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.

Brazil: Open Letter convenes World Social Forum 2018 in Salvador

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Letter from the World Social Forum 2018

The Brazilian Collective of Organizations and Social Movements, which is the articulating space of the WSF 2018, is hereby inviting the people, organizations, social movements, networks and platforms of movements from Brazil, Latin America and the World to join the process of organization and implementation of the 2018 World Social Forum to be held in Brazil, from March 13 to 17, 2018, in Salvador, Bahia.


Baiano Collective for the WSF
(Click on photo to enlarge)

The International Council of the WSF, at its latest meeting in January 2017 in Porto Alegre, considered it urgent and necessary to hold a world edition of the WSF in March 2018, in Salvador, due to the severity of the economic, social, environmental and economic crises, including the crisis of democratic values that mankind is experiencing. The growth of reactionary and authoritarian thought, in Brazil, in Latin America and in the World, places us all advocates of a new world in the framework of solidarity, social justice, democracy and peace, in a state of alert and permanent mobilization, and demands a process of articulation and world unity of social movements for the struggle of resistance and transformation of the chaotic reality that afflicts humanity.

The World Social Forum has consolidated itself as an open space of horizontal and plural encounter for the democratic debate of ideas, the formulation of proposals, the free exchange of experiences and the articulation for effective actions by organizations and movements of the planetary civil society that oppose the control by capital and by any form of imperialism. It is a worldwide process that seeks to build alternatives to neoliberal globalization and has sought to strengthen the articulations of social movements, networks and other forms of articulation of civil society in national and international spheres increasing the capacity of social resistance, with plurality, to the process dehumanization that the world is experiencing.

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(Click here for the article in French.)

Question for this article:

World Social Forums, Advancing the Global Movement for a Culture of Peace?

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In this sense, facing the serious global civilization crisis, the WSF 2018, in Salvador, is a great opportunity to unite alter-globalist movements to think common solutions for humanity, in a democratic perspective of solidarity and respect for diversities, that seek to face the causes of various forms of violence and of social and regional inequalities.

Brazil and Bahia, in particular, are spaces where resistance movements have expanded in recent months in the face of attacks by national and international conservative sectors. Here, it is sought to reflect on the errors and achievements of the strategies adopted by democratic and popular forces in the latest historical period. For this reason, an edition of the WSF in Salvador will be a great opportunity to unite these various experiences of resisting, in a fraternal and committed way, to think about effective actions to confront the authoritarian thoughts that take shape in Brazil and in the World.

The choice of the motto, to resist is to create, to resist is to transform indicates that, for the Brazilian Collective, our resistance carries the germ of the new. We understand that in this world-wide process of peoples’ struggles, territories and movements against neoliberalism, against imperialism and against environmental degradation, we are constructing, in practice, day-to-day alternatives to another possible world.

Therefore, the WSF International Council and the WSF 2018 Facilitation Committee call on the world citizens committed to the construction of a society that is solidaire, radically democratic, environmentally sustainable and socially just, to join the process of organizing and holding the 2018 World Social Forum. The participation of all and everyone is fundamental to the future of our utopias.

São Paulo, August 18, 2017

Brazilian Collective of the WSF 2018

Replies should be sent to: forumsocialmundial@fsm2018.org or through the website www.fsm2018.org. Please let us know your name and organization in your reply to this WSF call

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Councils, commissions and some initiatives of culture of peace in Brazil

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article by Myrian Castello, Fábrica dos Sonhos

Through initiatives and projects, some cities in Brazil have been promoting a culture of peace. The Culture of Peace, as opposed to the culture of war, aims to promote education for peace, human rights, sustainable and equitable development, participatory democracy, gender equality, free flow of information, tolerance and solidarity as a means of achieving and building peace.

Research about initiatives, commissions and councils made for this article found activities including interviews, forums, trainings, talk wheels and courses, in the cities of Londrina, Curitiba, Itapecerica da Serra, Santos and Recife.

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Questions for this article:

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

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In Londrina there is Compaz, a council that works to develop the culture of peace and non-violence and the Peace Media that is the media vehicle to spread the news of this culture in the region. More information can be found at this link.

In Itapecerica da Serra, there was a Peace Walk in honor of women.

In São José dos Campos through the education secretary, in the axis of Human Rights Education, activities were promoted for a culture of peace, including a Festival of Circular Dances and Culture of Peace.

Santos officially has an active Peace Commission and recently promoted the 1st Peace and Non-Violence Forum within the schedule of Education Week. The city has the potential to become a reference to the world on a culture of peace.

In Recife, the Community Center of Peace, COMPAZ Eduardo Campos, offers various services and activities with the purpose of guaranteeing social inclusion and community strengthening. More information can be found on their Web site and Facebook page.

Actions and initiatives like these and others are important to promote a culture of peace, which is necessary and urgent to change the culture of war in which we are inserted.

(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Iceland: Spirit of Humanity Forum promotes love, transformation and humanity

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Myrian Castello, Fábrica dos Sonhos (the Dream Factory)

Every two years the Spirit of Humanity Forum (www.sohforum.org) brings together leaders from around the world to talk about love, peace and humanity, to empower people and encourage a lasting transformation in the world.


This year the forum took place in Reykjavik, Iceland, and I was fortunate to be one of the invited guests. The Forum featured a one-day pre-event focused on education in which we talked about the possibilities of building an education based on multiple values ​​such as love, empathy, hope and courage. Some of the questions were “What is the purpose of education?” And “Where do we begin to change?”

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In the following days we heard the speech of the President of Iceland, which was full of humanity, telling about the history of his life in a very welcoming way. He shared with us the changes needed in the world beginning with each person, including himself and he ended with a poem written by him. We then heard panels with people sharing their stories and took part in various workshops geared toward love, transformation and culture of peace.

In response to one of the questions, “How should we be so that there is peace?” we talked about the power of relationships and how we need to understand relationships at different levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, nature, planetary), the importance of the energy you bring to a conversation and how it is possible even sitting in an auditorium for a speaker to transform the stage into a circle of viewers by leading the conversation and sharing the journey.

What remained was “We are created by life as we have created it” and the importance of establishing connections and giving support to people and relationships. Coexistence, understanding what makes us human and connection are certainly important themes for being, becoming and making peace.

(Click here for the article in Portuguese)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

El Salvador: Workshop for municipalities to strengthen their role in prevention of violence

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from La Prensa Grafica

About 25 municipalities, belonging to the departments of San Vicente, Cuscatlán and Cabañas, participated in a training workshop organized by the Corporations of the Republic of El Salvador (COMURES) in Cojutepeque (Cuscatlán), with the objective of strengthening the role of municipal governments in the prevention of violence and their capacities to respond to the problems that are currently affecting the country.

The activity, which is part of the national day that COMURES develops from July 18 to August 29, 2017, at the scale of the 14 Departmental Councils of Municipalities (CDA), is carried out in coordination with the Secretariat of Governance of the Presidency, with the participation of the Legislative Assembly and the accompaniment of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

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Questions for this article:

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

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The purpose is to facilitate coordination between municipalities with various instances, such as public security, mainly to carry out actions and initiatives to prevent violence and crime in the territory.

Carlos Roberto Pinto Guardado, executive director of COMURES, explained that because of their impact on economic and social development, citizen security and violence prevention are issues that have been prioritized by municipal governments in the National Congresses of Municipalities, and incorporated In the permanent agenda promoted by the corporation.

“The approach of the theme seeks to strengthen a strategy that allows strengthening the leadership and role of municipal governments, for the construction of a sustained culture of peace with the participation of communities,” COMURES said in a statement.

“This is important,” said Pinto Guardado, “since municipal councils, as the first state authority in the municipalities, know the most sensitive needs and problems of the population, invest resources and implement policies and actions that are coordinated, organized and planned to reduce the factors that generate social violence in the territory.

Along these lines, COMURES with the support of cooperation agencies has created different instruments and tools.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Puebla, Mexico: Cultural tourism needs more spaces and collectivity

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Angula 7 (translated by CPNN)

In Puebla, the culture for tourism is concentrated in specific points such as the Historic Center. It is “worrisome” that this serves economic interests, rather than promoting general development. This was pointed out by Arturo Villaseñor García, spokesman of Colectivos Estación Cero, in an interview at the first “National Colloquium on Living and Community Culture”. He added that these cultural policies do not take into account the problems of living in communities and neighborhoods.

“We are concerned that this exercise of centralizing or concentrating culture and having a bias to culture towards a particular type of art, or artistic expression, fails to take advantage of the knowledge of our peoples,” he said.

He referred to the “privatization” of the public space. Certain spaces are dedicated to former rulers, for example, the International Baroque Museum (MIB), instead of dedicating places to the culture of the communities .

In Angelópolis, he said, cultural tourism focuses on the first picture of the city and a few spaces in the surrounding urban region, but these are very limited, while in other areas of the interior of the state as the Mixteca Poblana there are no workshops or activities. As for San Martín Texmelucan, there are no museums, no resources, no support for groups that focus on cultural issues.

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(Click here for the Spanish version)

Question related to this article:

How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

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“Decentralizing the cultural offer”

In that vein, he argued that past state administrations, instead of building the MIB or the Puebla Star that had “a high cost,” could have used the money to open spaces in which young people could develop their creativities.

“In the Historic Center there is a focus on tourism. This is OK, but only a part of what is needed. There is not much for the citizens. We need to decentralize the cultural offer and involve the communities, in order to generate collectivity, recreation and art as a motor of development and a culture of peace, “he said.

Villaseñor García added that, in addition to this, there is the problem that resources for culture have been reduced. This a problem because because there is little money, and groups are forced to compete for limited resources.

He pointed out that what is needed in Puebla is to open spaces and begin to develop public policy in general, since it is not only culture that is needed, but also theater, painting, dance, and other artistic expressions.

Finally, he indicated that these problems will be addressed in the national colloquium to be held in October in Mexico City, attended by groups from other states where their concerns will be raised, in order to elaborate a policy to promote a diversity of cultural and artistic expressions, to develop strategies and to promote a national agenda on the subject.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Nigeria: Tourism, way out of recession

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from the Nigerian Tribune

Tourism, arts and culture have been identified as major catalyst for any growing economy which of properly harnessed by Nigerians can take the country out of its present economic recession.

The founder of a Non Governmental Organisation, ZITADEL, Samuel Oluwadamilare Omorege, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital during a press conference to launch Sustainable Tourism Art & Culture, Industrialisation Education Poverty (STACIEP).

Omorege however advocated for more investment in tourism, arts and culture to unlock the potential of this sector to enhance economic prosperity for the country.

He also called on government at all levels to reawaken the traditional and cultural heritage of Nigeria as a means of eradicating poverty and to generate employment for the unemployed youths across the country.

Omorege noted “certain aspects of Nigerian cultural and traditional heritage had been consigned to archaic decay” and called for a reversal of the trend and a genuine measures to place the nation’s heritage on the world map.

He disclosed that ZITADEL is committed to showcasing the traditional and cultural heritage of Africa, especially Nigeria and called Omorege for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to make the dream a reality.

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Question related to this article:

How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

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He said with population of Nigerian’s citizens in dire need of peace for sustainable development, his NGO is out to advocate and work for the peace of the land with the new concept of developing the tourism, art and culture sector.

“The total eradication of poverty is an essential condition for peaceful co-existence in a country of close to 200 million people like Nigeria. And without peace, sustainable development and sustainable comfortable lifestyle cannot be achieved.

“Nigeria as it is today is in dire need of a culture of peace and non -violence. Whereas one simplistic approach to the problem is to actively encourage the culture of appreciating of each others’ cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity”.

Omorege who said the goal of his NGO is in tandem with the UNDP’s vision 2030 said the idea of STACIEP is to use Tourism, Art and Culture industry as a fast means of poverty eradication endengered by creative ideas, expanded talent hunt and international cultural exchange programmes, networking and partnership for rapid economic growth.

He applauded ZITADEL National patron, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe, the matron, Princess Ronke Ademuluyi and the patron Chief Akinyemi Akinremi for their support thus far saying that STACIEP is a new concept in the development, presentation and preservation of the rich African Arts and Culture and targeted at meeting UNDP’s vision 2030.

He, however, said the initiative would go a long way to create employment for young Nigerians, disclosing that STACIEP will this month, August take a cultural troupe from Nigeria to Notting Hill Carnival 2017 in the United Kingdom while a group of Nigerians will also participate in African fashion show in London.

Africa, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Colombia: Tourism in post-conflict zones, another contribution to peace

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Aleteia (translated by CPNN)

The Colombian government is launching a call for tour operators to set up travel packages in postconflict areas.

Visiting them can be an unforgettable adventure. For example, located in the Colombian department of Magdalena, in the north of the country, in the Sierra Nevada area of ​​Santa Marta, Ciudad Perdida, also known as Teyuna, is an extremely attractive place by nature with crystalline waters and indigenous peoples.

Considered one of the main archaeological sites of Colombia, rediscovered by a team of local researchers in the 70’s and a reference area at the political level in its time, this place is positioned as a tourist destination that seeks to be enhanced.

But Ciudad Perdida has also been affected by the Colombian conflict, hence a place that has known much suffering.

Along with this Colombian locality other places like Sierra de La Macarena in the department of Meta, or Golfo Urabá – Darién (Chocó, Antioquia) have become part of a pilot plan of the Colombian government denominated “Tourism, Peace and Coexistence”.

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(Click here for the Spanish version)

Question related to this article:

How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

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This is precisely one of the goals of the Colombian government – through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism – to make a clear commitment to tourism in post-conflict zones. In that sense, a strong call for travel agents was recently launched to include these areas in their packages and proposals. In March of this year, a set of actions in favor of work among the various communities involved had also been submitted to the government for consideration, among other things.

Is it possible to build peace from tourism?

“If entrepreneurs do not sell, do not package, do not work hand in hand with post-conflict regions to generate development, peace will not be lasting. So it is important to take tourism companies to those regions that previously did not allow any type of development because of violence, “said Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, María Claudia Lacouture, reproduces El País.

As early as 2014, when the work on the post-conflict zones strategy was announced, tourism was considered “an important development factor that generates territories of peace”. “Tourism is a tool for the territories in the process of transformation towards a culture of peace. It is a sector that contributes to sustainable development, to the empowerment of communities in their territories, and it can generate other industries”, according to the strategy developed at that time.

One of the objectives visualized at that time was “the construction of the social fabric and a culture around tourism and peace”.

The scenario has now changed and indeed Colombia has now entered the post-conflict period. The challenge is before us and now it is the operators who have in their hands the possibility of giving more space to these proposals.

That is what it is about now, the development of these areas that have suffered in the past – for the best possible future for its inhabitants and sustainability guidelines for a better care of nature.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Mexico: With alternative justice, hope advances in Chiapas

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from Cuarto Poder (translated by CPNN)

Judge Rutilio Escandón Cadenas, president of the Superior Court of Justice and the Judiciary Council, considers that justice in Chiapas is now perceived in terms of transparency, promptness, sensitivity and impartiality thanks to the new judicial system throughout the country.

In the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, the presiding magistrate spoke about the commitment of the Judicial Power to alternative means of conflict resolution which allows greater flexibility through the use of mediation, arbitration and conciliation, a new culture for security and justice.

Rutilio Escandón considers that there is no time for confrontations and discord, which should not be part of the human condition and environment in which we live; instead, it is time to adopt more fertile paths, with consistent and rational contributions that give a better vision of what we want for Chiapas.

With this new way of imparting justice, said the magistrate, the state is consolidating a culture of peace that can unite all peoples and communities. Through dialogue we can construct a system of justice that that is transformative and uplifts human rights .

“I invite everyone to take advantage of the State Center of Alternative Justice, instead of using the old judicial system. In this way, we can live in harmony, which is possible as long as we have the enthusiasm to work for unity among all of us and the conviction that we can achieve it”, concluded Rutilio Escandón.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Discussion question
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Cape Verde: Youth take human rights to the streets

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article from Expresso das Ilhas (translated by CPNN)

The Youth for Peace group, in partnership with the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship (CNDHC), is carrying out a public reading of the universal charter of Human Rights. The initiative is part of the campaign “Human rights do not go on vacation”.

Through the public reading of Human Rights, the mentors of this initiative hope to make known and promote the practice among citizens and thus contribute to a “culture of peace and healthy coexistence between people.”

Taking advantage of the holidays – but asserting its motto “Human rights do not go on vacation” – a group of young people visited the beaches of Prainha and Quebra Canela on Saturday (12), International Youth Day and making use of this year’s slogan of (Peace Building Youth) tried to get their message across to the bathers.

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Portuguese)

Question related to this article:

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

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Coming soon, the market in Sucupira will receive the reading of some of the articles that appear in the letter of Human Rights and other neighborhoods and public spaces of the City of Praia will also receive this intervention of the group of Young People for Peace. In this way they want to make the Communities “more and better acquainted with Human Rights and young people with better mastery of reading and knowledge for the practical application of Rights”.

In 2016, on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the United Nations adopted the slogan “Defend the Rights of Someone Today”, considering that “Disrespect for basic human rights continues to be widespread in all parts of the world. Our human values are under attack, and we must reaffirm our common humanity.”

At the end of July, the Youth for Peace group launched the “Life is Beautiful” program dedicated to children and aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for children, contributing to the awareness of saying no to alcohol and other drugs.

Youth for Peace – JxP is a worldwide youth movement that was born in the Catholic community of Sant’Egidio, created in Rome and today present in several countries. It is an international movement that strives to promote peace and mediation of conflicts and promotes a culture of meetings and fraternity. The JxP group in Praia will complete this year its fourth year of existence.

Africa, HUMAN RIGHTS

Canada: After three decades, Inuit achieve meaningful protections for Lancaster Sound

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from World Wildlife Fund – Canada

After more than 30 years of negotiations, one of Canada’s most wildlife-rich Arctic areas will be protected, with an extended boundary that will make it the largest marine protected area in Canada, Parks Canada announced today [August 14]. The proposed area’s boundaries have between extended twice on the way to becoming a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA), and the expansion of the protected area would not have been possible if Shell Canada had not voluntarily relinquished 30 permits after a lawsuit launched by WWF-Canada in 2016. The final boundary is informed by traditional knowledge, as recorded and put forward by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), who worked for years to convey the importance of protected the integrity of the entire ecosystem.

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Question for this article:

If we can connect up the planet through Internet, can’t we agree to preserve the planet?

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President and CEO of WWF-Canada, David Miller, said: “WWF-Canada has worked for decades to promote the protection and conservation of Lancaster Sound, which is home to polar bears, seals, sea birds, walrus, whales, and over 75 per cent of the world’s narwhal. The wildlife of this area, and the people who depend on them, will be better served by the larger boundary of the protected area, as it will better protect the integrity of the fragile Arctic ecosystem. We launched the lawsuit against Shell in 2016 to allow for an initial boundary extension. And today we’re celebrating the fact that the boundary has been further enlarged, informed by the recommendation of the QIA, to make it the largest marine protected area in Canada.”

About Lancaster Sound

● Known to Inuit as Tallurutiup Imanga, Lancaster Sound is the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage.

● It is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the whole of the Arctic, and is home to polar bears, seals, sea birds, walrus, beluga and bowhead whales, and over 75 per cent of the world’s narwhal.

● The boundary for the NMCA was expanded after WWF-Canada launched a lawsuit in 2016, disputing the validity of 30 offshore exploration leases owned by Shell Canada. Shell relinquished the leases, allowing the boundary to almost double in size from Parks Canada’s original recommendation.

What is a national marine conservation area?

Under federal law, NMCAs provide protection from:
○ Energy exploration
○ Undersea mining
○ Ocean dumping
○ Overfishing

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

North America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT