberty Salem, and the Mechanicsburg School districts took part in this global event. Some schools chose to extend their week of kindness to one month, and many committed to practicing and promoting kindness throughout their entire school year. Our students joined with more than 10.5 million students in nearly 20,000 schools representing over 100 countries to carry out more than 500 million “Acts of Kindness” in just one week!

Everyone in our Urbana City of Peace community is invited to join in the challenge and support our youth in their efforts to be kind. A family-friendly version” of the “Great Kindness Challenge” was created and used by more than 1,600 community members last year to provide ideas for random acts of kindness that can be practiced at home, at work and throughout our extended community. Visit the “Kids for Peace” (Great Kindness Challenge) website to download the Family Edition checklist at https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/familychecklist/.

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Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

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Cities of Peace exhibit at UU

The 2019 Season for Nonviolence will include the International Cities of Peace exhibit displayed at Urbana University’s Sara Landess Room, Feb. 11-May 6. The Cities of Peace exhibit opens Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. with a panel discussion. The panel members include Fred Arment, Executive Director of the International Cities of Peace; City of Urbana Mayor Bill Bean; Bev Titus, co-founder of the Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund; and students from Urbana and Champaign County schools, to discuss local efforts to create a culture of peace within our community and support “Cities of Peace” around the world.

The International Cities of Peace exhibit consists of 12 panels that represent “Cities of Peace” around the world as well as the newly designed Urbana City of Peace panel. The “Cities of Peace” exhibit panels address the issues of: what are Cities of Peace, are Cities of Peace important, what is a culture of peace, fostering our peace economy, and “International Cities of Peace” locations. The Cities of Peace exhibit will open Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. with a panel discussion.

To conclude this year’s effort, the Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund will offer another free 6-week “Nonviolent Communication” workshop for community members, high school students and Urbana University students. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is an approach to living that has roots in Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolence. The concept refers not only to physical violence, but also to any other way we “attack” others or ourselves, such as through judgment, criticism, and blaming.

Many of us long to hold others and ourselves with consideration and respect, but we sometimes find it hard to live these values in daily life. NVC gives us practical tools for embodying these values in any situation.

Diane Diller, an NVC trainer certified by the Global Center for Nonviolent Communication, will share how this practice helps us to communicate in a more loving and respectful way.

The community is invited to attend these workshops Mondays, March 18 through April 22, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Moore Conference Room, located in the Urbana University Student Center.

To register for the Nonviolent Communication Workshop and find out more about the Cities of Peace Exhibit please call Stephani Islam at 937-772-9246. Space is limited and the class is free, so please RSVP.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, North America

Spain: The policies of cooperation of the City of Toledo “are more than words”: an example for other local institutions

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from La Cerca

The Councilor for Social Welfare, Javier Mateo, participated this Saturday [February 2] in the inauguration of the XVI Conference on Development Cooperation organized by the NGO Coordinator of Castilla La Mancha. “These appointments are key to avoid individualism because they enable us to feel part of the global village,” said the municipal Social Welfare manager.

According to Javier Mateo, both the City of Toledo and the participants in the Conference “share values ​​and concerns about the global situation, the need for social change and the importance of achieving the opening of a new mentality in society.”

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

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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The celebration of this meeting in Toledo “is a recognition of the effort and work that we develop from the local government so that development cooperation policies are more than words and beautiful speeches,” he said, to remember that during this term, the City Council has opted for the increase, both in the Budget for Cooperation, as well as in the participation and involvement of the city’s organizations.

As reviewed by the welfare councilor, their political commitments have been met as they have managed to increase this budget to 0.55%, “promoting development programs, cooperation or response to emergencies and humanitarian catastrophes.”

To facilitate the participation of NGOs, the City Council of Toledo approved the creation of the new Municipal Cooperation Council. Among the initiatives of both the Department of Welfare and Cooperation, Javier Mateo recalled the launch of the First Culture of Peace Forum.

“We work so that in the future we can continue to ensure that cooperation policies and social sensitivity are on the municipal agenda,” said the mayor who has also pointed to the importance of “work at the local, in our neighborhoods, in our streets For this reason, we created the campaign ‘Solidaridad 365 + 1’ so that the city knows the realities of other peoples and can act in solidarity with them “.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe

Mexico: Government of AMLO will include new subjects in schools

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Nacion 321

Esteban Moctezuma, Secretary of Public Education [SEP] , said that the subject of civics will be taught in Mexican schools and other changes will be implemented in the curriculum to “include the promotion of values, civility, the culture of peace, international solidarity, respect for human rights, history, culture, art, especially, the music, sports and respect for the environment ”


Video: Presentation of education reform initiative

During the working meeting that took place on January 28 with the United commissions for Education and Constitutional Issues, the head of the SEP said that the union of these matters is what they call “an integral education”.

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(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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In addition, he pointed out that if you want a country without violence and a culture of peace, the initiative to reform education presented by the federal government “will create that new Mexican school.” The work is yet to be done, but the law is the framework that will allow us to do it”.

He insisted that the Education Reform approved in the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto did not signify any significant progress, for which he asked the legislators to repeal the reform and “give a new channel to the educational project.”

He indicated that universality, integrality, equity and excellence as basic postulates of public education are added to the traditional principles of education.

ENGLISH STILL WITHOUT PROFESSORS WHO SPEAK IT

In an interview with Javier Solórzano, Moctezuma said that they will teach English even before the normal teachers learn that language.

“Obviously you have to teach English in the normal, but we thought and we have been studying a method, in which through a very powerful platform can enable a teacher who does not know English, to coordinate a group that is working with the platform, “the secretary told Solórzano.

He explained that in this way, they could have the ability to teach the language almost immediately, while if “you wait for the normal teachers to learn English” it would take longer to be able to “provide that tool to Mexican children”.
 

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Mexico: Cuernavaca unites for ‘Peace Accord’

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article by Carlos Soberanes in Diario de Morelos

The mayor of Cuernavaca, Antonio Villalobos Adán, has signed the “Peace Accord”, to launch the program Silla Rosa [Rosa’s Chair], headed by the Secretariat of Social Welfare and Values.

“The purpose of the program, presented to civil society, business representatives, human rights defenders and leaders of the city, is to reduce rates of violence against women,” said the mayor.

After recognizing that one of the priorities for the municipal government is to develop an environment without violence and peace, Antonio Villalobos Adán urged all sectors to join in these preventive actions.

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

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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The “Peace Accord” was signed by municipal authorities, representatives of the United Nations (UN) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Speaking at the City Museum, the mayor stressed the importance of joining the campaign “The culture of peace”, promoted by international organizations so that all families have the right to live within a just and lasting peace, in a state of tranquility and balance.

Meanwhile, peace ambassador Larissa Navarro said that the Silla Rosa program is a symbol of women’s rights and obligations, how to instruct children and their families in peace, with the engagement of men.

In her speech, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Values, Cynthia Pérez Suero, reported that during these 30 days a thorough work has been done to find out the real situation, in order to implement projects and programs in favor of the society.

During the working meeting the representatives of the UN, UNESCO, Mayor Antonio Villalobos Adam and civil society inaugurated the Itinerant Book and signed the “Peace Accordt”.

It should be noted that the document was symbolically signed with “white gloves”, as a rejection of violence.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Pakistan: Interfaith Christmas Celebration

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Submitted to CPNN by Kiran Iqbal,

ROLE (Rights of Living for Everyone) Organization, the Society for the Promotion of Education and Awareness (SEAP Pakistan), and the AMAAN Development Organization with the collaboration of Action Against Poverty (AAP) and Hafeez Ghee & General Mills Private Limited organized Interfaith Christmas Celebration and Interfaith Prayer and Thanks Giving Award Distribution Ceremony to thank God Almighty and pay tribute to the volunteer services of committed and dedicated CSO Leaders, Journalists and faith based leaders.


(click on photo to enlarge)

The event featured participation from a wide variety of Muslim & Christian denominations and representatives of Hindu and inclusive religious communities. We came together to give thanks for the blessings we have received throughout the year of 2018 and pray for the 2019. Prayers, sacred writings, reflections and meditation were woven together with a common theme of gratitude from many traditions. The event took place at Pastoral Institute, Naqashband, Multan on 31st December, 2018.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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The program started with a recitation from Holy Quran and the Holy Bible along with Bhajan, Naat and Christian hymns.

In the beginning, Marcus Younas gave an introduction of the program, giving thanks to the blessings of God Almighty. Then, the speakers gave their view point on the topic “How Celebrating Religious Festivals Together can promote Interfaith Harmony and National Solidarity”.

Professor Abdul Majid Wattoo, Yasmin Khakwani, Karamat Jameel, Sarfraz Clement, Abdul Hanan Haidri, Ghazal Ghazi, Naeem Iqbal Naeem, Makhdoom Tariq Abbas Shamsi, Allama Syed Mujahid Abbas Gardezi, Muhammad Amir Mehmood Naqashbandi and Rev. Fr. Dr. Jamshed Albert Gill O.P. (Director, Pastoral Institute, Multan) talked on this occasion highlighting the common values and traditions of various faiths with logics of how celebrating religious festivals together can promoted interfaith harmony and national solidarity. They appreciated the initiative of host organizations also for awards to be given for the services rendered by religious and civil society leaders for the promotion of interfaith harmony, peacebuilding and tolerance among the people of various faiths of Pakistan.

