Category Archives: TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Culture of Peace against violence in Mexico

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

Special to CPNN from Roberto Mercadillo

The principles of the culture of peace are being used to care for the victims and to prevent further occurences of the daily violence in Mexico caused by drug addiction, homelessness and attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and their families. .



Video of “Ciclo de Diálogos en Línea: Salud y Paz 2020”

(Click here for Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article

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

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

Students and researchers from the National School of Anthropology and History and the Metropolitan Autonomous University formed “Psicocalle Colectivo”, an initiative that follows the premises of Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence to approach communities of people who live in the streets and who use psychoactive substances, to create social and government interventions based on inclusion and respect for autonomy and mutual understanding.

The Seminar Interdisciplinary Looks of Violence of the National Institute of Anthropology and History opened a new area in Culture of Peace to train Postgraduate students in Physical Anthropology.

In Mexico City, the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists together with the Neuroscience Dream Center investigated the mental health of journalists, human rights defenders and / or their families who have been victims of violence in Mexico and they proposed forms of intervention based on a culture of peace and dialogue to address their mental health.

The National Strategy for the Prevention of Addictions, the National Commission against Addictions and the Chair for Peace of the Guerrero Autonomous University, have carried out the “Cycle of Online Dialogues: Health and Peace 2020” with more than ten workshops and free conferences on-line.

Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations : Applications now open for the Youth Solidarity Fund

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An announcement from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies. Seed funding is given to projects, for and by young people, that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. UNAOC additionally offers capacity-building support to help youth-led organizations strengthen the implementation of their projects.

Established in 2008, YSF responded to calls for action made by young civil society leaders worldwide on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth-led organizations. Today, YSF is more relevant than ever. As the global agenda increasingly speaks of youth’s participation and contribution to peace, development and security, it is critical to listen and respond with funding and partnership opportunities. Click here to start application process


Photo from video about previous YSF winners

The funded projects are youth-led and youth-focused. The age definition used by UNAOC to characterize youth is an individual between the ages of 18 and 35. While the projects target mainly young people, they have an impact on entire communities, often involving religious or political leaders, policy-makers, educational institutions and media organizations.

Youth Solidarity Fund – 9th Edition

The world today is home to the largest youth generation in history, a population that suffers disproportionately from the effects of violence, conflict, poverty, and now COVID-19. The repercussions of COVID-19 extend way beyond health and are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and inequalities. The UN Comprehensive Response to COVID-19 states that the world is experiencing a “surge of stigma, a tsunami of hate, and ramped-up efforts to exploit young people.” To counter this alarming trend, it calls for more action to address the root causes of intolerance and discrimination by promoting inclusion and respect for diversity.

Despite COVID-19 and many other obstacles and challenges, young people continue to find ways to engage, support one another, as well as demand, and drive change. Young people implement innovative solutions to peace and security challenges and are the most able to mobilize their peers. They have the power to transform entire regions to make them more secure, peaceful, and socially inclusive. This has been recognized by the United Nations’ Youth, Peace and Security agenda, which has increasingly focused on youth as agents of change and key actors in powerful social movements. The latest Security Council Resolution on YPS 2535 (July 2020) reiterates youth-led organizations’ critical role in planning and stabilization efforts in peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Indeed, these organizations have a deep understanding of local conditions and meaningful community relationships, allowing them to work with populations that may be difficult for others to access.

Our world has recently witnessed a tragic surge in religious hatred, with increased attacks and violence targeting members of faiths and traditions. In the face of these unspeakable tragedies, the world has also witnessed extraordinary displays of support, love, and solidarity from religious communities across the globe for the victims of such attacks. That led to the creation of the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, developed by UNAOC and launched in September 2019, highlighting the need to create counter-narratives to hatred and violent extremism and promote sustained collaboration among different religions through interreligious dialogue, education, and media. Youth empowerment, including their meaningful participation in decision-making, can play an essential role in whole-of-society preventative approaches.

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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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YSF continues to support youth-led civil society organizations, with a particular focus on the role of young people in promoting peace and preventing violent extremism. YSF does so by providing the partnership, mentorship, and financial means to help young people implement activities that prevent violent conflict, promote peace and social inclusion. YSF functions as a small grant-making mechanism for youth to develop their own ideas on strengthening community resilience against violent extremism conducive to terrorism. UNAOC believes that young people are uniquely placed to counter and prevent violent extremism within their communities based on their valuable insights, influence, and credibility.

Additionally, YSF contributes to the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism and the call to support young people as they take up the causes of cultural and religious pluralism, peace, and mutual respect. The 9th edition of YSF encourages proposals addressing the increased stigma and discrimination of young people and their communities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Proposals focusing on promoting tolerance and respect for other religions and cultures, the right of human beings to practice their faith in safety and peace, and dialogue and respect to combat extremist ideologies and narratives, are also welcome. By addressing the issue of hate speech and its impact on young people, the new edition of YSF will also follow recommendations of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.

A critical part of YSF is a comprehensive capacity building and mentorship support provided to the grant recipients. Organizations that will be awarded with the seed funding for their projects will also take part in structured capacity development program, consisting of workshops and regular mentoring sessions. Through tailor-made mentorship, the workshops will offer know-how on diverse topics, including organizational development, sustainability and personal safety in the field. Additionally, the program also provides grant recipients an opportunity to network with their peers and build connections with the international community. This capacity development program is based on the Youth 360 approach developed by Search for Common Ground with UNAOC and other partners.

Impact

Since 2008, UNAOC has launched eight YSF editions and provided funding to youth-led organizations based in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. To date, a total of 68 projects have been funded, reaching around 95,000 direct beneficiaries in 40 countries. In total, more than 1.7 million direct and indirect beneficiaries have been impacted over the past twelve years.

The projects funded by YSF target young people from various backgrounds: students, marginalized youth, minorities, youth in rural or urban areas, youth in conflict or post-conflict situations, artists and activists. The youth-led organizations employ creative methodologies to break stereotypes, improve intercultural relations and promote a culture of peace, including:

– Educational activities, ranging from one-day awareness raising sessions to week-long trainings, peer-education activities, summer camps, as well as development of educational materials and tools and creation of networks of student leaders and youth clubs;

– Arts and sports as tools to address conflict in a non-violent way, to promote inter-community understanding and to raise-awareness about the dangers of sectarianism, extremism and radicalization;

– Media and social-media campaigns, video production for advocacy purposes and radio series to promote messages of tolerance and peace;

– Creative settings that facilitate intercultural dialogue, interfaith understanding, sharing of experiences and learning from each other in order to bring meaningful change to their society.

Click here to start application process

(Editor’s note : The February 2021 newsletter of the UNAOC announces that “The call for applications for the ninth edition of UNAOC’s Youth Solidarity Fund recorded its highest submission rate with 1,508 applications from youth-led organizations representing 76 countries! UNAOC is now in the process of selecting a group of organizations that will have a chance to participate in capacity-building workshops provided by its project partner, Search for Common Ground. This new interactive component is introduced to strengthen the project proposals and widen the support provided to the youth organizations that invested their time and efforts in the application process.”)

global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, United Nations,

Abolition 2000 Youth Network : Youth Fusion

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Information and photo from Youth Fusion

Youth Fusion is a world-wide networking platform for young individuals, youth organizations & youth initiatives in the field of nuclear disarmament, risk-reduction and non-proliferation. Our focus spans the globe, engaging youth at national, regional and international levels through our programs, events and actions.

Youth Fusion highlights the links between disarmament, peace, climate action, public health and sustainable development, and builds connections and cooperation amongst people and organisations working on these inter-related issues.

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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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Youth Fusion organises forums and events for inter-generational dialogue, so that youth and those more experienced can listen and learn from each other and build cooperation for more effective policy action.

Our goals are clear: to inform, educate, connect  and  engage  our fellow students, young professionals, activists and enthusiasts. Through these activities, and as part of Abolition 2000 Network, we are contributing to the total abolition of nuclear weapons. 

Are you 35 or younger? Join the Youth Fusion network to receive our email newsletter plus aditional information on how to participate in youth events, projects and actions. Membership is free and there are no commitments! Join our network

Are you older than 35? Sign up for our email newsletter, support youth actions and engage in inter-generational dialogue. Subscribe to news

Are you an organisation? We’re looking to partner up with schools, universities, youth groups and NGOs, to collaborate on projects and help us reach more young people worldwide. Join as organisation

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

PAYNCoP Gabon : Celebrating International Volunteer Day

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . .

Special to CPNN from Jerry Bibang (translation by CPNN)

Celebrated under the theme “Together, it’s possible through volunteering,” the International Volunteer Day was the opportunity, this year, to appreciate the contribution of volunteers in the fight against the health crisis, which has become a social and economic crisis as well.


(click on image to enlarge)

PAYNCoP Gabon [National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace] took part in the event organized by the Central Africa Office of the OIF [International Organization of La Francophonie] and the United Nations system, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth. The event recognized the actions carried out to fight against the covid 19 pandemic.

(Click here for the original version in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we work together to overcome this medical and economic crisis?

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“Since the onset of the disease, we have carried out awareness-raising and support actions for the most vulnerable,” said Jerry Bibang, the National Coordinator. These actions included :

– the sensitization of young people via social networks on barrier measures, in partnership with the National Youth Council (CNJ);

– the project to fight fakes news around covid19 (infodemic), in partnership with UNESCO;

– raising awareness among young people through comics strips, in partnership with Yali Gabon and Laboratoire Citoyen du Nouveau Monde;

– the project to set up a hand washing kit in the under-integrated neighborhoods of Libreville, in partnership with Engineers Without Borders;

– the urgent support project for people living with a disability, thanks to the support of Unesco;

– and the project to combat the spread of covid19 among young people and women in prisons, with the support of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the Omar Bongo Foundation for Peace, Science and Culture (FOBO).

“Through our actions, we have directly reached 950 people and impacted more than 1000 people indirectly. It is also an opportunity for us to reiterate our gratitude to the partners who place their trust in us, notably UNESCO, UNOCA, FOBO and many others.”

“Despite these efforts, we are nonetheless aware that the challenges are still many and varied. One of our challenge is to be able to make vulnerable people economically autonomous by setting up income-generating activities.

Peace is not limited to the absence of war, it is also the absence of unemployment, of inequality, of injustice …

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Kalemie, DRC: 200 young Twa and Bantu trained as actors of peace

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Radio Okapi

Two hundred young Twa and Bantu have been trained as actors of peace within the framework of the Tusikilizane Joint Project initiated in Tanganyika by UNFPA, FAO and UNESCO. This project consisted in training in the culture of peace young people and women from two communities previously in conflict. Provincial authorities say they support the project.


A view of the commercial district in Manono, 450 km southwest of Kalemie (Katanga / DRC).

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

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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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It was the Twa-Bantu conflict, which raged in five of the six territories of Tanganyika province, that motivated the three agencies of the United Nations system (UNFPA, FAO and UNESCO) to plan the Tusikilizane Joint Project. Since 2018, Tusikilizane has targeted 200 young people from two communities previously torn apart by bloody conflicts.

This project has just ended its activities in the territories of Kabalo, Kalemie and Nyunzu, after having trained for two years the nucleus of two hundred young people as actors of peace.

UNESCO Country Representative in the DRC, Jean-Pierre Ilboudo, explains:

“Their role is therefore a relay role, which will make that from 200, we will go to 2000, to 2 million to 20 million, to 200 million later. ”

Fifty other women from two communities also benefited from numerous sessions, tools and other capacity-building workshops to involve them in peacebuilding and social cohesion in the region.

“Now that they understand, they would rather work for the welfare of the country and not be manipulated by adventurers. The government is there to support them ”, assured the provincial Minister of Youth and representative of the provincial governor, Radjabu Ali Lugogo Raligo.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Culture of peace: Oyem, Gabon, to host the cross-border project “young weavers of peace in Central Africa”

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Gabon Media Time

Following an exploration mission in Woleu-Ntem province recently led by Salah Kaled, Unesco Regional Director for Central Africa and Representative of the Unesco Office in Gabon ad interim, Oyem was chosen to accommodate the future headquarters of the project entitled “young people, weavers of peace in the cross-border regions of Gabon, Cameroon and Chad”. The project is intended to counter insecurity and growing crime on the borders of the three countries.


Governorate of the province of Woleu-Ntem © D.R.

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

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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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During his mission, the UNESCO representative made a point to present to Jules Djéki, Governor of the province, the challenges of this project which plans to mobilize nearly 1,800 young peace weavers aged 15 to 35 for conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the cross-border regions of the three countries.

Note that this project also aims to achieve 4 major results. According to Juste-Joris Tindy-Poaty, in charge of the Human and Social Sciences program, we can cite, among others:

– the strengthening of the Central African Early Warning Mechanism (MARAC) of ECCAS in the prevention of conflicts and violence with the participation of young people in each of the border areas;

– the involvement of young people in the trafficking of wildlife, natural resources and other forms of crime,

– improvement of national coordination and monitoring mechanisms by local authorities, in order to provide a more effective and more balanced response to the challenges posed by cross-border crime and the risks of insecurity ”.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

1st Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Parliament of Religions

From 10-13 November 2020,  thousands of representatives from the world’s religions gathered virtually with government, civil society, and multilateral institution leaders for the 1st Assembly on Women, Faith, and Diplomacy hosted by Religions for Peace  and Ring for Peace.

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

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On Tuesday, November 10th the Assembly opened with special remarks from Dr. Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor, Federal Republic of Germany; H.E. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Prof. Azza Karam, Secretary-General of Religions for Peace; and His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France. What followed were a series of inspiring plenaries, prayers and meditations, virtual coffee breaks, and interactive breakout sessions. Explore the full program here!

This historic Assembly featured global leaders as part of plenaries on Redefining Leadership, Advancing Gender Equality – Women in Diplomacy, Combatting Hate Speech as Cornerstone of Conflict Prevention, Values-Inspired Education,  and Keeping Faith by Nurturing a Sustainable Environment: The role of Religious Leaders to protect the Earth. The last plenary featured the participation of Parliament Chair, Audrey Kitagawa, and Climate Action Task Force Member, Maru-Evelyn Tucker. Watch the full program here.

global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Morocco: Combating the radicalization of young people via the Internet

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article by LesEco (translation by CPNN)

La Rabita Mohammedia des Oulémas has just launched a project to fight against the radicalization of young people online. Objective: fight against hate speech and make young people aware of the dangers that the Internet and social networks can present. Funded by the Government of Japan, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program, the implementation agreement for this project was signed by Takashi Shinozuka, Japanese Ambassador to Morocco, Edward Christow, UNDP Resident Representative in Morocco, and Ahmed Abbadi, secretary general of the Rabita Mohammedia des Ulemas.

According to Ahmed Abbadi, this project aims to protect adolescents and young people from the scourges of violent extremism, whether on the ground or in their digital dimension. It also aims to immunize them against hate speech by supporting them to become influential on the Internet in order to prevent and inspire their interlocutors. He added that the project was long-term in order to help young people acquire the tools and skills necessary to fight extremism of all kinds. The success of this project depends mainly on the preparation of attractive and catchy content for young people, says Ahmed Abbadi. La Rabita has launched several interactive Internet games with the aim of promoting the culture of peace and moderation, as well as the rejection of violence and extremism.

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

Question for this article

Islamic extremism, how should it be opposed?

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According to the same source, the Rabita is preparing a virtual influencer guide to help young people acquire the skills to become effective influencers on the Internet. The same source specifies that Japan and the UNDP, much more than donors, will also be partners in this project.

In this regard, the Japanese Ambassador to Morocco declared: “We believe that this project is also a response to a concern for the immunization of Moroccan society against the cybernetic threats which threaten the youth.” He added that the religious radicalism leading to violence is a universal problem. Takashi Shinozuka also indicates that this funding supports Morocco in its fight against the risks of online radicalization of young people, in particular by preventing and informing about the dangers that social networks can represent.

For his part, Edward Christow affirmed that this project was the fruit of several months of joint work between the Rabita Mohammedia of the Ulemas, the Embassy of Japan and the UNDP, adding that the three partners will continue their collaboration for the implementation of this project. He also said that this project, which aims to support the production and publication of video footage on social media, will depend on Rabita’s experience in this area. It will ensure an online presence through the social networks of the Rabita and the UNDP. In this context, a group of Rabita experts will be able to meet Japanese experts working in the field of conflict prevention and peace promotion, and organize an international workshop in Morocco on best practices in this field.

Funding for this project amounts to 454,545 USD, or more than 4 million MDH. It revolves around 4 main objectives, including carrying out a diagnosis of the risks associated with online radicalization content targeting young people, and supporting national stakeholders in the use of information and communication technologies and media to prevent violent extremism and hate speech. It is also about sensitizing young Moroccans through social networks on the importance of promoting an alternative discourse, the spirit of cooperation and the sharing of experiences in the prevention of violent extremism online. Spanning a period of one year, this project will have a major impact on young people and on Moroccan society as a whole, concludes Edward Christow.

Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Amnesty International : US State Department’s attack on the BDS movement violates freedom of expression and endangers human rights protection

… . HUMAN RIGHTS … .

An article from Amnesty International

Responding to the United States Department of State announcement designating the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement as antisemitic and planning to identify organizations supporting BDS with a view to reviewing and halting their funding, Bob Goodfellow, the Interim Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, issued the below statement:

“The Department of State’s targeting of groups advocating for using peaceful means, such as boycotts, to end human rights violations against Palestinians as antisemitic violates freedom of expression and is a gift to those who seek to silence, harass, intimidate and oppress those standing up for human rights around the world. This is simply the latest attack from a US government determined to undermine the universality of human rights and the global fight against racism and discrimination, including antisemitism.

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Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

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“Advocating for boycotts, divestment and sanctions is a form of non-violent advocacy and of free expression that must be protected. Advocates of boycotts should be allowed to express their views freely and take forward their campaigns without harassment, threats of prosecution or criminalization, or other measures that violate the right to freedom of expression. Instead of attacking and restricting BDS activities the US should end such measures and instead ensure that BDS advocates are free to express their views and take forward their campaigns without harassment or threats of prosecution.”

“The US administration is following Israeli government’s approach in using false and politically motivated accusations of antisemitism to harm peaceful activists, including human rights defenders, and shield from accountability those responsible for illegal actions that harm people in Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and here at home. The process comes across as particularly hypocritical and deceitful coming from an administration that has emboldened neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other groups who advocate violence and discrimination, shown a callous disregard for international law, and favored Israeli policies that result in institutionalized discrimination and systematic human rights violations against millions of Palestinians.

“This process also hurts Jewish people by equating Israel with Judaism and likening criticism of Israeli government policies and practices to antisemitism. It undermines our work in the Middle East and other regions to protect the rights of religious and other minorities.

“We will continue to support our Israeli and Palestinian colleagues, including BDS activists, who like human rights defenders around the world, speak up when justice, freedom, truth, and dignity are denied.”

HUMAN RIGHTS, North America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

France: Youth in Normandy Mobilize for Human Rights and the Freedom Prize

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Special to CPNN from Gwenaëlle Beauvais, Territorial Director, UNIS CITE Normandie (translation by CPNN)

For more than 20 years, the Unis Cité association has mobilized young people, in teams and in diversity, to carry out missions of general interest. The goal of these young people: is to find meaning by making themselves useful to others, to find their place in their relations with different people and opinions, to train and gain self-confidence.

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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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This year, in Normandy, 48 volunteers are mobilizing to meet with high school students across the region to raise awareness about Human Rights and Freedom. They are trained by the Institute of Human Rights and supported by the Regional Council to initiate debates with the pupils, to make them think and to support their engagement within the framework of the initiative Freedom Prize.

This program allows young people to speak freely and, thanks to the exchange between peers, to promote the initiative and expression of high school students in the region. It is part of a unique system , the Freedom Prize, which invites young people aged 15 to 25 from Normandy, other regions of France and internationally, to nominate each year a person or an organization engaged in a recent fight and exemplary in favor of freedom.

Recent winners of the Freedom Prize have been :
— 2019: Greta Thunberg, Swedish environmental activist committed to the fight against global warming
— 2020: Loujain Al Hathloul, Saudi women’s rights activist

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

Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY