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.

Arab and Middle Eastern States: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

A survey by CPNN

The following 28 events in 15 Arab and Middle Eastern countries were listed in Google during the week of September 17-28 this year under the key words “International day of peace” “peace day”, “journee internationale de la paix” and اليوم الدولي للسلام .

About 18 events are listed on the maps of One Day One Choir and Montessori schools singing for peace, but there is no indication which took place this year and which took place only in previous years


Meeting of the League of Arab States on the International Day of Peace

ALGERIA

Today, Wednesday, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, the National Council for Human Rights affirmed that Algeria had several initiatives in this regard.

BAHRAIN

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, Her Excellency Mrs. Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal, Speaker of the House of Representatives, affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain is a symbol of coexistence and openness and an example to follow in peace between different religions and sects, thanks to the wise visions and wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

BAHRAIN, ABDUL RAHMAN KANOO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 

Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School (ARKIS) celebrates International Day of Peace also known as Peace Day, which is observed worldwide each year on September 21. . . . Under the direction of Mrs. Abeer Mahmood (Events & Activates Coordinator), 18 classes from Preschool supported the peace day celebrations and each class was given a large cardboard picture of a dove and were given the opportunity to stick a green leaf to paper, understanding the importance of the day. As a separate event, an olive tree was fitted to the garden at the Schools Main Gate, as a symbol and reminder to all students, parents, and stakeholders of peace and friendship.

BAHRAIN SCHOOLS

The schools of the Kingdom of Bahrain celebrated the International Day of Peace, which falls on the twenty-first of September each year.
The events focused on benefiting from the activities of the “School Enhancing Citizenship and Human Rights” project, which it implements The Ministry of Education for several years, with the aim of promoting the values of peace, tolerance, coexistence and dialogue in the school community . In an example of these efforts, 550 students and 58 administrators and teachers at Al-Qadisiyah Primary School for Girls participated in several Activities that varied between storytelling, coloring, crafts and educational games, with the participation of all school departments.

BAHRAIN, ISA TOWN

In order to enhance the concept of peace, the Al-Amal Institute for Special Education of the Child and Maternity Welfare Association held a simple celebration on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, which included a chant about peace prepared by Professor Batoul Abdel Rahim and implemented by the students of the Institute.

EGYPT, CAIRO

Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman Al Asoomi marked the International Day of Peace, celebrated annually on September 21. The Speaker stressed the importance of spreading peace and the culture of coexistence, especially in light of the conflicts and humanitarian crises around the world. Al Asoomi called for unifying Arab efforts in tackling violence and hatred.

EGYPT, DAMIETTA UNIVERSITY

Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. El-Sayed Mohamed Daadour – President of the University and under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Wael Farouk Al-Taibani – Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, the UNESCO Club, in cooperation with the General Administration for Student Welfare, organized today, Wednesday, 9/21/2022, the celebration activities of the day The International Peace Conference on the University Campus, in the presence of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kamel Khalil, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Zaki, Head of the Department of Fundamentals of Education at the Faculty of Education, Coordinator of the UNESCO Club, and a number of faculty members and university students.

EGYPT, SHARM EL-SHEIKH

Sharm El-Sheikh hotels celebrated today, Wednesday, the International Day of Peace . . . A group of hotel staff, led by Sherine El-Hawary, assistant manager and training officer at the hotel, gathered, raising some slogans calling for peace, and taking a group of memorial photos at the peace icon. The icon, located in the Peace Square in Sharm El Sheikh, is the tallest peace icon in the world . . . The icon design is in the form of black granite clusters bearing lotus leaves topped by eight wings inspired by the wings of the god “Ra”, the sun god, among the ancient Egyptians. Above it is the pigeon carrying an olive branch as a symbol of peace, and the eight wings indicate the main directions, North, East, South, West, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest.

ISESCO

The International Day of Peace comes this year under the
 slogan: “Ending racism.. and building peace.” The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) seizes this occasion to call for mobilization and solidarity, to meet the challenges of peace and security , which impede social development and human capital building around the world, with an estimated economic impact of approximately 10.5% of global GDP. In an effort to achieve a tangible qualitative leap, ISESCO launched its Leadership Training Program for Peace and Security, which in its first edition enabled the training of 30 young men and women who became ambassadors of peace, while 50 others from 45 countries will benefit from the training in its second Edition. ISESCO, in cooperation with the International University of Rabat in the Kingdom of Morocco, launched the program for integrating ISESCO’s “360 Degrees for Peace” approach into academia.

IRAQ

As the world celebrates the “International Day of Peace”, a number of Iraqi women activists and a human rights center are taking advantage of this day, to reveal discrimination against women at work, as well as the pressures and difficulties they face in their various activities, amid calls to stop “arbitrary practices” against them, which amounted to killing and displacement. . . . In this regard, the head of the Iraq Center for Human Rights, Ali Al-Abadi, explains to Shafaq News Agency, “Women have started resorting to civil activities due to the lack of justice in their rights, and despite the Iraqi and international laws’ emphasis on gender equality, but many aspects of life are still monopolized by men, or unequal pay, as The tribal institution, especially the southern one, underestimates women’s rights.”

JORDAN, ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLES OF EURASIA

On September 21, 2022, the Assembly of the Peoples of Eurasia held a reception in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, approved by the UN General Assembly. The event was attended by prominent public and scientific figures, senators, members of Parliament, representatives of international organizations, state and non-state structures of Jordan. . . . The culmination of the evening was the charity ceremony “Peace Bell” for strengthening peace and mutual understanding between countries and peoples, which was accompanied by a video recording of the musical composition “Stork on the Roof” performed by Yaroslav Degtyareva and Valentina Biryukova.

JORDAN, AMMAN

 The participants in the conference “The Holistic Transformation Towards a Green Feminist Economy” unanimously agreed on the importance of empowering women and enhancing social, economic and psychological security; To achieve a green feminist economy in its holistic form.
The Minister of Culture, Haifa Al-Najjar, who sponsored the opening ceremony of the conference organized by the Feminist Economy Foundation and the “Think Project” yesterday evening, at the “W” Hotel in Amman, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, said that she came to the conference not as a minister, but because of her absolute belief as a partner and a person who believes in a project. Think of all humanity and world peace.

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Question related to this article:

What has happened this year (2022) for the International Day of Peace?

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LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES

The statement of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab
States on the International Day of Peace . . . .  On this day, the League of Arab States affirmed, through joint regional efforts, the commitment to exert more effort and support joint Arab action, which would activate the participation of all parties in efforts to build and sustain peace without exclusion or discrimination. As well as emphasizing the importance of exerting more effort to support the peace process, unity and reconciliation, spreading a culture of non-violence in all circles, and working for a world free of racism and discrimination.

LEBANON, UNIFIL

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) held on 21 September 2022 a ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Peace at its headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon. Peacekeepers representing the current 48 troop-contributing countries in UNIFIL were joined at the event by representatives of the local authorities, religious leaders, Lebanese armed and security forces and members of the international community.

LIBYA, BENGHAZI

The Permanent Peace Foundation, in partnership with Vision Research, Training & Consultancies and Barah Culture & Arts, celebrates the International Day of Peace, which falls on September 21 of each year. At five in the evening at the headquarters of «Brah for Culture and Arts» in Benghazi.The celebration includes many cultural and artistic activities and a dialogue session for speakers who have experienced peace, according to “ Facebook ” .

OMAN, SALALAH

Participants in the first Omani Cultural Forum, which concluded in the Omani city of Salalah today, Wednesday, affirmed that “the Gulf states represent a global model for peace and coexistence among peoples, as it includes dozens of nationalities living in peace and brotherhood on one land.”  The conference was held over two days under the slogan (Oman, Love and Peace), in the presence of a crowd of people interested in culture and peace from various Arab countries, coinciding with the International Day of Peace, which falls on September 21 each year.  

QATAR, DOHA

Wijdan Cultural Center of the Ministry of Culture celebrated today the International Day of Peace, which falls on the Sept. 21 every year, which this year adopts the theme “End racism. Build Peace,” through organizing an event in which researcher Yasser Al-Gharbawi, head of the Research and Studies Department at the Center, delivered a speech, which was broadcast on the center’s social media platforms. . . . Wijdan’s head of the Research and Studies Department said that this global occasion is an opportunity to promote a culture of peace.

SAUDI ARABIA, RIYADH, MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE

In conjunction with the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, which falls on September 21 of each year, the Muslim World League, with the participation of the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly and a high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Sweden, celebrated the inauguration of the famous symbol of peace; “The Knotted Pistol”, at the sub-headquarters of the Muslim World League in Riyadh, which has become a global icon that started from the United Nations headquarters, bypassing the framework of its first idea in New York, where the United Nations installed a model of the knotted pistol for its global connotation calling for peace and rejection of violence.

SOMALIA, MOGADISHU

Today, Wednesday, Somali Deputy Prime Minister, Saleh Ahmed Jameh, inaugurated an event to celebrate the International Day of Peace, organized by the Ministry of Interior, Federalism and Reconciliation in Mogadishu, under the title: “Together to Promote Peace and Reject Racial Discrimination.” This came with the participation of the Minister of Interior, Federalism and Reconciliation, His Excellency Ahmed Moallem Faki, his deputy, Mr. Abdul Hakim Ashkar, the United Nations envoy to Somalia, Mr. James Swan, and the ambassadors of a number of concerned brotherly and friendly countries to Somalia, in addition to representatives of regional governments and the Banadir Governorate administration. civil society organizations, and the Women’s Union.

SUDAN, DARFUR

To mark the International Day of Peace, ten youth peace advocates from Darfur met with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Volker Perthes, and his Deputy, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Khardiata Lô N’Diaye. . . . The discussion covered a wide array of subjects including the impact of the continued political crisis on the escalation of violence across Sudan, and gaps in the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and the National Plan for the Protection of Civilian. Participants also stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding and the importance of empowering women and youth as peace advocates.

SUDAN, KADUGLI

On Wednesday, the women of Southern Kordofan marched from Freedom Square in Kadugli to the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Government of Southern Kordofan on the occasion of the International Day of Peace. The women participating in the procession handed a memorandum to the Deputy Governor of Southern Kordofan, Al-Rasheed Attia, which contained 16 demands, including speeding up the formation of a civilian democratic government, involving women and not tolerating violence against them, in addition to activating the role of the police in protecting women and appointing policewomen.

SUDAN, KHARTOUM

On the International Day of Peace, the director of the General Administration for Women at the Ministry of Social Development, Mrs. Suad Dishol, said, “We celebrate this great occasion and take a moment to reflect on it and slowly read the slogan of this year’s celebration, to see between these phrases the state of our country and the pain that squeezes the hearts of millions of those who have been stung by the fire of racism.” The hateful and the distortion it caused in the relations of the various groups and tribes and torn apart their entities that were known for tolerance and living in peace.

SYRIA

Video: Peace Day, Syrian youth sing for peace and harmony.

SYRIA, WOMEN’S COUNCIL

The United Nations General Assembly declared the International Day of Peace in 1981 in order to celebrate and promote the ideal of peace among all nations and peoples. Two decades later, the General Assembly set September 21 as the date to celebrate the occasion annually. On this occasion, the Women’s Council in North and East Syria and the Human Rights Organization in Al Jazeera prepared a lecture entitled Women and Peace. (with photos of poster and meeting).

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, DUBAI

The International Peace Day Celebration, by the Council for Universal Peace, which is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is held at Sheikh Rashid Tower World Trade Centre, Dubai. The summit was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Obaid Suhail Al Maktoum and was presided over by Khaled Al Maeena, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Addressing the summit, His Highness Sheik Obaid Suhail Al Maktoum said, “It’s the right time to work together for Global Peace and Bond beyond boundaries.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, SHARJAH

The Department of Social Services in Sharjah organized community events and activities on the occasion of the International Day of Peace. . . Maryam Ibrahim Al-Zarouni, happiness specialist and social educator in the department, said that the occasion receives the attention of many institutions and authorities in the country, because of its importance in instilling the concept of peace and love in the hearts of members of society, and raising their awareness of its importance, in order to spread peace and tolerance among peoples.

YEMEN

Tomorrow Thursday evening, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the Nidaa Organization for Coexistence and Construction will hold a symposium entitled Peace Challenges in Yemen, via the virtual space ZOOM, in cooperation with the SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms. 

YEMEN, ADEN

“Southern Women Group for Peace”, on the International Day of Peace, reaffirms its firm position and its call to all parties to the conflict to sit at the dialogue table under the supervision of the international efforts and for regional and international bodies to play their desired role and firm positions towards stopping the war that has drained human energies, resources and national wealth of Yemen . . . . A group of southerners for peace, on this International Day of Peace, renews its demands that southern women occupy their rightful place in all negotiations calling for peace, based on resolution (1325) issued by the UN Security Council.

Statement of Moscow Helsinki Group

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Moscow Helsinki Group (google translation)

On the International Day of Peace, Russia took another step towards the escalation of the armed conflict in the center of Europe

An attempt, under any pretext, to unilaterally redraw internationally recognized borders and annex the territories of another state is a gross violation of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Accords and leads to increased isolation and worsening attitudes towards Russia and its citizens around the world.


If before February 24, decision makers could still have some illusions about the attitude of Ukrainian citizens to the policies and actions of the Russian authorities or about the legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities, now it is clear that the vast majority of Ukrainians support their government and ready to make sacrifices for the sake of preserving the independence and territorial integrity of their country. This means that the continuation, and even more so the escalation of hostilities will lead to more and more casualties on all sides and to new war crimes. We must stop before it’s too late!

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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We are convinced that the minimum necessary actions of Russia in the current situation should be an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops to positions as of February 23 with guarantees of asylum and citizenship for supporters of Russian policy wishing to enter Russia, the immediate exchange of all available prisoners and the bodies of the dead. We are confident that all controversial issues can be resolved at the negotiating table with much greater efficiency than involving even more people on both sides in an armed confrontation – in order to save lives and protect human rights, regardless of citizenship and views. 

We also remind you that, despite the tightening of Russian legislation, it still protects the right of citizens to refuse to participate in hostilities with weapons in their hands for reasons of conscience and belief, including through the institution of alternative civilian service. Those people whose beliefs are contrary to the performance of service in the current conditions should loudly and unequivocally declare this, saving their lives and dignity and other people and bringing peace closer. Human rights organizations are ready to assist in this, defending the freedom of conscience and the right to refuse to participate in the war. 

Board of the Moscow Helsinki Group

Peace Agenda for Ukraine and the World

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Statement of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, adopted at the meeting on International Day of Peace 21 September 2022 and published by World Beyond War
Video of statement

Condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine, the UN General Assembly called for an immediate peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and emphasized that parties to the conflict must respect human rights and international humanitarian law. We share this position.

Current policies of war until absolute victory and contempt for criticism of human rights defenders is unacceptable and must be changed. What is needed is a ceasefire, peace talks and serious work to correct the tragic mistakes made on both sides of the conflict. Prolongation of the war has catastrophic, deadly consequences, and continues to destroy the welfare of society and environment not only in Ukraine, but throughout the world. Sooner or later, parties will sit at the negotiating table, if not after their reasonable decision, then under the pressure of unbearable suffering and weakening, the last better to be avoided by choosing the diplomatic path.

It is wrong to take the side of any of the warring armies, it is necessary to stand on the side of peace and justice. Self-defense can and should be carried out by non-violent and unarmed methods. Any brutal government is illegitimate, and nothing justifies the oppression of people and bloodshed for the illusory goals of total control or conquest of territories.

No one can evade responsibility for his own misdoings by claiming to be a victim of misdoings of others. Wrong and even criminal behavior of any party cannot justify creation of a myth about an enemy with whom it is allegedly impossible to negotiate and who must be destroyed at any cost, including self-destruction. A desire for peace is a natural need of every person, and its expression cannot justify a false association with a mythical enemy.

Human right to conscientious objection to military service in Ukraine was not guaranteed according to international standards even in peacetime, not to mention the current conditions of martial law. The state shamefully avoided for decades and now continues to avoid any serious response to the relevant suggestions of the UN Human Rights Committee and public protests. Although the state cannot derogate this right even in time of war or other public emergency, as says the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the army in Ukraine refuses to respect the universally recognized right to conscientious objection to military service, denying even to replace coercive military service by mobilization with an alternative non-military service according to the direct prescription of the Constitution of Ukraine. Such scandalous disrespect to human rights should have no place under the rule of law.

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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The state and society must put an end to the despotism and legal nihilism of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, manifested in policies of harassment and criminal punishment for refusal to be engaged in war effort and the forced turn of civilians into soldiers, due to which civilians cannot move freely within the country nor go abroad, even if they have vital needs to rescue from danger, to obtain an education, to find means for living, professional and creative self-realization, etc.

Governments and civil societies of the world appeared to be helpless before the scourge of war, drawn into the funnel of conflict between Ukraine and Russia and wider enmity between NATO countries, Russia and China. Even the threat of destruction of all life on the planet by nuclear weapons had not put an end to the mad arms race, and the budget of the UN, the main institution of peace on Earth, is only 3 billion dollars, while global military expenditures are hundreds of times larger and have exceeded a wild amount of 2 trillion dollars. Due to their inclination to organize mass bloodshed and coerce people to kill, nation states have proven to be incapable of non-violent democratic governance and the performance of their basic functions of protecting life and freedom of people.

In our view, the escalation of armed conflicts in Ukraine and the world are caused by the fact that the existing economic, political and legal systems, education, culture, civil society, mass media, public figures, leaders, scientists, experts, professionals, parents, teachers, medics, thinkers, creative and religious actors are not fully perform their duties of strengthening the norms and values of a non-violent way of life, as envisages the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, adopted by the UN General Assembly. Evidences of the neglected peace-building duties are the archaic and dangerous practices which must be ended: military patriotic upbringing, compulsory military service, lack of systematic public peace education, propaganda of war in the mass media, support of war by NGOs, reluctance of some human rights defenders to advocate consistently for the full realization of human rights to peace and to conscientious objection to military service. We remind stakeholders of their peace-building duties and will steadfastly insist on compliance with these duties.

We see as goals of our peace movement and all peace movements of the world to uphold human right to refuse to kill, to stop the war in Ukraine and all wars in the world, and to ensure sustainable peace and development for all the people of the planet. To achieve these goals, we will tell the truth about the evil and deception of war, learn and teach practical knowledge about peaceful life without violence or with its minimization, and we will help to the needy, especially those affected by wars and unjust coercion to support army or participation in war.

War is a crime against humanity, therefore, we are determined not to support any kind of war and to strive for the removal of all causes of war.

Several Hundred Detained as Russians Protest Mobilization

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Moscow Times

Several hundred people have been detained across Russia on Wednesday as rallies against a military mobilization declared by President Vladimir Putin for the war in Ukraine took place in areas from the Far East to the capital Moscow.


Wednesday’s protest against mobilization in Ulan-Ude (t.me/Baikal_People)

According to the independent OVD-Info police monitor, at least 1,386 protesters have been detained  nationwide so far with at least half of the count recorded in the capital Moscow.

It added that a majority of those detained were women.

Police in Moscow reportedly handed some detainees summons to the military enlistment office regardless of their experience.

The Vesna opposition movement as well as supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called on Russians nationwide to take to the streets on Wednesday evening to oppose the Kremlin’s decision to bolster its forces in Ukraine with a “partial” mobilization. 

The first protests took place across cities in Siberia and the Far East, where dozens were arrested, often just minutes after the rallies began, according to local reports.

Small groups of protesters gathered in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the republic of Buryatia; Yakutsk, the capital of the republic of Sakha; and the Far East cities of Khabarovsk and Irkutsk.

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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Protesters in Ulan-Ude were seen carrying handwritten signs reading “No war! No mobilization!” and “Our husbands, fathers and brothers don’t want to kill other husbands and fathers.”

In the Siberian city of Tomsk, a female protester carrying a sign reading “Hug me if you are also scared” was among the 15 people detained shortly after the start of the protest, according  to local Telegram news channel Ulitsa Barkhatnaya.

In Novosibirsk, Russia’s third-largest city, video published  to social media showed a protester shouting “I don’t want to die for Putin or for you!”

Protests then took place across the cities in Russia’s Volga-Ural region. At least 45 people were detained in the region’s largest city Yekaterinburg, while dozens others were arrested in Perm, Chelyabinsk and Ufa, the capital of the republic of Bashkortostan, according  to OVD-Info. 

In the capital Moscow, several hundred people gathered on the central Stary Arbat street amid heavy police presence. Protesters could be seen chanting “No war!” “Send Putin to the trenches!” and “Let our children live!” in videos published to social media. 

In St. Petersburg, protesters who gathered near the central St. Isaac’s Square were quickly encircled by police, according to videos  from the scene. But others continued  to march through the city center. 

Rallies also took place in the city of Arkhangelsk in the Far North, the southern city of Krasnodar, the Baltic exclave Kaliningrad and others.

In Kazan, the capital of the republic of Tatarstan, a small group of female protesters marched through central streets chanting “Peace to the world. No to mobilization!” after the initial rally was dispersed.

A total of 300,000 Russian reservists are expected to be called up for military service during the campaign, according to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. 

But the mobilization efforts could be more far-reaching given the vague wording of the mobilization decree, according  to human rights lawyer Pavel Chikov, who has been helping Russian soldiers opposed to the war.

Gabon: Project to support the civic and political participation of young people

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article by Jerry Bibang, special to CPNN

The Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, Gabon section (PAYNCoP Gabon) organized last weekend in Oyem, “A consultative workshop on the civic and political participation of young people in Gabon”. The activity took place on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Democracy, celebrated on September 15 each year.

After Franceville in the province of Haut-Ogooué (East Gabon), Oyem in the province of Woleu-Ntem (North Gabon) was the second city to host these consultative workshops which are part of the initiative entitled “Project to support the civic and political participation of young people in Gabon.”

The activity was supported by the presence of the Provincial Governor, Mr. Jules NDJEKI, who officially launched the work, in the presence of about fifty participants, from civil society organizations and political parties, both majority and opposition.

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

Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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The initiative, supported by the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) in partnership with UNESCO, aims to encourage the civic and political participation of young people in Gabon, especially before, during and after the elections.

“Initially this workshop will make a diagnosis of the civic and political participation of young people in order to identify the challenges and obstacles relating to their participation. Then, it will be up to the participants to find possible solutions by making recommendations in order to improve the participation of young people in politics and also in civil society organizations. The objective is to place young people as ACTOR and not SPECTATOR in the life of their community and our country,” explained Jerry Bibang, project coordinator.

For Rachel Oyane, President of the Provincial Youth Council, “Holding this workshop coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Democracy. It challenges us to see that democracy is not a completed process, but rather an evolving work. which involves all actors in society. In particular civil society organizations have an increasingly important role to play. It is in this sense that we welcome, once again, this project which gives voice to young people in order to reflect on the mechanisms and measures that can improve our civic and political participation”

After these consultation workshops, PAYNCoP is planning an advocacy campaign with public authorities as well as raising awareness on violence and hate speech during the election period. Training and capacity building are also planned for young people engaged in political life and in associations.

After this stage, Port-Gentil and Libreville are the next cities that will host these workshops.

Russia: Pop Diva Alla Pugacheva Comes Out Against the War

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Moscow Times

Alla Pugacheva, Russia’s most beloved pop singer, posted on Sunday on her Instagram account an appeal to the Russian Ministry of Justice asking to be named a “foreign agent” in solidarity with her husband, comedian Maxim Galkin.


TV host Maxim Galkin and singer Alla Pugacheva on Sept. 8, 2021

“Please include me in the ranks of foreign agents of my beloved country,” her text read, “since I am in solidarity with my husband — an honest, decent and sincere man, a true and incorruptible patriot of Russia who wants his Homeland to flourish in peace, with freedom of speech, and wants an end to our boys dying for illusory goals, which has turned our country into a pariah state and made life a burden for our citizens.”

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pugacheva, Galkin and their children left for Israel. Galkin spent the summer touring in Israel and Europe with stand-up comedy shows that were highly critical of the war and Russian leaders. He performed sold-out shows in Jurmala, Latvia, where the family traditionally spend their summers.

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Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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In August, Pugacheva returned to Russia and was quoted in the Russian state press saying that she’d come back “to put things in order, in my head and in your head.” State media also wrote that she planned to send her children to school on Sept. 1.

Galkin was declared a foreign agent on Sept. 16.

Pugacheva joins a now long list of Russian rock and pop musicians speaking out against the war, including DDT frontman Yuri Shevchuk; Andrei Makarevich (Mashina vremeni), Boris Grebenshchikov (Aquarium); Oxxxymiron (Miron Fedorov); Svetlana Loboda; and Noize MC (Ivan Alexeev). (See articles in CPNN on March 22 and March 12.)

The Kremlin on Monday declined to comment on Pugacheva’s statement.

(Editor’s note: The importance of Alla Pugacheva is explained by Sergey Aleksashenko in his blog Behind the Iron Curtain.)

“Pugacheva is an iconic figure for the 50+ generation—i.e., the main base of support for Putin, his policies, and the war in Ukraine. On the other hand, the singer has almost 3.5 million followers on Instagram, which speaks to her popularity and authority with a younger audience.

“I think the Kremlin made a grave mistake when it attacked Pugacheva by declaring her husband, Maxim Galkin, a foreign agent. It is no secret that until then, Pugacheva had openly taken an anti-war stance but at the same time did not make such outspoken statements. If Pugacheva decides to continue the public discussion about the senselessness of the war, the Kremlin should prepare for an uphill battle.”

Kazakhstan: Congress of World and Traditional Religious Leaders to Address Social Status of Women

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from Astana Times

The seventh Congress of World and Traditional Religious Leaders, scheduled for Sept. 14 – 15, will hold a special session devoted to the social status of women for the first time in the congress’s 20-year history, reported the congress’s press service on Sept. 8.  (The Congress will take place in Kazakhstan’s capitol Nur-Sultan, which was renamed in 2019 from its traditional name of Astana).

The session will focus on women’s contributions to the sustainable development of modern society. It will also address the role of religious communities in advancing women’s social position.

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Questions for this article

Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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The speakers of this meeting include several prominent religious and public figures such as Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States for Social Affairs Haifa Abu Ghazal, Bishop of Los Angeles and Metropolitan of Southern California and Hawaii of the Coptic Orthodox Church Serapion, Head of the Center for the Study of Islamic History Mahmud Erol Kilic, Art and Culture at the OIC (IRCICA), General Director of the Office of the UAE’s Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence Afra Mohammed al-Sabri, Chairman of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan Grand Mufti Nuriddin Kholiknazarov, President of the UniãoPlanetária Isis Maria Borges de Resende, and President of Christian Solidarity Worldwide Jonathan Aitken. 

The congress, which will focus on the role of leaders of the world and traditional religions in mankind’s spiritual and social development in the post-pandemic period, is expected to gather more than 100 delegations from 50 countries. Among them are representatives of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and other religions, including the Head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis, Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, and Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem. 

As part of his visit, Pope Francis will conduct an open-air holy mass  for Roman Catholics and representatives of other religions and confessions on Sept. 14 at the EXPO square. 

Sign the World Peace Treaty

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Introduction from facebook page of Pathways to Peace

With so many conflicts today being waged between political militias, criminal, and international terrorist groups, feelings of uncertainty and conflict are top of mind around our world. In response, a coalition of peacebuilding organizations launched a project for people around the world to sign on to a World Peace Treaty.


Called Sign the World Peace Treaty, the initiative intends to give both organizations and individuals around the world a vehicle to express their desire for a more peaceful world, and then encourages them to take concrete steps that activate that desire. The initiative culminates on September 21, the International Day of Peace (Peace Day.)

We invite you to join Pathways To Peace, Police2Peace, the Rotary EClub of World Peace, and our partner organizations, and Sign the World Peace Treaty Now!

Sign here.

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Question related to this article:

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

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Text from website of Sign the World Peace Treaty

Each year on September 21st, the world celebrates the International Day of Peace (Peace Day) as established by unanimous resolution by the United Nations in 1981.

We witness our world yearning for peace, and there is a step we can all take toward greater unity. This month of September is dedicated to peace.  Let us recommit to peace by removing the perception of separation, perceived borders, differences, and limitations.  Let’s work together and engage in shaping and building peace. It is how peace can be realized for us all.

Signers of the World Peace Treaty:

° Commit to moving beyond the myth of separation to recognize our common humanity and support unity through diversity.

° Model integrity, high ethical standards, and peace that is grounded in love.

° Act to end violence and to embody the peace our humanity cries out for and deserves.

° Promote earnestly the ideals of peace and articulate positive evidence of peace in all viable ways, in particular by advancing the Culture of Peace in the best interest of humanity.

° Recognize The International Day of Peace (Peace Day) as a day to commemorate, strengthen, and celebrate the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.

° Can be organizations or individuals

Vietnam shares importance of promoting culture of peace at UN forum

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the Vietnam News Agency

(Editor’s note: As of this writing on September 9, there is no general article available on the United Nations High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace that took place on September 6. Instead, here is the press release of the Vietnam News Agency followed by links to all of the available published statements by the General Assembly President and various UN member states, all from Asia and the Middle East.)

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), stressed the importance of the culture of peace and non-violence in the world while attending the UN General Assembly’s high-level forum on culture of peace on September 6.


General Assembly President Abdullah Shahid

As a country that went through wars to protect its independence and sovereignty, Vietnam specially cherishes the value of peace and stability, Giang stated, adding in that context, generations of Vietnamese people have made efforts to build the foundation for peace, through promoting friendship, harmony and mutual understanding among nations.

Vietnam always promotes the settlement of conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force, and by complying and implementing international law.

The diplomat emphasised the need for the international community to support efforts to build and maintain peace, while respecting the responsibility, independence and mastery of countries in accordance with the UN Chapter and international law.

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Question(s) related to this article:

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

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President of the UNGA Abdullah Shahid said that the COVID-19 pandemic and long-lasting conflicts in many areas of the world have worsened discrimination and intolerance, and complicated instability and poverty.

Abdullah Shahid and speakers at the forum emphasised the importance of efforts to promote the building and maintenance of lasting peace, address the root causes of conflicts, and promote the building of harmonious and inclusive societies, in which no one is left behind.

Many of them recognised the role and contributions of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, calling for increased assurance of resources for efforts to build and maintain peace.

A culture of peace is given a very comprehensive definition in the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which was adopted by the General Assembly, in September 1999. It is defined as “a set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations”./.

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Statement by the President of the UN General Assembly

Statement by Malaysia

Statement by Bangladesh

Statement by Armenia

Statement by India

Statement by Qatar

Statement by Oman

Statement by United Arab Emirates

The “Fihavanana” of Madagascar: corruption or culture of peace?

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

Translated and edited for CPNN from a post of July 30, 2022 on Blogger.com.

We will not stop repeating it, we must fight against corruption before corruption fights against us. Because not to act is to approve and to approve it amounts to showing non-assistance to a country in danger. And as corruption becomes a way of life on the Big Island, more and more people are pointing the finger at Fihavanana.

In its traditional use Fihavanana is a Malagasy cultural concept based on mutual aid that maintains a culture of peace and harmony by avoiding or resolving family disagreements, in the neighborhood or across the country.


Photo from the article The Fihavanana: Myths and Realities of a Value that Guarantees Social Peace

(click here for the original french version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Opposing tax havens and corruption: part of the culture of peace?

It’s a big problem that this collective way of thinking is now in the service of corruption. It threatens to lobotomize the Malagasy at the cost of a common value.

Mutual aid is being diverted towards bribes; officials in charge receive compensation to make procedures more flexible or to make requests favorable. The bribes are justified by the desire to maintain the “Fihavanana”. It is no longer even a question of avoiding disagreements, they will rather use it to make favoritism, priority to acquaintances in the neighborhood. Who care about skill and effort! Positions and places will go first to family members. It is nepotistic “Fihavanana”.

Some go so far as to falsify data to favor their relatives, risk their work for corruption. But ironically, is it really better to lose money than to lose family as the Malagasy proverb says?

The blame should not be on the “Fihavanana” but in the use that one makes of it. A culture of peace cannot be harmful. But a fight against corruption is necessary so that the “Fihavanana” regains its traditional meaning instead of corrupting a national value, a culture that characterizes Madagascar. And even if the country has made some progress by going from 149th in 2020 to 147th in 2021 on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), the fight is even becoming cultural.

(Thank you to Jay Ralitera for sending this article to CPNN)