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.

Women take to the streets as the world marks International Women’s Day

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from PBS (Pubic Broadcasting Service)

Women across Europe and Asia shouted their demands for equality, respect and empowerment Thursday to mark International Women’s Day, with protesters in Spain launching a 24-hour strike and crowds of demonstrators filling the streets of Manila, Seoul and New Delhi.


A protester holds a banner reading “Fight Like A Girl” during a demonstration for women’s rights on International Women’s Day in Bilbao, Spain. Photo by Vincent West/Reuters
.

Spanish women were staging dozens of protests across the country against the wage gap and gender violence. In Madrid, a massive demonstration was planned for the evening. In Barcelona, protesters who disrupted traffic into the city center were pushed back by riot police.

In some countries, protests were more muted, however.
International Women’s Day is a public holiday in Russia, but opposition presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak was one of the few demonstrators in Moscow.

In a protest reminiscent of the #MeToo movement, which aims to hold those involved in sexual misconduct, and those who cover it up, accountable, Sobchak staged a solo picket outside the lower house of the Russian parliament to demand the resignation of a prominent lawmaker whom several female journalists accuse of sexual harassment.


Participants shout slogans during a rally for gender equality and against violence towards women on the International Women’s Day in Kiev, Ukraine. Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

On a lighter note, a leading French newspaper found a witty way of making its point about discrimination and the gender pay gap — by upping its price for men. The left-leaning daily Liberation said that for one day only, men would pay 50 euro cents more than women, in a reflection of the 25 percent less that women in France are paid, on average.

Across Asia, women came out to mark the day. In China, students at Tsinghua University used the day to make light of a proposed constitutional amendment to scrap term limits for the country’s president. One banner joked that a boyfriend’s term should also have no limits, while another said, “A country cannot exist without a constitution, as we cannot exist without you!”

But photos of the students’ banners, like other content about the proposed amendment, were quickly censored on social media.


A woman takes pictures of men standing behind booths during an International Women’s Day event inside a shopping mall, where customers can rent a “boyfriend” for 30 minutes with one yuan ($0.16), in Binzhou, Shandong province, China. Photo by Reuters


Women gather during a rally on the International Womens Day in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Photo by Sertac Kayar/Reuters

Hundreds of activists in pink and purple shirts protested in downtown Manila against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, calling him among the worst violators of women’s rights in Asia. Protest leaders sang and danced in a boisterous rally in Plaza Miranda, handing red and white roses to mothers, sisters and widows of drug suspects slain under Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs.

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Question for this article

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

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Human rights groups have condemned Duterte’s sexist remarks, including one in which he asked troops to shoot female communist rebels in the genitals. Protest leader Jean Enriquez also railed against Duterte’s anti-women remarks, saying: “We’re so alarmed. We have seen his direct attacks on women under his iron-hand rule and it’s now time to heighten our resistance.”

In Afghanistan, hundreds of women, who would have been afraid to leave their homes during Taliban rule, gathered in the capital to commemorate the day— and to remind their leaders that plenty of work remains to be done to give Afghan woman a voice, ensure their education and protect them from increasing violence.

Hundreds of South Koreans, many wearing black and holding black #MeToo signs, rallied in central Seoul. South Korea’s #MeToo movement has gained significant traction since January, when a female prosecutor began speaking openly about workplace mistreatment and sexual misconduct. The list of women who speak out is growing day by day.

Several high-profile South Korean men have resigned from positions of power, including a governor who was a leading presidential contender before he was accused of repeatedly raping his female secretary.

Women attend a protest as a part of the #MeToo movement on International Women’s Day in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters


Demonstrators hold banners during a protest demanding equal rights for women on the occasion of International Women’s Day, in Ahmedabad, India. Photo by Amit Dave/Reuters

In India, hundreds of women, including students, teachers and sex workers, marched through the capital to bring attention to domestic violence, sexual attacks and discrimination in jobs and wages.

“Unite against violence against women,” one placard urged. “Man enough to say no to domestic abuse,” said another. “My body, My choice.”

India had its first female leader in 1966 when Indira Gandhi became prime minister, but Indian women are still often relegated to second-class citizenship.

In Africa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged men to stop physically abusing their wives. Domestic violence is common in Uganda, although victims rarely report perpetrators to the police for fear of being stigmatized or thrown out of their homes.
“If you want to fight, why don’t you look for a fellow man and fight?” Museveni said, calling domestic abusers cowards.

Back in Europe, the European Commission said in a statement published on Twitter that the continent “is one of the safest and most equal places for women in the world.” On the other hand, it noted that “the path to full equality in practice is still a long one.”
“The issue of gender equality is high on the agenda,” Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s first vice-president, said, “but progress is still slow on the ground.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, considered by many to be one of the world’s most powerful women, echoed those sentiments, saying in a video message the struggle for greater equality in Germany and worldwide must continue. She said “many women before us have made sacrifices and fought persistently so that women would have more rights … but there’s still a lot to do.”

As if to prove that point, Belgian women’s groups spoke out angrily as the world of sport provided an immediate and visible target for their struggle.

The Belgian football federation, saying it did not want to be taken “hostage” by women’s groups, refused Thursday to back down from its decision to choose a rapper known for lacing his songs with misogynistic lyrics to produce its official World Cup song.
The Women’s Forum, a coalition of Belgian women’s groups, said it was unacceptable that an artist using degrading lyrics could be picked to produce what should be a unifying song.

Tim Sullivan in Delhi, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, and AP correspondents around the world contributed to this report.

global, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

‘Back to Learning’ education campaign to benefit half a million children in South Sudan

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Africa News

The fourth phase of the ‘Back to Learning’ initiative launched Tuesday by the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, at Freedom Square in Kapoeta in the presence of more than 2,000 children and their parents, representatives of UNICEF, the Education Donor Group, Save the Children, Girls Education South Sudan, and members of the National Education Forum and Civil Society.


Photo from Children of South Sudan

The Back to Learning 2018 initiative will target the most under-represented communities throughout South Sudan, providing learning opportunities for children currently not attending school, either due to conflict, cultural barriers or obstacles such as distance or family finances. Building on the success of the first two years of the initiative, which provided more than 680,000 children with access to education, the next phase of Back to Learning will put an emphasis on children in conflict affected states, girls and other vulnerable children.

This year’s theme ‘Inclusive and Equitable Access to Quality Education for Peace and Sustainable Development’ aims to highlight the crucial role of education in fostering peace. Education has the potential to build the capacities of children, parents, teachers and community members to prevent, reduce and cope with conflict and to promote equality and peace. Education can also help address the inequalities that generate conflict. Inequalities can fuel conflict, just as conflict can worsen inequalities.

“Education transforms lives, creates the preconditions for peace and promotes sustainable development,” said Mr. Deng Deng Hoc Yai, Minister of General Education and Instruction. “The Government is committed to providing equitable access to quality education to all children for achieving the national goal of peace and sustainable development. I want to urge all parents and guardians to take all their children to school. I, once again, direct all public schools to admit all children free of charge in accordance with the law.”

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Question related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

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National and state-level Back to Learning committees are already in place coordinating activities for this school year, including social mobilization activities across the country to kick start the yearlong campaign. We encourage as many citizens as possible to get involved in this initiative.

“Ensuring children are able to access quality education not only provides them with a brighter future, it also benefits their community and South Sudan as a whole,” said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF’s Representative in South Sudan. “There is no greater investment for a country to make.”

UNICEF continues to work with partners to set up temporary learning spaces and provide supplies and psychosocial support to protect children from the worst consequences of the conflict whilst continuing with their education.
In 2018, the Back to Learning initiative aims to:

• Provide 500,000 children and adolescents with access to age-appropriate learning opportunities; which will include 300,000 children retained from 2017 and 200,000 children currently out of school.

• Establish 405 learning spaces providing a safe and protective learning environment;

• Train 4,000 teachers, including 1,750 Early Childhood Development caregivers on pedagogy and teaching methods, psychosocial support and conflict-sensitive education;

• Train 1,200 Parent Teacher Association and School Management Committee members on social mobilization, conflict sensitive education, basic school management and school development.

To provide access to learning opportunities for the more than half a million vulnerable children and adolescents aged 3 to 18, UNICEF and partners require US$47.5 million.

The funds will be used to provide learning facilities and education materials to newly enrolled children in schools; to continue education services to children in conflict-affected areas; and to enrol new students out of school for other reasons.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

(Thank you to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for calling this article to our attention.)

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, United Nations,

UNESCO supports the government of Mali to build a culture of sustainable peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from UNESCO (translation by CPNN)

The donors’ round table on the National Program for the Culture of Peace in Mali was held on February 15, 2018 in Bamako. It was organized by the Ministry of National Reconciliation and Social Cohesion (MRNCS), in collaboration with UNESCO, under the chairmanship of Mr. Attaher AG Iknane, Secretary General of the MRNCS, and Mr. Hervé Huot-Marchand, UNESCO Representative in Mali.

This round table was a moment of dialogue and advocacy around the National Program for the Culture of Peace in Mali (PNCP), which is now a reference framework for the interventions of the Ministry. The presence of technical and financial partners (European Union, USAID, AfDB, UNDP, UNFEMMES), regional institutions (ECOWAS), international NGOs (Plan International), national financial institutions (BOA, BSIC, BIM , etc.) and civil society organizations, has made it possible to present the PNCP in its broad contribution to sustainably establishing a culture of peace in Mali and reconnecting with Malian socio-cultural values.

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(Click here for the original in French)

 

Question related to this article.

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

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Hervé Huot-Marchand congratulated the government of Mali for its efforts in promoting the culture of peace and in developing the PNCP. He then recalled that this program is consistent with the genesis of UNESCO’s Constitution which states: “Since war begins in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that we must erect the barriers of defense of peace. He continued his speech highlighting the impact of the program in achieving the objectives defined in the Strategic Framework for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development (CREDD) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). In addition, the Representative welcomed the alignment of the program to the 2030 Agenda with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially the 16 th which recommends: “peace assurance, stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law as important vectors for sustainable development “.

Mr. Huot-Marchand called on all partners to support the implementation of the activities of the action plan and informed the Ministry of the mobilization of 2,626,790 USD or more than 1,300,000,000 FCFA for the culture of peace, this by UNESCO, IOM and UNICEF through the Peace Building Fund (PBF). The project will be implemented for 18 months from March 2018.

On behalf of the Minister, Mr. Attaher Iknane, Secretary General of the MRNCS, welcomed everyone, while expressing thanks to participants, including UNESCO, for their technical and financial support in the implementation of this program. He also recalled the objectives of the PNCP as well as the participatory approach that underpinned its development and that will contribute to establishing peace and offering tools to prevent violent extremism. He ended his speech with words of thanks and renewed Mali’s recognition of donors: “Investing in the culture of peace is never too much”.

After the presentation of the project, the floor was given to the participants for reactions. These focused on questions of clarification on (the overall budget and the duration of the program), suggestions around an action plan of activities that could facilitate TFPs to better direct their investments according to the areas mentioned.

At the end of this round table, the Ministry commits itself to continue the steps for a concretization of the activities retained in the PNCP over the period 2017-2020.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, United Nations,

Nobel Women Peace Laureates Call for an End to Rohingya Genocide

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

A press release from the Nobel Women’s Initiative

As three Nobel peace laureates—Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, Shirin Ebadi of Iran, and Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland – conclude their visit to Bangladesh on the six-month anniversary of the current Rohingya crisis, the three women are calling for an immediate end to the “genocide” of the Rohingya people.


Mairead Maguire meets with Rohingya survivors of gender based violence in Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp February 25, 2018 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Photo by Allison Joyce

This week, the three women Laureates ­––in partnership with Bangladesh women’s organization Naripokkho­­––spent time listening to stories, meeting over 100 women refugees in the Cox’s Bazar area, and travelling to “no man’s land”, where thousands of Rohingya have been stranded between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

After hearing testimonies describing how security forces burned villages, tortured, killed and systematically raped women and girls—as well as reports from humanitarian organizations and UN officials—the Laureates concluded that the on-going attacks on the Rohingya of Rakhine State amount to crimes against humanity and genocide.

The Laureates are calling on Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar military to put an end to the killings and the persecution of the Rohingya people.

“She must stop turning a deaf ear to the persecution of the Rohingya or risk being complicit in the crimes,” said Tawakkol Karman. “Wake up or face prosecution.”

As women committed to peace, the Laureates are urging Aung San Suu Kyi to exercise her personal and moral responsibility stop the genocide. “If she fails to do so, her choice is clear: resign or be held accountable, along with the army commanders, for the crimes committed” added Karman.

The Laureates heard how Rohingya women have been twice victimized: for being Rohingyas and for being women. They described stories of horrific violence and systematic mass rape.

“My 18-year old daughter had her breasts cut off and she died,” a Rohingya woman in the Thyankhali camp told the Nobel peace laureates.

“My baby was only 1-year and 6-months old. The military tore her from my arms and slaughtered her in front of me,” said a Rohingya survivor of rape. She then passed around a photo she had of her child. She wanted everyone to see her little girl.

The laureates heard stories of children being thrown into fires and drowned in rivers. They heard stories of houses and complete villages being burned to the ground and children being shot while running to the forest to seek shelter and safety.

“The torture, rape and killing of any one member of our human family must be challenged, as in the case of the Rohingya genocide,” said Mairead Maguire. “Silence is complicity.”

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Questions for this article

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

(article continued from left column)

The Nobel peace laureates were impressed by the strength and resilience of the women who had survived such horrific crimes. One woman at the Thyankhali camp told them, “Why should we feel shame? We were tortured. We don’t need to feel shame about that.”

Another woman at Camp Kutupalong said, “We are not afraid of anything. We want our stories to be told.”

The Laureates are calling for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to be brought to justice before the International Criminal Court.

“With over a million Rohingya displaced, countless dead or missing, and rape and sexual violence being used as a weapon of war, it is well past the time for the international community to act,” said Shirin Ebadi.

The Laureates met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, government officials, human rights organizations and humanitarian agencies. They extended their thanks to Prime Minister Hasina and to both the Government and the people of Bangladesh for their exemplary acts of compassion for the Rohingya refugees.

The Laureates also expressed deep appreciation to the Bangladeshi government and to the various humanitarian agencies that have met the extraordinary challenge of setting up the Refugee and Relocation Camps for over one million Rohingya refugees.

As a result of their visit to Bangladesh, the Nobel Laureates are calling for:

* An immediate end to the genocide against the Rohingya in Rakhine, and an order to the Myanmar military to immediately stop all acts of sexual violence.

* Justice for Rohingya victims: perpetrators of crimes must be brought to justice through the International Criminal Court (ICC).

* Bangladesh, as the only country in South Asia to have ratified the Rome Statute, should, along with other states parties, the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council, refer the case to the ICC.

* Alternatively, the ICC Prosecutor should open an independent investigation into crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated in Rakhine State.

* A voluntary, safe and dignified return. There should be no forced repatriation. When Rohingya do return to Rakhine State, they should be offered security and be granted full citizenship.

* The government of Myanmar to take immediate action to address the systematic discrimination of the Rohingya in Rakhine State, and ensure the Rohyinga’s right to nationality, land ownership, freedom of movement and other fundamental rights.

* A comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar to ensure that there are no sales of weapons or other military equipment.

* The international community to increase its support to Bangladesh’s humanitarian response.

* Bangladesh to ratify the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention, as a major step to give protection to refugees and set an example in South Asia.

For more information, please contact:
Ketty Nivyabandi, Media Associate: knivyabandi@nobelwomensinitiative.org + 1 613 691 1419
Katia Gianneschi, Media Outreach: Katia.Gianneschi@gmail.com +1 613 614 9740

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

South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

English bulletin March 1, 2018

SOLIDARITY INSTEAD OF MILITARY THREAT .

The theme this month is solidarity instead of military threat.

We begin with the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Speaking at the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, in the Republic of Korea, he said, “Let the Olympic flame shine as a beacon to human solidarity.  Let the Olympic Truce help spread a culture of peace.”

And speaking to the meeting on combating the transnational threat of terrorism in Africa held by Peace and Security Council of the African Union, he concluded that “we face a serious challenge — but I believe it is one that we can meet with solidarity, common action and a shared resolve.”

In Korea the Olympic Games have inspired the first peaceful contact between North and South in many years. This flies in the face of the threat of military action by the United States.

As athletes from North and South Korea marched together, the head of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, Lee Hee-beom, addressed the closing ceremony, saying “the presence of both Koreas at these Olympic Games has laid a solid foundation for the future of the two Koreas. The seed of peace you have planted here in PyeongChang will grow as a big tree in the not-distant future. The hope and aspirations of South and North Korean athletes together with cheerleaders will definitely serve as a cornerstone of the unification of the Korean Peninsula.”

In Africa, the call by Guterres for solidarity echoes the actions for a culture of peace by UNESCO, designed to “draw on the sources of inspiration and the potential of the cultural, natural and human resources of the continent in order to identify concrete lines of action to build a lasting peace, the cornerstone of endogenous development and Pan-Africanism.” These can be seen as an alternative not only to the threat of terrorism, but also to the threat posed by American military expansion on that continent.

In Latin America, there are two good examples of solidarity this month. Writing from Mexico, Leonardo Boff, the Brazilian theologian and writer, recalls the remarkable spirit of solidarity and cooperation of the Mexican people in response to the earthquake last year. And writing from the organization Tikkun in the United States, David Sylvester, recalls how the presence of a delegation of some 50 interfaith and peace activists prevented violence against the peaceful protests of the people of Honduras.

In Europe, activists of Amnesty International and Anafé (the National Border Assistance Association for Foreigners) continue to give aid to refugees at the border despite prosecution by the French authorities.

In the Middle East, despite pressure by the government of Israel, the International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement that seeks to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and human rights violations, continues its activity and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In the United States, the movement of solidarity and resistance to protect immigrants from the threat of deportation by the government of Donald Trump, continues to gain support, as exemplified by the”state of the city” address by New Haven mayor Toni Harp.

Finally, on a global scale, we publish the latest news from the Youth Solidarity Fund of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which we have followed since its beginnings over a decade ago. And a former director of the Alliance, Shamil Idriss gives us his vision for the actions of Search for Common Ground in 2018, based on their actions of solidarity during 2017.

      

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY



The People of Mexico Give the World an Example of Solidarity

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION


UNESCO brochure: Africa, Culture of Peace, 2017

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



UN chief in Pyeongchang; Olympic message of peace is universal, beacon for human solidarity, culture of peace

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



China Reassigns 60,000 Soldiers to Plant Trees

DISARMAMENT AND SECURITY


First National Bank dumps NRA, will no longer issue NRA Visa card

HUMAN RIGHTS



Pakistan: Asma Jahangir, Champion Of Human Rights, Critic Of Pak Army, Dies At 66

WOMEN’S EQUALITY


India: ’Life: A Mystical Journey’- A Gathering of 500 Women Leaders To Explore Spirituality as Tool For Peace And Empowerment

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Search for Common Ground: Vision for 2018
Uncategorized

‘It’s Time To Take Action’: Students Lead Protest to Change Gun Laws

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Excerpts from an article by Cindy Long for the National Education Association

There’s a new face on the age-old gun debate: our students, and they won’t be silenced. They are demanding that the adults in power keep them safe and they will not stand by and allow elected officials to fail them any longer.


Click on photo to enlarge

As of Feb. 14, just a month and a half into the new year, a total of 20 people have been killed and more than 30 have been injured in shootings at American elementary, middle, and high schools. Only weeks earlier at Marshall County High School in Kentucky two students were killed by a 15-year old shooter who left fourteen others wounded and all traumatized perhaps for the rest of their lives. . . .

Organizing for School and Student Safety

Nationwide, students and activists have joined their rallying cry and have organized two upcoming events — the National School Walkout on March 14 and the March for Our Lives on March 24. NEA will also participate in another event, a National Day of Action on April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

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Question related to this article:

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

(continued from left column)

March 14th – the Women’s March has announced a National School Walkout in which school communities will walk out of their schools for 17 minutes to honor the lives lost in Parkland. NEA will join with AFT in encouraging educators throughout the country to wear orange on this day.

March 24th – Several students who survived the tragedy at Parkland have called for a student-led march and protest. They will travel to Washington, DC, and meet with politicians on the need to address gun violence and are encouraging others to join. This is a fully student-planned march. More information can be found at marchforourlives.com.

April 20 – NEA and its members are joining with the National Public Education Network, American Federation of Teachers, Moms Demand Action, Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, and other national organizations, to take action against gun violence on April 20 together in a way that sends a strong message to policy makers that #enoughisenough.

“We demand a plan that will keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people,” says NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “Only the United States has such a long, long, long list of mass public murders by a lone gunman. The reason is simple. Our laws allow dangerous people to easily purchase military-style, rapid-fire assault weapons. That’s the only difference. That’s what we need to fix. Thoughts and prayers will not prevent the next tragedy. People rising up will.”

NEA is asking educators nationwide to share their ideas and information on events in their school communities. Visit our National Day of Action site.

Editor’s note: The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are the largest trade unions of teachers in the United States with 3 million and 1.6 million members respectively. They have consistently opposed NRA demands to arm teachers, and the AFT has once again expressed its opposition in the last few days.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, North America

(Olympics) Top organizer says ‘world became one’ during PyeongChang Winter Olympics

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from Yonhap News

The PyeongChang Winter Olympics brought the world together “in peace and harmony,” the event’s top organizer said during the closing ceremony on Sunday [Feb. 25].


Athletes from South and North Korea march together at the closing ceremony of the 23rd Winter Olympics at the Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, on Feb. 25, 2018. (Yonhap)

“In PyeongChang, the world became one,” said Lee Hee-beom, head of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games (POCOG), during the ceremony at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. “Transcending the differences of race, religion, nation and gender, we smiled together, cried together, and shared friendship together. Even though we are now saying goodbye to each other, PyeongChang 2018 will be long remembered with beautiful and unforgettable memories.”

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Questions for this article:

Can Korea be reunified in peace?

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Lee pointed to athletes from South and North Korea in particular, as they marched in together behind the Korean Unification Flag during the opening ceremony and agreed to form a unified women’s hockey team. Lee said these acts “showcased much bigger possibilities beyond sport.”

“When marching together, and even competing together as a unified Korean team, it constituted a strong identity of one single nation,” Lee said. “The world paid its high tribute of admiration for the athletes of South and North Korea, who marched and competed together during the games.”

Lee had long pushed the vision of holding a “Peace Olympics” in PyeongChang, and he said the presence of both Koreas at these Olympic Games has laid a solid foundation for the future of the two Koreas.

“The seed of peace you have planted here in PyeongChang will grow as a big tree in the not-distant future,” he said. “The hope and aspirations of South and North Korean athletes together with cheerleaders will definitely serve as a cornerstone of the unification of the Korean Peninsula.”

Lee saluted all the athletes as “true winners,” and thanked PyeongChang residents, POCOG staff members, volunteers and other Olympic partners as “patriots and heroes.”

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, global,

UN chief in Pyeongchang; Olympic message of peace is universal, beacon for human solidarity, culture of peace

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

News story and press release from the United Nations News Centre

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message for the pre‑ceremony at the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, in the Republic of Korea today [PyeongChang, February 9]:


Secretary-General António Guterres (left) and Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, hold a joint press encounter at the IOC office in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. UN Photo/Mark Garten

안녕하십니까 Ahn-nyoung Ha-shim-nikka, PyeongChang.

The world gathers on the Korean Peninsula today, united by the Olympic spirit:  in solidarity, mutual respect and friendly competition.  The Olympics and Paralympics showcase the best of the world’s athletic achievements.

 And the best of humanity.

Let the Olympic flame shine as a beacon to human solidarity.  Let the Olympic Truce help spread a culture of peace.  Let the Olympic spirit guide our actions today and every day.

Thank you.  Gahm-sah Hahm-ni-da 감사합니다.

(Articles continued in right column)

Questions for this article:

Can Korea be reunified in peace?

(Articles continued from left column)

. . . United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on everyone to recognize and promote the Games’ universal message of peace and tolerance.

“The Olympic spirit allows people to be together, from all over the world, to respect each other, to assert the values of tolerance, of mutual understanding that are the basic elements for peace to be possible,” Mr. Guterres told journalists in Pyeongchang.

Obviously, in the present context, he said, there is a lot of attention for this message of peace in relation to the Korean Peninsula, but the Olympic message of peace is not local.

“It is universal. It’s for the world. It is valued in Korea as it is valued everywhere where we struggle to try to address the many complex conflicts that we are facing,” he said.

The UN chief also extended his appreciation and pride to be at the Winter Olympics and highlighted the cooperation between UN and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as the values for which the IOC and its sister organization, the International Paralympic Committee, stand.

The Winter Olympics opened earlier today (local time) with cultural and artistic performances as well as the customary parade of athletes, which was the delegations from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea under one flag, carried together by a sportsperson from each team.

Also today, the opening ceremony saw the conclusion of the long journey of the Olympic Torch that started in November 2017.

In the last leg of its journey, the flame was carried, among others, by Miroslav Lajčák, the President of the UN General Assembly and Thomas Bach, the President of the IOC.

Outlining the commonalities between sport and diplomacy – both about peace and bringing people together – Mr. Lajčák highlighted that the Olympic torch is “probably the best symbol in our times in our world.”

“[It] is a symbol of peace, a symbol of youth, a symbol of sport, communication, a symbol of tradition, a symbol of hope.” he said.

(Thank you to Phyllis Kotite, the CPNN reporter for these articles.)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, Uncategorized

India: ’Life: A Mystical Journey’- A Gathering of 500 Women Leaders To Explore Spirituality as Tool For Peace And Empowerment

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from India Education Diary

Over 500 accomplished women achievers, artists, policymakers, sportswomen among others will participate in the 8th International Women’s Conference (IWC). Titled, ‘Life: A Mystical Journey,’ the conference will be held at The Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru between February 23 and 25.


IWC has unique twin goals- individual development and collective action. It facilitates partnership-building and leadership development among women leaders globally.

Some of the speakers for this year’s conference include Arundhati Bhattacharya, former chairman, State Bank of India; Chetna Gala Sinha, Founder-Chairperson Mann Deshi Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation, Rani Mukherji , Indian Actress,  Vandana Shiva, environmentalist, and ecologist; Madhoo Shah, actress, MridulaSinha, Governor, Goa,  Adriana Marais, theoretical physicist, head of innovation at SAP Africa; Professor MaithreeWickramasinghe, founder director of Center for Gender Studies at the University of Kelaniya.

“Women are leading peacemakers. They work together towards creating a stress-free, violence-free society. The conference is a message in peace and unity,” shares BhanumathiNarasimhan, Chairperson, IWC.

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Questions for this article

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

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Increasing number of women are leading from the front in multiple fields. The IWC builds on this trend. It works with women leaders to enhance their impact and gives an impetus to the global advancement of women from all backgrounds.

The 2018 conference will explore ways to amplify the message of peace and empowerment, including spiritual tools.

“The role of women in the development of a society is of utmost importance. It is the only criterion that determines whether a society is strong and harmonious,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, The Art of Living, which is one of the conference partners.

Since its inception in 2005, the conference has focused on diversity and inclusiveness. Over 375 eminent speakers and 5500 delegates from over 100 countries have participated in the conference. The IWC focuses on advancing the status of women in fragile and post-conflict states. It also worked with the World Bank Institute to develop empowerment schemes for women in vulnerable nations and expanded vocational training for widows in Iraq.

The IWC also supports The Art of Living’s Gift A Smile project. Over 58,000 students study in 435 free schools across 20 Indian states. Encouragingly, girl children comprise 48% while 90% are first-generation learners. Promoting girl child education is the underlined focus area for IWC.

This year the focus will also be to create open defecation free districts in India. In phase 1, the organization will work towards sensitization and awareness about use of toilets and increasing health and hygiene in these areas. In Phase II, 4000 toilets will be built.

IWC in the past has been associated with pivotal social initiatives like constructing homes for the under privileged, creating awareness about environment and environmental care, movement to stop violence against women, and child and women empowerment through skills training.

South Asia, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Adyan Foundation in Lebanon to Get 35th Niwano Peace Prize

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

A press release from the PR News Wire

The Niwano Peace Foundation will award the 35th Niwano Peace Prize to the Adyan Foundation in Lebanon in recognition of its continued service to global peace-building, notably its development of a program for children and educators offering guidance to peace and reconciliation for those affected by the Syrian war.


caption:Photo from Asia News

An award presentation ceremony will take place in Tokyo on May 9 at 10:30 a.m. In addition to an award certificate, the foundation will receive a medal and a cash prize of 20 million yen.

In 2013, Adyan responded to the Syrian crisis by offering interfaith mediation dialogue and peace education to vulnerable Syrian citizens both in Lebanon and Syria. In 2016, Adyan started intensive work in Iraq to build the capacities of journalists and civil society activists in spreading the values of inclusive citizenship and inter-religious solidarity, and healing the society from its ISIS traumatism. 

In selecting Adyan as a recipient for 2018, the Niwano Peace Prize Committee said the foundation has been “a visible and committed actor for peace” in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East region, focusing on both high-level and grassroots engagement, “demonstrating the inclusive and interfaith values/principles the Niwano Award seeks to recognize.”

Niwano Peace Prize: 


The Niwano Peace Foundation established the Niwano Peace Prize to honor and encourage individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to inter-religious cooperation, thereby furthering the cause of world peace, and to make their achievements known as widely as possible. The foundation hopes in this way both to enhance inter-religious understanding and cooperation and to encourage the emergence of still more persons devoted to working for world peace. The prize is named in honor of the founder and first president of the lay Buddhist organization Rissho Kosei-kai, Nikkyo Niwano.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Mideast