Lastly, Ms. Kiran Iqbal (CEO, ROLE Organization, Multan) thanked all for their participation and shared that our joint work can be strengthened only if we support each other by bridging the gaps and joining hands together for peace, harmony and solidarity.

Fifty Awards were given to pay tribute to the volunteer services of committed and dedicated CSO Leaders, Journalists and faith based leaders. The event ended with Cake cutting for Christmas and New Year 2019 along with dinner for all.  

South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Iran: 3000 signature campaign for child abuse prevention

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

Sent to CPNN by Javaher Sinaei

As the Iran Chapter of My Body Is My Body Program, Shahin Gavanji and Jahangir Gavanji organised a signature campaign to support Child Abuse Prevention in Iran: the 3000 signature campaign for child protection and child abuse prevention. 


The purpose of the campaign was to announce the support of the Iranian people for preventing child abuse by signing on the fabric.  In this plan, a fabric of 15 square meters was fabricated and put in all the main parks of each province.   

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Question related to this article:

Rights of the child, How can they be promoted and protected?

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More than 3,000 signatures were collected from all cities in Iran 
(31 cities Alborz, Ardabil, Bushehr, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, EastAzerbaijan,Isfahan,Fars,Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan,Ilam, Kerman,Kermanshah,Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad,Kurdistan,Lorestan, Markazi,Mazandaran,North Khorasan,Qazvin, Qom,RazaviKhorasan,Semnan,Sistan and Baluchestan,South Khorasan,Tehran,West Azerbaijan, Yazd, Zanjan).


The goals of this campaign:


1- The collective participation of citizens to learn about this positive social program leading to child abuse prevention.


2- Meetings and face to face conversations with different groups of people on a large scale to get familiar with My Body Is My Body Program


3- Belief in development of awareness, making conversation between Iranian people and learning teammate activities to protect children.

HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia

2019 Biennial of Luanda [Angola]: The initial budget has about 440 thousand euros

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An article from the Observador (translation by CPNN)

The Angolan Government presented this Friday the Biennale of Luanda 2019 – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace, with a budget of more than 500 thousand dollars for “initial costs” in the framework of an agreement with UNESCO.


The UNESCO representative for the meeting, Enzo Fazzino. Photo: AMPE ROGÉRIO / LUSA

Highlighting the contribution of African cultures to world peace through a wide variety of cultural expressions from the six African regions, including the fine arts, music, dance, theater and literature, is the objective of the Luanda Biennial, which will take place from September 18 to 22.

According to the national coordinator of the Luanda Biennial, Alexandra Apatricío, during five days the meeting will gather reflections, as well as hold cultural and sporting events.

Under an agreement signed between the Angolan Government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the national coordinator of the biennial said that Angola “already has an initial budget set aside from funds already identified that is 505 thousand dollars “(about 440 thousand euros).

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(Click here for the Portuguese version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

(Continued from left column)

“[The budget is] deposited for certain costs and we are currently collecting all the costs of all these actions and there are already large institutions in the country and other international institutions that have approached us willing to contribute to the actions of the Luanda Biennial” , he pointed out.

At the ceremony held this Friday at the Anibal de Melo Press Center (CIAM), in Luanda, the official said that during the biennial “the intention is to promote a culture of peace by taking into account the diversity of Africa.”

According to the Angolan authorities, 12 countries, namely two from North Africa, two from West Africa, two from East Africa, two from Central Africa, two from Southern Africa and two from the diaspora are expected to be participants.

“The idea of ​​this Biennial is to have a space where we can contribute to a culture of peace and violence prevention to create more actions, share, and exchange these moments that exist in other countries for sustainable development,” he said.

The UNESCO representative at the meeting, Enzo Fazzino, also pointed out the relevance of the Luanda Biennial 2019 – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace, which is an opportunity to find actors in conflict prevention in Africa.

“The idea is to create a Pan-African Movement for the Culture of Peace that values ​​ongoing actions and that creates opportunities for these projects to gain more support,” he said.

He added that it will be “an opportunity to show the cultural diversity of the African continent and create a sense of better integration between African cultures. The achievement of bringing together countries from across the African sub-regions can create greater integration.”

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION