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.

Changing the system to address injustices: discussing with Mamadou Goita on the World Social Forum

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An article from CIDSE

Mamadou Goita is the Executive Director of the Institute for Research and the Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD/Afrique), based in Bamako, Mali. An active participant of the World Social Forum since its first edition in Porto Alegre, he participated in Montreal as a panelist in the workshop “Agroecology for a healthy planet” organized by Development & Peace with USC Canada, Union Paysanne and SUCO. On that occasion we had a chance to chat with him on the most pressing challenges of our time, on the possible alternatives, and on the role the World Social Forum can play.

CIDSE
Mamadou Goïta – Investing in Agriculture for Food Sovereignty conference, 16 Jan 2014, London

Mamadou Goita is the Executive Director of the Institute for Research and the Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD/Afrique), based in Bamako, Mali. An active participant of the World Social Forum since its first edition in Porto Alegre, he participated in Montreal as a panelist in the workshop “Agroecology for a healthy planet” organized by Development & Peace with USC Canada, Union Paysanne and SUCO. On that occasion we had a chance to chat with him on the most pressing challenges of our time, on the possible alternatives, and on the role the World Social Forum can play.

What is an important challenge or an injustice that the world needs to address?

There are lots of challenges that need addressing if you look at the different domains. One injustice is the fact of concentrating all the resources in the agricultural industry, while farmers through family farms are feeding the world, and this fact is recognized by all the international institutions. More than 70% of the food that is consumed in the world is produced by small-scale producers, all over the world. The imbalance of the investments in comparison with the industrial agriculture is an injustice that we need to address, the system has to change. This is concerning agriculture, but if you look at the mining resources, you see how the issue of the illicit financial flow is dominating. Those who have resources are those who are poor, exactly like the farmers are those who are hungry. So those who have natural resources in their countries, mainly in the case of Africa, they are those who are suffering from poverty. This is unjust, we need to change it! And if you look at the climate issue: those who are polluting…they are polluting the soil, they are polluting the air, are those who are still benefitting from the investments that we are doing, and this is unjust. Some countries are not polluting at all, but they are continuing to have the burden of the consequences of this. This is a matter of climate justice.

(Interview continued in right column)

Questions for this article:

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

What is the relation between movements for food sovereignty and the global movement for a culture of peace?

(Interview continued from left column)

Which alternatives exist for these systemic injustices?

I think first that we need to give power to people, and this means that we have to change the system. The model of governance that we have today cannot work. There are very few corporations dominating the economic system; the State has become the market selling everything and the market has become the State because it is the market that is now making the laws in our countries. The alternative would therefore be to change the system that we have today, giving power to people, listening to what we have been saying in the agricultural sector, in the mining sector, in the financial system, and in other domains like climate and so forth. We need to implement these alternatives in the sense that we need to change the world: another world is possible, but only if you go with the alternatives that we highlight here in these kinds of meetings.

What is the World Social Forum for you?

For me the World Social Forum is a citizens’ space, that can allow not only to analyze the state of the world, but also to draw alternatives and make connections among people, especially those who are committed in the fight against the system. I was lucky to participate in the very first edition of the World Social Forum and since then I missed only one. I saw the way that it has evolved from the past and how it has become today.

How did the World Social Forum change?

The change is firstly related to the context that we are living in. In 2001 things were very tough and corporations tried to hijack processes in the world. There was a lot to say to understand what was going on around the key challenges that we were facing as citizens all over the world. It was a space that was really welcomed in that period, it was necessary to have a counter-power against the corporate system that was present and against some governments that were trying to dominate. I think that a lot has been done in analyzing the context. People were also making some proposals, but on the other hand there was not a lot of follow-up on what was going on between two forums. There was also a very interesting tool in the past, that still exists but its power is now very low, it was the idea of having the “Wall of proposals”, the idea was to look at the key outcomes of the workshops and then use them as a link for collective fight.

Now that we have been growing from Porto Alegre to Mumbai, to the polycentric way of doing the World Social Forum, and back to Porto Alegre, and then to Bamako, to Caracas and Karachi, to Nairobi, Dakar, to Tunisia, then to Tunisia again and then now to Canada…things are completely different. They are different because people are not interested, the locals are not interested in the World Social Forum, or if they are interested they are not aware of what is happening. We say that the forum belongs to the citizens, it belongs to us, and it’s our space.

But if you look at what is happening this year, it’s completely different. I was coordinating the forum in Mali in 2006 and we had control on what was happening there, we refused to let policemen come, we refused to let soldiers, we decided that we would look after our own security. This year many of my friends and colleagues from Africa were denied the visa to come here, so this one is like a selective forum, where you choose who you want, and others are not welcome. But the forum is not about that!

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Canada: World Social Forum: a success despite the low turnout

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An article from Métro (translated by CPNN)

We expected 50 000, but it was rather 35 000 people who participated in the World Social Forum (WSF) 2016, which ended Sunday in Montreal. Organizers estimate however that the event is a success. According to the co-ordinator Carminda Mac Lorin, visa applications from hundreds of international guests were refused or delayed which has undoubtedly contributed to the low number, as compared to 60 000 people in 2013 in Tunis and 155 000 in Porto Alegre in 2005.

wsf
Barely a hundred people attended the closing ceremony of the World Social Forum on Sunday at Jarry Park. Photo by Mario Beauregard / Metro

“These refusals were ultimately positive, because they have made it possible to make public a subject we do not talk about enough: the issues of international mobility, closure of borders, and refugees,” said Mrs. Mac Lorin, who conducted a debriefing meeting on Sunday with the International Council of the WSF.

The organizers are also proud of the diversity of countries represented by the participants (125), and the variety of topics covered in the forum. “The people who were involved at the forum put forward many initiatives they are going to implement, whether in relation to the status of women, indigenous rights, demilitarization or the fight against violations of human rights by mining companies, “expressed Mrs. Mac Lorin. During the week, about 70 concrete action plans have been adopted and made public Monday.

“We saw that there are practical collective solutions to global issues. I was able to build links that will result in something. “- Ramiro Lopez, Colombian activist

Mrs. Mac Lorin also welcomed the strong contribution of young people in the event. This also impressed Raymonde Maisonneuve, a participating member of the religious congregation of the Holy Cross Sisters. “To a great extent, it was managed and presented by youth. It’s amazing. This is the future “, welcomed Ms Maisonneuve, who yesterday attended the WSF closing ceremony at Jarry Park.

It lacked atmosphere in the park on Sunday, where only a hundred people attended the ceremony. To some participants who were there, it was like the rest of the week. “I was expecting huge crowds at our demonstration, but that was not the case. In addition, various activities were very scattered, “said Marie Guerda Saint-Fort, a citizen of Haiti.

Several participants, however, were satisfied with the exchange of ideas which resulted from the WSF. “The issues that affect the entire planet, such as mining, oil and food safety, we addressed them,” said Ramiro Lopez, an activist who paid his way to come from Colombia.

In the same vein, the WSF international council is satisfied that such a space of convergence is always needed and that it will be back soon in another corner of the world.

(Click here for the original article in French)

Question for this article:
FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, North America

UCLG City of Bogotá Peace Prize: Finalists selected!

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from the UCLG Peace Prize

Out of many applications from across the globe, the high-level jury has now selected the five finalists for the UCLG City of Bogotá Peace Prize. This was not an easy decision, as many local governments have submitted high-quality and innovative projects. The finalists are invited to present their case to the jury and public at the world congress of the international organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

UCLG

The finalists comprise a diverse range of innovative peace projects by local governments. Out of many initiatives across the globe that had been submitted, these following innovative projects have been selected as top contenders for the award:

* Canoas, Brazil: in Canoas, local authorities have designated Peace Territories in which they combine initiatives in technology, social inclusion and community policing to address causes of violence.

* Cali, Colombia: the Think About Peace programme comprises workshops for children and parents while training community mediators and social workers to promote peace in the community.

* Palmira, Colombia: through the Palmira, tu Voz es Paz urban music competition local authorities raise young people’s awareness of the importance of living together peacefully.

* Shabunda, Democratic Republic of Congo: in this remote area, Permanent Peace Committees have been created to establish peace, restore government authority, reintegrate members of a local militia into the community and end the area’s isolation.

* Kauswagan, the Philippines: the From Arms to Farms programme is a comprehensive approach to demobilization and reintegration of former rebel fighters, engaging them in organic farming.

These shortlisted candidates are invited to present their case to the jury and public at the World Congress of the global organization of UCLG, which will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, from 12 to 15 October 2016. There, the winner will be awarded a modest prize package, aimed at strengthening its peace projects and facilitating learning and exchange with other local governments that are facing similar challenges. We would like to thank all participants for their participation and invite all to apply again in future editions of this prize.

In the upcoming weeks we will publish articles about these projects individually, providing more in-depth information in the run-up to the final presentations in Bogotá.

Questions for this article:
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global

UN talks recommend negotiations of nuclear weapons ban treaty

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

In a dramatic final day [August 19], the groundbreaking UN talks on nuclear disarmament concluded by making a clear recommendation to start negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons.

nuclear
Photo: Xanthe Hall
Click on photo to enlarge

Known as the “Open-Ended Working Group” (OEWG), the talks have taken place in February, May and August of this year and have outlined a number of elements that should be included in a new legally binding instrument which prohibits nuclear weapons. The majority support for the ban treaty was clearly underlined by joint statements delivered by Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific as well as statements from several European states.

Resistance continued to come throughout the working group from a small group of states who continued to argue that nuclear weapons are essential to their national security. Despite threatening to block a report which contained a recommendation for a ban treaty, these governments did not have the leverage to thwart the successful outcome of the group.

After long deliberations, it seemed that States were going to agree to a compromised report which reflected the views of both sides of the ban treaty issue. However, after this agreement had seemingly been secured behind closed doors, Australia made a last-second turnaround and announced that it was objecting to the draft of the report and called for a vote. In spite of the opposition from Australia and several other pro-nuclear weapon states, the majority was able to carry the day. On that basis, the working group was able to recommend the start of negotiations on a new legal instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons.

This breakthrough is result of the new global discourse on nuclear weapons. Bringing together governments, academia and civil society, a series of three conferences have uncovered new evidence about the devastating humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and the risks of their use, whether accidental or intentional. The momentum generated by the “humanitarian initiative” has now culminated with the international community on the verge of negotiating a nuclear weapons ban.

Nuclear weapons remain the only weapons of mass destruction not yet prohibited under international law, despite their inhumane and indiscriminate nature. A ban would not only make it illegal for nations to use or possess nuclear weapons; it would also help pave the way to their complete elimination. Nations committed to reaching the goal of abolition have shown that they are ready to start negotiations next year.

It is now up to the October meeting of the UN General Assembly First Committee to bring forward this process by issuing a mandate to start the negotiating process.

Question related to this article:
DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

Peru: #NiUnaMenos: 50,000 protest violence against women in Lima

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Peru Reports

At least 50,000 people marched in the #NiUnaMenos protest against violence and abuse of women in downtown Lima on Saturday. The rally dubbed “Not One Less” was organized after reports that 54 women have been murdered so far in 2016. The protest started on Saturday afternoon in downtown Lima’s Campo de Marte park and passed Plaza Bolognesi and Plaza San Martin before ending at the Palace of Justice.

peru
Miles se congregan ahora frente al Palacio de Justicia tras marcha “Ni Una Menos”. (Aarón Ormeño/ El Comercio)

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and first lady Nancy Lange attended the event as well as actress Wendy Ramos, who has been an outspoken voice for the movement.

“We will march, we will break the silence,” said Ramos in a promotional video leading up to the event.

“We do not allow or want victims of violence,” second Vice President Mercedes Araoz told reporters. Araoz gave fiery rhetoric of standing up to ‘machismo’ in recent weeks. She said that she had been a victim of psychological abuse.

Under the slogan “if you touch one, you touch all,” the cry of songs and drums flowed down street after street, in a show of immense solidarity. Many daubed their faces with make-up bruises and bloody noses. Others donned pink and blew whistles. Children sat on shoulders waving “Ni Una Menos” flags.

(Article continued in the right column)

(click here for an article in Spanish about this event)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

(Article continued from the left column)

There were processions of nurses and clergyman alongside men hooded in leggings pulling their beaten wives. Towering black crosses adorned with flags of other Latin American nations followed chants of “Respect.” Police and representatives from all political parties joined the march and throughout the country people gathered to demand harsher punishments for men who beat or murder women.

“It’s important we go today because inequality is terrible in Peru and too many girls I love are at risk,” one protester said.

“We will promote a culture of peace and tolerance, saying no to violence, no more violence against women and children,” event organizers and victims of domestic violence Arlette Contreras and Lady Guillen told reporters.

Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio told a group of protesters of his promises to “train police commissioners to have better protocols.”

Though brought together by a serious issue, celebration filled the air. Politicians took selfies and few failed to smile.

The fiercer chanters and placard wavers were blocked by police from entering Plaza Grau near the Palace of Justice. One large banner which read “No more sterilizations” hung from the railings outside the Palace of Justice. The songs faded at around 7 p.m. as the march dispersed. Signs were left up against walls and ribbons flickered from the railings.

Three women were murdered in Lima in the week leading up to the march. Two of the women were murdered by scorned lovers. The third, a 16-year-old minor, was forced to a hotel by a taxi driver, who died as he forced her to drink and raped her.

There were smaller marches in Peru’s other cities including Arequipa, Trujillo, Chimbote, Cusco, Juliaca, Tacna, Andahuaylas, Abancay and Ayacucho.

Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

UN: Former child soldiers should be treated humanely “not as menaces”

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article and radio broadcast from United Nations Radio

Former child soldiers need to be treated humanely and “not as menaces” to society, an advocate for children’s rights has said. Kabba Williams was one of those forcefully recruited in Sierra Leone by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, at the age of 7.

child
Children surrender their weapons during a ceremony formalizing their release from the SSDA Cobra Faction armed group, in Pibor, South Sudan (February 2015). File Photo: UNICEF/NYHQ2015-0201/Rich

Rescued and reintegrated into his community with the support of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners in 1994, he later earned a degree in literature and linguistics at Njala University. Mr Williams is currently writing a book and a portion of the proceeds will help finance rehabilitation programmes for other former child soldiers.

Deganit Perez asked him how the experience had changed him and what hope there was for people facing similar situations.

[Note: Click here to find the link for the radio broadcast.

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

Question for this article:
DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

Global Youth Rising 2016 – Reflections

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from Global Youth Rising

This year, from the 10-20th of July, PATRIR and its partner organisations brought together 70 peacebuilders and activists from around the world. Coming from Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, the USA and Vietnam, some of our participants and trainers represented organisations, while others came because of their personal interest and journeys towards peace.

global youth rising
Click on photo to enlarge

The International Youth Forum took place in the mountains of Transylvania, where the mornings brought stunning sunrises over the valleys and the nights brought clear night skies and campfires (when they didn’t bring thunderstorms and rain!). Such a peaceful setting was perfect for morning strolls, for those who didn’t take part in morning yoga or enjoy a coffee on the terrace.

We started our journey by coming together to talk about the challenges facing the world today, and we were able to hear about what had brought each person here – what they were passionate about, what changes they wanted to make in the world, and what they wanted to get out of Global Youth Rising. Some had come because they were passionate activists in their own countries, others because they wanted to learn more about peace. We heard about human rights abuses, discrimination, environmental challenges and peace education from around the world as each of us shared our motivations for coming to Global Youth Rising.

After a day of reflection, where our reflection groups were first created, participants were able to get to know each other in the evening through a Living Library exercise. Looking back on the experiences that had shaped and defined them, everybody wrote down the title that they would have if their life were a book. Others selected the book they would most like to read and were able to “borrow” that person to hear their stories; a beautiful way to start truly getting to know each other.

The following days brought together an array of workshops – often too many to choose from! Participants were given the chance to focus on peacebuilding, learning lessons from the field and inspiring examples of real change; about Monitoring and Evaluation; Peace Education; EU Advocacy; Conflict Analysis, and many other topics. Those who wanted to learn to manage their emotions and develop inner peace were able to sign up to a 3-day workshop from the International Association of Human Values, who specialise in using breathing techniques to help people in the field of peacebuilding deal with trauma and difficult emotions.

In the evenings, we shared campfires, danced together, watched documentaries and heard some moving and inspiring stories from some of our trainers. Jo Berry, Bjørn Ihler and Asma Khalifa shared their experiences of trauma, but each one shared how they had learnt to humanise the person or people who had caused their suffering – a powerful reminder that those of us who commit to peacebuilding need to practice peace not only in our everyday lives but when we are faced with painful, and at times life-shaking, situations.

(Article continued in right column)

Question for this article

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

(Article continued from left column)

The following morning, we woke up to news of the attack in Nice; another stark reminder of why we are doing what we do. Later that evening, news of the military coup in Turkey arrived. In the mountains, where things were safe and peaceful, we might have felt detached and a million miles away from everything; but when members of our group were from France or lived in Turkey, the reality didn’t feel very far from home. Some of us reported feeling small – as if nothing we did could make a difference. In response to that, some of us came together with Erika Kulnys (a powerful singer-songwriter who focuses on social justice themes) and wrote a song. While a song can’t always change the world, it can remind us that most people in the world want peace, and that we are always able to turn to each other when the skies are stormy. . . .

Over the next few days, PAX joined us and brought some of their Activist Hive workshops to Global Youth Rising, including the Activist Lab where participants created campaigns in 30 minutes and Activist TV, where powerful 1-2 minute films were made over the course of a couple of hours. Workshops gradually gave way to action groups as a lot of our participants and trainers were fired up and ready to start building plans and projects to actually do something. In just two days, we filmed a solidarity video for Black Lives Matter, worked on a statement as a response to events in Nice, learnt and filmed choreography for the Break the Chain dance (for One Billion Rising), while several new ideas and collaborations were formed and will continue to be worked on over the coming months.

Our evenings were inspired by some participants’ TED-style talks, where we learnt about Nineveh under Da’esh occupation, how social media brought about revolutionary change in Guatemala, about V-day and One Billion Rising’s campaign to end sexual violence against women, a community created for peace in Portugal, peace journalism in Lebanon, the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, the Japanese government’s Ship for Youth Peace programme, and the creation of the Peace Science Digest. We also shared an Open Mic night where we were able to discover how talented so many of our participants and trainers are – it turns out we have a lot of talented poets, singers, and dancers in the world of peacebuilding!

On the last day, we heard about all the new ideas and projects that are being dreamt up and started, but it
was also a day to reflect on what we had learnt and what we would take forward with us both personally and professionally. We ended with a beautiful graduation ceremony, where 1-2 people were invited to give appreciation to each person as they received their certificate. The result was a lot of hugs, and a lot of love being shared – a lot of solid friendships were definitely created during our 10 days in the mountains!

Now, as we return back to our ‘real lives’ post-GYR, we have heard that a few people have felt down, lonely, perhaps frustrated as their enthusiasm is dismissed as naïve idealism by friends or family members. It can be difficult to keep the momentum going, to stay motivated in our quest to make the world a better place when we are not surrounded with people just as passionate as we are. But we will all stay in touch via the Facebook group and our working groups focusing on specific issues, and we will always be able to support and motivate each other when things seem tough. And, of course, we can always meet again… at Global Youth Rising 2017!

global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Developing Nations Seek Tax Body to Curb Illicit Financial Flows

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Thalif Deen for the Inter Press Service News Agency (reprinted by permission)

Despite Western opposition, the 134-member Group of 77 is continuing to pursue a longstanding proposal for an inter-governmental UN-affiliated tax body aimed at combating corporate tax dodging and curbing illicit financial flows, including money laundering and off-shore banking.

taxes
Click on image to enlarge

The proposal has already been shot down twice by Western nations, first, at the Financing for Development (FfD) conference in Addis Ababa in July last year, and more recently, at the 14th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 14) in Nairobi last month.

But a G77 source told IPS the proposal is very much alive – and still on the negotiating table.

The proposal by the G77, the largest single coalition of developing countries, calls for the establishment of a standing intergovernmental group of experts to address tax issues, including international tax issues, and to assist countries better mobilize and employ fiscal revenues.

This includes international initiatives to counter tax avoidance and tax evasion, as well as strengthening the capabilities of developing countries to address tax avoidance and tax evasion practices.

In Africa alone, the estimated resources leaving the continent, in the form of illicit financial transfers, was nearly 530 billion dollars between 2002 and 2012, according to UNCTAD.

The three key causes of illicit financial outflows are largely commercial tax evasion, government corruption and criminal activity, including money laundering.

Bhumika Muchhala, Senior Policy Researcher, Finance and Development Programme, at the Malaysia-based Third World Network (TWN), told IPS the key reason why the global tax system has failed is that more than half of the world’s countries are currently excluded from the decision making processes on global tax standards.

“We in global civil society hope that the G77 and China, both in New York and Geneva, will continue to persistently raise the need for an intergovernmental tax body, under the auspices of the United Nations, in every relevant conference, negotiation and discussion within the UN, regional commissions, Bretton Woods Institutions and other international institutions, particularly the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which has a monopoly role in global tax governance by developed country donors”, she said.

“We know by examples of history that truly meaningful reforms and establishment of new bodies that break old rigid structures of imperialism, exclusion and unequal power requires a long arc of time and needs to be pushed through every open crack in the status quo by repeated and persistent demands by a group that takes the leadership to exert collective pressure,” she added.

As to whether the G77 and China will bring up the proposal again, Muchhala said, the hope is they will continue to persistently bring it up in every possible space, conference and discussion.

Dr Manuel Montes, Senior Advisor on Finance and Development at the Geneva-based South Centre, told IPS the proposal was meant to create an intergovernmental process, whose deliberations would have brought up in the agenda issues of interest to developing countries.

(Article continued in the right side of the page)

Question for this article:

Can UN agencies help eradicate poverty in the world?

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(Article continued from the left side of the page)

Right now, he said, agenda-setting is made in OECD, which the G20 countries commissioned to put out the 15 action items under Base Erosion and Profit Shifting work.

The G77 proposal did not survive the Nairobi outcome even though there is this text that allows UNCTAD to work on tax issues as a matter of research, including assistance to developing countries to design and implement policies and actions aimed at improving the efficiency of trade transactions as well as the management of transport operations.

Additionally, it should also continue to cooperate with member States in implementing ASYCUDA, the automated system for customs data, and work on taxation as it relates to investment policy.

The upgrading of the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters to an intergovernmental level was the last outstanding item that prevented agreement at the FfD conference in Addis Ababa.

“The developed countries, led by the US, blocked the proposal,” Dr Montes said.

The OECD dominance in this regard could have been mitigated somewhat if the UN process in tax cooperation had been upgraded to an intergovernmental level, as proposed in the Addis Ababa conference.

The OECD secretariat “reports” to its member states, and changes in agenda have to be first accepted by its member states, even though it has been making a lot of effort increasing the participation of developing country officials and the UN– but by invitation.

The OECD would still be an important and perhaps a dominant player in such a UN process, but it would not be the sole source of the intergovernmental agenda and norm setting, he declared.

Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre who participated in UNCTAD 14, told IPS the developing countries under G77 and China succeeded in defending their development interests and in obtaining a renewed mandate for UNCTAD to continue their work.

“They had to face major developed countries and their groupings that were quite insistent on narrowing the scope of UNCTAD’s future work and thus the scope of the UN.”

As a result, he said, there was unfortunately no mandate for the UN to set up an inter-governmental group on how to deal with tax issues as the developed countries prefer to use their group, the OECD to make decisions on issues like tax evasion and tax havens.

There are other examples in the areas of trade, debt and finance where the outcomes could have been much better but were instead disappointing.

Nevertheless the renewal of UNCTAD’s mandate for its next four years work was an achievement of UNCTAD 14, given the shaky state of North-South cooperation on global economic issues, said Khor.

Prerna Bomzan, Policy Advocate for LDC Watch, representing the 48 least developed countries (LDCs), told IPS: “Given its historic role in contributing to defining the LDC category, we welcome the re-statement of UNCTAD’s mandate to strengthen its focus on the trade and development needs of LDCs. This is in accordance with the Istanbul Programme of Action and other relevant outcomes on LDCs.”

However, she said, this mandate must be further strengthened, focusing on building consensus with development partners so that they deliver on their key long-standing commitments to LDCs, such as 100 per cent duty-free-quota-free market access on a lasting basis; simpler and preferential rules of origin: a meaningful service waiver and eliminating domestic cotton subsidies”.

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Rennes, France: 210 000 inhabitants move towards food self-sufficiency!

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Positivr (translated by CPNN)

Food self-sufficiency is not a utopia, it is a realistic and necessary goal! Following the example of Albi , now a second large French city has also recognized and ’embarked on an ambitious civic and ecological transition program. Here is a close up of this exemplary initiative!

Rennes
Video of food self-sufficiency of Albi

The city following the example of Albi is Rennes. In order to ensure there is never a lack of food, to support the local economy and to ensure healthy food for their children, the community of Rennes voted last June 27 for a proposal that could change the lives of its 210 000 inhabitants! [Editor’s note: For the presentation and vote on this question, see item 101 by M. Theurier on the agenda of the Council of Rennes, June 27 as shown in the preceding link. The text of his presentation may be found here.]

To achieve food self-sufficiency, the municipality has set aside an area of ​​agricultural production estimated at 30 000 hectares. But this is not the only thing needed.

Elected officials have decided to promote organic urban agriculture, agro-ecology, permaculture, Associations for the maintenance of peasant agriculture (Amap) , education in healthy eating … and collaboration of all people!

Indeed, food security is only possible with a massive participation of citizens. These will be invited and encouraged to be informed consumers … but also to become themselves conscientious producers!

The program is also supported by the organization “Incredible Edible” of Rennes whose ambition is the reconquest by the inhabitants of urban areas. Objective: everyone starts to grow organic fruit and vegetables wherever possible and to support a free collective redistribution of production!

Eat well and never lack food while respecting the planet … these simple concrete decisions adopted in the anonymity of city councils are worthy of international conferences!

In the video of Albi (see above) we see deliberations that could change everything (the tone is very serious … but it’s because the subject is too!)

“Think globally, act locally”: the famous expression of Jacques Ellul takes on its meaning. If change is to come, it must come from the bottom up. Albi and Rennes lead the way. Talk to your mayors and enlarge the movement!

(Click here for the original article in french)

Question for this article:
Europe, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The city of Montreal hosts the 12th World Social Forum

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article by Hassan EL AMRI for Agence Marocaine de Presse (translated by CPNN)

Following up the previous forum in the Tunisian capital Tunis, in March 2015, the Canadian city of Montreal is welcoming, from 9 to 14 August, the 12th edition of the World Social Forum (WSF). The forum will have a very diverse program, consisting of more than 1,300 activities presented as part of its anti-globalization theme.

forum social
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Organized under the motto “Another world is necessary. Together we can make it possible “, the WSF in Montreal will make history this year as the first such event to be held in a country of the northern hemisphere. Since its inception in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2001, the Forum has been held exclusively in the South (Latin America, Asia and Africa).

Despite only 15,000 people registered before the start of the conclave, the organizers of the Montreal edition are optimistic to achieve their goal of 50,000 participants from 120 countries, as agents of change to bridge the North-South divide, to exchange ideas, make their claims, initiatives and action plans and give birth to a positive momentum for change: Think globally, act locally.

The organizing committee has expressed their displeasure with Canadian immigration authorities because they have refused to issue entry visas to Canada for hundreds of participants and guests. This refusal particularly affects the countries of Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. It adds to the inability of others o come because of financial reasons, especially with the high cost that characterizes the metropolis in full summer season.

Despite these obstacles, the Committee has not lost hope and insists on making this WSF 2016 an open meeting place for reflective thinking and debate of ideas, formulation of proposals and free exchange of experiences in order to achieve efficient action by actors and movements of civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and imperialism, and to build an inclusive global society and egalitarian.

The committee members said at a news conference Monday that the WSF in Montreal aims to promote a convergence of solutions and energies to construct a globalization that is more inclusive, and to transform the Canadian metropolis during those few days into a meeting place for social movements, self-expression alternatives, citizens’ exchanges, artistic events and concrete commitments.

The WSF 2016 also aims they believe to be a space for the development of networks of actions that promote social economy, international solidarity, social and environmental justice, participatory democracy and the recognition of equal dignity for all.

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Question for this article:

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

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The various sites and venues of the Forum will allow local and foreign participants to engage in a genuine debate for an inclusive and mobilizing society with proposals for tomorrow’s world, where the slogan is the change based on civic engagement, plural and positive, which gives life to the initiatives and solutions of social actors.

The Montreal Forum will begin Tuesday afternoon with a festive anti-globalization march in the center of the metropolis. It aims to mobilize around social issues that affect all citizens of the planet, and to celebrate reconciliation and solidarity between peoples, while the weekend will be marked by presentations of practical solutions of projects in the short or long term.

During the conclave, 13 major themes have been selected after a collaborative process which aims to enable participants to better identify issues of interest and importance to them. These, include: ”

– “economic, social and solidarity alternatives against the capitalist crisis”;

– the “democratization of knowledge and communication rights”;

– the “culture of peace and struggle for justice and demilitarization”;

– “defense of the rights of nature and environmental justice”;

– “migration and citizenship without borders”;

– “democracy, social movements and citizens”;

– the “struggle against the dictatorship of finance and the sharing of resources.”

– the “world of work against neoliberalism”;

– “cultural, artistic and philosophical expressions for another possible world”;

– “global struggle and international solidarity”;

– “human and social rights, dignity and struggle against inequality;

– and “struggles against racism, xenophobia, patriarchy and fundamentalism. ”

Furthermore, the WSF 2016 will be punctuated by 22 major conferences which will aim to raise awareness of the current challenges and stimulate citizen engagement on issues as diverse as climate change, socioeconomic inequalities, racism and discrimination, the impact of international finance, indigenous struggles, labor and feminist, education and the place of youth.

Following up on the forums in Latin America, Asia and Africa, the participants in Canada want to counterbalance the World Economic Forum held annually in Davos, Switzerland. In addition to denouncing economic globalization and the neoliberal model, they will also think about how to change the world today, including the provision of solutions and practical alternatives for a better, more just, egalitarian world with respect for human being, nature and the planet.

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