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.

Pre-screening of the film “The Forgiven” starring Forest Whitaker at UNESCO

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from UNESCO

UNESCO hosted the pre-screening of the film “The Forgiven”, in the presence of Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, Forest Whitaker, Actor and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, and Roland Joffé, Film Director, and Jean Lemierre, President of BNP Paribas, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, on 15 December 2018. The event, organized in partnership with SAJE Distribution and BNP Paribas, supported by Air France, closed UNESCO’s yearlong celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


© UNESCO / Fabrice Gentile

Audrey Azoulay expressed her delight that UNESCO, house of education, the sciences and culture, was chosen to screen the film “The Forgiven” at such a special occasion. Recalling the role of cinema in fostering exchange, understanding and empathy, the Director-General praised Forest Whitaker for his tireless efforts as UNESCO Special Envoy to “repair broken connections, particularly among youth populations.” Jean Lemierre added that “it is essential that companies engage with young people, and help empower them to take charge of their destiny.”

(review continued in right column)

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

Question(s) related to this article:

What are some good films and videos that promote a culture of peace?

(review continued from left column)

“The Forgiven” is a film based on the play The Archbishop and the Antichrist by Michael Ashton that tells a story involving Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s search for answers during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and his meetings with the fictional character Piet Blomfeld. After the end of apartheid, Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Forest Whitaker) is running the Commission and visits Cape Town’s Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison to meet with Piet Blomfeld (Eric Bana), an ex-South African Defence Force officer and Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging member, to assess his candidacy for amnesty. Blomfeld is a potential witness to murders committed during the time of Apartheid, particularly the murder of the teenage daughter of Mrs Morobe, who begs the Archbishop to find answers about her missing daughter.

The film’s message of forgiveness and healing as prerequisites for just and compassionate societies especially resonates this year as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela.

“It is always inspiring to see people coming together to watch a movie about justice, ” said Forest Whitaker. “It is really an honor to be part of the UNESCO community – such a beautiful context for the film to be shown – a context of education, of bringing peace in the minds of people. I hope that the movie conveys the message of peace-building of which I learned so much in South Africa.”

The pre-screening was followed by a discussion with Roland Joffé and Forest Whitaker moderated by Nada Al-Nashif, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences. For Joffé this film aimed to bring to the fore the humanity that is inherent in and connects every individual. Whitaker noted how important it is that every person decides to take a stand in favour of human rights. “We have to look even at the smallest of situations and see how we can change them. You can do it … with your heart! Change will occur.”

“The Forgiven” was screened at the London International Film Festival in October 2017 and was released in the United States of America on 9 March 2018. The film will be released in France on 9 January 2019.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

France: Culture for Peace Award to The Artists in Exile Workshop

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

Excerpts from the website of L’Atelier des Artistes en Exil: (translation by CPNN)

The Artists in Exile Workshop (L’Atelier des Artistes en Exil) has won the Culture for Peace Award, given by the Chirac Foundation .


about the workshop

Europe is witnessing on its territory the greatest population movement of its seventy years. Among these people are artists forced to flee their country. Being a refugee is not a profession, but the role of art is to say and show what disturbs and to make heard the voice of the oppressed. It is through the voice of its artists that the cultures of countries at risk may continue to be perpetuated. Thus, it is important that refugee artists can continue to practice their art.

This is why the workshop of artists in exile proposes to identify artists in exile of all origins, all disciplines, to accompany them according to their situation and their needs, to offer them workspaces and put them in contact with professionals (French and European networks), in order to give them the means to practice their art and restructure themselves.

The artists’ workshop in exile is also developing its own multidisciplinary festival, Visions d’exil, in collaboratio with partner venues.

our mission

a dedicated place for the aa-e at 102 rue des Poissonniers 75018 Paris

(Article continued in right column)

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

Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?, What is, or should be, their role in our movement?

The refugee crisis, Who is responsible?

(Article continued from left column)

The artists’ workshop in exile offers:

* a welcome and advice area where artists are received individually and where their needs are identified;

* a convivial space where artists can come, have computers connected to the internet, meet in small numbers, organize appointments;

* spaces of artistic practice where artists can come to work

. . . punctually or in the form of residences, punctuated by demonstrations

. . . under the direction of professionals, art workshops before an amateur audience.

you are an artist in exile …

You were a professional artist in your country, you had an artistic activity in your country, you want to restart or develop your practice, the workshop can:

* take stock of your situation;

* provide meeting and work places;

* find equipped workspaces:

* arrange meetings with professionals;

* organize moments of visibility with the public;

* link with other artists to exchange or complete a project;

* help write a resume or an artistic file;

* relay your profile and projects on its website;

* assist the editing of your project;

* set up courses and trainings;

* inform about the French cultural system;

* facilitate administrative procedures;

* provide advice and indicate the right legal and social interlocutors;

* propose the conduct of workshops.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

The project of Arab cultural capitals and cities: 22 years later, diagnosis and perspectives

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article by Mohamed Salah Kadri from Leaders (translated by CPNN and abbreviated)

The Cultural Capitals project originated in Europe in November 1983 . . . , when Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), then Greek Minister of Culture, invited her European peers to “rethink the role of culture in a European construction first based on the economic integration of its members”. The Council of European Ministers responsible for culture responded to this call and Athens (1985), Florence (1986), Amsterdam (1987) and West Berlin (1988) were respectively dedicated to “European cities of culture”

Also, at the end of the treaty of the Union of the Ibero-American Cultural Capitals (UCCI) signed on October 12th, 1982, Bogota was declared in 1991, Cultural Capital and La LaPaz, was benefited of this title in 1999 and now, after almost twenty years, the title is again awarded. . . The cities Montevideo (1996) and Havana (1997) were chosen as part of the UCCI. . . .
This recognition of belonging to a common cultural area is also at the heart of the “East Asia City of Culture” program, which seeks to foster mutual understanding between Japan, South Korea and China. . . .

Cultural capitals and cities in the Arab region

The objectives documented in the feasibility paper of the Arab Cultural Capitals Project prepared by ALECSO and endorsed by the 1998 Conference of Ministers of Culture in Arab Countries, were summarized as follows:

– to reaffirm the importance of Arab cultural unity and present a clear image of the Arab-Muslim civilization,

– to promote the participation of local populations in cultural life,

– to include culture as a vector of economic and social development,

– to encourage cultural and creative industries in Arab countries,

– to strengthen cultural cooperation between Arab countries and with the rest of the world.

(Continued in right column)

(Click here for the original in French.)

Questions for this article:

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

(Continued from left column)

The program of Arab capital cities and cultural cities continued on a regular basis from 1996, with one capital per year. From 1996 to 2018, a number of 21 Arab capitals enjoyed the title: Cairo (1996), Tunis (1997), Sharjah (1998), Beirut (1999), Riyadh (2000), Kuwait (2001) , Amman (2002), Rabat (2003), Sanaa (2004), Khartoum (2005), Muscat (2006), Damascus (2008), Jerusalem (2009), Doha (2010), Sirte (2011), Manama (2012), Baghdad (2013), Tripoli (2014) , Constantine (2015), Sfax (2016), Luxor (2017) and Oujda (2018). For the next five years, these will be: Port Sudan (2019), Bethlehem (2020), Irbid (2021), Kuwait (2022) and Tripoli (Lebanon 2023).

The merits and the limits of the project: some observations

The record of the Arab Cultural Capitals to date proves that they have the potential to act as a catalyst for local development and cultural tourism. The event was a good opportunity for new infrastructure to be built and others refurbished. Historical and archaeological sites are highlighted and artistic activities have multiplied. However, the lack of a cell or structure, even ad-hoc, at the level of the ALECSO responsible for monitoring this program makes it difficult, today to establish an exhaustive report of the actions carried out. . .

There is a tendency, more and more, to be limited to an opening ceremony and a closing ceremony. . . .

While the Arab Cultural Capitals project was a milestone on the agenda of the Arab Decade for Cultural Development (2005-2014), it is eminently recommended now with the launch from Tunis on 22 June 2018, by ALECSO, of an Arab Decade of Cultural Law for the period 2018-2027, to rehabilitate the project of the Capitals of Arab Culture in the light of the objectives of the said Decade. The Capitals of Culture chosen for the next few years should take into account in their programs new developments, namely to protect cultural rights as human rights and to promote the culture of peace, tolerance and the improvement of culture. mutual understanding between Arab countries and the rest of the world. In addition, it also seems advisable to work towards mutual alliances, to form partnerships and to make twinnings between the Arab Cultural Capitals and their African, Islamic, European, Asian and Ibero-American counterparts. De facto, a work on the image of the winning city requires borrowing cultural policies likely to enroll the younger generations in the era of time and prepare them to live in a plural world. On the other hand, did the 29th Arab Summit held in Dhahran (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) on April 15, 2018, present an opportunity to rethink the status of culture in Arab countries, calling for the organization of an Arab summit exclusively dedicated to the cultural question “Better to keep one promise than to renew one hundred”.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Mideast

Global arms industry: US companies dominate the Top 100; Russian arms industry moves to second place

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A press release by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Sales of arms and military services by the world’s largest arms-producing and military services companies—the SIPRI Top 100—totalled $398.2 billion in 2017, according to new international arms industry data released today [December 10] by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).


The total for the SIPRI Top 100 in 2017 is 2.5 per cent higher than in 2016 and represents an increase of 44 per cent since 2002 (the first year for which comparable data is available; figures exclude China). This is the third consecutive year of growth in Top 100 arms sales.
 
US companies increase their share of total Top 100 arms sales 

With 42 companies listed in 2017, companies based in the United States continued to dominate the Top 100 in 2017. Taken together, the arms sales of US companies grew by 2.0 per cent in 2017, to $226.6 billion, which accounted for 57 per cent of total Top 100 arms sales. Five US companies were listed in the top 10 in 2017. ‘US companies directly benefit from the US Department of Defense’s ongoing demand for weapons,’ says Aude Fleurant, Director of SIPRI’s Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

Lockheed Martin remained the world’s largest arms producer in 2017, with arms sales of $44.9 billion. ‘The gap between Lockheed Martin and Boeing—the two largest arms producers in the world—increased from $11 billion in 2016 to $18 billion in 2017,’ says Fleurant.
 
Russia becomes the second largest arms producer in the Top 100

The combined arms sales of Russian companies accounted for 9.5 per cent of the Top 100 total, making Russia the second largest arms producer in the Top 100 in 2017—a position that had been occupied by the United Kingdom since 2002. Taken together, the arms sales of the 10 Russian companies listed in the Top 100 increased by 8.5 per cent in 2017, to $37.7 billion. ‘Russian companies have experienced significant growth in their arms sales since 2011,’ says Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with SIPRI’s Arms and Military Expenditure Programme. ‘This is in line with Russia’s increased spending on arms procurement to modernize its armed forces.’

In 2017 a Russian company appeared in the top 10 for the first time since SIPRI started publishing its annual Top 100 list. ‘Almaz-Antey, which was already Russia’s largest arms-producing company, increased its arms sales by 17 per cent in 2017, to $8.6 billion,’ says Alexandra Kuimova, Research Assistant with SIPRI’s Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

(Article continued on the right column)

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

Question for this article:

Does military spending lead to economic decline and collapse?

(Article continued from the left column)

In 2017 a Russian company appeared in the top 10 for the first time since SIPRI started publishing its annual Top 100 list. ‘Almaz-Antey, which was already Russia’s largest arms-producing company, increased its arms sales by 17 per cent in 2017, to $8.6 billion,’ says Alexandra Kuimova, Research Assistant with SIPRI’s Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

Along with Almaz-Antey, three other Russian companies in the Top 100 increased their arms sales by more than 15 per cent: United Engine Corporation (25 per cent), High Precision Systems (22 per cent) and Tactical Missiles Corporation (19 per cent).
 
The UK remains the largest arms producer in Western Europe
The combined arms sales of the 24 companies in Western Europe listed in the Top 100 increased by 3.8 per cent in 2017, to $94.9 billion, which accounted for 23.8 per cent of the Top 100 total. The UK remained the largest arms producer in the region in 2017, with total arms sales of $35.7 billion and seven companies listed in the Top 100. ‘The combined arms sales of British companies were 2.3 per cent higher than in 2016,’ says Fleurant. ‘This was largely due to increases in the arms sales of BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and GKN.’

BAE Systems, which is ranked fourth in the Top 100, is the UK’s biggest arms producer. Its arms sales rose by 3.3 per cent in 2017, to $22.9 billion.
 
Other notable developments

* The arms sales of Turkish companies rose by 24 per cent in 2017. ‘This significant increase reflects Turkey’s ambitions to develop its arms industry to fulfil its growing demand for weapons and become less dependent on foreign suppliers,’ says Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with SIPRI’s Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

* Taken together, the arms sales of the four Indian companies ranked in the Top 100 totalled $7.5 billion in 2017, representing a 1.9 per cent share of Top 100 arms sales.

* Sales of the top 15 manufacturing companies listed in the Fortune Global 500 totalled $2311 billion in 2017. This is almost 10 times greater than the total arms sales of the top 15 arms producers ($231.6 billion) in 2017, and almost six times greater than the total combined arms sales of the Top 100 ($398.2 billion).
 
The SIPRI Arms Industry Database

The SIPRI Arms Industry Database was created in 1989. At that time it excluded data for companies in countries in Eastern Europe, including the Soviet Union. However, the current version contains data from 2002, including data for companies in Russia. Chinese companies are not included in the database due to the lack of available data on which to make a reasonable or consistent estimate of arms sales dating back to 2002.

‘Arms sales’ are defined as sales of military goods and services to military customers domestically and abroad. Unless otherwise specified, all changes are expressed in real terms. All changes between 2016 and 2017 are based on the list of companies ranked in 2017 (i.e. the annual comparison is between the same set of companies).

The SIPRI Arms Industry Database, which presents a more detailed data set for the years 2002–17, is available on the SIPRI website.
 
This is the first of three major data launches in the lead-up to the publication of the 2019 edition of the SIPRI Yearbook. In the first half of 2019, SIPRI will release its international arms transfers data (details of all international transfers of major weapons in 2018) as well as its world military expenditure data (comprehensive information on global, regional and national trends in military spending). All data will feature in SIPRI Yearbook 2019, SIPRI’s flagship publication, which will be published in mid-2019.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

France: Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests): where Democracy is on the march!

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

Excerpts from two articles by Mauricio Alvarez in Pressenza

The movement of Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) is growing more and more. A few days before a fourth major day of demonstrations, scheduled for Saturday, December 8, 2018, actions are multiplying all over France: roadblocks, blockades of petrol stations, “toll-free” operations, and so on. Despite the government’s various attempts to criminalize this unprecedented citizen mobilization, the movement is still approved by more than 75% of the French population. High school students and trade unions are gradually joining the mobilization, and the possibility of a general strike or a possible revolution haunts everyone’s mind.


“Reduction of taxes and duties. We can’t take it anymore! The state is an idiot for the way it manages the French people’s money.” (Image by Mauricio Alvarez)

In this particular context, we would like to take a step back and try to understand the impact of this Yellow Vests movement on Democracy, real Democracy . . .

In most countries of the world, the most common form of government is oligarchy, where power is reserved for a small group of people who form a ruling class. In France, there is a clear academic path for future elites. This extends from the Henri IV and Louis Le Grand high schools to the École nationale d’administration and the Paris Institute of Political Studies.

The result of this closed-circuit journey is the profound disconnection between the “golden” lives of rulers and those of the citizens they are supposed to represent.

The influence of capitalism on Democracy

Since the advent of capitalism in the 18th century, governments around the world have been confronted with a strong influence of industrialists and capital owners in their political decisions. So much so that today, countries are governed like actual companies, where the social aspect is increasingly considered as a “deformation” that must be avoided at all costs. Growth, balanced budgets, debt, taxation, etc. are the reference points for designing policy strategies and programmes. Human beings and nature are therefore relegated to a lower level. They have become simple adjustable variables.

In the words of Étienne Chouard, “For 200 years, elections have allowed the rich to buy power, (and therefore to no longer pay taxes, to pursue a sustainable policy of unemployment, low wages and high profits) and they call it ‘representative government’”. . . .

Running Backwards

[In France], Emmanuel Macron was elected in 2017 to embody positive change, and this with a party that placed itself outside the partisan divisions of “right” or “left”. However, his policies have only made the economic and social situation worse. . . .

In terms of measures, these couldn’t be less popular:

– Decrease in housing benefit
– The abolition of subsidised contracts
– The speed-limit reduced to 80 km/h on secondary roads
– Reform of the French railway company, SNCF
– Transformation of the solidarity tax on wealth into a “real estate wealth tax”

These different measures have gradually eroded citizens’ confidence in the government, but the last straw is undoubtedly the government’s plan to raise fuel taxes once again from January 2019. This excessive measure is at the origin of an unprecedented movement in recent French history: the Yellow Vests.

THE 6 LESSONS TO ENRICH OUR DEMOCRACY

1. A democratic government should be horizontal, not hierarchical

The organization of the Yellow Vests is horizontal. From the beginning, the members of the movement, spread throughout the country, avoided establishing hierarchical relationships. They do not talk about leaders or representatives, and prefer to talk about spokespersons. Anyone who tried to call themselves “Yellow Vests representative”, seeking personal (sometimes political) benefits, was quickly called to order. For them, every citizen has a say. This organisation makes it possible to avoid the formation of elites, which could eventually fall into a process of bourgeoisisation.

This horizontality has been copiously criticised by many traditional structures (trade unions, media, government officials, etc.) who believe that no dialogue is possible without visible heads or representatives. There is a real unease in dealing with an anonymous mass (“the people”) who wish to have their rights respected.

Questions:
Would a true government of the people, by the people, for the people, need representivity? If the answer is yes, how should the possible representatives of the people be elected?

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for the French version of this article)

Questions for this article

What is the future of the Gilets Jaunes movement?

(Article continued from left column)

2. A democracy should operate in a decentralized manner and be structured around small decision-making centres

Since the beginning of the movement, the Yellow Vests have been present throughout France. Organized in small groups, they decide, as they go along, and in an autonomous way, on the operations to be set up locally: blocking roads, blocking of service stations, “toll-free” operations, etc. They also decide on the operations to be implemented locally.

This form of organization and governance has quickly made it possible to rebuild links, strengthen local solidarity and foster the political commitment of citizens throughout the country.

Questions:
What is the benchmark for democracy? The one that would allow citizens to feel that they are actors and responsible for the system?

3. In a democracy, there should be the possibility of revoking the mandate of an elected representative if their management is deemed unsatisfactory.

Macron Resignation

In the street and in the media, the Yellow Vests are constantly calling for the immediate resignation of the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron. Dissatisfied and directly affected by the measures taken since the beginning of his five-year period, they would like to have the possibility of revoking his mandate at any time.

Some consider that no power should remain in the same hands for long: neither parliamentary, nor governmental, nor judicial, nor media.

Questions :
Is it necessary in a democracy to have a President of the Republic? Or would the role of the Prime Minister be sufficient to enforce the laws and decisions made by parliament and local elected officials? What would the conditions be for revoking the mandate of an elected representative before their term expires?

4. The Executive should not be in charge of both the drafting, voting and enforcement of laws

Since the presidential and legislative elections, the President’s LREM party (French initials for “The Republic on the move!”) has always had an absolute or relative majority in the National Assembly. This means that legislative and executive roles are concentrated. We are therefore facing an “absolute” power.

The Yellow Vests’ frustration is due in part to the violence of the government’s actions in record time. Unpopular laws, drafted, passed and enforced without major constraints, because the opposition is under-represented.

Ideally, powers must be separated to be weakened. Power should work under the permanent control of citizens who are always the ultimate arbiter. The confusion of powers, like power without citizen control, legitimizes popular insurrection (*).

Question :
How could we guarantee the complete separation of powers in our democracy?

5. In a democracy, a simple language should be used, understandable by all.

The Yellow Vests, like most citizens, express themselves in a simple way. Their words are far removed from the technocratic discourses of the political elites.

In recent days, France has witnessed a dialogue of the deaf in the press. To cries of despair from people no longer able to make ends meet, politicians respond with technical terms such as balanced budgets or government debt.

Let us recall the importance of empathy, the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes in order to create constructive relationships and dialogues. Parties, not feeling listened to and understood, end up developing an atmosphere of mistrust and hatred, which often leads to violent demonstrations. This is indeed what is happening in France at the moment. The government responds to citizens’ requests with high security measures. For their part, citizens who have no other means of making their voices heard resort to violence.

Question :
How can we avoid using violence to make our voices heard?

6. Information must remain free and independent

The Yellow Vests movement was created and developed through the Internet. To make their voices heard, organize and gather, citizens have used computer tools to keep their hands on information.

Faced with an unprecedented mobilization, the traditional media very quickly took up this subject, becoming a key relay to inform the entire population.

The Yellow Vests, non-mobilized citizens, economic and political forces had the opportunity to express themselves freely on radio, television, print media and the Internet.

In a global trend towards media privatization in which control of information is exercised by economic forces, the democratic state must ensure the existence of information sources that are both independent of political power and independent of economic forces. This necessary principle of independence applies not only to newspapers, radio and television, but also to polling and statistical institutions, as well as to any existing or future instrument for the mass dissemination of information (*).

Question :
How could the State guarantee free information media, politically and economically?

Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Women for Yemen Network: Joint Statement in Advance of the Yemeni Peace Talks in Sweden

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the Nobel Women’s Initiative

After four years of devastating war, the people of Yemen demand peace. It is women who are the most-affected by the war and their voices need to be heard in the peace negotiations. We, as the Women for Yemen Network, call for women to be represented in peace talks, starting with the upcoming meeting in Sweden this December. We call on the international community to put pressure on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to ensure that women are present at the peace talks. When women’s voices are included, a more lasting peace is secured.

.

Many issues, essential to building a lasting peace, are being neglected in the current peace negotiations. When women are present at the peace table, they ensure that the lived experiences of women and their communities are reflected in the final peace agreement.

No true peace will happen without addressing the following issues:

Women’s role in the peace process:

Ensure that women are present in the peace process. United Nations Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security calls for an increase in the participation of women in all decision-making, including in peace processes. In establishing peace in Yemen, as per the National Dialogue Conference of Yemen, women should comprise least with 30 percent of negotiators at the peace table.

(Article continued in the right column)

Question for this article

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

(Article continued from the left column)

Support, financially and politically, for women-led initiatives and organizations working on peace for Yemen at the grassroots level and in the diaspora.

Restoring normalcy in Yemen:


* Institute an immediate ceasefire.
* End the Saudi and UAE-led land, air and maritime blockade on Yemen.
* Ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the conflict-affected areas and that international aid focuses on income generation for families and communities.
* Release all illegally-detained persons and abductees held by all parties to the conflict.
* End the three-year, Houthi-imposed siege of Taiz.
 
Landmines:


Start the demining process and ensure that there is a clear map of where the landmines are located.

Child soldiers:


Release, immediately, all children enlisted in military operations and ensure that their physical and psychological needs are met.
 
Transitional Justice:


Ensure that the principle of transitional justice is adhered to and that compensation is provided for as a prerequisite to sustainable peace.

We are a network of women’s human rights defenders and journalists working for a women’s–centred approach to building a sustainable peace in Yemen.

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

Mideast, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

‘Morally Unacceptable’: Final Deal Out of COP24 Sorely Lacking in Urgency and Action, Climate Campaigners Say

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Julia Conley for Common Dreams (reprinted according to a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License)

“The weak outcome of this COP runs contrary to stark warnings of the IPCC report and growing demand for action from citizens.”

Climate action groups slammed the outcome  of the 24th annual Conference of the Parties (COP24) in Katowice, Poland on Saturday, calling the agreement reached by about 200 diplomats and negotiators “barely adequate” as a plan to ensure that countries will follow through with their emissions reduction pledges.


(Photo: @CANEurope/Twitter)
”

Concluding two weeks of talks on how countries can implement the Paris climate agreement to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), the diplomats reached a deal standardizing how countries measure their carbon emissions and ostensibly ensuring that world leaders will be more aggressive in reaching their emissions targets in time for the next global summit next September.

The final agreement left out directives on specific reductions in emissions by 2030. While it calls on wealthier countries to clarify how they will provide aid to less well-off nations, many of which are on the front lines of the climate crisis, more in-depth talks about developing countries needs were put off until next year.

Advocates for bold, concrete reforms and directives—outlined in the People’s Demands  for Climate Justice—said the required sense of urgency for avoiding the climate catastrophe that the world’s top scientists warn could take hold by 2030, was missing from the deal.

“The weak outcome of this COP runs contrary to stark warnings of the IPCC report and growing demand for action from citizens,” said Wendel Trio, director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe. “Governments have again delayed adequate action to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown. The EU needs to push ahead and lead by example, by providing more support to poor countries and increasing its climate pledge before the UN Secretary General Summit in September 2019. It must be a significant increase, even beyond the 55 percent reduction some Member States and the European Parliament are calling for.”

(article continued in right column)

Question for this article:

 

Sustainable Development Summits of States, What are the results?

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

(Article continued from the left column)

The inadequate agreement, said the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), was the result not of a lack of understanding at COP24, but a lack of political will.

“There was clear recognition in Katowice that the world needs to get on a low-carbon pathway as soon as possible to meet the steep, near-term emission cuts the IPCC report indicated are needed by 2030,” said Rachel Cleetus, an economist at UCS. “Once again, developed countries failed to provide assurances that they would make sufficient, predictable funding available for least developed nations to help them cope with climate impacts, including the loss and damage they already face, as well as ramp up low-carbon technologies.

“People expected action and that is what governments did not deliver. This is morally unacceptable.” —Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace International“The barely adequate outcome in Katowice means there’s much work ahead to ensure countries live up to their responsibilities to put more ambitious action on the table by 2020,” she added.

“Without immediate action, even the strongest rules will not get us anywhere,” said Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International. “People expected action and that is what governments did not deliver. This is morally unacceptable and they must now carry with them the outrage of people and come to the UN Secretary General’s summit in 2019 with higher climate action targets.”

The summit was deeply flawed from the start, with climate action groups and young demonstrators slamming the United Nations for holding the annual climate talks in the center of Poland’s coal country and President Donald Trump for sending pro-fossil fuel representatives  to speak for the U.S., the world’s second-largest emitter of carbon.

The global justice group Corporate Accountability blamed the looming presence of the coal industry at the global summit, and world leaders’ refusal to fully extricate themselves from the interests of fossil fuel industries, for the inadequate outcome of COP24—but noted that around the world, young climate activists like Greta Thunberg  and the Sunrise Movement  are not backing down in their campaigns to hold governments accountable for avoiding a climate catastrophe.

“The lack of action at the hands of industry forces, and the governments doing their bidding, is further igniting a movement of people and governments who are demanding that Big Polluters be barred from the UNFCCC once and for all,” said Patti Lynn, the group’s executive director. “The movement to kick the fossil fuel industry out has never been stronger.”

“In Poland, there’s a clear rift between political elites who are guilty of a lack of ambition and are supporting the continued use of coal while people are calling for strong climate action,” said Greenpeace Poland campaigner Pawel Szypulski. “Two out of three Poles support a coal phase-out by 2030. The science is clear, we’ve got 12 years left and the technical means to avoid catastrophe. Now politicians need to listen and act.”

Europe, global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,

Amnesty International: Oppressive, sexist policies galvanize bold fight for women’s rights in 2018

… . HUMAN RIGHTS … .

An article from Amnesty International

Women activists around the world have been at the forefront of the battle for human rights in 2018, Amnesty International said today [December 7] as it launched its review on the state of human rights over the past year.


Photo copyright REUTERS/Vincent West

The human rights group also warns that the actions of “tough guy” world leaders pushing misogynistic, xenophobic and homophobic policies has placed freedoms and rights that were won long ago in fresh jeopardy.

“In 2018, we witnessed many of these self-proclaimed ‘tough guy’ leaders trying to undermine the very principle of equality – the bedrock of human rights law. They think their policies make them tough, but they amount to little more than bully tactics trying to demonize and persecute already marginalized and vulnerable communities,” said Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

“But it is women activists who have offered the most powerful vision this year of how to fight back against these repressive leaders.”

The findings are published in “Rights Today”, a major review analysing the human rights situation in seven regions around the world: Africa, Americas, East Asia, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia and South East Asia. The launch marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – the first global bill of rights, which was adopted in 1948 by the world’s governments.

2018: Women rise up

The burgeoning power of women’s voices should not be underestimated, notes the review. While women’s rights movements are well established, female activists have dominated the biggest human rights headlines from the past year.  And women-led groups like Latin America’s Ni una menos have galvanised mass movements on women’s rights issues on a scale not seen before.

In India and South Africa, thousands took to the streets to protest endemic sexual violence. In Saudi Arabia and Iran respectively, women activists risked arrest to resist the driving ban and forced hijab(veiling). In Argentina, Ireland and Poland, demonstrators rallied in vast numbers to demand an end to oppressive abortion laws. In the USA, Europe and parts of Asia, millions joined the second #MeToo-led women’s march to demand an end to misogyny and abuse.

(Article continued in right column)

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

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the state of human rights in the world today?

Abortion: is it a human right?

(Article continued from left column)

However, the report notes that we cannot celebrate the “the stratospheric resurgence of women’s activism” without addressing the driving force behind why so many women have mobilised to demand change.

“Women’s rights have consistently been placed a rung below other rights and freedoms by governments who believe they can pay lip service to these issues while doing little in reality to protect the rights of half the population” said Kumi Naidoo.

Rights Today points to a growing body of policies and laws designed to subjugate and control women, especially around sexual and reproductive health. These include a push from Polish and Guatemalan law-makers to advocate for stricter abortion laws, while in the USA, funding cuts to family planning clinics have put the health of millions of women at risk.

Women activists have risked their lives and freedoms to bring to light human rights injustices. They include Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian child activist who was unjustly imprisoned for daring to stand up for her people; Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan and Aziza al-Yousef, three activists who are now detained in Saudi Arabia for campaigning on women’s rights; and Marielle Franco, who was brutally murdered in Brazil earlier this year because she fearlessly fought for human rights.

2019: A landmark year to turn the tide on women’s rights

Kumi Naidoo noted that the anniversary of the international bill of rights for women in 2019 – the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) – will be an important milestone that the world cannot afford to overlook.

The bill, which will turn 40 next year, is widely adopted. Yet many governments have only adopted it under the condition that they can reject major provisions that are designed to secure women’s freedoms, such as pursuing a national policy to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in law and practice and committing to eliminating discrimination against women in marriage and family relations.

Amnesty International is urging governments to take action to ensure that women’s rights are upheld – this includes not only commitments to international standards, but changes to harmful national laws and proactive measures to empower women and protect their rights.

“The fact that so many countries have only partially accepted the international bill of women’s rights is evidence that many governments think protecting women’s rights is just a PR exercise to make them look good, rather than a priority they need to address urgently,” said Kumi Naidoo.

“All around the world, women on average earn far less than their male peers, have far less job security, are denied access to political representation by those in power, and face endemic sexual violence that governments continue to ignore. We have to ask ourselves why this is. If we lived in a world where in fact it was men facing this kind of persecution, would this injustice be allowed to continue?

“I want to acknowledge that Amnesty International can and should do more on women’s rights. As we enter 2019, I believe now, more than ever, we must stand firm with women’s movements, amplify women’s voices in all their diversity and fight for the recognition of all our rights.”

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

global, HUMAN RIGHTS

Colombia: First appearance of President Duque before the National Peace Council

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from La Republica (translation by CPNN)

In his first appearance before the National Peace Council, the government’s advisory body for coexistence, the President of the Republic, Iván Duque Márquez, assured that his administration is committed to peace, but made it clear that in order to achieve it, we must have justice and fairness.

Duque spoke after a series of spokespersons from social sectors, community leaders, businessmen and students, whom he listened to and responded to with criticisms and requests. In particular the students again complained about the lack of resources for public education,

(Continued in right column)

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

Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(Continued from left column)

The President recalled that he started with an IPC + 3 and then increased to 4 and clarified that “we have had productive conversations with the students and we have reached the maximum possible and achievable offer, because what we can not continue to do is to exacerbate social tensions by making promises that are not then fulfilled..

The President said that “peace cannot be maintained if there is no legality and if there is no security in the territories,” and he explained that although the Constitution states that peace is a right and a duty of obligatory fulfillment, it also orders the State “to exercise the role of protector of life, property and honor of Colombians at all times and places in the territory.”

By insisting on the subject of security, he indicated that “it is not an embodiment of authoritarianism, much less the limitation of citizen rights. Security as a democratic value, principle and public good is precisely so that the absence of violence exists in the territories, that no citizen feels stigmatized or persecuted for what he thinks, what he believes or how he thinks, “he explained.

The National Peace Council is composed of three committees that deliberate on issues of education, culture of peace, implementation of agreements and territorial peace, as well as oversight and guarantees that the civil war will not be repeated.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Niamey, Niger: The 2nd ECOWAS forum on education for the culture of peace

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Souleymane Yahaya forr Le Sahel (Translation by CPNN)

The work of the 2nd ECOWAS forum on peace education through intra- and inter-religious dialogue began yesterday morning [November 14] in Niamey. For two days, the participants will seek mechanisms for dialogue between the religious communities of ECOWAS in order to cultivate the spirit of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

This 2nd edition of the forum co-organized by the Republic of Niger and ECOWAS is sponsored by the Archbishop of Niamey, Monsignor Djalwana Laurent Lompo, Emir of Kano, His Highness Lamido Sanusi II and Mogho Naba Baongho, King of Mossis . It is the Prime Minister, Head of Government Mr. Brigi Rafini who presided over the official opening of the works.

In his welcome, the Governor of Niamey, Mr. Hassane Issaka Karanta thanked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the confidence placed once again in Niger, and in the city of Niamey in particular, to host the work of the forum. He affirmed that, thanks to the daily work of the regional committee of intra and inter religious dialogue and the efforts of the regional religious and administrative authorities, the different religious communities of Niamey live in perfect symbiosis. The Governor of Niamey added that our African states must “focus their efforts on this important segment of our population that is youth. Niger, like other ECOWAS countries, has a young population that is increasingly exposed to extremism of all kinds.

(continued in right column)

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

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

(continued from left column)

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture of ECOWAS has shown, in figures, the worrying development of violent extremism in four countries of the sub-region. For Mr. Leopoldo Amado, the presence of the Emir of Kano, as well as that of the Archbishop of Niamey and the Representative of Mogho Naba, at this work, shows the will of the peoples of the Community to live together for peace, tolerance and development of the entire region. Indeed, the contribution of religious leaders and actors to peace is decisive for West Africa, which is facing the rise of religious radicalism and intolerance which are, alas, threats to this region and its region. stability. “ECOWAS is committed to producing solutions to the issues of terrorism and conflict in the region through a number of legal and practical commitments,” said the Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture. ECOWAS, Mr. Leopoldo Amado.

In their interventions, the Archbishop of Niamey, Monsignor Djalwana Laurent Lompo, the Amir of Kano, His Highness Lamido Sanusi II and the Mogho Naba of Burkina Faso, Chief Baongho, King of the Mossis, have all underlined the importance of youth in intra and inter religious dialogue in our states. These sponsors of the 2nd ECOWAS forum on peace education through intra- and inter-religious dialogue, have strongly reaffirmed their common desire, on behalf of their respective communities, to work more for the promotion of living together. They finally called on young people to refrain from any kind of obscurantism, religious or other.

The organization of this forum materializes the commitment of ECOWAS which is part of preventive actions against radicalism and conflicts through a dynamic of search for peace and fight against the sources of terrorism. The end of the official ceremony was sanctioned by a photo of Prime Minister Brigi Rafini with young people from all ECOWAS countries attending the forum.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY