Category Archives: global

Past virtual events in December 2020

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events from December that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

Dec 1, 2020 18:30 PM in London
Students say No to War on Yemen

The war in Yemen has entered its sixth, devastating year. Over 100,000 people have died and millions are the brink of famine. The British Government is complicit in this war; over £5 billion worth of arms have been sold to the Saudi coalition since the start of the war and RAF personnel have maintained Saudi planes and directed the bombings. Stop the War Coalition, alongside organisations around the world, has called a global day of action against the war on Yemen on 25th January 2021. Students have played a major role in fighting against British involvement in the war, organising protests across the country over the summer, and will have a vital role in building the day of action. Join us to discuss how we can take action on the 25th January and end the war on Yemen.
— Speakers (tbc):
Lucy Nichols, Stop the War
Malak Mayet, Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Adhiyan Jeevathol, London Students for Yemen
Lamar Campbell, Young Labour International Representative
Hasan Patel, Young Labour Under 18’s Representative
Register here

December 3-5
Development, Environment and Peace Nexus (DEEPEN): Peace Making in Borderlands

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
— Violence and conflict in borderlands are inseparable from environmental degradation and hinder social development. This close connection, however, also provides the potential to reverse the vicious cycle of conflict, disruption to nature and social exclusion and move, through a holistic transformative approach, toward a virtuous cycle of peace, ecological integrity and inclusive development. At this uniquely multidisciplinary conference, speakers will explore the complex relationships between development, environment and peace in borderlands, challenging conventional approaches and introducing innovative theories and practices for sustainable and peaceful development.
— Click here for the program
— The on-line event is open to a global audience and free of charge. Register here.

Friday 4th December 2020 9.15am–12pm GMT
European peace and security through the 2020s

Mayors for Peace European Chapter, NFLA and ICAN joint webinar
How do we create a safer, more peaceful continent free of nuclear weapons?
— The webinar will bring together mayors and experts on nuclear disarmament, and will concentrate on the important role of local towns and cities in creating safe, resilient, sustainable and more peaceful communities.
— This meeting will be hosted on Zoom and will also be streamed live on You Tube. The meeting will be held in English, with English-Spanish simultaneous translation offered by the City of Granollers.
— Register here

December 5 and 6
Conference for climate justice and peace

United for Intercultural Action : European Network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees
— We want to invite you to join us online for a conference which is going to take place online on December 5th and 6th, 2020 on the 10th anniversary of thePrague Spring 2 network.
This time the following questions are going to be raised:
— How can we organize a campaign in all parts of Europe for an eco-social transformation and disarmament and a Nuke Free Europe and Climate Justice?
— How can communities strengthen each other across borders finding ways to build trust and resilience through local food production and stronger solidarity economies?
— How can we dismantle authoritarian, military, trade and financial international regimes that support the continuation of racist colonial and neocolonial oppression and where and what can be the contribution of our organizations like trade unions, peasant and Human Rights organizations to peace and democracy?
— Click here for the program
— Register here. Zoom link will be sent by email.

9 December 9:00 -10:30 (Mexico City)
“Protecting Human Rights Defenders: the commitment of the European Union”

On the occasion of the International Human Rights Defenders Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Mexico invites you to this webinar with the participation of human rights defenders in Mexico.
— Registration required: http://bit.ly/39umEMv

Mercredi 9 décembre 10H-12H France (en français)Le désarmement conventionnel, influence t-il le désarmement nucléaire ?

— L’Union européenne, et plus largement les Etats du continent européen ont une approche très variée concernant le sujet du désarmement nucléaire. . . Dans le domaine du désarmement conventionnel l’unité est plus forte, tous ayant adhéré aux différentes normes internationales. La récente fin du Traité sur les forces nucléaires à portée intermédiaire (qui visait à éliminer des missiles emportant aussi bien des charges nucléaires ou conventionnelles) a montré une nécessité de renforcer une voie européenne du désarmement (face à la Russie, la Chine, les Etats-Unis). Mais cette voie commune peut-elle exister au niveau du désarmement conventionnel et nucléaire ? Ou c’est l’unité face aux enjeux de désarmement classique qui peut permettre d’entrainer (une sorte d’étapes par étapes) une position plus forte et commune sur l’interdiction et l’élimination des armes nucléaires ?
— ICAN France, avec le soutient de la Heinrich Boell Stiftung Paris, vous invite à entendre des chercheurs et parlementaires sur ces réflexions, puis à débattre avec eux.
— Inscription : https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dkTCQ7d7SDaK2vBwghTtcw

9 December 2020, 3.00 PM – 4.30 PM CET
Webinar on human rights, peace and security in the Americas

Welcome to a webinar on human rights, peace and security in the Americas, organised by the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights together with the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies at Stockholm University.
— In the seminar we will discuss the impact of the Inter-American Commission and Court* on the situation for human rights, peace and security in different countries of the Americas. We will also examine the limitations to their power and the possibilities to influence the ongoing crises we see in for example Venezuela and Nicaragua. We are very pleased to be able to draw on the knowledge of prominent experts in different fields to guide us on the topic of the webinar, including the finalists of the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights student essay competition 2020!
— Panellists and presenters:
— Andrés Rivarola Puntigliano, Director of the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies.
— Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Professorial Lecturer in Residence and Co-Director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law (WCL).
— Pär Engström, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights at the Institute of the Americas, University College London.
— Amalia Ydrefelt Hanell, law student, Uppsala University.
— Lovisa Kårelius, law student, Uppsala University.
— Helmer Jonelid, law student, Uppsala University.
— Moderator: Sofia Fotini Ekarv, Swedish Foundation for Human Rights
— Please register for the webinar here

Thursday – Dec 10, 2020, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm CET (Central European Time)
Peace and Human Rights issues in the Gulf Region

Join us for a diverse and innovative discussion of Peace and Human Rights issues in the Gulf Region. The Webinar will feature:
— Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB, Bahrain
— Sarah Leah Whitson, former Director of the MENA division of the Human Rights Watch, USA
— Dr. Saeed al-Shehabi, Political Activist and Member of the Bahrain Freedom Movement, Bahrain
— Yasmine Taeb, Senior Fellow on Congress and Foreign Policy at the Center for International Policy, Iran-USA
— Chaired by Amela Skiljan, IPB Coordinator, Germany
— To register, please send an email with your name and affiliation to: info@ipb-office.berlin

10 de diciembre a las 17:30 hora Ciudad de México
“Educación para Paz y Derechos Humanos” (en español)

JunPaz te invita a la converencia “Educación para Paz y Derechos Humanos”,.
Imparte: Roberto arlos Domínguez Cano, Doctorante en Negociación por el Instituto de Medicacón de México
— La podrás seguir por zoom. Inscripciones aqui

10 de diciembre a partir de las 2:00 p.m.(Colombia hora local)
Foro “Genocidio comunal y social en Colombia” (en español)

Con motivo de la conmemoración del Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, la revista Derecho y Realidad se complace en invitar al Foro “Genocidio comunal y social en Colombia”, que contará con la participación de reconocidas personalidades del ámbito nacional e internacional y en el que se debatirán acciones en defensa de la vida y obra de los líderes sociales y comunales, quienes están siendo víctimas de un genocidio sistemático, en medio del silencio estatal y la indiferencia social.
— Se podrán conectar por los siguientes links:
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82302616418
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLgcDD5yfQkGp80PC6QU77w

Thursday December 10. 8am Central Europe Time (10 am Moscow, 1pm Dhaka, 4pTokyo/Seoul, 7pm Suva)
Friday December 11. 11:30 Eastern time USA/Canada. (5:30pm CET)
Launch of Youth Fusion: website and youth actions for nuclear abolition

— Youth around the world are standing up for peace and nuclear disarmament, and taking action in innovative ways that are making a difference. The Youth Working Group of Abolition 2000 global network to eliminate nuclear weapons builds cooperation amongst these youth actions, brings youth voices into key UN and other disarmament processes, and facilitates inter-generational dialogue to turn youth energy and vision into effective policy action.
— We invite youth, and the not-so-young, to join the Abolition 2000 youth working group as they launch Youth Fusion – the new online platform and youth action plan for a nuclear-weapons-free world.
— Program and other information for session 1 will be posted on the Session 1 event facebook page. Click here to register.
— Program and other information for session 2 will be posted on the Session 2 event facebook page. Click here to register.

11 diciembre – 13:30-16:30 GMT (Intérpretes: En/Es/Fr/Pt/It)
Llamado a la Asamblea Mundial Virtual de Habitantxs (3ª sesión)

— Para hacer el balance de la movilización global Cero Desalojos para Coronavirus
— Para acordar los ejes estratégicos de movilización: construir la alternativa basada en los derechos humanos y ambientales y la redistribución equitativa de los recursos
— Para definir la Agenda Solidaria de lxs Habitantxs 2021, la convergencia de las re-existencias en tiempos de pandemia
— Participación: Gunnar Theissen, Encargado de Derechos Humanos en apoyo del Relator Especial ONU sobre el Derecho a la Vivienda, OHCHR
— Haga clic para recibir el enlace Zoom para participar en la Asamblea!

December 9-12
Festival hip hop Cartagena

Bajo el lema ‘Cultura y artes para la paz’, El Festival hip hop Cartagena surgió como respuesta y alternativa a la crisis social y cultural que se vive en la ciudad de Cartagena, buscando mantener viva la cultura hip hop de la ciudad a través de acciones encaminadas al fortalecimiento de las raíces histórico culturales.
— El festival se llevará a cabo del 9 al 12 de diciembre, de manera virtual. El evento se transmitirá por las redes sociales oficiales del festival, por las redes oficiales de la Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena en cabeza del Instituto de Patrimonio y Cultura de Cartagena-IPCC y los canales aliados independientes que se sumen a la causa. Además se contará con una excelente agenda académica con invitados de lujo que consta de los siguientes 5 conversatorios:
— Miércoles 09 de diciembre- 10:00 a.m.(hora local) Movimiento Hip hop en Cartagena 1980- 2000: ‘Resistencia y poesía callejera por una cultura de paz’
— Jueves 10 de diciembre – 10:00 a.m.(hora local) Cultura para el desarrollo: la cultura Hiphop en Cartagena de Indias.
— Jueves 10 de diciembre – 4:00 p.m.(hora local) La danza como escenario de poder
— Viernes 11 de diciembre – 10:00 a-m.(hora local) Industria de la música: salas de conciertos y distribución digital.
— Viernes 11 de diciembre – 4:00 p.m.(hora local) Derechos culturales, cultura hip hop y equidad de género.
— Click here for live videos

Thursday – Dec 10, 2020 and Sunday, December 13 @1 pm ET (Canada)
How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy and Its Hope for the Future: A Personal Perspective

Canadian Friends of Peace Now
How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy and Its Hope for the Future: A Personal Perspective
with Ami Ayalon and guest host Jim Torczyner
— Admiral (res.) Ami Ayalon is a former director of the Shin Bet (Israel’s security service), commander of the Israeli Navy, government minister and member of Knesset (Labour). He recently co-authored Friendly Fire: How Israel Became its Own Worst Enemy and the Hope for its Future. This is a memoir of Ayalon’s journey towards becoming a strong voice for peace between Israelis and Palestinians and his analysis of the barriers impeding peace. He critiques self-defeating policies that have undermined Israel’s civil society while heaping humiliation upon its Palestinian neighbours. The book discusses what Israel must do to achieve relative peace and security and to sustain itself as a Jewish homeland and liberal democracy.
— Audience questions welcome. You may send advance questions to info@peacenowcanada.org
— Register for this event here.

Monday, December 14-15
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (New York), Monday 14 December
9:00 am to 10:30 am (Japan), Tuesday 15 December

Please join PeaceBoat for a very special online discussion with Ms Michiko Hattori, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
— Organised by Peace Boat and #Youth4Disarmament, a project of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).h
— Seventy five years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world still faces the grave threat of the nuclear weapons. As the hibakusha survivors age, there are fewer opportunities to listen to their first-hand stories. We can continue to honour them by celebrating their lives and work and by discussing possible actions we can take together and individually.
— A discussion wil be followed by a youth-led question and answer session.
— RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3qKpm6v

Dec 14-15
Dec. 14 at 8:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Dec. 15 at 10:00 AM KST

Militarization, Killer Robots, and the Korean Peninsula: The Case for Peace
— Join the transnational feminist campaign Korea Peace Now! for this discussion on on Dec. 14 at 8:00pm EST about killer robots in South Korea: what they are, why you should care, and how ending the Korean War can help stop them.
— Featuring:
Ray Acheson, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
YouKyoung Ko, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Youngmi Cho, Korean Women’s Movement for Peace
Moderated by Catherine Killough, Women Cross DMZ
— Simultaneous interpretation in Korean and English will be provided***
— Register here

Tuesday, Dec 15, 5:00 PM Pacific Time USA
“How to Avoid a War in Asia”

Join Code Pink, Beyond the Bomb, Women Cross the DMZ and World Beyond War for an amazing panel.
Panelists:
Hyun Lee: National Organizer, Women Cross the DMZ
Jodie Evans: Co-Founder, Code Pink
Molly Hurley: Organizer, Beyond the Bomb
David Swanson: Exec. Director, World Beyond War
Leah Bolger: Board President, World Beyond War
— Register here in advance for this meeting
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Wednesday 16 December 2020 from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM CET
Live Webinar: Accelerating Youth Inclusion in Building Peace

— To honour the 5th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security Resolution, the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kofi Annan Foundation are hosting an online panel discussion on how to accelerate change towards the meaningful inclusion of young women and men in shaping peace.
— Our panel of experts will share concrete examples and good practices of how member states, the EU and civil society organisations are contributing to the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and discuss what remains to be done to make youth inclusion a reality.
— Register here

Wednesday, December 16th 11:00 am EST. (1600 GMT)
“Jonathan Kuttab’s Booklet Launch” Webinar Registration – We Are All Part of One Another

— “I am launching a book which I hope, with your help can address the current impasse, and perhaps change the conversation around Israel / Palestine. Many activists are frustrated, despondent, and floundering with no clear vision or direction. We need some fresh out-of-the-box thinking. This is true for Palestinians, Israelis, and our friends in the international community. I’ve asked Nonviolence International, a group I co-founded and value deeply, to lead the effort to get this book into the hands of people across the political spectrum and across the world.
— To learn more about the text and see what people are saying, please visit: Beyond The Two-State Solution.
— Please RSVP here to join the launch event.

December 16-18
Workshop on contributions of smart city projects to climate resilience

— Co-organizers: Hiroshima University (Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability), Global Carbon Project-Tsukuba International Office, Future Earth, Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change
Research (APN)
— This 3-day workshop is consisted of sessions related to three main activities:
1. The first day is allocated to presentations by authors who have submitted their works to be considered for publication in a special issue of Environment and Planning B. Details about the special issue are available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/epb/collections/special-issues 2.
On days 2 and 3 the participants will take part in interactive sessions focused on investigating the actual and potential contributions of smart cities to climate resilience.. . .
3. On day 3 a parallel session will be organized to discuss contributions of smart cities to urban climate change mitigation. . .
— Registration: Please register here to receive zoom link prior to the event. https://bit.ly/2HsrTQz

Sunday 20 December, 23:00 UTC+01
The Venezuelan Election, a blow to US Imperialism.

Organised by the United National Antiwar Coalition et Bahman Azad
— The United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the party of Nicolas Maduro won a stunning victory in the recent election for the National Assembly. However, the US has sought to undercut this victory and to deny the will of the Venezuelan people. This webinar will give us the chance to hear voices of people who were there as election observers and independent journalists and saw a different picture than the one projected by the US government. Their talks will be followed by questions and answers. Please join us and share the information about this webinar.
— Speakers:
— Margaret Flower, Popular Resistance
— Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
— Bahman Azad, U.S. Peace Council
— Zoe PC, Peoples Dispatch
Register here
Click here to watch replay on youtube

24 December 2020, 4:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (New York)

Deadline to submit application for Online Youth Consultation on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport
— Invitation from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) within the framework of the UN Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism, implemented by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in partnership with UNAOC, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the International Centre for Sport and Security (ICSS).
— The consultation aims to gather the input and guidance of young people in developing various outputs such as an awareness campaign to be launched concurrently with global sporting events next year and with the involvement of professional athletes; a policy guide; a handbook; and an app. These products will aim to advance the power of sport and its social values as a tool to prevent violent extremism, and to strengthen the engagement and cooperation of youth and Member States in using sport to promote sustainable peace and development.
— Participants must be :
* between 15 and 19 years old
* Wish to contribute to the advancement of sport in promoting social inclusion, ensuring sustainable peace and preventing radicalization and violent extremism
* Have experience with policy guides, innovative programmes, knowledge sharing tools and/or awareness raising/communication campaigns
— Click here for results of the Consultation.

Sunday, December 27. 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (US/Canada)
Global Town Hall

On the last Sunday of every month, Project Save the World hosts a one-hour conversation via Zoom videoconference about our various projects working to prevent one or more of these threats: war and weapons / global warming / famine / pandemics / radioactive contamination / cyberattacks.
— Video conference URL: https://zoom.us/j/9108970203

December 29

Deadline for nominations for the Peace and Climate action European Youth (PACEY) Plus Award 2021.
— Please make your nomination in one of the two categories:
1. European youth project: A project based in Europe or run by youth from Europe;
2. Beyond Europe youth project: A project based outside Europe or a Global youth project.
— Self-nominations are permitted.
— The Award is organised jointly by the Basel Peace Office and the Präsidialdepartement des Kantons Basel-Stadt, Kantons- und Stadtentwicklung (Office of Cantonal and Urban Development, Department of Presidential Affairs, Canton of Basel-Stadt, Switzerland).
— Questions to info@baselpeaceoffice.org.
— For more information please visit www.baselpeaceoffice.org
— Nomination form

global

Past virtual events in February

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

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

Feb 4, 2021 05:45 PM GMT (London)
Liverpool StW: The Assange case: what next?

Speakers:
John McDonnell MP
Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks
Deepa Driver, Haldane Society court reporter
Alan Gibbons, Labour activist and author
— Click here for a recording of the event

Thursday, February 4, 2021, 12:00-1:00 EST
Gerald Horne discusses his book, The Dawning of the Apocalypse: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, and Capitalism.

— sponsored by the New Haven Free Public Library
Acclaimed historian Gerald Horne joins us for a virtual lunch hour discussion of his book, The Dawning of the Apocalypse: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, Settler Colonialism, and Capitalism in the Long Sixteenth Century. Horne is John J. and Rebecca Moores Professor of African American History at the University of Houston. He has published more than three dozen books, including The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism and Jazz and Justice, both by Monthly Review Press.
.. The Dawning of the Apocalypse is a riveting revision of the “creation myth” of settler colonialism and how the United States was formed. Here, Gerald Horne argues forcefully that, in order to understand the arrival of colonists from the British Isles in the early seventeenth century, one must first understand the “long sixteenth century”– from 1492 until the arrival of settlers in Virginia in 1607.
During this prolonged century, Horne contends, “whiteness” morphed into “white supremacy,” and allowed England to co-opt not only religious minorities but also various nationalities throughout Europe, thus forging a muscular bloc that was needed to confront rambunctious Indigenes and Africans. In retelling the bloodthirsty story of the invasion of the Americas, Horne recounts how the fierce resistance by Africans and their Indigenous allies weakened Spain and enabled London to dispatch settlers to Virginia in 1607. These settlers laid the groundwork for the British Empire and its revolting spawn that became the United States of America.
— No registration necessary. Join us in Zoom using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81097812539
— This event will also stream live on our Facebook Page. Click here for the recording.
— For more information, email Isaac Shub at ishub@nhfpl.org or call 203-946-8130.

Saturday, February 6 at 2 PM EST
Building the Antiwar Movement Under the Biden Administration

This will be a discussion with UNAC [Unied National Antiwar Coalition] administrative committee members:
Bahman Azad, Ajamu Baraka, Judy Bello, Sara Flounders, Margaret Flowers, Margaret Kimberley, Cassia Laham, Autumn Lake, Joe Lombardo, Jeff Mackler, Rhonda Ramiro)
— Click here for the youtube recording

February 7-8 (see program for times)
PyeongChang Peace Forum (PPF) 2021

Experts from around the world will discuss concrete approaches and effective campaigns to abolish war and eliminate nuclear weapons, key objectives of the United Nations, with the aim of achieving these no later than 2045, the 100th anniversary of the UN.
— You are cordially invited to register for the three sessions on Peace ans SDGs hosted PNND, APSD, PCK in partnership with many international CSOs during the PPF 2021.
The outcome of the sessions will be incorporated into the PyeongChang Agenda for Peace (PCAP) 2021.
A zoom or youtube link and background materials will be sent to those who have registered here in advance.
— Click here for the recording of day 1.
— Click here for the recording of day 2.
— Click here for the recording of the closing ceremony

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9 p.m. (EST)
Asia-Pacific Political Economy: Dynamics and Their Implications

In recent decades, the Asia/Indo-Pacific region has been transformed by unprecedented economic growth, driven in significant measure by globalization, law wage production, growing economic inequality, repressive labor laws, technological coemption and disregard for the environment. With the world’s three largest economies the region is responsible for 60 percent of global gross domestic product.
–Impacting these dynamics are the impacts of the pandemic, the U.S.-Chinese trade war including sanctions and restrictions on technological export, China’s Belt and Road, the recent Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, competition for control of the South China Sea, and increasing military tensions across the region.
— The newly launched Asia-Pacific Working Group will host a webinar providing background and analysis about the political economy of the Asia/Indo-Pacific region.
— Featured speakers will be:
Walden Bello, Focus on Global South & University of the Philippines
Juliet Lu, Cornell University
Achin Vanaik, Transnational Institute and University of Delhi (ret)
— You can watch the recording here

Thursday, Feb. 11, 7:00 – 8:00 pm EST =
Fri, February 12, 2021, 1:00 AM – 2:00 AM CET
Mohonk Consultations (USA)

Please join us for an online panel presentation on how to overcome polarization and find common ground. Our speakers will highlight practical approaches, building on the 125-year living tradition of peacebuilding at Mohonk Mountain House. Our panel members and the titles of their presentations are as follows:
— Dennis Kucinich, “Stepping Out of Polarization”
— Lester Strong, founder and director of the Peaceful Guardians Initiative, “The Four Gateways of Communication
— Dior Williams, Rondout Valley High School student and member of its Human Rights Club, “The Importance of Humility”
— It is clear that we are in a period of intense polarization in the US and in many areas around the globe. Recent events have given hope that a shift may be underway, presenting us with an opportunity to change the perspective of enmity to one of collaboration and unity in working toward a common understanding. Tools for avoiding conflict and finding common ground are extraordinarily useful and needed at this unique time, as is the spreading of goodwill. How can each of us, in our own way, be part of a solution?
— Visit our website for more details, including speaker biographies.
— REGISTER HERE
— Click here to see a recording of the event

Friday, February 12, 2021 • 10:00 – 11:30 AM EST (GMT-05:00)
Webinar: Bahrain 10 Years After

10 years after the Bahraini government violently cracked down on mass pro-democracy protests in February 2011, the country remains riven by levels of unrest, political crisis, and human rights violations. Bahrainis continue to protest and demonstrate almost nightly, continuing their calls for greater political and economic freedoms as well as greater respect for human, civil, and political rights. The government continues to meet these demonstrations with force and violence, arresting dissidents and critics, and filling jails with peaceful protesters. These moves by the government have not led to sustainable peace, but have helped fuel dissatisfaction among many.
— After four years of the Trump administration’s total disregard for human rights in U.S. policy toward Bahrain, this panel will discuss what steps Congress and Biden’s administration should take to address the ongoing crisis in Bahrain. The panel will address the efforts to release political prisoners and end the culture of impunity in the country. In addition, the panel will address ways to pressure the Biden administration to end U.S. military support for the Bahraini government.
— Moderator: David Swanson
— Panelists:
Husain Abdulla  
Ali Mushaima
Medea Benjamin
Barbara Wien
— Participants had the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Sunday 14 Feb., 2021, 3 PM, EST
ZOOM with Dr. FRANK ROMANO on ICC decision re: ISRAELI WAR CRIMES

The program will be moderated by activist/artist Jacqueline Taylor Basker, New York City.
— Lawyer Frank Romano was one of the lawyers submitting a brief to the ICC to accuse Israel of war crimes. Hear his amazing story that involved his kidnapping, jailing, escape and evasion of Israeli authorities so he could complete his brief! We will also discuss briefly the ICC – International Criminal Court – its history and function.
— The event will be recorded so If you cannot join in then, send an email to Jacqueline Taylor Basker for a link to the event at: jtaylorbasker@gmail.com.
— Here is the recording of the event.

Monday, Feb 15th from 7-8pm EST / 4-5pm Pacific time.
Campaign Nonviolence Organizer Meeting

Calling all Campaign Nonviolence Organizers,
— If you can’t make it, please fill out this short survey. This is another way to participate in the conversation and share responses to the discussion prompts we’ll explore on Monday. We will also be planning more calls throughout the year at different days/times.
— On Monday, we’ll explore:
What’s most exciting to you about building a culture of nonviolence?
What are you interested in working on this year?
What pro-tips can you share with your fellow organizers?
What’s YOUR vision for Campaign Nonviolence in 2021?
— Register here

February 18 at 8 p.m. EST
For Peace in Korea, No More War Drills!

With the U.S. and South Korea scheduled to resume massive wargames targeted against North Korea, Women Cross the DMZ has organized a webinar, For Peace in Korea, No More War Drills!
— Speakers include: Wooksik Cheong, Director of Peace Network (South Korea), Catherine Killough, Advocacy and Leadership Coordinator of Women Cross DMZ (US), and Jovanni Reyes, Member Coordinator of About Face: Veterans Against War (US)
Click here for the youtube recording of the event.

Wednesday, February 18, at 7 am EST (Boston)
U.S.-China Relations: Challenges and Prospects for Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific

Joseph Gerson will be joining Prof. Wang Danning for an International Peace Bureau webinar.
Discussants include Anurada Chenoy from India, Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan from Mongolia, and Lee Jun-kyu from South Korea.
— YouTube video of webinar available here

February 18 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm GMT
Conflict, Peace, & Covid-19

— Sponsored by the Political Settlement Research Programme
— This event will offer insights into how local and regional actors in the MENA region and the African continent are responding to the pandemic. Panellists will introduce their research on the response to Covid-19 in the following areas:
— Iraq and Syria: Dr Juline Beaujouan will examine how the pandemic has affected political trust and social cohesion in northwest Syria.
— Yemen: Robert Wilson will explore how local actors in Yemen could support the response to Covid-19 by navigating regional and sub-regional local dynamics, alongside early insights into how security actors are enforcing Covid measures in Taiz.
— There will be ample opportunity for questions from the audience after the presentations.
— The webinar will be held over Zoom, with joining links emailed to participants ahead of the event. Register here

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 – 2:00PM EST
“The Story of Forgiveness”

We warmly invite you to the premiere of “The Story of Forgiveness,” presented by The Stanford University Forgiveness Project and PEPSTAR. In this inaugural event, we will be screening the short film, “Admissions”, starring Academy Award nominee, James Cromwell, and winner of 26 international awards.
— This will be followed by a moderated discussion with a distinguished panel that will focus on the intersection of peace and forgiveness. For more information please click the button to view and download the flyer.
— Link for Zoom Meeting

February 22 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm MST (Calgary, Canada)
Panel on Student Leadership and Activism

sponsored by Educators for Peace and Justice
— We are excited to have five student activists sit on our panel to discuss student activism and leadership: Nyakier Buong, Tanisha D, Alicia Aikens, Chase Cardinal, and Erin Knight!
— We will be learning more about how these leaders were inspired, what opportunities they have had to be leaders, and what they think teachers can do to support students! These students are working to bring change in the Canadian communities that they are part of.
— Join us in discussion on how educators can continue to support their students and work for a better tomorrow. Additionally, all participants will be given the opportunity to ask our panelists any questions they may have.
— Join Zoom meeting here

Feb. 22, 3 PM EST/12 PM Pacific Time
Julian Assange Appeal & the First Amendment

Sponsored by the United National Antiwar Coalition
— An online panel discussion on the persecution of Julian Assange. A British judge has recently blocked his extradition from the UK to the US, where he would face unprecedented charges that aim to criminalize basic journalistic activity. The US is appealing that decision, but the indictment against Assange was drawn up during the Trump administration, and the newly elected Biden DOJ should take a new look at the case and drop the charges.
— Our panel will give an overview of Assange’s case, the threat his prosecution poses to the First Amendment, and the latest on his legal proceedings in the UK.
— Hear: Alice Walker, Mumia Abu-Jamel, Nathan Fuller & Joe Lombardo with Jeff Mackler moderating
— For more information: AssangeDefense.org
— Click here for the recording of the event on YouTube

Tuesday, February 23 at 10 am EST (Boston)
Nuclear disarmament webinar

The Peace and Planet international network will be holding the first of a series of nuclear disarmament webinars, as we build toward this summer’s Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference. Titled The International Nuclear Disarmament Agenda, it will feature Oleg Bodrov of the Public Council of the South Coast of the Gulf of Finland (Russia), Jackie Cabasso of the Western States Legal Foundation (US), Ariel Denis of the International Peace Bureau (France), Sharon Dolev of the Middle East Treaty Organization (Israel).
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Feb 24, 2021 07:00 PM EST
Is Nonviolent Policing Possible?

The Center for Nonviolent Solutions presents:
Charles Alphin Sr. a retired police captain and veteran trainer in Kingian Nonviolence who thinks that nonviolent policing is possible. Join us for an engaging evening on nonviolence and policing.
— A close associate of civil rights leader Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr, Mr. Alphin has provided trainings in Kingian Nonviolence around the world and to numerous police departments in the US including Atlanta, GA, St. Louis, MO, Detroit, MI, Beaumont, TX, Providence, RI, Oakland, and Beverly Hills, CA.
— YouTube recording of the event

Feb 26, 2021 01:00 PM EST
Dialogue: “Women Artists Making an Impact”

NGO Committee on Sustainable Development
Our Dialogue will highlight women artists who are having an impact in their communities through their social good initiatives. They are empowering women of all ages to be leaders with a focus on sustainable solutions to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for the SDGs so we “Leave No One Behind.” In addition we will focus on the UN75 Peoples’ Declaration for the UN We Need and the futuree we want.
— Webinar registration

Friday, 26 February 2021, 15:30 CET
Webinar del Progetto “L’intersezione sessismo-razzismo”: InTRATTAbili
Webinar on the project “The intersection of sexism and racism”: InTRATTAbili

The webinar will take place through the “Zoom” platform. The event will be recorded and followed by the Facebook pages of the sponsoring associations. English / Italian – Italian / English translation is provided.
— Il progetto “L’intersezione sessismo/razzismo: rete di donne contro la violenza”, promosso dalle associazioni IParticipate, Progetto Arcobaleno e AntropoLogiche, finanziato da Fondazione Marchi, organizza Venerdì 26 febbraio 2021 (ore 15.30 – 1730) il webinar “InTRATTAbili: schiavitù contemporanee e il caso della tratta delle donne” di confronto e incontro con alcune tra le principali realtà dell’associazionismo femminile sul territorio di Firenze, Scandicci, Pisa che si occupano delle schiavitù contemporanee e in particolare della tratta, nel quadro dell’intersezione sessismo/razzismo. Ospite d’onore Meena Patel, da Londra fondatrice delle Southall Black Sisters, che con i loro 40 anni di attività sia sociale che politica allarga al confronto internazionale su questi temi.
— The project “The intersection of sexism / racism: a network of women against violence”, promoted by the IParticipate associations, Progetto Arcobaleno and AntropoLogiche, financed by Fondazione Marchi, organizes the webinar “Intractable: slavery on Friday 26 February 2021 (3.30 – 1730) and the case of the trafficking of women “of confrontation and encounter with some of the main realities of women’s associations in the territory of Florence, Scandicci, Pisa that deal with contemporary slavery and in particular with trafficking, within the framework of the intersection of sexism / racism. Guest of honor Meena Patel, founder of the Southall Black Sisters from London, who with their 40 years of both social and political activity has expanded to international debate on these issues.
— Click here for more information

Feb 27, 2021 04:00 PM EST
Training on the New Sanctions Kill Toolkit

The Sanctions Kill coalition created a new toolkit that anyone can use to educate their organization, group or community about what economic sanctions are, the impact they have, why they are illegal and how they also hurt people in the United States. The toolkit is composed of a 20-minute slideshow, a sample script and resources.
— You are invited to a webinar to learn more about the toolkit, hear a sample presentation and ask questions. This is led by members of groups in the Sanctions Kill coalition. All who are interested are welcome. Please spread the word.
— Zoom register here

Saturday February 27 from 5:30 – 7:00pm Central European Time
Let’s talk Nuclear Disarmament

Sponsored by UNFOLD ZERO, the UN Youth Association of Denmark and Youth Fusion
— The program includes experts on global initiatives for nuclear disarmament, nuclear weapons & the law, Danish nuclear weapons policy, gender & disarmament, and the inter-generational impact of the B-52 nuclear weapons bomber accident at Thule airbase in 1968 (which Youth Fusion has recently raised in UN Human Rights Committees).
— Click here to register for the event.

Sunday, February 28, 2021 • 5:00 PM • Eastern Standard Time
The journey to a world free of nuclear weapons – where we are and how you can get involved

The Florida Peace & Justice Alliance Presents: “The journey to a world free of nuclear weapons – where we are and how you can get involved” with presentations by Dr. Lynn Ringenberg of PSR-Florida and David Combs of the Union of Concerned Scientists
— Host Contact Info: Al Mytty, amytty@hcamllc.com
— Click here for a recording of the event.

Sunday, 28 February 2021 at 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Global Town Hall

Project Save the World invites you to our next monthly Global Town Hall. On the last Sunday of every month, we hold an open meeting on Zoom for activists worldwide who are addressing issues of militarism (especially nuclear weapons), global warming, famine, pandemics, radioactive contamination, and/or cyber risks. We talk for two hours with our video cameras on (not just audio, please), edit the recording, and put it on YouTube, Facebook, and our website: https://tosavetheworld.ca and then we publicize it widely.
— Zoom URL

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

These six global struggles show the power of nonviolence in action

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Rivera Sun from Waging Nonviolence (reprinted according to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license)

In today’s media world — especially if you live inside the U.S. media bubble — if you hear news about foreign countries, it tends to be about business, political leaders, wars or disasters. Overall, it presents a dismal view of our fellow citizens — not to mention a disempowering one. But here are six of the many stories of ongoing nonviolent campaigns for change in countries across the world. They show the agency and power of ordinary people working for justice, rights, peace and dignity. They show that people don’t have to hold wealth, weapons or traditional power to be powerful. Instead, they need community, connection and some tools of nonviolent action.


Women farmers prepare roti bread (chapattis) as they block a railway track during a protest against the recent passing of agriculture reform bills in the parliament on the outskirts of Amritsar on October 17, 2020. (Photo by NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images – Creative Commons)

1. India’s women farmers reassert their place and presence in farmer protests: India’s farmer protests have captured headlines around the world — as well they should. They are the largest protests in human history. On Jan. 18, Mahila Kisan Diwas (Women Farmers’ Day), women farmers across India demonstrated to reassert their place in the ongoing farmers’ struggle against Modi’s neoliberal agricultural laws. This action was organized in part to redress gender imbalances, particularly around media coverage that cut women out of the struggle’s story.

Due to the impacts of global patriarchy, women in movements have often needed to correct the record, rebalance who’s in the room and invited to the table, and (re)assert their pivotal roles in creating change. Studies show that women play powerful roles in nonviolent movements. They were at the heart of Sudan’s 2019 nonviolent revolution against a 30-year dictatorship. They propelled Chile’s recent constitutional revision campaign so decisively that the slogan for the re-write is “never again without women.” And, in India, women and women farmers have been organizing mass demonstrations, general strikes and protest encampments in such large numbers that they’ve consistently broken world records over and over in the past two years. It’s important to get the story straight!

2. Striking Palestinian workers triumph: Much of the news about Palestine is heart wrenching and tragic. We hear of bombings, orchards being razed, houses bulldozed and more abuses of Israeli occupation. Yet, here is a nonviolent campaign that is significant because the Palestinian workers not only won human and labor rights, they also won an apology for the racist comments their Israeli employer made. During the 19 days of an open-ended strike, the workers lost all wages and were threatened with being fired and replaced with other workers. But they persevered, and they won. (A word of caution: the strike’s agreement must still be upheld by an Israeli court.)

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Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

(Article continued from the left column)

Palestinian organizers are heartened by the news. The secretary of the trade unions in Palestine said, “We hope that this small victory is the beginning of other victories for our workers and our people that have been subjugated by Israel’s inhumane apartheid and settler colonial oppression.” They also credited international solidarity and words of encouragement from global workers with helping them persevere and succeed.

3. In Sri Lanka, hundreds of tea plantation workers strike to defend jobs and social rights: In Sri Lanka, workers on tea plantations are unionized, but due to lack of action by union leadership, Gartemore Estate workers have been on a wildcat strike (a strike without union approval) since the end of December. After the Gartemore Estate sold off a portion of its lands, the workers feared the erosion of their rights and the loss of their jobs under the new management. They are worried that the current owner plans to develop tourist facilities on the estate instead of tea, which would drastically reduce the workforce. Some workers also fear that important personal documents, including birth and death certificates, health and other family papers, currently in the estate office would not be protected under the new management. The strike organizers are demanding a written agreement — not a verbal promise — that outlines a set of demands to protect workers around these issues. 

4. Doctors in Peru launch hunger strike over lack of protections and equipment: Since the start of the pandemic, Peru’s healthcare workers have been using nonviolent action to push for improved protections and equipment. Now, at least four doctors began a hunger strike as a protest against the substandard working conditions. Medical personnel have been protesting for a week just as a second wave of coronavirus cases is hitting the country. They’re not alone. Medical worker strikes have been erupting around the world. Just two weeks ago, medical students in Ecuador won similar demands after walking off the job and withstanding police repression. Will the Peruvian doctors succeed? Time will tell.

5. Oil workers strike in Kazakhstan: More than 60 oil workers have gone on strike in Kazakhstan’s northwestern region, seeking a salary increase. The workers walked out on Jan. 29 saying that their monthly salaries of about $160 should be doubled, as they currently fail to allow them to provide for their families. They could find solidarity with the office employees of a British gas company, who have held numerous strike actions over substandard wages. These workers — and those in many other industries — are up against the “fire and rehire” policies that the pandemic’s economic impacts have aggravated.

6. Canadians block weapons trucks going to the Yemen War: Serious about halting the Yemen War, Canadians blocked a caravan of trucks hauling armored vehicles and other weapons to shipping locations headed for Saudi Arabia. Sitting down in front of the wheels, stretching banners across the roads, and risking arrest were a few of the tactics used. The direct action in Hamilton, Ontario coincides with hundreds of events to pressure the Biden administration, and other governments, to stop arming Saudi Arabia. Their action is reminiscent of the ways Italian dock workers have repeatedly refused to load weapons onto ships headed to Saudi Arabia in opposition of the Yemen War. 

These six nonviolent campaigns are just a fraction of the stories Nonviolence News collects and circulates week after week, both in the United States and abroad. (You can read more in this week’s round-up here and sign-up to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox.) These stories reveal that nonviolent action is a global phenomenon — and that it’s being used for everything from peace to increased wages to human rights and health protections and more. Each struggle has unique lessons to offer all of us in our organizing work. At the same time, these stories also remind us of our common humanity — and that ordinary people everywhere are striving for justice, peace and fairness. 

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

With 10-Point Declaration, Global Coalition of Top Energy Experts Says: ‘100% Renewables Is Possible’

.. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ..

An article from Common Dreams (reprinted according to provisions of Creative Commons)

Setting out to rebut defeatist and cynical claims that transitioning the entire global energy system to 100% renewables by 2035 is infeasible, a group of dozens of leading scientists from around the world unveiled a joint declaration Tuesday arguing that such a transformation of the fossil fuel-dependent status quo is not only necessary to avert climate disaster but eminently achievable.


Video of Declaration

What’s required, argue the 46 signatories  of the new 10-point declaration  (pdf), is sufficient political will, international coordination, and concrete action on a massive scale to institute a total “re-design of the global energy system.”

“We have lost too much time in our efforts to address global warming and the seven million air pollution deaths that occur each year, by not focusing enough on useful solutions,” said Mark Jacobson, director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program and professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.

“Fortunately, low-cost 100% clean, renewable energy solutions do exist to solve these problems, as found by over a dozen independent research groups,” added Jacobson, one of the seven original signers of the declaration. “The solutions will not only save consumers money, but also create jobs and provide energy and more international security, while substantially reducing air pollution and climate damage from energy. Policymakers around the world are strongly urged to ensure we implement these solutions over the next 10-15 years.”

The year 2035 has been described by some scientists as the “deadline for climate action” at which humanity “could cross a point of no return” if governments fail to drastically reduce global carbon emissions in the years prior.

The scientists’ new declaration, characterized as a concise summary of decades of findings from some of the world’s leading energy researchers, argues that a “transformation to 100% [renewable energy] can occur faster than current expectations: the power sector can transform by 2030 and the other sectors soon thereafter.”

In addition to helping the world avert catastrophic warming, the researchers argue that such a transformation would also “stimulate investments of trillions of dollars and create millions more jobs than lost worldwide” while providing “sustainable energy security for future generations.”

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Question for this article:

Are we making progress in renewable energy?

(Continued from left column)

The full 10-point declaration states:

1. Numerous studies have investigated 100% renewable energy (RE) systems in regions, countries, and worldwide, and they have found that it works, not only for providing electricity, but also for providing all energy.

2. A transformation to 100% RE can occur faster than current expectations: the power sector can transform by 2030 and the other sectors soon thereafter. With political will, a transformation of the global energy sector by 2030-35 appears to be possible!

3. Electricity in a 100% RE system will cost less than in our current energy system; the total energy cost of a 100% RE system will be lower than the cost of conventional energy, even if we exclude social costs.

4. The total social cost (energy, environmental, climate, and health cost) of a 100% RE system will be drastically lower than of business as usual. The sooner we achieve  a 100% RE system, the faster these savings will be realized!

5. A 100% RE system can supply regions, countries, and the world reliably (24-7) with energy at low cost.

6. A massive re-design of the global energy system will be needed, including increasing energy efficiency on all levels.

7. Solar and wind will be the key pillars of energy supply, plus flexibility in many forms, especially storage, sector coupling, demand response management, large- and small-scale grid integration.

8. The studies agree that electricity will take a massively increasing share (about 80-95%) of the global energy supply. Electrification will result in a superabundance of cheap clean, renewable energy, increasing prosperity for all humanity.

9. All our studies show that creating the new 100% RE system will benefit the world economy. It will stimulate investments of trillions of dollars and create millions more jobs than lost worldwide. Superabundant clean, renewable energy will create wealth and provide a boost for every sector of the global economy.

10 . Such a rapid transformation is necessary to stop the 7 million human deaths that occur annually today worldwide from air pollution, to slow the growing damage due to global warming and thus avoid the climate catastrophe, and to provide sustainable energy security for future generations.

Stressing the viability of the kinds of transitions that will be necessary to achieve 100% renewable energy across the globe by 2035, the coalition’s website points out that

To date, 11 countries have reached or exceeded 100% renewable electricity; 12 countries have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030; 49 countries have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2050; 14 U.S. states and territories have passed laws or executive orders to reach up to 100% renewable electricity by between 2030 and 2050; over 300 cities worldwide have passed laws to reach 100% renewable electricity by no later than 2050; and over 280 international businesses have committed to 100% renewables across their global operations.

“The transformation to 100% renewables is possible,” the scientists said, “and will be coming much faster than the general expectation.”

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

‘Women and girls belong in science’ declares UN chief  

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from United Nations News

Closed labs and increased care responsibilities are just a two of the challenges women in scientific fields are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief said in his message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on Thursday. 


Video made by the Secretary-General

“Advancing gender equality in science and technology is essential for building a better future”, Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “We have seen this yet again in the fight against COVID-19”. 

Women, who represent 70 per cent of all healthcare workers, have been among those most affected by the pandemic and those leading the response to it. Yet, as women bear the brunt of school closures and working from home, gender inequalities have increased dramatically over the past year.  

Woman’s place is in the lab 

Citing the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) he said that women account for only one third of the world’s researchers and hold fewer senior positions than men at top universities, which has led to “a lower publication rate, less visibility, less recognition and, critically, less funding”. 

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning replicate existing biases.  

“Women and girls belong in science”, stressed the Secretary-General.  Yet stereotypes have steered them away from science-related fields. 

Diversity fosters innovation 

The UN chief underscored the need to recognize that “greater diversity fosters greater innovation”.  

“Without more women in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], the world will continue to be designed by and for men, and the potential of girls and women will remain untapped”, he spelled out. 

Their presence is also critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to close gender pay gaps and boost women’s earnings by $299 billion over the next ten years, according to Mr. Guterres. 

“STEM skills are also crucial in closing the global Internet user gap”, he said, urging everyone to “end gender discrimination, and ensure that all women and girls fulfill their potential and are an integral part in building a better world for all”. 

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

Questions for this article

Does the UN advance equality for women?

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

(continued from left column)

 ‘A place in science’ 

Meanwhile, despite a shortage of skills in most of the technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28 per cent of engineering graduates and 40 per cent of graduates in computer science and informatics, according to UNESCO.  

It argues the need for women to be a part of the digital economy to “prevent Industry 4.0 from perpetuating traditional gender biases”.  

UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay observed  that “even today, in the 21st century, women and girls are being sidelined in science-related fields due to their gender”.  

As the impact of AI on societal priorities continues to grow, the underrepresentation of women’s contribution to research and development means that their needs and perspectives are likely to be overlooked in the design of products that impact our daily lives, such as smartphone applications.  

“Women need to know that they have a place in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and that they have a right to share in scientific progress”, said Ms. Azoulay.

‘Pathway’ to equality

Commemorating the day at a dedicated event, General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir informed that he is working with a newly established Gender Advisory Board to mainstream gender throughout all of the UN’s work, including the field of science. 

“We cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to derail our plans for equality”, he said, adding that increasing access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, for women and girls has emerged as “a pathway to gender equality and as a key objective of the 2030 Agenda  for Sustainable Development”. 

Mr. Volkan highlighted the need to accelerate efforts and invest in training for girls to “learn and excel in science”. 

“From the laboratory to the boardroom, Twitter to television, we must amplify the voices of female scientists”, he stressed. 

STEM minorities  

Meanwhile, UNESCO and the L’Oréal Foundation honoured five women researchers in the fields of astrophysics, mathematics, chemistry and informatics as part of the 23rd  International Prize for Women in Science.  

In its newly published global study on gender equality in scientific research, To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive, UNESCO shows that although the number of women in scientific research has risen to one in three, they remain a minority in mathematics, computer science, engineering and artificial intelligence. 

“It is not enough to attract women to a scientific or technological discipline”, said  Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant UNESCO Director-General for Natural Sciences.  

“We must also know how to retain them, ensuring that their careers are not strewn with obstacles and that their achievements are recognized and supported by the international scientific community”. 

global, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

Mayors for Peace : Report on 2020 Vision (Emergency Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons)

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

A news article from Mayors for Peace

In October 2003, Mayors for Peace launched the 2020 Vision (Emergency Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons, hereinafter referred to as “the Vision”, see Appendix I), a set of concrete action guidelines aiming for the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020. Based on this Vision, Mayors for Peace has promoted various initiatives aimed at achieving total elimination of nuclear weapons while the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are still alive. In spite of our best efforts, these initiatives did not lead to global abolition by 2020. However, we have taken solid steps toward that goal with milestones such as the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

In conjunction with our initiatives implemented under the Vision, we have committed ourselves to the expansion of our membership. As a result, Mayors for Peace has grown into a global network of cities for peace, composed of over 8,000 member cities all around the world. By expanding our membership, we are establishing a concrete foundation for municipalities both to share challenges more directly related to the activities of local governments, as encapsulated in our objective of “realization of safe and resilient cities,” and to promote greater collaboration throughout a wide range of fields toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The Vision has acquired an excellent reputation and many have expressed their support for it to date—including the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, the EU Parliament, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Japan Association of City Mayors, and the National Council of Japan Nuclear-Free Local Authorities. Notably, the USCM has unanimously adopted Mayors for Peace resolutions for 15 consecutive years since 2006.

2. Overall Evaluation

Based on the Vision and with the hibakusha’s sincere desire for peace at its core, Mayors for Peace has been engaged in various activities (see Appendix I) to foster and expand international public support for the abolition of nuclear weapons in partnership with our diverse partners around the world, including member cities, their citizens, and many peace NGOs.

In particular, we have taken the opportunity to actively promote the principles of Mayors for Peace while attending United Nations conferences concerning nuclear disarmament, which are precisely where the norms of international society are established. These principles have been formulated both through years of persistently implementing initiatives in solidarity with other NGOs, and through carrying out activities with citizens of our member cities, such as petition drives among many others.

Amid such circumstances, in the process of drafting and negotiating for the TPNW, Mayors for Peace proposed to add an article or clause to enable later development of the treaty as circumstances evolve. The proposed addition would cover crucial issues such as verification, in order to ensure wider participation in the treaty, including by the nuclear-armed states. Such an article was subsequently stipulated in the text, and the TPNW was successfully adopted at the United Nations in July 2017. In October 2020, the number of countries ratifying the treaty reached 50, and it entered into force on January 22 this year.

Thus, two out of the four objectives set in the Vision, “immediately start substantive negotiations toward a universal nuclear weapons convention” and “conclusion of a nuclear weapons convention”, bore fruit as the TPNW, bringing beneficial and progressive outcomes. The international legal obligation not to produce, possess, use, or threaten to use nuclear weapons has been substantially reaffirmed and strengthened by the entry into force of the TPNW. Nuclear weapons are now even more stigmatized, making it much more difficult for the nuclear-armed states to use them in actual practice. However, the treaty does not legally bind nations beyond its contracting parties. Without the nuclear-armed states concluding the treaty, we expect that achievement of the global abolition of nuclear weapons will not be immediately forthcoming.

The two other objectives, “immediately de-alert all nuclear weapons” and “physical destruction of all nuclear weapons,” yet remain. The nuclear stockpile of the world did indeed decline in number, from over 16,500 in 2003, when the Vision was promulgated, to about 13,400 in 2020. Yet the current international situation surrounding nuclear weapons has worsened, with no prospect of achieving these two objectives in the near future. Specifically, nuclear disarmament under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime is now stagnant. Notably, while the United States and Russia together possess more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, their progress on nuclear disarmament has stalled, to the point that they have even stopped negotiations. Nuclear arsenals are being modernized, and nuclear warheads are getting smaller in size—in other words, being upgraded for more likely use. Progress toward the abolition of nuclear weapons is backsliding.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

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With the threat felt at this alarming trend and with growing recognition of the unacceptable humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, since around 2010, there has been a change in the perception of nuclear disarmament by non-nuclear weapon states. In the past, nuclear disarmament was discussed mainly in terms of security assurance between nations. However, it has now come to be addressed more with a humanitarian approach that stresses the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons. The non-nuclear weapon states, along with NGOs and civil society actors including Mayors for Peace, took action to affect this change and support each other in doing so. Such actions formed a solid base for the birth of the TPNW, and allowed the voices of the hibakusha to be highlighted in the text of the treaty.

3. Achievements Obtained through Substantial Initiatives

While promoting substantial initiatives under the Vision, Mayors for Peace has been taking concrete steps to expand and strengthen its global network of cities in solidarity across borders. In terms of its degree of influence as an organization and its comprehensive activities, it has grown into an entity expected to achieve tangible and successful outcomes. The following are achievements obtained through the implementation of substantial initiatives under the Vision.

The first of these is the expansion of our membership. Our network has grown more than 14-fold, from 554 member cities in 107 countries and regions in October 2003, when the Vision was announced, to 7,974 member cities in 165 countries and regions as of December 2020. This outstanding development shows that we have succeeded in spreading the peace-seeking spirit of Hiroshima and Nagasaki throughout the world, thus expanding the base of members of the public who support the philosophy and principles of the Vision.

With the growth of our membership, we identified a new objective as our second pillar: “realize safe and resilient cities” in drawing up the current Action Plan (see Appendix II) developed in 2017. This pillar is set forth to proactively promote efforts by member cities to address local issues they confront that are unique and distinctive to their respective regions. Although taking a different approach than the first pillar (“realize a world without nuclear weapons”), it is rooted in the same earnest desire of citizens for peace. The second pillar represents Mayors for Peace’s role as a network of local governments from all around the world that work together in solidarity to address and resolve global issues.

Furthermore, since the late 2010s, we have been further strengthening our activities to stimulate young people, the future leaders of society, to take an interest and be engaged in peace activities. These include running the Youth Exchange for Peace Support Program, hosting young officials from member cities in Hiroshima, and holding the Children’s Art Competition “Peaceful Towns.” These initiatives are not only enhancing the sustainability of peace activities in member cities around the globe, but also building the groundwork for Mayors for Peace to be a permanent presence that pursues and realizes its mission well into the future.

4. Our Forthcoming Challenges: The Next Vision

The next Vision will be outlined and adopted at the 10th General Conference of Mayors for Peace, which has been postponed to August this year. It goes without saying that its centerpiece will be the first pillar of the current Action Plan, “realize a world without nuclear weapons.” As mentioned above, in the midst of stagnation in nuclear disarmament, the entry into force of the TPNW does indeed shine a light of hope. Yet many challenges remain to make the treaty a comprehensive and fully effective legally binding instrument.

First of all, encouraging further participation in the treaty is of critical importance to secure the TPNW’s greater influence in international society. With this greater influence, we will urge the nuclear-armed states and their allies to participate in discussions for effective implementation and development of the treaty, to attend meetings of States Parties as observers, and ultimately, to become States Parties. Upon the 50th ratification of the treaty, Mayors for Peace immediately issued an open letter making such an appeal, and we plan to attend the first meeting of States Parties, to be convened within one year, as an observer. It is also significant to address the existing NPT, which fundamentally shares the same ultimate goal of abolishing nuclear weapons. At the 2020 NPT Review Conference, which was postponed to August 2021, we will once again faithfully convey the hibakusha’s urgent plea—“no one else should suffer as we have”―to press national governments on abolition.

In addition, the 11th Executive Conference of Mayors for Peace, held in November 2019, agreed to set forth “promote a culture of peace” as a third pillar, to be newly included in the next Vision. Promoting “a culture of peace” is an essential objective in order to cultivate peace consciousness in civil society and stimulate members of the public throughout the world to be active for peace. This will, in turn, create real momentum for peace and prompt policymakers to take decisive leadership for policy changes toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Mayors for Peace is therefore determined to: work for further expansion of its membership, aiming to achieve 10,000 member cities; strengthen initiatives in close and robust global coalition with member cities, including those in nuclear-armed states and their allies; accelerate and make substantial progress on nuclear disarmament; and continue our utmost efforts toward the ultimate goal—the abolition of nuclear weapons and realization of lasting world peace.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Opening event to launch the International Year of Peace and Trust was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the Middle East North Africa Financial Network (MENAFN)

 On the 29th of January, 2021, the Opening event to launch the International Year of Peace and Trust was held in the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Trend reports citing Embassy of Turkmenistan in Azerbaijan.

[The International Year was proclaimed in United Nations Resolution A/73/338

The heads and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis (Parliament), chiefs of diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations in Turkmenistan, Rectors of the institutions of higher education of the country, Editors-in-chief of press and representatives of national mass media, as well as foreign journalists accredited in Turkmenistan took part in the event.

The heads and representatives of the United Nations and its structural agencies, Economic Cooperation Organization, Commonwealth of Independent States, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, as well as other regional and international organizations, and foreign mass media participated to the event via videoconferencing.

During her opening remarks, the Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan Christine Weigand noted the importance of the International Year of Peace and Trust initiated by the President of Turkmenistan for the sake of sustaining peace, stability and mutual understanding between people which is the key to sustainable development.

In continuation of the topic, the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov underlined that the unanimous adoption at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly of the Resolution declaring the year 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust has become a reflection of the efforts of the permanently neutral Turkmenistan calling for strengthening of the culture of peace and trust in the international relations. ‘Putting forward this idea, the Leader of Turkmen nation has specifically stated that it has a concrete nature and thus urged the international community to reinforce the adopted document with practical content, enrich it with real actions,’ said R.Meredov. The head of the MFA of Turkmenistan underlined the significance of applying the means of diplomacy, the political dialog based on mutual understanding and cooperation in the advancement of friendly ties between countries and people and to achieve this Turkmenistan actively cooperates with the international partners.

Speaking at the opening ceremony Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya Gherman underlined the importance of the International Year of Peace and Trust, which meant greater cohesion for the sake of peace and prosperity of the world community.

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Question(s) related to this article:

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

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The timeliness of the International Year of Peace and Trust was also highlighted in the speech of the President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkir. Thanking the Government of Turkmenistan for initiating the International Year of Peace and Trust, he underlined that in view of the global situation, the need in peace and trust is high as never before. Mr. Bozkir urged the international community to continue cooperating through political dialog and solidarity on the way to peace, security and sustainable development.

His words were complemented by the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Aksoltan Atayeva who noted the efficiency of peaceful initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan that help to attain the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Minister of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov highlighted in his speech the specific need in conducting International year of peace and trust which calls upon to activate efforts and activity on advocating the culture of peace.

In her speech the Head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat Natalya Drozd spoke about the importance of strengthening the culture of peace and trust.

The Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Hadi Soleimanpour also gave a speech at the event. He highly appraised the level of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the ECO, as well as emphasized that the economic progress is inseparably linked to the security in the region and in the world, and to attain this it is necessary to strengthen trust between countries and people.

About the importance of strengthening peace and trust between countries and people has also spoke the Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev. He highlighted the effective role of Turkmenistan in the development of friendly ties not only in the region, but also in the whole world.

The Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament Tatiana Valovaya and the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Lassina Zerbo highly appraised the role of Turkmenistan in the development of friendly and constructive ties between countries.

In turn, the President of the General Conference of UNESCO Altay Cengizer and Assistant Director-General for the Africa Department of UNESCO Firmin Edouard Matoko emphasized the timeliness of holding the International Year of Peace and Trust. They noted that the notion of peace and trust are the keystones of international cooperation.

Furthermore, the UNODC representative, Permanent representatives of Afghanistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Indonesia and Bangladesh at the UN have underlined the importance of conducting International year of peace and trust in the context of fully strengthening solidarity and mutual support on regional and global levels to create cohesion for addressing pressing issues of present.

During the event, the participants discussed the possibilities of holding joint events in the framework of the International Year of Peace and Trust. A constructive exchange of views and proposals on the improvement of activities on the platform of regional and international organizations for the sake of peace, stability and sustainable development took place. Thus, upon the outcomes of the event, the Roadmap of the International Year of Peace and Trust was adopted.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

US, Russia agree to extend ‘New START’ nuclear arms treaty

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from Deutsche Welle (reprinted by permission)

The United States and Russia “agreed in principle” to extend the New START  arms treaty by five years, the Kremlin reported on its website Tuesday following a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Obama and Medvedev signing the START treaty in 2010 (Source: White House photo)

A Kremlin description of the call between the two leaders  said they had both “expressed satisfaction” that diplomatic notes had been exchanged earlier Tuesday confirming that the treaty would be extended,

Putin had submitted a draft bill for the extension to the Russian Parliament, the Kremlin statement added. The extension doesn’t require approval from lawmakers in the US. 

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Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

Deadline approaching 

The White House did not immediately confirm the Kremlin’s remarks, however, press secretary Jen Psaki said the two leaders agreed to have their teams “work urgently” to iron out the details of the extension before the treaty’s expiration date, February 5. 

The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), was signed in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart at the time, Dmitry Medvedev.

The treaty limits each party to 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), 1,550 nuclear warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs, and 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers. 

It also envisions a rigorous inspection regime to verify compliance. 

The last nuclear arms control agreement 

Biden had indicated during his presidential campaign that he favored extending the treaty, and Russia has long proposed its extension without any conditions or changes. 

However, negotiations to extend the treaty were stalled by the administration of former US President Donald Trump, which insisted on tougher inspections for Russia and for China  to be included, which Beijing refused. 

During Trump’s term, the US withdrew  from a separate nuclear weapons control agreement with Russia, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)  treaty, making New START the last  remaining nuclear weapons control treaty between Russia and the US. 

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Protect People and the Planet: Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An appeal from Unfold Zero

The following appeal to cities, parliaments and governments globally was launched on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, September 26, 2020, as one of the actions of #WeThePeoples2020.


The Appeal will be presented to various forums including the UN General Assembly, Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference and Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, as well as to national parliaments and civil society events..

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

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The Appeal

The nuclear weapons possessed by nine countries threaten us all. Any use of these weapons by accident, miscalculation or malicious intent, would have catastrophic human, economic and environmental consequences. The use of just a small fraction of the 14,000 nuclear weapons in the world’s stockpiles could end civilization as we know it.

In addition, the $100 billion spent annually on nuclear weapons is sorely needed for environmental, economic and human needs, including addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting the climate and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

We, the undersigned, call on our cities, parliaments and governments to:

1. Affirm that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and therefore the nuclear armed States should stand down their nuclear forces and affirm policies never to initiate a nuclear war (no-first-use policies);


2. Commit to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United Nations;


3. Cut nuclear weapons budgets (if they are a nuclear-weapon State), end investments in the nuclear weapons industry (all governments), and redirect these investments and budgets to support the United Nations, COVID-19 management and recovery, drastic reductions in carbon emissions to protect the climate, and financing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Click here to endorse the appeal.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

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

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An statement by Robert Mardini, Director-General of the Red Cross

The vile suffering that poison gas inflicted on the soldiers of WWI so horrified the world that chemical weapons were banned only seven years after the Great War ended.

But during the next global conflict, an even more indiscriminate and inhumane weapon was unleashed. Nuclear blasts decimated two Japanese cities as if they had been “swept away by a supernatural power”, Dr Marcel Junod, a doctor for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), wrote after visiting Hiroshima.


António Guterres said that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) The doctor quickly concluded that like poison gas after WWI, nuclear weapons too must be banned outright. “Only a unified world policy can save the world from destruction,” he wrote. By 1950, an estimated 340,000 people had died from the effects of those two bombs.

For more than 75 years, almost half of the ICRC’s 158 years of existence, we have been advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons for one simple reason: We do not believe they can be used without inflicting significant death and suffering among civilians.

That is why January 22, 2021, is such a momentous day for us. It is the day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) comes into force.

This day is nothing short of a victory for humanity. Seventy-five years after nuclear bombs wrought war’s worst horror on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world’s newest multilateral treaty outlaws nuclear weapons. It prohibits the use, threat of use, development, production, testing and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, formalising into law a strongly held taboo against the use of nuclear weapons and providing a further disincentive for their proliferation.

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

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

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The TPNW is also the first instrument of international law to mitigate the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons by requiring states that suffered a nuclear explosion to provide medical care for victims on their territory.

What the treaty does not do, quite obviously, is magically eliminate the world’s current nuclear arsenal. Indeed, it would be naive to expect the TPNW to deliver a world without nuclear weapons tomorrow. The new treaty should instead be viewed as the moral and legal starting point for a long-term effort to achieve nuclear disarmament. We must now work to ensure the broadest possible adherence to the treaty’s prohibitions.

The world’s nine nuclear-armed states have more than 13,000 nuclear bombs, with command-and-control networks vulnerable to human error and cyberattacks. The power of many of those warheads is far greater than those dropped in 1945, bombs that killed more than 100,000 people, including 1,924 of Hiroshima’s 2,080 doctors and nurses. This is the reality we are up against.

Even if the horror of nuclear detonation may feel like distant history, the risk today is too high. Treaties to reduce arsenals are being abandoned, new types of nuclear weapons are being produced, and serious threats are being made. That is an arms race, and it is frightening.

By setting out pathways for their elimination, the treaty is a concrete step towards fulfilling longstanding nuclear disarmament obligations, notably those under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which desperately needs to see real progress on its nuclear disarmament obligations if it is to maintain its credibility.

We are urging states that possess nuclear weapons to urgently take them off high alert status and reduce their role in their military doctrines, pending their total elimination. And we hope every country finds itself, sooner or later, in a position to sign and ratify the treaty.

The passage of time may have numbed us to the devastation of a nuclear detonation. But every human on earth should be horrified at even the possibility that such a weapon could be used again.

Today we celebrate the entry into force of the TPNW. But it is only the beginning of the world’s journey to eliminate nuclear weapons. The end comes when those 13,000 nuclear weapons no longer exist.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global