Category Archives: FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Media outlets of developing countries call for louder voice of Global South

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Xinhua English news service

Representatives from developing countries at the fifth World Media Summit being held in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Kunming have made a strong call for a louder voice of the Global South.


Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the 5th World Media Summit (WMS) in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, Dec. 3, 2023.(Xinhua/Deng Hua)

In an era of increasing global interconnectedness, a louder voice from the Global South has become more imperative than ever before, and the media also shoulder the responsibility for promoting global common development through exchanges and cooperation, they said.

President of Prensa Latina News Agency, Luis Enrique Gonzalez Acosta, said he takes this summit as an opportunity to collaborate with other media outlets in providing objective and responsible reports that can amplify the voices of developing countries and jointly address the challenges facing the Global South.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can media from the Global South break the media hegemony
of the Global North?

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“We must not be afraid to position ourselves as the voice of the Global South,” said Iqbal Surve, chairman of South Africa’s Independent Media. “Our narrative, our communication, our stories must be about the possibility of global growth and development.”

Media’s role extends beyond conveying facts, Surve said, adding that it should catalyze social-economic change and development.

“If we have one task only as a social responsibility, that task is to ensure that media must be a change agent in the world today, to promote a common humanity and a shared future and shared prosperity,” he added.

South-South cooperation among media is crucial in ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard worldwide, said experts present at the summit. It plays a significant role in fostering diverse and inclusive narrative perspectives on a global scale, they said.

Creating a grand shared narrative that would promote common prosperity is imperative, said Seife Deribe Endale, CEO of Ethiopian News Agency.

“We are now in the critical juncture to create an inclusive media ecosystem through the lens of alternative narratives like that of the BRICS,” he said, adding that the true and success stories of Ethiopia and the whole of Africa need to be heard worldwide.

South-South communication is of great importance, said Maria Bernarda Llorente, president of Telam, Argentina’s official news agency. Communication between developing countries is fundamental to building relations, she added.

To foster more dialogues among nations and cultivate a culture of peace and understanding within the international system, it is crucial and urgent to formulate a shared agenda in response to global threats, she said.

Roger Agana, managing director of News Ghana, said the world needs to know a real Africa and a real China. “As African media, we do have a story to tell,” he said.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

United Nations: West votes against democracy, human rights, cultural diversity; promotes mercenaries, sanctions

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An article from Geopolitical Economy

Western governments frequently claim that their foreign and domestic policies are motivated by “human rights” and “democracy”. They often even lecture their adversaries for purportedly failing to respect these concerns.

But on the international stage, Western capitals have shown their commitments to be merely rhetorical, as they have consistently voted against these noble causes and refused to support measures that would tangibly protect them, in flagrant violation of the will of the vast majority of the international community.

These stark double standards were on display on November 7 in the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee, which is devoted to social, humanitarian, and cultural issues.

In this three-hour session, the West opposed draft resolutions that called for promoting democracy, human rights, and cultural diversity, while simultaneously supporting the use of mercenaries and the application of unilateral coercive measures, commonly known as sanctions.

The extended West voted against the rest of the world on these issues. Its positions were virtually uniform as a bloc, led by the United States, including Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan.

In fact, the chair of the General Assembly’s Third Committee is Austria’s representative to the United Nations, Alexander Marschik, and even he could not help but laugh in the session at the constant protestations of the US representative, who dominated the debate, speaking out against nearly every resolution to explain why the world should join with Washington in voting against it. (Marschik could not contain his laughter despite the fact that his own country, Austria, voted along with the US on each resolution.)

Geopolitical Economy Report has created maps that illustrate the clear political divide between the West and the rest.

(Editor’s note: We are sometimes asked what is meant by the “American Empire.” In response, these maps are a good definition.)

Sanctions

In the November 7 session, nations debated a draft that condemned unilateral coercive measures, or sanctions, for violating the human rights of civilians in targeted countries.

The resolution passed with 128 votes in favor and 54 against, and no abstentions.


Promoting “a democratic and equitable international order”

The General Assembly’s Third Committee likewise considered a measure that called for the “promotion of a democratic and equitable international order”.

The resolution passed with 123 votes in favor and 54 against, plus 7 abstentions (from Armenia, Chile, Costa Rica, Liberia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay).


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(Click here for a version in French.)

Question(s) related to this article:

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

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Respecting “human rights and cultural diversity”

Another resolution sought to promote “human rights and cultural diversity”.

The measure passed with 130 votes in favor and 54 against, and no abstentions.



Promoting “equitable geographical distribution” in human rights treaty bodies

The Third Committee deliberated a draft that called for the “promotion of equitable geographical distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty bodies”.

The resolution passed with 128 votes in favor and 52 against, and no abstentions.


Mercenaries

Another measure condemned the “use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination”.

The resolution passed with 126 votes in favor and 52 against, plus 6 abstentions (from Kiribati, Liberia, Palau, Mexico, Tonga and Switzerland).


The United Nations published a full video of the Third Committee’s session on November 7, in the 48th plenary meeting of the General Assembly’s 78th session.

(Thank you to the Transcend Media Service for calling our attention to this article.)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

Update on UN response to Israeli destruction of Palestine

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

Synopsis of data as of November 29 from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Situation in Gaza

As of 29 November, nearly 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were sheltering in 156 UNRWA installations across all five governorates of the Gaza Strip, including in the North and Gaza City.  The average number of IDPs in UNRWA shelters is 9,500, more than four times their capacity. Around 1.8 million people (or over 80 per cent of the population) have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since 7 October.

(Editor’s note: The definition contained in Article II of the UN Convention describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.)


Palestinians moving within the Gaza Strip during the humanitarian pause, 27 November 2023. © 2023 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra

In the Gaza Strip, on 27 and 28 November, 160 bodies were recovered from the rubble, according to the Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza. The office reported that, since the start of hostilities, more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including about 6,150 children and 4,000 women.

As of 29 November, 111 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since the beginning of the war

As of 29 November, UNRWA was able to verify that 104 incidents have occurred at 82 UNRWA premises since the beginning of the war. Thirty installations were hit directly and 52 sustained collateral damage. In addition, UNRWA received reports of the military use of its facilities on at least five occasions

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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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Since the beginning of the conflict, at least 218 internally displaced people sheltering in UNRWA schools have reportedly been killed and at least 894 have been injured.

Situation in West Bank

In the West Bank, According to OCHA, since 7 October, 238 Palestinians, including 63 children, have been killed by the Israeli Forces in the West Bank. In addition, eight people, including one child, have been killed by Israeli settlers. 

Medical and psychological emergency in Gaza

On 29 November, nine (out of 22) UNRWA health centres were still operational in the Middle and Southern areas, recording 10,312 patients visits, including Palestine Refugees and non-refugees.

UNRWA teams, including 196 social workers in the shelters, provided psychosocial first aid and other specialized protection services to IDPs. Since 7 October, 81,102 people (over 60 per cent of whom are females) have been reached. UNRWA school counsellors in collaboration with other organizations reached around 375,000 children with recreational activities.

Lack of food, drinking water and sanitation in Gaza

UNRWA distribution of flour outside of shelters continued on 29 November in the southern governorates. A total of 30,222 families have been reached so far.

UNRWA continues to operate eight water wells pumping about 9,000 cubic metres to provide potable and domestic water supply. Potable water trucking operations to the shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis areas continue.

Provision of potable water through tankers of Coast Municipalities Water Utility started to have the shelters provided with potable water in Rafah.

Solid waste collection from the camps, emergency shelters and transfer to landfills continues in the Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. About 45 loadings were transferred to temporary dumping sites on 29 November.  There is an urgent need for additional sanitation trucks and vehicles.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Mideast, United Nations,

Mazin Qumsiyeh: Are we being duped to focus only on Gaza suffering?

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION . .

A blog by Mazin Qumsiyeh

Israel’s genocide of Gaza is intentional, planned and ongoing with no sign of slowing down. The contrary, with no water, food and medicine it is accelerating. Israel leaders boast openly that they do not care about what the UN says or what world leaders say. Israeli fascist leaders say they do not care what statements are issued by governments of Muslim and Arab countries. Nor do they care if public pressure causes some western leaders to moderate their language from unconditional support for Israel to show concern for the “humanitarian catastrophe” unfolding in Gaza (without naming the perpetrator). Israel actually can use the humanitarian catastrophe (as if it is an act of God not their agency) as bargaining chips. Israel can offer pauses in the slaughter in exchange for further weapons from Western governments and for release of Israeli prisoners. Maybe even a temporary ceasefire and fuel to any remaining hospitals in exchange for additional support to continue the genocidal occupation and for impunity from facing tribunals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israeli leaders are crystal clear about their crimes and they get their way by genocide and total state terrorism against populations. If you have any doubt, listen to them (see below).


Extreme nationalism leads to genocide: Nazis and Zionists
(click on image to enlarge)

They even  say openly that if Hizbollah continues its resistance in South Lebanon, then all of Lebanon will pay a devastating price and Beirut will be like Gaza (i.e. totally devastated). Israeli military spokesemen gave the same threats to cities in the West Bank like Jenin and Tulkarem and even Ramallah. These are not idle threats. If the world is not willing to to stop Israel from devastating cities in Gaza strip and is even giving it more weapons to commit its genocide there, why would it not also devastate Lebanon or the West Bank. If you get away with one genocide you get away with others.  After all International law cannot be enforced in this case. According to Israeli leaders global public opinion and “diplomatic” pressure will not end its carnage. Many human rights advocates are at a loss as to how to end the carnage.

Israel is the only country on earth that did not set any border for itself. It is also the first colonial power whose base is not a geographic area away from the area it colonized (e.g. France was the base for colonizing Algeria). The Zionist base is wherever Zionists occur in positions of power in Western Countries(originally France and England but now the US and other countries). The original Zionist plan is setting up an Eretz Yisrael is in the area between the Nile of Egypt to the Euphrates. But this is changing where Israel dominion as Netanyahu showed in a map at the UN includes the Arabian Peninsula and the gulf states. But the Zionist plans are far more than about geography. Geography is negotiable if there are guarantees of economic and colonial hegemony. Gaza is needed because of the gas fields there worth hundreds of billions but that is a small part of a wider plan for which 2.3 million people are dispensible.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are already colonized economically and are run by easily contolled leaders who will do the US/Israel bidding.  Zionist grip on the US system is visible everywhere from Hollywood to mainstream media to congress that allocates more mone to Israel than South America and Africa combined. In many western countries, the Zionist lobby succeeded in even silencing free speech so asking for freedom in Palestine is persecuted. There is a war on truth.

So what is to be done? First please note that while many media like Al-Jazeera show Palestinian suffering, they do not provide coverage of Israeli/Zionist statements or intent. The genocidal statements are rarely seen in either Western but also in Eastern media. This is important because humanitarian suffering elicits sympathy from those with peope who care about fellow human beings. But most people and certainly most leaders are willing to ACT only if they see direct impact on them. Unfortunately, the statements of Zionist leaders and their direct actions including suppression of free speech in supposed “democratic countries” if exposed would be more likely to get results than pleading to save Palestinian children (as important as that is). Thus, we must spend at least as much time in publicizing the Zionist plans and words . Documenting slaughter must be accompanied by documenting the intent and plans for slaughter. We must expose why this is not merely about Palestine but about an evil tribal ideology called Zionism that is not content with Palestine but subverts and hurts people around the world. For example, it is critical to show how Israel is hurting US public interest and destroying the US and even got away with killing US citizens like the sailors of the USS Liberty.

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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?

How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?

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Millions of people are mobilizing. You do make a difference. All individual efforts count.  Below are materials you can use and publicize. Telling the truth is a revolutionary act. The pen can be mightier than the sword sometimes.

Anyway, please do take the time to look over this material and use them extensively:

Middle East Monitor

Huffington Post

 The Wire : Israeli President says there are no innocent civilains in Gaza and that they are responsible

Youtube video : “The only solution is the complete destruction of Gaza” Moshe Feiglin 

facebook page : Zionist thought about Churches and mosques 

facebook page : Zionist thought about civilians

“When 2.5 million people live in a closed-off Gaza, it’s going to be a human catastrophe. Those people will become even bigger animals than they are today, with the aid of an insane fundamentalist Islam. The pressure at the border will be awful. It’s going to be a terrible war. So, if we want to remain alive, we will have to kill and kill and kill. All day, every day.” – Amnon Sofer, Israeli demographer in 2004

“There will be no food, no electricity, no food, no fuel. Everything is closed. We are fighting animal people, and we are acting accordingly” – Yoav Galant, Israeli Defense Minister on 9 October 2023

“We will turn Gaza into an island of ruins” – Benjamin Netanyahu 8 October 2023

”We are dropping hundreds of tons of bombs on Gaza. The focus is on destruction, not accuracy” – Daniel Hagari, Israeli army spokesperson 10 October in Haaretz

“Animal Humans will be treated accordingly, you wanted hell and you’ll get hell” Ghassan Major General of the Israeli army October 9 Social media post

“There is an entire nation who are responsible. This rhetoric about civilians supposedly not being involved is absolutely untrue (…) We will fight until we break their backs” – Yitzhak Herzon, Israeli President Press conference

“Jericho missile! Doomsday weapon! That is my opinion. Powerful rockets to be fired without limits/borders. Gaza to be smashed and razed to the ground. Without mercy” – Tally Gotliv Likud Partly, 9 October on X/Twitter

“Wipe out their families, their mothers and their children. These animals must not be allowed to live any longer” – Ezra Yachin, Israeli Veteran who participated in the ethnic cleansing of 1948 (Nakba)

“Now there is only one goal: Nakba. A Nakba in Gaza that will dwarf the Nakba of 1948” – Ariel Kellet, :Likud Party Politician 7 October on X/Twitter

“The only thing that needs to enter Gaza are hundreds of tons of explosives, not one ounce of humanitarian relief” – Itamar Ben Gvir (Israeli minister in Charge of Police and arming setters)

“They should go, as well as the physical homes in which they raised the snakes in. Otherwise more little snakes will be raised there” – Ayelet Shakid
“We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children, We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children ” – Golda Meir (old but shows the racist ideology)

“I am here today not only as the US Secretary of State but also as a Jew … as long as the US exists, you will never have to do this [alone] because we will always be with you” – US Secretary of State Blinken 12 October (already hundreds of special US Delta force boots are on the ground).

Michael Ben-Ari, ex-member of the Knesset: “There are no innocents in Gaza. Mow them down … Kill the Gazans without thought or mercy.”

Israel Katz, Minister of Transportation: “Gaza should be bombed so hard the population has to flee into Egypt.”

Avi Dichter, Current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Former Shin Bet director and Minister of Internal Security: “Gaza should be wiped clean with bombs.”

Israeli military Rabbi and Israeli soldiers

And here on this link  you can find more damning statements from Zionist leaders.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Mideast

UNESCO: How can young people become actors of peace?

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from UNESCO

On the celebration of the UNESCO Associated School Networks’ 70th anniversary, more than 10.000 students from 68 countries were gathered for a series of three digital Campuses in three languages.

Peace, intercultural dialogue and understanding, sustainable development, and quality education. These are the foundations of the UNESCO Associated School Network (ASPnet), who is commemorating its 70th anniversary.

With many regions of the world facing war and armed conflict, actions on how to build lasting peace remain crucial more than ever. To this end, UNESCO Campus  organized a series of campuses, in three different languages, to reach English, French and Spanish-speaking students and teachers. A unique opportunity to celebrate the first day of the 42nd UNESCO General Conference.  

The dialogues between the experts, students, and teachers led to a list of actions and activities that not only promote peace but enrich our understating on how to be multi-level active global citizens. 
 
Starting from an international point of view, cooperation of different actors, such as international organizations and civil society groups, is essential. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Special Advisor Africa for the Director-General at UNESCO emphasised on cultivating a culture of peace. Historically, peace was defined as the absence of armed conflict and hostilities. However, peace is composed of values, attitudes, and behaviours, which we can all learn from a young age. Peace is a continuous action, in which everyone can contribute to. 

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(Click here for a French version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

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Peace is not only the absence of war. All situations of personal or collective conflict, social or economic insecurity and environmental instability contribute to the absence of peace. Each generation has a mission to accomplish: to guarantee peace for the generations to follow.

– Firmin Edouard Matoko, Special Advisor Africa, Director-General, UNESCO

Important goals can also be achieved at the national and community level. Actions for peace are essential in conflict and post-conflict zones. In this kind of situation an operation of mediation is vital to settle the situation.

To inspire students and to enlighten them about the sheer of mediation, Saurea Didry Stancioff, West Africa Program Manager at Promediation, shared her experience. Mediation is a key tool to establish trust and dialogue between the contending parties of a conflict. The mediation process can help build the first blocks to establish lasting peace, through creating a bridge of dialogue to find innovative solutions. 
 
Talking about the local point of action, Panji Haryo Purnomo, Teacher of Pradita Dirgantara High School, School leader of Fostering Global Citizens through the Memory of the World, provided students and teachers with an example of a successful local peace initiative. His commitment to education and his unwavering dedication to nurturing the youth through knowledge and culture have fostered a sense of peace among his community in Boyolali, Indonesia. Through conflict resolution, the empowerment of youth and the preservation of a shared cultural heritage is fundamental. 

Peacebuilding is not abstract; it’s made of actions and conversations. Let’s be ambassadors of peace, champions of dialogue, and preservers of heritage. Together, we can turn the dream of peace into a tangible reality.

– Panji Haryo Purnomo, Teacher of Pradita Dirgantara High School, School leader of “Fostering Global Citizens through the Memory of the World”

The multiple questions by students and teachers led to a lively discussion on how each one of us can act for peace. Within our day-to-day lives, the experts left the participants with the inspiration on how each one of us can act for peace. For Firmin Edouard Matoko, it is to embrace diversity and seeing it as a strength. For Saurea Didry Stancioff, each of us can start by active listening. Lastly, for Panji Haryo Purnomo, it starts with respect for everyone and everybody. 
 
Fostering peace exists and can be done at multiple levels. All it takes is the courage to start.
 
This event has made possible thanks to TECH4ALL and with the support of France. 

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

The 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda THEME: “Education, Culture of Peace and African Citizenship as tools for the sustainable development of the continent”

. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

A media advisory from the African Union

INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What:  The 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda   THEME: “Education, Culture of Peace and African Citizenship as tools for the sustainable development of the continent”

When: 22-24 November 2023, Luanda, Angola.

Who: The event is organized by the African Union and the Government of the Republic of Angola (the National Biennale Management Office) in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Why: The Biennale of Luanda – “Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace” aims to promote the prevention of violence and conflict resolution, by encouraging cultural exchanges in Africa and dialogue between generations. It is held every two years in Luanda, the capital city of Angola.

The 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, 6 & 7 February 2021, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, underlined the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Biennale of Luanda, as a privileged space for the promotion of cultural diversity and African unity, provides a unique platform for governments, civil society, the artistic and scientific community, the private sector and international organisations to discuss and define strategies for the prevention of violence and conflict with a view to building lasting peace in Africa.

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Question related to this article:

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

Can the African Union help bring a culture of peace to Africa?

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Objectives:

The aim of the Biennale of Luanda for the Culture of Peace in Africa is to work towards a daily and sustainable individual and collective appropriation and implementation, on the continent, of the concept of a culture of peace. 

This initiative reinforces the implementation of Goals 16 and 17 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 7 Aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, in particular its ”Silencing the Guns by 2030″ initiative. 

Background:

The first edition of the Biennale of Luanda, “Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace” was held from 18 to 22 September 2019 in Luanda, which was a celebration of various African values, beliefs, forms of spirituality, knowledge and traditions that contribute to the respect of human rights, cultural diversity, the rejection of violence and the development of democratic societies. 

The second edition of the Biennale of Luanda took place from 27 November to 2 December 2021 and was celebrated under the African Union’s 2021 theme, “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want”.

For more information, visit the Biennale of Luanda webpage.

Journalists are invited to cover the 3rd Edition of the Biennale of Luanda.

For further inquiries, please contact:
Ms. Ebba Kalondo | Spokesperson to the Chairperson, African Union Commission | E-mail: kalondoe@africa-union.org
Mrs Christiane Yanrou-Matondo | Principal Communication Officer, Cabinet of the Chairperson | E-mail: Yanrouc@africa-union.org
Ms. Limi Mohammed | Web Administrator, African Union Commission, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, Governance and Conflict Prevention Directorate E-mail: shashlm@africa-union.org
Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org


Web: www.au.int | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In memoriam: Betty Reardon (1929-2023)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Betty A. Reardon, internationally celebrated as a founder of the field of peace education and feminist peace scholar, passed away on November 3, 2023. She was the co-founder of the Global Campaign for Peace Education.

The child of Julia Florence Reardon (Burke) and Michael Augustus Reardon, she was born on June 12, 1929 and brought up in Rye, New York where she attended Rye Grammar School and then Rye High School. She spent her adult life as a resident of New York City.  She held a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University, a master’s degree in history from New York University, and a B.A. in history from Wheaton College, Norton, MA.  She is survived by nieces Noël Menadier, Christie Menadier, Coley Menadier-Fisher and husband Rick Fisher, great nephew Adam Fisher and wife Whitney Timmons, great nephew Grayson Fisher, nephew Mark Menadier and great nephew Burke Menadier and great niece Kalani Menadier, niece Dani Menadier Thorn and great nieces Sabrina Thorn and Savannah Thorn.

She began her teaching career at Rye Country Day School, and then in 1963 she began her work in peace education as Director of the Schools Program with the Institute of World Order. What intrigued and drove her was an interest in war, not as an isolated eruption in human affairs, but as a social system justified by particular ways of thinking. She had a hunch that not only the structures of society, but the structures of consciousness as well, could, and should be, transformed through a comprehensive education for and about peace. Betty Reardon’s life-long endeavor has been informed and shaped by this perspective and these formative experiences.

She held prominent roles in the establishment and work of key institutions that define the field of peace studies and peace education, including the founder and long-time director of the Peace Education Center and Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, the founder and director of the International Institute on Peace Education, the General Coordinator, of the Feminist Scholar Activist Network on Demilitarization, Coordinator International Network of Peace Education Centers, the founding Academic Coordinator of the Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education,  the Director of the Peacemaking in Education Program, United Ministries in Education, Executive Secretary of the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction, the School Program Director, Institute for World Order, New York, NY, the Associate Director of Leadership and World Society (LAWS), and a founder of the Peace Education Commission of the International Peace Research Association.

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Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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Dr. Reardon also held a number of prestigious visiting professorships, including the Savage Chair, Distinguished Visiting professor of International Relations and Peace, University of Oregon, the A. Lindsay O’Connor Chair in American Institutions, Colgate University, Visiting Professor of Peace, Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Visiting Professor, Kanda University of International Studies, Chiba, Japan, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, Visiting Professor, Department of International Relations, Ritsumeikan Unviersity, Kyoto, Japan.

In addition, Dr. Reardon was an accomplished scholar of peace studies and peace education.  She published numerous articles, books, book chapters, and reports, and has presented scholarly papers at numerous scholarly meetings. Her essential works include:

° Comprehensive Peace Education (Teachers College Press, 1988);
° Educating for Global Responsibility (Teachers College Press, 1988);
° Women and Peace: Feminist Visions of Global Security (State University of New York Press, 1993);
° Educating for Human Dignity (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1994);
° Sexism and the War System (Syracuse University Press, 1996);
° Tolerance: The Threshold of Peace (UNESCO,1998);
° Passport to Dignity: The Human Rights of Women (PDHRE, 2001); and
Education for a Culture of Peace in a Gender Perspective (UNESCO, 2001).
° The Gender Imperative: Human Security vs. State Security. (Routledge, 2010).
Betty A. Reardon: A Pioneer in Education for Peace and Human Rights. (Springer Press, 2015)
° Betty A. Reardon: Key Texts in Gender and Peace. (Springer Press, 2015)

Her many prestigious awards include:
° the Pomerance Award for contributions to disarmament efforts within the UN system,
° Nomination and honorable mention for UNESCO Peace Education Prize by ICAE, IPRA, WCCI,
° the American Association of University Women (AAUW) New York State Peace Award,
° Golden Balloon Award for Peace Education from World Children’s Association (presented at the United Nations),
° the 1986 Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing for Sexism and the War System,
° the 1994 Peace Studies Award from the Peace and Justice Studies Association,
° the 2000 Jane Adams Peace Activist Award,
° Distinguished Alumna Award from Teachers College Columbia University, 2004,
° Volvo Heroes nomination 2006,
° Nomination for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize (among 1000 women nominated as a group).
° Nomination for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize by the International Peace Bureau (Norway).
° The 2010 Sean McBride Peace (International Peace Bureau).
° The 2013 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize (The El-Hibri Foundation)

World War II, and then later, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and the Feminist movement were formative in the development of her worldview. In the face of the horrors of world war, she believed, as early as the fifth grade, that there must be an alternative to war, and in the face of racism and sexism she pondered early on the limits and possibilities of justice.  In these formative experiences were the seeds of her fundamental approach to peace, as both the elimination of violence and the establishment of justice.  She chose to be a teacher, believing that education was the key to a peaceful and just world.
Betty Reardon was a tireless student, exponent, and advocate of peace, justice, and peace education. She mentored and inspired generations of educators, scholars, and activists through her teaching and scholarship.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, North America

More Demonstrations for Palestine

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

It’s been a week now since we published photos of demonstrations in support of Palestine involving millions of people around the world. Since the Israeli genocide continues, so, too, the demonstrations continue. Here are some videos and photos.

Video: Pro-Palestinian Protesters fill London bridge on October 28


Video: Despite attacks by Israeli security forces, Protesters in Hebron on the West Bank waved Hamas and Fatah flags and changed for Qassam Brigades.

Thousands gathered at a rally in San Francisco, California to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza and call the US to stop aiding Israel. [Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu]

Yemenis performed prayers and demonstrated in support of Gaza, Oct. 27, 2023. | Photo: X/ @QastalNewsEn

October 27: A large night demonstration is currently being held on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, in Tunis.

October 28: People wave Turkish and Palestinian flags as the Turkish president speaks during a rally in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, in Istanbul. [Handout/Turkish Presidency Press office via AFP]

Video: October 26, Chileans have been gathering in their thousands in the capital Santiago to raise money for Palestinians under siege in Gaza.

October 28: Thousands of demonstrators protested in Paris on Saturday in a banned march in “support of the Palestinian people”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 28: PAS’s pro-Palestine rally draws large crowd. About 5,000 attended the gathering outside the US embassy earlier today.

Australia: October 28, Thousands gathered outside the Victorian State Library in a show of solidarity with the two million civilians trapped in Gaza. NCA NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia

Video: A huge crowd of protesters demonstrate on Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo, Brazil this Sunday morning (October 29) in defense of Palestine.

People gather during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 28. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani

Video: October 27, Thousands of Jordanians marched in support of the Gaza Strip and demanded the cancellation of the peace agreement with Israel.

Demonstrators on Elielinaukio square by Helsinki’s Central Railway Station on 28 October. Image: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva

Sri Lanka, October 26: A protest was staged in front of Fort Railway station today expressing solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, who have been under siege by the Israeli forces

Video: October 28, Protests in support of Palestine were held in Japan

Protesters wave Palestinian flags and hold signs as they take part in a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people, in Madrid on October 29, 2023 (JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Polish capital Warsaw’s Old Town Square on Sunday, October 29, in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people and to strongly denounce Israel’s attacks on Gaza

People march over the Brooklyn Bridge as Pro-Palestinian protesters attend “Flood Brooklyn for Gaza” demonstration, as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in New York, US, October 28. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Video Oct 28, 2023: A demonstration was held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, in support of Palestinians.

Video: October 28, Stockholm saw one of the largest protests in modern history today, as thousands came out to support the people of Gaza.

The Bahraini Society Against Normalization with Zionist Enemy organized, in front of its headquarters on Friday, October 27, 2023, a vigil in solidarity and support for the Palestinian people under “A cry of anger” slogan.

Video: October 28, Now in Tel Aviv first protest against the war

Question related to this article:

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

(continued from left column)

Thousands of supporters of a religious party Jamat-e-Islami take part in a rally against the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and to show solidarity with Palestinian people, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Oct. 29, 2023.

October 27: More than 300 Muslims in Southern Thailand today participated in a Palestine solidarity gathering to support the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has claimed thousands of lives.

October 28: Indian Union Muslim League, a regional party in India’s Kerala state, organised a massive rally in Kozhikode (Calicut) city. Tens of thousands of people joined the rally with the message: ‘Save Palestine, save Humanity; end Israel’s attack on Gaza; free Palestine’. [Handout via Al Jazeera]

Video: October 27, Pro-Palestine supporters rally in Doha, Qatar, in solidarity with the Palestinian people, protesting Israeli genocides in Gaza.

Supporters of the Islamic Group in Lebanon and Hamas protest in solidarity with Palestini-ans in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in front of the Al-Amin mosque in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 29, 2023. (Reuters)

Protesters shout slogans as they unfurl Palestinian flags during a rally supporting the Palestinian people, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, October 28, 2023. (AP)

October 28: Rally in support of Gaza fills downtown Toronto as Middle East violence continues

October 26: Hundreds of Iranians demonstrate in solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinians in Teheran

Video: Oct 28, A group gathered in front of the railway station in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and organised a demonstration in support of Palestine.

A view of a crowd gathered in Copenhagen on Saturday, October 28, to take part in a demonstration organized by Amnesty International Denmark, CARE Denmark and Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix/Reuters)

People take part in the national demonstration in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, October 28, in support of the Palestinian population and against the bombings in Gaza, as the conflict between Israel and the Hamas group continues, causing thousands of civilian casualties.

Video: October 29, Ordinary South Africans should not tire of making their voices heard against the human rights atrocities in the Middle East. That’s the message from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign that took to the streets in Cape Town.

October 28: Marchers gathering in Civic Square in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo: Re: News

October 29: Thousands take part in a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and against normalisation with Israel, in Casablanca, Morocco. [Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP Photo]

Video: October 28, Thousands of people gathered in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, in a demonstration in support of Palestine.

October 29: People march towards the Israeli embassy shouting ‘stop bombing’ during a pro-Palestine protest in Athens, Greece. [Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters]

Islamic followers and supporters of the Palestinian cause march in front of Seoul Central Masjid, the first mosque in South Korea, in the capital on Oct. 27, 2023, to express their objection to a ground assault in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces. (Yonhap)

People rally in support of Palestinians in Geneva, Switzerland. [Martial Trezzini/EPA]

The Church of Norway and several organisations held a rally in front of the Norwegian Parliament, demanding an immediate stop to the killing of civilians in Gaza, in Oslo, Norway. [Frederik/NTB Ringnes via Reuters]

Participants walk during a demonstration in solidarity with people in Gaza, in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany. [Clemens Bilan/EPA]

Thousands in Caracas, Venezuela demonstrated in support of the Palestinian people, rejecting the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on Friday, October 27.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

RSF launches global “Collateral Damage” campaign highlighting the danger of the Assange prosecution to media and the public’s right to know

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Reporters without Borders

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a new global communications campaign as part of its longstanding efforts for the release of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. Starting on 18 October, media supporters around the world will run RSF content, in print and online, highlighting the danger posed to all media and to the public’s right to know by the US government’s prosecution of Assange.

Developed in partnership with the French advertising agency BETC, RSF’s new communications campaign features a depiction of Assange with his facial features made up of the logos of dozens of media organisations from around the world. These media are among those that initially ran stories based on the leaked classified documents published by WikiLeaks in 2010.

“As Julian Assange’s fate hangs in the balance, it is more crucial than ever for media organisations and journalists around the world to speak out in support of the principles at stake. If the US government succeeds in extraditing Assange and prosecuting him under the Espionage Act, anyone who publishes stories based on leaked classified information could be next – and the resulting impact will ultimately be on all of our right to know. It’s time for global solidarity in support of journalism and press freedom, before it’s too late.”

Rebecca Vincent
RSF’s Director of Campaigns

(Article continued in the column on the right)

(Click here for the French version of this article or here for the Spanish version)

Question related to this article:
 
Julian Assange, Is he a hero for the culture of peace?

Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

The campaign tagline “Collateral Damage” refers to the danger that the US government’s prosecution of Assange poses to media around the world, as well as the public’s right to information. It is also a reminder of the “Collateral Murder” video  that was among the leaked materials published by WikiLeaks in 2010, exposing an air-to-ground attack by a US military Apache helicopter in a Baghdad suburb, which killed at least a dozen civilians, including two Reuters journalists.

The campaign is supported by Le Monde (France) and The Guardian (UK), who were among the original media partners that worked with WikiLeaks in 2010 on the “Cablegate” documents – a tranche of more than 250,000 leaked diplomatic cables. The campaign has also been supported by other media around the world.

RSF has launched this campaign less than a week before Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s state visit to Washington DC, from 23 to 26 October, where he will be hosted by US President Joe Biden. The two leaders have been urged to use this opportunity to find a diplomatic solution  to the Assange case. RSF will also be launching a global tweetstorm targeting President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese the weekend leading up to the state visit, from 20 to 22 October.

The campaign launch also takes place in the run-up to the final stage of legal proceedings in the UK, where a hearing is expected to be called  at any point – a date being referred to as “Day X.” This hearing will mark the final stage of domestic proceedings, leaving only the possibility of an application to the European Court of Human Rights if the UK court rejects Assange’s appeal against the extradition order.

The US and UK are respectively ranked 45th and 26th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2023 World Press Freedom Index.

Notes to editors:

For media organisations that would like to support this communications campaign by running the content in print or online, please contact RSF’s Director of Communications and Engagement Emilie Poirrier on epoirrier@rsf.org.

For interviews on the case of Julian Assange, please contact RSF’s Director of Campaigns Rebecca Vincent on rvincent@rsf.org. 

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Calls for ceasefire in Gaza

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A survey by CPNN

Already we have published two articles this week calling for a ceasefire:

Amnesty International describes war crimes committed by Israel and demands that Israel “Immediately end unlawful attacks and abide by international humanitarian law; including by ensuring they take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects and refraining from direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks.”

Demonstrations in over 40 countries, involving more than a million people, have demonstrated for peace in Israel and Palestine, and, in effect, for a ceasefire.

Putting “ceasefire,” “Gaza” and “Israel” in a search engine, we find many more calls for a ceasefire.

UN chief António Guterres called on Wednesday for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East to ease the “epic human suffering” in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Five UN agencies, including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the UN Development Programme, the UN Population Fund, and UNICEF called for a humanitarian ceasefire, describing th situation in Gaza as “catastrophic.”

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can International Pressure Stop the War in Gaza?

(Continued from left column)

As president of the UN Security council, Brazil proposed a resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. The resolution would have passed except that it was vetoed by the United States, saying that “it did not mention Israel’s right of self defence.”

In the UK, over 70 INGOs urge the UK government to secure an urgent ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestinian Territories. They include UK NGOs of Medecins Sans Frontieres, Oxfam and Save the Children.

The World Organization of the Scout Movement announced “we stand in solidarity with the international community calling for an immediate end to hostilities and violence” and have contacted the national scout organizations in Israel and Palestine.

The World Council of Churches joined a statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, appealing urgently for a immediate cessation of violence.

A petition published by Relief Web, calling for “an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent a humanitarian Catastrophe” carries the signature of hundreds of organizations from around the world, including, for example, the American Friends Service Committee, Avaaz, Care International, Christian Aid, Church World Service, CIVICUS, Fundacion Cultura de Paz, Handicap International, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Mennonite Central Committee, Nobel Women’s Initiative, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Oxfam, Pax Christi International, Peace Boat, Save the Children, Search for Common Ground and The Episcopal Church.

Among church leaders, calls for a ceasefire come from Pope Francis and from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Among heads of state, calls for ceasefire come from Chinese President Xi Jinping and from Brazil President Lula da Silva

Among regional organizations, calls for a ceasefire come from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Assocition of Southeast Asian Nations in their first joint summit since the two regional blocs established relations in 1990.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, Mideast,