Category Archives: EDUCATION FOR PEACE

AUNOHR University unveils the “Knotted Gun” Sculpture in Beirut

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

special to CPNN

On the occasion of October 2, The International Day of Non‐Violence, the Academic University for Non-Violence and Human Rights – AUNOHR launched “The National Day of Non-Violence in Lebanon” and unveiled the universal “Sculpture of Non‐Violence” (The iconic knotted gun by the late Swedish painter, sculptor and peace activist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd), in a first Arab capital, Beirut, on October 2nd 2018, in the presence of Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma, Mr. Blaise Oberson, CEO of the Non-Violence Project Foundation (NVPF) which owns the rights of the sculpture, and Ms. Ingeborg Breines, former UNESCO and former co-president of the International Peace Bureau and member of the International Advisory Council of AUNOHR.

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The Oct 2nd celebration was a cultural commemoration, under the patronage of the Prime Minister Mr. Saad Hariri who was represented by the Minister of Culture Mr. Ghattas Khoury, with the participation of officials, ambassadors, artists, intellectuals, media, academics, civil society, international organizations, youth and students from all the country.

It was an impressive event, broadcasted live on the main Lebanese TV channel (LBCI), and supported by BDL, UNICEF, LACR, individuals and many contributions in kind.

On the basis of AUNOHR’s initiative, a Ministerial Decree was declared in October 2016 to establish officially the National day for the culture of non-violence in Lebanon, and thus to coincide with the International Day of Non-Violence, adopted by the UN in 2007, October 2nd, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

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Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?, What is, or should be, their role in our movement?

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Arun Gandhi’s presence as guest of honor inspired the audience; he was on a first visit to Lebanon as a member of the International Advisory Council of the University. When he learned about the founding of AUNOHR in 2009, he was overwhelmed “My grandfather always dreamed of a professional institution that teaches non-violence that will continue through generations and liberate nations… I was ecstatic when I heard that an Arab University for Nonviolence is taking shape in Lebanon and I am happy to be associated with this venture…”

Celebrating Pioneer Achievements

Dr. Ogarit Younan, AUNOHR Founder and the initiator of the event and these pioneer achievements, emphasized that it is our responsibility to choose non-violence over violence by following the idea of ​​this statue and the words of Gandhi “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. She expressed the founders’ satisfaction in introducing the culture of non-violence into the decision of the Council of Ministers and the institutionalizing of non-violence culture in school curricula through a pioneering agreement with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon. She also extended the founders’ appreciation for this courageous initiative establishing a “knotted gun” in a public place in Beirut especially in view of prevalent circumstances… numerous conflicts, extremism and violence.

Arabic Version of “Imagine” by Children

With charming and touching voices, eight children from the Arabic program “The Voice Kids” from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, sang John Lennon’s song “Imagine”, a special and impressive compilation arranged by Jean-Marie Riachi, a peaceful artistic achievement produced by the University for its wide dissemination throughout the Arab world.

Schoolchildren Designed the “Knotted Gun”

Many children from different schools, regions and religions in Lebanon, designed the “knotted gun” with their creative ideas after being trained on the meaning of the sculpture and the Day of non-violence, and participated in this first celebration with their teachers and parents. They overwhelmed the place with their paintings, a rose in their hands with a certificate of appreciation offered by AUNOHR.

These children and young singers will be the voice of the “knotted gun” and the ambassadors for the culture of peace and non-violence for generations to come…

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Mideast

Mexico: International Congress of Education for Peace Organized in Edomex

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from SDP Noticias

The Secretariat of Education of the State of Mexico held the First International Congress of Education for Peace and Exchange of Successful Experiences of School Coexistence, in order to give teachers of all levels competence in conflict mediation.


The event, held within the framework of the International Day of Nonviolence, was held in the city of Toluca and consisted of six lectures, a discussion forum with specialists, 19 workshops, four round tables and a video conference. 750 educators received training in gender equality, human rights, conflict mediation, culture of peace and care for the environment, taught by experts from Argentina, Colombia, Spain and Mexico.

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(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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The Undersecretary of Basic and Normal Education, Rogelio Tinoco García, said in the framework of the event that the school has been the ideal space to instill values ​​that promote peace and coexistence, including tolerance, equality, respect , conciliation, dialogue and cooperation.

For her part, Elizabeth Ozuna Rivero, Director General of CONVIVE, said that this body works with monitoring public policies and actions aimed at generating peace environments. It provides multiple tools and peaceful social skills to teachers..

Participants included Claudia Alonso Pesado, Coordinator of Operation of the National System for the Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents and Olga Pérez Sanabria, Executive Secretary of the System for the Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents.

Also present were the Director of the National School Coexistence Program, the Delegate of the Secretariat of Public Education in the state, the General Director of the College of Bachelors of the State of Mexico, the State Coordinator of the Professional Teaching Service and the Executive Commissioner of Attention to Victims in the State of Mexico.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Jackson Browne honored in New Haven with Promoting Enduring Peace’s Gandhi Award

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by Mark Zaretsky from the New Haven Register

Musician Jackson Browne  was honored Friday night for a lifetime of activism by Promoting Enduring Peace, accepting the Gandhi Award, which previously went to Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Linus Pauling and Cesar Chavez, among others.


Jackson Browne, scene from video of Gandhi Peace Award by Mark Zaretsky

Browne was the first performing artist to receive the award. Roosevelt was the first winner, back in 1960. Promoting Enduring Peace is based in New Haven.

“I’m happy to be here to accept this tremendous honor,” Browne told the crowd in the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern Connecticut State University. He added that he knew of a number of musicians he considered more deserving of the honor, but that so many of his heroes had received it in the past that he couldn’t say no.

He said that “with all in the world that needs fixing, I’ve always been drawn to those who try,” and that, as an musician who is also an activist, “my part of this has been to help bring people together. Music is good for that.”

Meanwhile, “my education has been advanced by the contact with all those committed activists, working on all those fronts,” he said.

Browne’s acceptance speech was political at times, with him saying, “the United States must rejoin the world and put the planet first.” He also suggested it’s time to move toward “enduring peace” rather than “enduring war,” saying that the U.S. hasn’t really been at peace since before World War II.

Browne was introduced by environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who said Browne “walks the walk” — right down to having a windmill on his farm in California.

“He understands that the environment is intertwined with democracy,” Kennedy said.

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Question for this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?

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Browne did not perform for this gig — although he said he was a horrible speechwriter and would have preferred to sing.

That honor went to Ben Grosscup and Luci Murphy of the People’s Music Network, described as “a group of people who follow in Jackson’s footprints” in terms of using music to promote activism.
“We are so happy to be part of this event, honoring Jackson” for the work he has done, said Grosscup, the group’s executive director.

The award, named after Indian anti-imperialist and nonviolence advocate Mohandas Gandhi, comes with a $5,000 cash prize as well as a medallion forged from metals salvaged from the control systems of U.S. nuclear missiles.

Promoting Enduring Peace President Paul Hodel said Browne employs “an essential idea of Gandhi’s actions … satyagraha,” or “holding onto peace.”

Other speakers included SCSU President Joe Bertolino, city Director of Arts, Culture & Tourism Andrew Wolf — who read a proclamation from Mayor Toni Harp declaring it “Jackson Browne Day” in New Haven — Frida Berrigan, Chris George of Iris, PEP Administrator Stanley Heller and PEP’s James C. Van Pelt.

“Like so many of you — and so many people around the world — we were raised on the words of Jackson Browne,” said Wolf.

In its news release announcing Browne’s choice for the award, Promoting Enduring Peace cited Browne’s songs that have “directly challenged imperialist foreign policy, environmental short-sightedness and corporate greed.”

Browne, in response to the Three Mile Island nuclear plant malfunction in 1979, co-founded Musicians United for Safe Energy, MUSE. The group had a series of benefit concerts in New York City that year and a movie of those shows, “No Nukes,” followed.

In the late 1970s, Browne also joined the protests and occupation at the Seabrook nuclear plant site in New Hampshire. Browne also was active in the Central America solidarity movement, co-organizing shows in Nicaragua, Cuba and elsewhere.

He is a member of the group Ocean Elders who more recently has focused on the environmental crisis in the seas, where plastics threaten wildlife.

Browne last December released the song “The Dreamer” about the new deportation threat under the Trump administration for those who had been protected temporarily under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

“The measure of a good song is that it doesn’t need explaining,” Browne said.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, North America

Argentina: XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Alexis Rafael Peña Céspedes in El Dia

Every year the world announces a World Mediation Congress, where hundreds of mediators from the five continents of the planet meet and share experiences. This time it will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

All citizens and professional people interested in knowing the mechanisms, of conflicts and mediations are invited to participate in this event that will interest those who want to train as mediators, conciliators, arbitrators and resolvers of conflicts.

According to the organizer of the event, Dr. Jorge Pesqueira Leal, “in the course of this century, we have met in Africa, the European Union and the American Continent, always with the commitment to contribute our knowledge and experience to open spaces for the harmonious and peaceful solution of conflicts.”

He adds that the world mediation congresses “have become the place where brilliant minds converge, bringing the latest advances in the most valuable methodology so that the protagonists of conflicts can unleash their creative potential and solve their disagreements.”

On this occasion, Argentina will host the XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace, where citizens of the world will be promoters of peace in family spaces, neighborhood, work, sports, religion and others.

The organizing team of this event, highlighting Alternative Methods of Conflict and Dispute Resolution, indicate that “the XXI century opens space to fraternal, solidary and cooperative societies with peaceful coexistence, social justice and the common good. However, these have been weakened over time, so it is necessary to strengthen spaces designed to promote the culture of being, among which are new strategies of dialogue, mediation and conciliation at the intrapersonal interpersonal and group levels”.

They emphasize that “A person is violent or is peaceful depending on how she relates to herself. The family, the school or the community, are violent or peaceful depending, also, on how their protagonists are related, and the same thing happens with society in general. ”

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(click here for the Spanish version)

Question for this article:

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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What is needed are commitments from states, international organizations, local governments and civil society, so that together they can make commitments aimed at fostering other mechanisms for resolving conflicts.

The organizers propose that, from this perspective, it is “urgent to change the way we relate, for which, mediation, in principle, but also dialogue, conciliation and restorative practices, are ideal mechanisms. They can deactivate the social construction of personalities prone to solve conflicts through force.” Force, as a mechanism, generates negative consequences for people and societies.

Therefore, “it is urgent to redouble efforts through the mediation world congresses, to contribute to society” in all continents “viable alternatives so that violence in the family, in the school and in the community, and conflicts are deactivated in all areas, including those that harm the life and evolution of nations and that place global security at risk ”

General objective

The general objective of the XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace is to “Contribute to generate reflection spaces, promote initiatives in the private and public sphere and promote public policies that allow the prevention, management and transformation of situations and conflict spaces in Argentina, Latin America and the rest of the world, favoring the construction of more dialogue, tolerance and inclusive, equitable societies “.

Specific objectives

In addition the Congress has very clear and precise specific objectives to promote alternative methods of conflict resolution, as well as mechanisms of mediation, arbitration, conciliation, restorative justice or other viable methods.

These specific objectives, as described below, are proposed by the organizers ” to promote the exchange of experiences in mediation, conciliation, restorative practices and conflict transformation, which serve as input for the improvement of the different practices of dealing with conflicts.” These include the following:

Expand the fields of application of mediation, conciliation and restorative practices based on the experiences acquired in different countries of the world.

* Identify good practices for the prevention of violence, for social dialogue and for the transformation of conflicts on our planet.

* Analyze the achievements of state initiatives to strengthen alternative dispute resolution or self-regulatory justice mechanisms.

* Generate public policy guidelines that allow a more comprehensive and sustained management of conflicts by states.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Isabelle Bourgeois: Your joy is my destination

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Tony Robinson from Pressenza

Early readers from the first days of Pressenza will remember Isabelle Bourgeois as a passionate journalist who joined the Base Team of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.  Almost every day, Isabelle would upload a video summary of the day’s events, telling both the serious and humorous sides of the journey.

In fact, Isabelle is a professionally trained journalist who has worked in war zones such as Iraq, Ethiopia and Kosovo for the Red Cross, but despairing of the one-sided stories portrayed in the media, Isabelle abandoned mainstream journalism and has set off to follow her own dream, driven by a profound purpose: to seek out joy in the world and to transmit it to as many people as possible.

As I know Isabelle very well from the time we shared on the World March, she called me a few weeks ago to say she was on her tour called “Joy for the Planet” and wanted to come and see what inspiring people she could find in Hungary.  I realised that after 6 months’ sleeping in her camper van, she’d probably welcome the spare bed and hot shower I could offer her!  So to Budapest she came and I helped out while she met up with a young Japanese ballet dancer who she was in contact with and who offered to be a subject in a video to spread joy through dance.  We spoke a lot about her project, her purpose and the future.


Isabelle decorates her beloved vehicle and home for 2018 (Image by Joy for the Planet)

One has the impression with Isabelle that she is being guided by a great force.  What seems to be a coincidence at first, later on always feels like it was meant to be.  As she says herself, “I’m the right person at the right place, at the right time with the right people.”
I took the opportunity to interview her for Pressenza and offer her her old role back!

Pressenza: What is Joy for the Planet? Tell us about this project.

Isabelle Bourgeois: Joy for the planet is a journey around the world but starting with a tour through Europe, with my camper van that I’ve called Begoodee, in order to promote and share joy, enthusiasm and passion through meeting inspiring people.  I’m a journalist and all my life I’ve been dedicated to promoting and sharing positive news, inspiring news, through the media and I wanted to bring my own contribution to improve humankind, somehow, on a very humble level.  So the idea is to travel throughout Europe for one year with the gift that I’m born with and with my experience as a journalist, with my camera, with my microphone and pencil and some drawings.  I’m bringing joy and sharing joy as a volunteer through videos, articles and interviews.

PZ: I see that as part of the project, in every place you go, you look for inspiring people who you award with the title nominee of joy and give them a solar lamp. What’s that about?

IB: The idea again is to bring trust and faith, but faith not in a religious sense, faith in yourself, faith in your life’s mission, faith in the purpose that you are living on Earth.  So the idea is to build bridges instead of fear, instead of walls, to show how much beauty there is in the world and how many great and inspiring people there are.  And on the road, in order to show the light that goes from person to person helping each other and being passionate about their lives, I found a concrete way to symbolize this transmission of love and passion with a little solar lamp.

So on the road, in a way which is not at all planned or controlled, something totally spontaneous, I might meet some people; adults, disabled people, children who are willing to build solar lamps with me.  So they add their light to this project, they add their love, they add their hopes, by building these little lamps.  And on the road I offer these lamps to inspiring people who dedicate their lives to others, or who bring better living conditions for us.

PZ: What led you to take on this great adventure?

IB: For the last 25 years, I’ve been a journalist and at the beginning I was a regular journalist, writing about gossip, violence and scandals; nothing that actually helps anyone to evolve and I was also working as a humanitarian delegate in war-torn countries.  And being in war zones I was surprised to see so much love, solidarity, great behaviour and forgiveness from all parties involved in the conflict.  But in the evening when I came back home and switched on the TV, the media were only talking about terrorism, bomb attacks, violence and blood, and I said that there’s something here which isn’t right, because I’m in the middle of the war and I see so much beauty also, so much love, so much peace and I thought, “Oh, there’s a kind of conscious manipulation by omitting what makes people human beings.”  And I didn’t want to take part in that lie anymore because this war and violence is a reality but it’s not the reality.  And I witnessed also another reality which is solidarity, helping each other, forgiving and so 15 years ago I decided to create a good news website – somehow similar to Pressenza – on a voluntary basis and I decided to quit mainstream journalism for good, because it contributes much more to increasing fear, hate and judgment among people than to bringing trust and inspiring solutions.  So this was the first thing I did.

And then I tried as a freelance journalist to publish good news, inspiring news, but most of the media said, “Good news is not news, Isabelle,” and, “You’re too idealistic, you’re too naïve.” Really, I was hitting my head against a brick wall for many years, wanting to show that other side of reality.

So in the mean time I created other projects like, for instance, Planet Positive Action which is a travel company that organises solidarity tours. 

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It’s about travellers who visit a country while at the same time helping and giving a meaning to the trip. So I did that while taking a bit more distance from journalism but I never gave up on the idea of really bringing my journalistic faculties to others because I love my job.

I think journalism is one of the most beautiful jobs in the world.  So two years ago I said I will not give up on inspiring journalism or humanist journalism and I said, “But how can I bring my reportage, my features, my articles, if mainstream media are not that interested in publishing what I see and who I meet?”  And so I said, “I’ll do it on my own, I’ll just find some money to buy a vehicle and I’ll jump into the world with my camera, my microphone, my pencil and I’ll just do it on my own. I will not wait any more for people to follow me in this. I’ll just do it.”

And I did some crowdfunding last November and I succeeded to collect eighteen thousand euros which was beyond my expectations because I was asking for fifteen thousand.  And then I bought my second-hand old camper van and that’s it.  I started my journey from Switzerland six months ago and this is how it happened, to make a long story short. Although the project only took shape two years ago, it’s really a life-time commitment.

PZ: On your journey so far from Switzerland with Begoodee, where have you been? And could you give us a couple of highlights for you?

IB:  Yes.  So I started in Switzerland then I went down to Sardinia, Corsica, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland and then I went through all the Baltic countries to Poland, and I landed now a few days ago in Budapest.

Highlights?  Actually every day of that journey has been a highlight because I’ve met such unbelievable people, extraordinary people.

So for instance in Finland, I met Villé, a 25 years old young man who tried to kill himself when he was 16 years old because he couldn’t fit with that world.  It was like he was parachuted on to a terrible planet he didn’t want to belong to. So he jumped off a cliff, and he told me, “I jumped from the cliff. I’ve lost two legs, but I found my joy.”  And he was sharing with me what made him so joyful today and he said that it was this path that has nothing to do with what is visible, with materialistic issues; it’s about finding peace and loving everything whatever it is, beyond shape and form, beyond the physical.  So he was really a fantastic person.

Also in Finland, I participated in the world championships of boot-throwing. This also I loved so much because it was kind of, when you’re going through a hard time and you have this total nonsense sport which helps you also to give a meaning to your life, because it helps you to take distance from drama and from seriousness.  So I found it actually very therapeutic.

Also in the South of France I met a guy whose dream, he is 75 years old, was to cross the Atlantic inside a barrel.

I’ve met Buddhists, I’ve met Jewish people who are committed to bringing peace to the Middle East.  I’ve met dancers who were dancing to bring all the nations together.

And I have rewarded – it’s not me actually it’s the project, because there is a big difference between me and the project – so the project has rewarded so far 36 or 37 nominees of Joy.

PZ: What’s the future for this project?  Where are you seeing it in the future?

IB:  Of course, the idea now is to build something that will remain, that will be useful for everyone.  So this year’s journey is just for me a calling card to show to everyone that I want to give an example.  So, I did it with all my love, with all my convictions.  I did it and then I will write a book about this journey and I would like to make a movie because so far I’ve edited more than 60 videos but very short so I’d like to make a movie. And then with this movie, the journey (the experience), the writing and the film, I would like to create a kind of a place, a physical location, where people can experience joy: joy through art, joy through science (with quantum physics, for instance, how your thoughts are influencing your destiny), joy with music, joy and education, and so on.  So, it will be a place where people can experience, in an interactive way, how to find the key to joy in life and how to live a dream, how to align your values with your actions.

PZ:  What have you learned in these last six months?

IB: [Laughter] That I was right! I’ve learned somehow very deep, but I’ve learned that I was right to trust human beings.  I was right all my life to trust human beings, and to see jewels within them. And people who behave badly, it’s not that they’re bad, it’s just that they didn’t have the chance to be loved enough to follow their dreams.  So all the harm and the bad is coming from ignorance.  It’s not coming from reality, rather from a source of negativity.  It’s really an accident in a loving process in an individual’s path.  So, I’ve learned that actually everyone is good and has a very beautiful ground but education factors have stopped them from remaining loving or a loved person.  I’ve learned that I shouldn’t judge anymore what is right and what is wrong, because if you decide what’s right, what’s wrong, then you will feed the notion of duality and this is not at all what I would like to contribute.  So by accepting light and dark, good and bad in a compassionate way, I believe that I contribute more to building this sense of oneness on earth.

PZ: And finally, what brings you joy?

IB: Of course, this project actually.  There is joy in finding joy actually.  So because all my life, I really felt joy despite the burdens, difficulties and troubles in my life, I never quit that deep feeling that everything has a purpose and that we’re not alone and that there’s a reason for all the turbulence in your life.  So I never quit that underground stream of joy, but it was of course up and down, up and down, like as if I was going out of the flow and then back into the flow, and out of the flow and back again.  But now, through this project I feel really that I’m non-stop in the flow of joy, non-stop, because I feel that I’m the right person at the right place, at the right time with the right people and that I’m really doing what I was born for, that I’m in my life’s mission.

PZ: Very good. Thank you and good luck!

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

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

As UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan Stressed Need For Culture Of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by CPNN

As we mourn the death of Kofi Annan, we recall his inspiring leadership as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The following is his message for the occasion of the International Day of Peace, 14 September, 1999:

“The principal mandate of the United Nations to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war remains as valid today as when those words were written into the Charter more than half a century ago. For millions upon millions of people throughout our world, the march of human progress continues to be plagued by conflict, violence, hatred and greed.

“Over the years we have come to realize that it is not enough to send peacekeeping forces to separate warring parties. It is not enough to engage in peace-building efforts after societies have been ravaged by conflict. It is not enough to conduct preventive diplomacy. All of this is essential work, but we must also act at a deeper level if we want enduring results. We need, in short, a culture of peace.

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Questions for this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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“It may seem sometimes as if a culture of peace does not stand a chance against the culture of war, the culture of violence and the cultures of impunity and intolerance. Peace may indeed be a complex challenge, dependent on action in many fields and even a bit of luck from time to time. It may be a painfully slow process, and fragile and imperfect when it is achieved. But peace is in our hands. We can do it.

“This year, the International Day of Peace coincides with the launch, at the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), of the International Year for the Culture of Peace. Since wars begin in the minds of men, says UNESCOs Constitution, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. All of us must do our part in this project. The culture of peace is an idea whose time has come.”

The preceding press release from Kofi Annan on September 10, 1999, echoed the following remarks made by Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury two weeks earlier upon the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. That document, which remains to this day the key forumulation of a culture of peace, had been introduced a year before by Director-General Federico Mayor of UNESCO and guided through a difficult birth process by Ambassador Chowdhury:

“I believe that this document is unique in more than one way. It is a universal document in the real sense, transcending boundaries, cultures, societies and nations. Unlike many other General Assembly documents, this document is action-oriented and encourages actions at all levels, be they at the level of the individual, the community, the nation or the region, or at the global and international levels. The document also brings together the various actors who have a role in advancing a culture of peace. They include States, international organizations, civil society, community leaders, parents, teachers, artists, professors, journalists, humanitarian workers – in a way, all people from all walks of life and all sorts of backgrounds can contribute to its implementation.”

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

The Elders mourn the loss of Kofi Annan

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

A press release from The Elders

The Elders are shocked and deeply saddened at the passing of their dear friend and colleague Kofi Annan, who was the globally admired and respected Chair of The Elders.

A founding member of The Elders, Kofi Annan succeeded Archbishop Desmond Tutu as Chair in May 2013. He played a vital role in leading The Elders’ work, and was a voice of great authority and wisdom in public and private, most recently on visits to South Africa and Zimbabwe in July 2018.

As the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006, he was a constant advocate for human rights, development and the rule of law. The first Secretary-General to reach the post from within an organisation he served for over 40 years, Kofi Annan had a life-long commitment to the cause of peace and was known for his staunch opposition to military aggression, notably the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

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Questions for this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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The great respect for him and his essential work was illustrated when he, together with the United Nations as a whole, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

Gro Harlem Brundtland, Deputy Chair of The Elders, said:

“We are devastated at the loss of our dear friend and fellow Elder. Kofi was a strong and inspiring presence to us all, and The Elders would not be where it is today without his leadership. Throughout his life, Kofi worked unceasingly to improve the lives of millions of people around the world. While we mourn his passing today, we resolve as Elders to continue to uphold his values and legacy into the future”.

In retirement, Kofi Annan continued where he had left off at the United Nations, founding and leading the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation, based in Geneva, and maintaining a hectic international schedule. His quiet advice on how best to defuse impending crises was in constant demand from all corners of the globe, in particular from Africa.

All of the Elders and their Advisory Council and staff team members send their heartfelt condolences to Kofi’s family: his wife Nane, his children and grandchildren. They have lost a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
The world has lost an inspiring figure – but one whose achievements will never be forgotten, and whose commitment to peace and justice will endure to inspire future generations.

For media inquiries, please contact William French, Head of Communications at The Elders (+44 7795 693903) or email: media@theElders.org

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

Brazil: Culture of Peace will be the theme of a free lecture in Guarujá

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Resenhando

The Legislative School of Guarujá (ELG) will hold a free lecture on ‘Culture of Peace’ next Thursday, 16th, from 7 to 9 pm. The activity will be open to all concerned and will be the responsibility of the director of ELG, journalist and psychologist Vanessa Ratton.


Vanessa Ratton

It will be part of the Popular Legal Promoters (PLPs) course, which has been held since the first semester, through a partnership between the ELG and the Guarujá Municipal Government Coordination Office (Segov).

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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It is not necessary to pre-register. Just come to the City Hall (Av. Leomil, 291, Center, 2nd floor) at the scheduled time. More information can be obtained by e-mail at escoladolegislativo@camaraguaruja.sp.gov.br

According to Vanessa Ratton, the Culture of Peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions, behaviors and lifestyles based on respect for life, the end of violence, the practice of non-violence through education, dialogue cooperation.

“It helps us to get along better at home, at work and in society, and teaches us to dialogue and avoid conflict, and makes us think about how to eliminate violence from ourselves, and promotes reflection about how to welcome different ideas and cultures without denying that there is conflict, but making it an opportunity for everyone to learn.”

Date: Thursday, 16/8
Hours: From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Av. Leomil, 291, Centro

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

6,000 teachers deployed to promote peace in Mindanao (Philippines)

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by John Unson for Philstar Global, as reprinted by the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Some 6,000 teachers deployed in five southern provinces in the past five years are now actively helping propagate interfaith solidarity among schoolchildren in support of the government’s Mindanao peace efforts.
They are now handling classes in remote barrios in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao covering Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, and in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.


New ARMM public school teachers show their appointments signed by the region’s chief executive, Gov. Mujiv Hataman. (Photo: Philstar.com / John Unson)

Lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr., ARMM’s regional education secretary, said Friday the latest batch of duly licensed public school mentors enlisted by his department is comprised of 765 men and women who had signed commitments to accept teaching assignments in far-flung schools.

(Articles continued in right column)

Questions for this article:

Can peace be achieved in Mindanao?

Where is peace education taking place?

(continued from left column)

More than 4,000 teachers were appointed by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman during the time of Mitmug’s predecessor, John Magno, who was at the helm of the regional education department from late 2015 to 2017.

They filled out vacancies after the removal by the Hataman administration of thousands of “ghost teachers” from the payroll of the Department of Education-ARMM that proliferated during the time of past regional governors.

“Some of them showed their dedication and commitment when they volunteered to help facilitate the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang elections last month,” Mitmug said.

He said the teachers are now helping propagate the so-called “culture of peace” and religious solidarity among ARMM’s Muslim and Christian communities.

The ARMM education and public works department were touted as the most corrupt agencies of the regional governments under past administrations.

Officials of the two agencies now openly talk about efficiency in  handling of quarterly operating funds from the national coffer, open to scrutiny by media entities and peace advocacy blocs helping improve regional governance through various capacity-building interventions.  

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

East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Philippines: New Bangsamoro Organic Law Includes Provision for Peace Education

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by By Jasmin Nario-Galace and Loreta Castro from the
Center for Peace Education, Miriam College for the Global Campaign for Peace Education

On July 27, the Philippine President signed into law the Bangsamoro Organic Law which aims to complete the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. This peace agreement was signed in 2014 but required a law to implement it.  


Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

The Center for Peace Education at Miriam College  in Quezon City has been lobbying for the inclusion of peace education in the Education provision of the said draft law. After nearly 4 years,  the said efforts had finally yielded the result that was hoped for.  

Under Article IX, the Education provision of the new law, second paragraph says: “The Bangsamoro government shall institutionalize peace education in all levels of education” (page 39).

You may download here a copy of the Bangsamoro Organic Law

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

East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE