Category Archives: Uncategorized

Are the people of Haiti making progress towards a culture of peace?

Haiti: CNDDR workshop finalizes its national disarmament strategyr

The Rotary Club of Pétion-Ville : promoting the culture of peace in Haiti

UNIFA, the University of the Aristide Foundation in Haiti

Pour une ‘culture de paix’ dans la presse du Cap-Haïtien

For a ‘culture of peace’ in the press of Cap-Haitien

16 Days of Activism: Meet Marjorie Lafontant, Haiti

MPP’s Much Ado About Women

Haïti – Social : Vers la Paix sociale à Cité Soleil

Haiti – Social : Towards Social Peace in Cité Soleil

Uncategorized

English bulletin May 1, 2021

. OVERCOMING ISRAELI APARTHEID . .

Believing that a solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is the key to peace in the Middle East, CPNN has carried many articles on this subject. Increasingly it is recognized that the situation resembles the apartheid of South Africa.

The overcoming of apartheid was accomplished by a combination of struggle within South Africa and international pressure through boycotts, divestment and sanctions. In this regard, a number of important developments have occurred since the beginning of this year.

SANCTIONS

A report released by Human Rights Watch : Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution Human Rights Watch on April 27 states that the Israeli oppression of Palestinians has reached a “threshold and a permanence that meets the definitions of the crimes of apartheid and persecution.” According to HRW director Kenneth Roth, “Those who strive for Israeli-Palestinian peace, whether a one or two-state solution or a confederation, should in the meantime recognize this reality for what it is and bring to bear the sorts of human rights tools needed to end it.”

The HRW report confirms previous reports, such as that of January 12 by the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem labelling Israel as an “apartheid state.” According to Richard Falk, who served from 2008-2014 as the  United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, B’Tselem is Israel’s most respected human rights organization. He states that the report “confirms earlier UN reports and allegations that the Palestinians are victimized by an apartheid regime that seeks to impose policies and practices that ensure the supremacy of Jews by victimizing the Palestinian people.”

Perhaps the most important development is the decision of the International Criminal Court on February 5, 2021. By a 2-1 vote the Chamber’s decision affirmed the authority of Fatou Bensouda, the ICC Prosecutor, to proceed with an investigation of Israeli war crimes committed in Palestine since 2014. Richard Falk considers that ICC decision may turn out to be a turning point in the struggle against Israeli apartheid, not unlike the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa.

According to Michael Lynk, the present United Nations Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, the ICC decision “offers profound hope to those who believe that consequences, not condonation, must be the answer to the commission of grave crimes . . . Ending impunity and pursuing justice can only bring us closer to peace in the Middle East.”

BOYCOTTS AND DIVESTMENT

Boycotts and divestment continues to develop around the world, especially from religious and academic institutions, as reviewed in the website of the BDS movement.

STRUGGLE WITHIN PALESTINE

Pressure continues to grow for elections in Palestine in order to arrive at a unified struggle against apartheid, since elections previously scheduled for May have been postponed. Palestinian activist Mazin Qumsiyeh reports on key points towards a electoral program for the needed social change, as agreed to in recent discussions with Palestinian activists. These include, among other points :

– Support for human rights including a) the right of return for refugees to their homes and lands and to be compensated for their suffering, b) the full equality to women (in all aspects of social, educational and economic rights, c) the right to education to all, d) the right to due process of law, e) the right to clean and healthy environment, d) right to food/sustenance and shelter;

– Complete freedom of expression through all communication media;

– Mechanisms created to weed out corruption, nepotism and other unethical behaviors in all levels of society;

STRUGGLE WITHIN ISRAEL

Israel has not seen mass demonstrations for justice for Palestine since 2017 when some 15,000 Israelis attended a Tel Aviv rally to demand progress for a two-state solution to the conflict.

However, there continues to be a movement among young Israelis to refuse to serve in the armed forces. In January of this year sixty Israeli teenagers published an open letter addressed to top Israeli officials declaring their refusal to serve in the army in protest of its policies of occupation and apartheid.

WHEN WILL IT END, AND HOW?

Quoting Richard Falk, “the African majority waited more than 30 years for their emancipation from apartheid. The Palestinian people have already endured the hardships and humiliations of racist subjugation and Jewish supremacy for more than 70 years. When will it end, and how?”

HUMAN RIGHTS




Human Rights Watch : Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Glen Greenwald : My New Book on Journalism, Exposing Corruption, and the Resulting Risks, Dangers and Societal Changes

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Biden’s Climate Summit Falls Short : Lofty Words But Where is the Plan?

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



We the Peoples : Call for Inclusive Global Governance
In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 19 virtual events.

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Generation Equality Forum: Mexico City, 29-31 March 2021

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Latin American Congress of Research for Peace will be held virtually in August

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Richard Falk: A Palestinian Balance Sheet: Normative Victories, Geopolitical Disappointments

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Brazil: Compaz invites schools to the 19th edition of the book Londrina Pazeando
Uncategorized

Hans Küng: Towards a Global Ethic

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by René Wadlow in the Transcend Media Service

Hans Küng was a Swiss Roman Catholic theologian who died on 6 Apr 2021 at the age of 93. He always stressed the Swiss aspect of his life, its democratic traditions, and the need to discuss widely before making a decision. He wrote his doctoral thesis at the Sorbonne University in Paris on the Swiss Protestant theologian Karl Barth (1886 – 1968) who spent most of his teaching life at Bale Universit


Le théologien catholique Hans Küng, en 2006, à Paris. JOEL SAGET / AFP

Küng always hoped that some of the democratic spirit would enter the Roman Catholic Church, and he had high hopes at the time of the Vatican II Conference which brought some reforms to Church administration.  Küng also saw Vatican II as a time when Catholic thinkers such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) and Henri de Lubac (1896-1991), who had been marginalized, were again being read.  However, the conservative forces within the Church and especially within the Vatican itself regained influence.  The more liberal voices were less heard, and in some cases were driven out of the Church itself.

Thus from the early 1980s Küng turned his attention to other religions.  He wrote a book on Judaism and another on Islam. Then he turned his attention to the religions of Asia, looking for common themes that could provide a bridge.

(continued in right column)

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

(continued from left column).

Like Karl Barth, the political tensions in the 1980s between the U.S.A. and the USSR became a preoccupation.  In addition, the tensions in the Middle East were growing. Küng wanted to find a moral code that would provide a global way of life conducive to peace.  He became active in the Parliament of the World’s Religions which had been an effort in the 1880s to develop dialogue among representatives of religions.  A century later the Parliament was revived and has held a session every five years or so meeting in different parts of the world.

For the Parliament, Hans Küng wrote a text Toward a Global Ethic around which the Parliament could discuss.  The Text began,

 “Peace eludes us, the planet is being destroyed, neighbors live in fear, women and men are estranged from each other, children die. This is abhorrent.” 

The text goes on,

“We affirm that a common set of core values is found in the teachings of religions and that these form a basis of a global ethic.”

He then calls for a radical change in consciousness.

“We are interdependent. Each of us depends on the well-being of the whole, and so we have respect for the community of living beings, for people, animals, and plants, and for the preservation of Earth, the air, water and soil.”

I had participated in an inter-religious discussion in Geneva in which Hans Küng was active.  True to his democratic spirit, he listened respectfully to what each was saying, although he was the best-known participant in the meeting.  The concept of a global ethic as a base for peace has not yet taken hold, although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an important step in that direction.

Hans Küng’s intellectual effort set a direction in which citizens of the world will continue to walk. There is still a good distance to go until the ideology becomes a practice, but the need remains and new voices will come to the fore.

Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, Uncategorized

Past Virtual Events in April

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events and application deadlines in April that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Where possible links are provided to recordings of the events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

April 7, 7:00-8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time
China, U.S. and the Risk of Nuclear War

This webinar, sponsored by the Committee for a SANE U.S.-China Policy and Western Massachusetts Back from the Brink, will examine the dangers of a nuclear war erupting between the U.S. and China, and consider strategies for preventing this. The webinar is open to the public and registration is free.
— To register, click here

April 7, 2021, 1:00-2:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
Sustaining Peace Forum: Peace is Always Local

Sponsored by the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability along with a number of co-cponsors
— We will explore local-led peace efforts to show that they are at the center, not the periphery, of effective peace building. The panelists will also call for radical changes in how international actors understand and engage these key stakeholders. This dialogue aims to make the case that we can no longer operate under the paradigm in which local actors are “invited to the table.” In fact, local actors are already creating the most important “tables”, in meaningful and powerful ways. This event will include prominent scholar-practitioners who each focus their inquiry on different and complementary aspects of local-led peace efforts.
— Registration

Thursday 8th of April 16:00 Central European Time
Dialogue about “The World after Corona with Jan Øberg”

Watch the lecture now available online with this link. After you watch the lecture join the zoom discussion with the link you get after registering for the event below. Prepare to share your questions to Jan over chat during the zoom event.
— The course is sponsored and organized by The Necessary teacher training College and the students attending the programme. Learn more about us on our website www.dns-tvind.dk
— Zoom registration

April 14, 10-11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
The role of apology, repentance, and forgiveness in societal transformation

Join the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and Religions for Peace for a panel discussion and learning exchange among experts, including Dr. Eileen Borris, on the role of apology, repentance, and forgiveness in social change movements and transitional justice processes. During this event you will have the opportunity to listen to agents of change from around the world who have been involved in and/or studied political apologies and social repentance efforts. Through this event we hope to learn from global experiences to inform current efforts towards racial justice, transformation, and healing in the United States.
— Register here

April 14, 2021 09:00 AM in Guatemala
How transparent is gender equality funding in Guatemala and where do we go from here?

The Gender Financing Project has mapped national and international funding for gender equality in Guatemala. Our research examines how such information could be made more transparent and useful and offers some recommendations for improved co-ordination and allocation of gender equality funding in Guatemala.
— Join our webinar to learn how the Guatemalan government and international donors are funding gender equality in Guatemala, and where key stakeholders can work together to improve the transparency of this funding.
— We welcome comments and questions from the audience, which can be submitted in advance or during the event via social media and our interactive chat.
— This webinar will have simultaneous interpretation in English and Spanish.
— YouTube recording

Apr 14, 2021 12:30 PM Central European Time
Online Workshop: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for 2030 framework and the Berlin Conference: Time to act – Now or Never

Summarizes the learnings from the series of online workshops and highlights the focus areas of the new framework ESD for 2030, as well as its roadmap on the way forward, from UNESCO World Conference on ESD in Berlin, Germany and beyond. The previous sessions addressed the following questions:
* how can ESD learning continue in digital or remote formats?
* how can ESD equip young people with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to be resilient under challenging situations?
* what are the interlinkages between the health of the planet and people?
* what is the role of ESD for climate action?’ and
* how can ESD promote alternative lifestyles/livelihoods in response to consumerism?
— Zoom registration

April 14, 2021 08:00 PM in Eastern Standard Time (US and Canada)
Asia-Pacific Working Group Webinar: Biden & China – The First 100 Days. Confrontations, Competitions, and Anti-Asian

Our expert panel will assess President Biden’s first 100 days in office, which have been marked by escalating military, economic and diplomatic tensions with China and what this has meant for Asian-Americans.Featured Speakers:
— Christine Hong, Professor, University of California, author of “A Violent Peace: Race, U.S. Militarism, and Cultures of Democratization in Cold War Asia and the Pacific”
— Joseph Gerson, President, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament & Common Security, author of “Empire and the Bomb: How the U.S. Uses Nuclear Weapons to Dominate the World”
— Jake Werner, Boston University, Global Development Policy Center and Co-Founder Critical China Scholars
— Video recording

April 15, 2021 07:00 PM in Eastern Standard Time (US and Canada)
A Tax Day Like No Other: Pressing for our budget priorities amid pandemic, economic and climate crises and new Cold Wars

Organized by: Massachusetts Peace Action, Massachusetts Alliance of HUD Tenants, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, New England War Tax Resistance, American Friends Service Committee – Northeast Region, Maine Peace Action, Peace Action New York State (list in formation)
— For more information: info@masspeaceaction.org, 617-354-2169
— https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrc-qrrjMsEtSzPJ328CaAEu4EczzRg0Qp”>Zoom registration

April 15, 12-1 pm Pacific Standard Time (California)
Nonviolence Skills Practice Hour- April Session

The Metta Center for Nonviolence is teaming up with Meta Peace Team for a monthly one-hour nonviolence skills practice sessions in 2021 with skills ranging across the spectrum of nonviolent intervention and personal nonviolent development.
— Meta Peace Team has trained and placed violence de-escalation peace teams locally, nationally, and internationally for over 25 years, and teaches these skills to anyone interested: They’re just as important in our own day-to-day lives! Their mission is to build a just and sustainable world through active nonviolence.
— The session will begin with a short inspirational reading, a skill review, and then participants will have a chance to practice together.
— You must register ahead of time and be available with video on Zoom for the sessions. (See below)
— This project is part of the Third Harmony Project and the Meta Peace Team “hub” project.
— Register here

Saturday, April 17, 2021 • 2:00 PM Central European Time
Threats of War: Britain’s New Global Role – Conference of Stop the War Coalition

Host Contact Info: office@stopwar.org.uk
— Our government is desperate for Britain to play a global military role. Despite the pandemic, economic crisis and crumbling services, they boosted defence spending in 2020 by the biggest margin in years. They are refusing to withdraw support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen war and are keen to be partner No. 1 in the US push for a new cold war on China.
— Make sure you join us at this conference to discuss what is driving this new round of provocations and how they can be stopped.
— YouTube recording

April 18, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (US and Canada)
International Day of Action in Solidarity with Venezuela

In 2015, the World Peace Council called for declaring April 19 the GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA. The date symbolizes the Day of the Declaration of Independence of Venezuela in 1810, which constitutes the beginning of the struggle for independence from Spanish colonialism. Every year, members and friends of the WPC hold solidarity events with the people of Venezuela, and organize protests against the imperialist aggression in dozens of countries, declaring their militant solidarity with the people of Venezuela, for their right to self-determination and independence.
— Zoom Webinar moderated by Bahman Azad, Executive Secretary, U.S. Peace Council
— Bilingual (English and Spanish)
— CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

April 21, 2021 04:00 PM in Kathmandu
How transparent is gender equality funding in Nepal and where do we go from here?

The Gender Financing Project has mapped national and international funding for gender equality in Nepal. Our research examines how such information could be made more transparent and useful and offers some recommendations for improved co-ordination and allocation of gender equality funding in Nepal.
— Join our webinar to learn how the Nepali government and international donors are funding gender equality in Nepal, and where key stakeholders can work together to improve the transparency of this funding.
— We welcome comments and questions from the audience, which can be submitted in advance or during the event via social media and our interactive chat.
— YouTube recording

Fri, April 23, 2021, 2:15 AM – 3:30 AM Central European Time
Women Peacemakers

sponsored by the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice
— how international peacebuilding organizations can better partner with local women peacebuilders to address the closing spaces and increased insecurity women are currently facing when working to end cycles of violence.
— During this Kroc School signature event, you’ll hear more about these efforts, plus:
— Real stories about what it’s like being a woman peacebuilder in the Covid era
— Insights about the challenges and opportunities of being on the front lines and in the back rooms of shaping more peaceful societies
Ideas for how we can bring more equity, justice, and compassion to our communities.
— Click here to register

Saturday, 24 Apr 2021, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Central European Time)
Youth Summit Against NATO

The future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) depends on young people. NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, said that ”young people have the greatest stake in NATO’s future” during the NATO 2030 Youth Summit held in November last year. The new agenda of the transatlantic alliance called “NATO 2030” seeks to indoctrinate younger generations into the false narrative of militarized security that the alliance has promoted for decades. The first Youth Summit Against NATO will gather young leaders from the peace movement to share their thoughts about resisting NATO and the implications this nuclear-armed alliance will have for their future.
–> Speakers:
Angelo Cardona, International Peace Bureau, Advisory Board World Beyond War (Colombia).
Dirk Hoogenkamp, NVMP-Artsen voor Vrede, European student representative to the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) (Netherlands).
Lucy Tiller, Youth and Student, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (UK)
Lucas Wirl, Co-Chair, No to War-No to NATO (Germany).
Vanessa Lanteigne, National Coordinator, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (Canada).
— Facebook recording

Mardi 27 avril de 19h à 20h30 (Central European Time) – en Français
Georges Corm: éclairage sur la situation au Proche-Orient

Nous avons le plaisir de vous annoncer que Georges Corm a accepté de participer à une visioconférence à la demande du Mouvement de la Paix. Son éclairage sur la situation au Proche-Orient est toujours intéressant, surtout dans le contexte actuel de désinformation, et notamment en ce qui concerne la Syrie. Cela fait déjà quelque temps qu’il n’a pas participé à des conférences en France.
— Si vous avez des questions à lui poser, merci de nous les envoyer en retour d’e-mail et nous les lui transmettrons avant cette conférence, pour la bonne tenue de cette dernière.
— Georges Corm est ancien ministre, économiste, historien, professeur à l’Institut de sciences politiques de l’Université Saint Joseph à Beyrouth. Auteur de nombreux ouvrages sur l’histoire du Liban et du Proche-Orient, dont en particulier :
“Le Proche-Orient, éclaté (1956–2012)” / Ed. Gallimard/Histoire, 2007
“Orient-Occident, la fracture imaginaire” / Ed. La Découverte, 2002 et 2004
— YouTube recording

Thursday, April 29, 2021 • 7:00 PM • Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada)
Militarism & Climate Change: Disaster in Progress

Join us on April 29 for a webinar on the intersections between climate justice and anti-war movements.
A just transition requires not only a transition from fossil fuels to renewables, but also demilitarization. Bloated defence and border security budgets not only fund violence and destruction, but absorb resources needed to fund a just transition, build a green economy, secure economic and racial justice, and end poverty.
Addressing the climate crisis is at odds with Canada’s current plans to increase military expenditures astronomically, and sign contracts for the purchase of 88 new bomber jets and Canada’s first fleet of unmanned armed drones. Not to mention Canada’s growing role as a major global arms dealer and weapons manufacturer.
— Host Contact Info: canada@worldbeyondwar.org
— YouTube Recording

Jeudi 29 Avril 2021, 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time
Repenser la place des Femmes et des Jeunes en Afrique Post Covid 19

L’Institut Mandela(IM), le Laboratoire de Recherches et d’Actions Diplomatiques (LaRAD), et l’Ecole Doctorale Gouvernance de l’Afrique et du Moyen-Orient (GAMO) de l’Université MOHAMMED V de Rabat, vous invitent à la prochaine Vidéoconférence Panafricaine. Discours d’ouverture de Son Excellence Madame Jamila EL MOSSALI, Ministre de la Solidarité, du Développement social, de l’Égalité et de la Famille du Royaume du Maroc.
— lien Zoom

April 29, 2021, two sessions 5:30 PM in New Zealand and 5:15 Central European Time
Time for global No-First-Use policies

A webinar exploring No-First-Use (NFU) policies, their contribution to nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament, and new possibilities for their adoption by additional nuclear armed and allied states. The webinar is hosted by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and cosponsored by Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Peace Depot Japan, People for Nuclear Disarmament, PragueVision Institute for Sustainable Security and the World Future Council.
— The first session will focus primarily on NFU in the Asia/Pacific region. Chair: Alyn Ware (New Zealand). Global Coordinator, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.
— The second session will focus on NFU in North America and Europe. Chair: Marc Finaud, (France/Switzerland), Head of Arms Proliferation at Geneva Centre for Security Policy
— YouTube recording of first session

global, Uncategorized

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

In Africa, the concept of the Culture of Peace is enriched by the values, belief systems, traditions, and cultural and artistic forms of expression that contribute to the respect of human rights, cultural diversity, solidarity and the rejection of violence to build democratic societies. The Biennale for the Culture of Peace draws from Pan-African Forum “Sources and Resources for a Culture of Peace” held in Luanda, Angola, in 2013, and aims to expand and sustain the Pan-African Movement for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence.

Below are articles in CPNN about the Biennale:

The Contribution of Gabon to UNESCO and the Culture of Peace

African Union Calls for a 4th Edition of the Luanda Biennale Forum for the Culture of Peace

The Biennale of Luanda 2023 – Through eyes of its young participants

Results of the 2023 Luanda Biennale, Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Togo participation in the Luanda Biennale, or Pan-African Forum on Culture, to take place in the Angolan capital from November 22 to 24

Luanda to host third Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Angola Debates The Women’s Role In Building Peace And Democracy

Youth at the Luanda Biennale – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Culture at the Luanda Biennale – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Speeches by the Sponsors of the Luanda Biennale : Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Highlights of the Biennale of Luanda 2021 : Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Biennale of Luanda 2021 : Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Culture of Peace and the Luanda Biennale

Involving the African Youth in the Biennale of Luanda!

Angola: Luanda Biennial Strengthens Culture of Peace

Central Africa: Ambassador Sita José Analyzes Luanda Biennial With ECCAS Commissioner

Ambassadors praise Angola’s efforts for peace in Africa

Biennale of Luanda: Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace 18-22 September

Luanda Biennale: Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

2019 Biennial of Luanda (Angola): The initial budget has about 440 thousand euros

Angola: Culture ministry analyzes programme of Luanda Biennal

UNESCO and Angola to establish Biennal of Luanda, a Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

Angola to pass on peace experience to UNESCO members in Paris

Second international conference on the culture of peace in Africa

Segunda conferência internacional sobre a cultura da paz em África

Uncategorized

Articles from 2020

Now displaying CPNN news in English during 2020.
Click on the numbered pages below to see all.
For articles from other years, click 2024 or 2023 or 2022 or 2021 or 2019 or 2018 or 2017 or 2016 or 2015 or prior to 2015.
For English articles by category or region, click Read on the menu above.

Uncategorized

English bulletin February 1, 2021

TREATY ON PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The Red Cross: “For more than 75 years, almost half of the ICRC’s 158 years of existence, we have been advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons for one simple reason: We do not believe they can be used without inflicting significant death and suffering among civilians. That is why January 22, 2021, is such a momentous day for us. It is the day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) comes into force. This day is nothing short of a victory for humanity.”

This month, many others joined with the Red Cross in celebrating the Treaty.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres commended the States that have ratified the Treaty and welcomed the “instrumental role of civil society in advancing the TPNW’s negotiation and entry into force , , , Nuclear weapons pose growing dangers and the world needs urgent action to ensure their elimination and prevent the catastrophic human and environmental consequences any use would cause . . . The elimination of nuclear weapons remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations.”

The Foreign Minister of the Vatican, speaking on behalf of the Pope, welcomed the Treaty as a step toward a “nuclear weapons-free world,” saying that nuclear deterrence gives a ‘false sense of security,’”

Members of the World Future Council and Right Livelihood Laureates issued a joint statement celebrating the Entry-into-force of the Treaty and listing further steps that are needed towards the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

On January 13, the organization Ploughshares Calgary (Canada) held a webinar explaining the treaty featuring Earl Turcotte, the Chairperson of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

On January 21, a Global Health Webinar was held by health professionals to mark the Treaty, co-sponsored by the International Council of Nurses, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Medical Students’ Association, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, World Federation of Public Health Association, and World Medical Association.

On January 22, the International Peace Bureau held a celebration for the Treaty, calling on members of the IPB family, our friends and all peace lovers to celebrate this historical step, and deliver this great news with noise and fun in your countries all across the globe, as the road to a world free of nuclear weapons is now wide open!

On January 25, a webinar was held with discussion by experts and activists on the political openings for global nuclear disarmament and the vital roles being played by the United Nations and civil society. It was sponsored by the Basel Peace Office, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Right Livelihood Foundation, UNFOLD ZERO, World Future Council and Youth Fusion.

In France, demonstrators gathered near the French National Assembly and in front of the embassies of the 4 other nuclear-weapon States and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Russia, USA, Great Britain, China) to celebrate the Treaty and demand their adherence.

As the Red Cross concludes, “But it is only the beginning of the world’s journey to eliminate nuclear weapons. The end comes when those 13,000 nuclear weapons no longer exist.”

Many of the organizations above make demands of the nuclear states to begin the process of nuclear disarmament. And people are invited to sign appeals to these governments such as the Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.

But there is no indication that the nuclear powers are listening., We must do more than that, as argued in the blog, APPEALS ARE NOT ENOUGH.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Red Cross: Nuclear Weapons Are Finally Outlawed, Next Step Is Disarmament

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



World Social Forum 2021

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Irate farmers storm Delhi on tractors as tear gas deployed and internet cut off in scramble to defend Indian capital

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Who to Believe about Venezuela’s Election: Firsthand observation or PBS Newshour?
In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 23 virtual events.

  

HUMAN RIGHTS




Israel to ban human rights groups from school visits

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



In Malawi, Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Fights against Child Marriage

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Spain: Movimiento por la Paz produces educational material for secondary schools on the culture of peace
Uncategorized

English bulletin January 1, 2021

. CULTURE OF PEACE IN MEXICO .

Six years ago we carried in CPNN an article about Mexico by the great peace researcher Johan Galtung. He said, among other things, “At the national level an overarching program to prevent violence has been designed and enacted . . . grounded in a legitimate peace philosophy –one in which peace is constructed through the satisfaction of basic human needs- and is well equipped in scope and with enough budget and personnel to achieve transcending results by construction of peace infrastructures (i.e. mediation centers, academic degrees in peace for civil servants, etc.)  and the buildup of a mediation-dialogue-conciliation culture. . . ”

Recent articles in CPNN show that the peace programs described by Galtung are continuing to develop.

Many initiatives are underway in the educational systems of Mexico.

At a national level, the Ministry of Education is training teachers, students and parents in violence prevention and school mediation. Recently the Council for School Coexistence (Convive) convened a virtual seminar with teachers to discuss Gender Equality, Human Rights, School Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Management

In Baja California, more than 1,500 preschool, primary and secondary school teachers participated via zoom in the seminar called: “Socio-emotional education, child and adolescent participation and the culture of peace in Mexican schools”, convened by the Ministry of Public Education,

In San Luis Potosi, Training workshops and conferences for the elimination of violence against women., both face-to-face and digital, were carried out for 16 consecutive days for all personnel in the educational system.

At the Maguen David Hebrew School in Mexico City, high school students took part in a workshop on the natural relationship between the concept of Peace and Education and the importance of their own commitment to take actions in order to build peace. They collaborated in small groups to analyze thoughts and phrases of Martin Buber, Hanna Arendt, Paulo Freire and María Montessori,

At the level of higher education, the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca and the Honorable Congress of the State, have ratified a framework collaboration agreement to strengthen the Culture of Peace. And the University Family Development Center of the University of Colima, through the University Program for Culture for Peace, held the virtual forum “University Students Fostering a Culture of Peace”.

Other recent initiatives in Mexico include a General Directorate of Culture of Peace and Human Rights, an international congress on culture of peace by women, a festival of culture of peace, activation of networks of women peace builders, an initiative called “100 actions for peace” and the use of the principles of the culture of peace to prevent violence and care for its victims.

The Government of Veracruz has established the General Directorate of Culture of Peace and Human Rights in order to contribute to institutional strengthening through the design, implementation, conduct, strengthening and consolidation of public policies on culture and education for peace.

In Sinaloa, the III International Congress “Culture of peace by women: various worldviews; women and men for positive masculinities” involved prominent specialists in these issues.

A fifth edition of its Culture of Peace festival was announced to take place on December 20 in Valle Dorado, to support neighborhood youth, “as it is one of the neighborhoods with a high rate of violence” in Mexico City. Culture of Peace workshop were planned, focused on children, and the festival was to conclude with a concert of the Imperio de la Cumbia musical group.

217 members of the Networks of Women Peace Builders took part in a meeting convened by the Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection in order to inform them about the progress in the fight against discrimination and gender violence.

The project “100 actions for peace” has been initiatied on a national level by the National Council of Civil Organizations for the Culture of Peace, in coordination with the International Committee of the Banner of Peace and the Center for Studies for Peace, Security and Development. The campaign aims for individuals to promise to carry out for each of 100 days, a conscious action that promotes the construction of Peace, with your partner, your family, or in favor of your community and country.

The principles of a culture of peace are being used to assist victims of violence and prevent its recurrence in Mexico. To help communities of people who live on the streets and who consume psychoactive substances, students and researchers from the National School of Anthropology and History and the Metropolitan Autonomous University have formed the “Colectivo Psicocalle.” The mental health of journalists, human rights defenders and / or their relatives who have been victims of violence is being addressed by the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Mexico City. And in the context of the National Strategy for the Prevention of Addictions, the National Commission against Addictions and the Chair for Peace at the Guerrero Autonomous University have held more than ten workshops and free online conferences.

The culture of peace, as a way to counteract violence and addictions, confirms Galtung’s analysis quoted at the beginning. As he himself explained: “massive structural violence can only be addressed with massive peace policies.”

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



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HUMAN RIGHTS




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WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Female victims and ex-combatants graduated as peace activists in Antioquia, Colombia

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



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Uncategorized

English bulletin January 1, 2022

THE BIENNALE OF LUANDA

For almost a decade now, CPNN has been following the Biennale of Luanda as it strives to make Africa the first continent to adopt everywhere a culture of peace.

The process began in 2013 with the Pan-African Forum “Sources and Resources for a Culture of Peace ” held in Luanda, Angola. It was extended in by the 2nd international conference on the culture of peace in Africa , December 2016 in Luanda.

The process was formalized to occur every two years as the Biennale of Luanda, and the first Biennale was held in September 2019.

Last month, the process culminated in the Second Biennale of Luanda held from November 27 to December 2 as a hybrid programme of in-person and on-line events.

The representative of UNESCO who led this process from the beginning, Enzo Fazzino, was honored in a videoconference, as he retired after this year’s event. The account on the UNESCO website is entitled, Une étoile s’ajoute parmi les grands sages de l’UNESCO (A star is added to list of the great wise men of UNESCO).

This year’s Biennale gathered high-level participants from governments, international institutions, the private sector, the artistic and scientific communities, and many more. It was organized as an intergenerational dialogue involving young people from all the countries of the African Union, as well the diaspora.

In the end, 118 young people were selected from 49 African countries and 14 countries of the Diaspora to take part in the Biennale, of whom 10 came in person to Luanda and the others participated virtually. The youth made a number of commitments, including to “Strengthen the capacity of Pan-African youth to promote the culture of peace, identify and support youth initiatives and best practices that work towards the sustainable implementation, individually and collectively, of the concepts of the culture of peace.”

The event included a rich selection of films and shows for culture of peace in Africa. Links to videos of 20 are provided on CPNN, coming from Cape Verde, Congo, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal and Zimbabwe, as well as the Diaspora in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Germany, Haiti, Portugal and Sweden.

The Biennale was opened by the President of Angola, João Lourenço, He recognized the involvement of the African Diaspora, “Many of Africa’s children have been leaving the continent in inhumane conditions and at the risk of their own lives in fleeing conflict zones or looking for a job and better living conditions. Regardless of their age, academic or professional background, they are all important and needed for the development of our continent. We always have the expectation that one day they will voluntarily return with the desire to contribute towards leveraging progress and development in all sectors of African national life.

Speaking as the President of the African Union, Félix Tshisekedi, assured their continued support and paid tribute to the role of youth, ““Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, in the words of the illustrious Agostinho Neto Kilamba, President and Poet, champion of the liberation of man and human brotherhood, ‘poet of sacred hopes’, we should ‘look at Africa with the eyes of the future’,”

And in her speech, UNESCO Directrice-General Audrey Azoulay said “UNESCO will continue to give its full support to this pan-African initiative, so that it is sustainable, in cooperation with the African Union and the Government of Angola. The culture of peace and non-violence is a long relay race ; it takes s a united team, generation after generation, to be victorious.”

The Biennale will be re-convened in two years, again organized by the African Union, Angola and UNESCO. In the meantime, it is up to the youth to keep the flame going.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

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Highlights of the Biennale of Luanda 2021 : Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

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Youth at the Luanda Biennale – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

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Uncategorized