Category Archives: Latin America

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2016: Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos

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Press release by the Nobel Prize

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2016 to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his resolute efforts to bring the country’s more than 50-year-long civil war to an end, a war that has cost the lives of at least 220 000 Colombians and displaced close to six million people. The award should also be seen as a tribute to the Colombian people who, despite great hardships and abuses, have not given up hope of a just peace, and to all the parties who have contributed to the peace process. This tribute is paid, not least, to the representatives of the countless victims of the civil war.

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President Santos initiated the negotiations that culminated in the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas, and he has consistently sought to move the peace process forward. Well knowing that the accord was controversial, he was instrumental in ensuring that Colombian voters were able to voice their opinion concerning the peace accord in a referendum. The outcome of the vote was not what President Santos wanted: a narrow majority of the over 13 million Colombians who cast their ballots said no to the accord. This result has created great uncertainty as to the future of Colombia. There is a real danger that the peace process will come to a halt and that civil war will flare up again. This makes it even more important that the parties, headed by President Santos and FARC guerrilla leader Rodrigo Londoño, continue to respect the ceasefire.

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What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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The fact that a majority of the voters said no to the peace accord does not necessarily mean that the peace process is dead. The referendum was not a vote for or against peace. What the “No” side rejected was not the desire for peace, but a specific peace agreement. The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasizes the importance of the fact that President Santos is now inviting all parties to participate in a broad-based national dialogue aimed at advancing the peace process. Even those who opposed the peace accord have welcomed such a dialogue. The Nobel Committee hopes that all parties will take their share of responsibility and participate constructively in the upcoming peace talks.

Striking a balance between the need for national reconciliation and ensuring justice for the victims will be a particularly difficult challenge. There are no simple answers to how this should be accomplished. An important feature of the Colombian peace process so far has been the participation of representatives of civil war victims. Witnessing the courage and will of the victims’ representatives to testify about atrocities, and to confront the perpetrators from every side of the conflict, has made a profound impression.

By awarding this year’s Peace Prize to President Juan Manuel Santos, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to encourage all those who are striving to achieve peace, reconciliation and justice in Colombia. The president himself has made it clear that he will continue to work for peace right up until his very last day in office. The Committee hopes that the Peace Prize will give him strength to succeed in this demanding task. Furthermore, it is the Committee’s hope that in the years to come the Colombian people will reap the fruits of the ongoing peace and reconciliation process. Only then will the country be able to address effectively major challenges such as poverty, social injustice and drug-related crime.

The civil war in Colombia is one of the longest civil wars in modern times and the sole remaining armed conflict in the Americas. It is the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s firm belief that President Santos, despite the “No” majority vote in the referendum, has brought the bloody conflict significantly closer to a peaceful solution, and that much of the groundwork has been laid for both the verifiable disarmament of the FARC guerrillas and a historic process of national fraternity and reconciliation. His endeavors to promote peace thus fulfil the criteria and spirit of Alfred Nobel’s will.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Colombia: Youth for Peace: Mass marches in 16 cities across the country

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article Caracol TV (translation by CPNN)

Tens of thousands of people marched Wednesday [October 5] in at least 16 cities in Colombia demanding the government and the opposition to reach a peace agreement with the FARC, after the rejection of the agreement with the guerrillas in a plebiscite. In 12 cities, including Bogota, Barranquilla and Cali, citizens demanded that President Juan Manuel Santos, promoter of the peace pact with the FARC, and the former president Alvaro Uribe, a fierce opponent of the agreement, should work together to overcome the armed conflict that has hurt Colombia for over half a century.

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video of march available on website of Caracol TV

“My heart is aching. Peace is not Uribe or Santos, peace is us. That makes me angry,” said Alejandro Quevedo, a math teacher of 31 years who attended the university rally in Bogota .

With white shirts and white flowers, at least 30,000 people participated in a silent march for peace in Bogota that ended in the central Plaza de Bolivar. They protested the results of the plebiscite on Sunday, where 50.21% of voters said “No” to the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after nearly four years of negotiations in Cuba.

Santos called for a national dialogue to seek alternatives. He met Wednesday with Uribe in the presidential palace, where he said he is determined to “seek ways of unity and reconciliation” to achieve peace.

“No more victims”

“For all that unites us and what separates us,” read the poster that led the march, carried out in absolute silence with the flames of white candles, the colored flags of Colombia and the gay community. Only a few marchers raised their fists.

“I march with uncertainty in the face of the silence and lack of will to solve things of those who voted ‘No’, I feel that is all I can do now to try to find solutions,” said Lina Vanegas, a university teacher of 29 years present at the demonstration.

Silently holding candles, some government officials also participated, for example, Interior Minister, Juan Fernando Cristo, and senior advisor for post-conflict Rafael Pardo.

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish.

Questions related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

How effective are mass protest marches?

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But the silence of the march was broken when the audience sang the national anthem. That gave way to shouting slogans like “We want peace”, “No more war”, “No more victims” and “Not one step back” as marchers formed the symbol of peace with their candles.

Protesters then read the “Prayer for Peace”, a speech of the assassinated liberal leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, who in February 1948 led protests by 100,000 people in the capital against political persecution by the conservative government of Mariano Ospina Perez.

“Stop the violence, Mr. President. We simply ask for the defense of human life, which is the least a people can ask”, cried Gaitan, a few months before he was killed.

It is “necessary” to stop the hate

In Barranquilla and Cali, dozens of citizens dressed in white also demanded an end to the internal conflagration and an extension of the bilateral cease fire respected by FARC since August and extended by Santos until 31 October.

“People who have actually lived through the war itself are those who want change, they want a transformation (…) and that was not shown in the plebiscite,” said Stefany Vergara a literature student 28 years of the Universidad del Valle in Cali, where about 4,000 people marched.

The FARC, meanwhile, supported with tweets on what they called “#PazALaCalle”. “They will maintain peace and willingness to use only words as weapons for future construction. Peace will triumph,” they said.

The call for demonstrations went beyond the borders of Colombia. In New York, some 50 Colombians gathered in Times Square, the heart of Manhattan, to sing “Colombia wants peace!” and advocate for the end of the continent’s oldest armed conflict.

“Civil society has begun to mobilize to tell the government that we do not want a renegotiation but the accords that are already done,” said the painter Ricardo Prado, 25, in the Times Square gathering

Mobilizations of Colombians calling for an end to the war also took place in cities of Holland, England, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and France.

The armed conflict in Colombia for more than 50 years involving guerrillas, paramilitaries and government forces, killing some 260,000 dead, 45,000 missing and 6.9 million displaced.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

First Meeting for Violence Prevention in Uruapan. Mexico

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An article from Agenia Quadratin (translated by CPNN)

The Municipal Government through the Ministry of Municipal Public Security and the Social Prevention of Violence and Crime, invited all social, educational, cultural, business and private sectors to the First Meeting for Violence Prevention held on Monday October 3 at the premises of the Casa del Niño.

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Click on image to enlarge

According to a press release, the event took place from nine o’clock in the morning, in the framework of the commemoration of the “International Day of Non-Violence” in the auditorium “Father Ochoa” of this institution. Also, the mayor, Victor Manuel Gonzalez Manriquez, has underlined the importance of creating social participation forums for involvement with the government for decision-making on public safety.

For his part, the representative for Municipal Public Security, Juan Martin Vega Villalobos, gave details of the activities held during this day, including a lecture entitled “Antidote Against Violence”, by Gerardo Herrera Perez, lawyer from Michoacan and a doctoral candidate in public policy, currently coordinator of research, dissemination and training of the ECHR in Michoacan and member of the Conapred.

Finally, the director of the section on Social Prevention of Violence and Crime, Manuel Escobedo Navarrete, said that the conference was to discuss enactment of a law for a culture of peace and prevention of violence and crime in Michoacan.

Escobedo Navarrete said two main axes are established: Culture of Peace, as a mechanism for human development through dialogue, tolerance and respect; and preventing violence as a vaccine against crime. He said they have worked for several months on this project with a multidisciplinary team to conduct workshops with issues of child violence, addiction prevention, violence, violent crime, new masculinities and neighborhood mediation.

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Colombia: Follow live the 12th World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Chamber of Commerce of Bogota (translated by CPNN)

Follow live the most important conferences on issues of mediation and reconciliation at the XII World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace. The event, organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Bogota, through its Center for Arbitration and Conciliation, in partnership with the University of Sonora in Mexico, the Mediation Institute of Mexico and the International Centre for the Study of Democracy and Social Peace, will bring together more than 1,000 people in five cities, to discuss dialogue as the best tool to resolve conflicts in society.

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Video of the Congress

While Bogota will be the epicenter of Congress, cities such as Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla and Buenaventura will also host different events witrh the presence of renowned personalities such as John Paul Lederach, an expert on peace building, and Christopher Moore, an expert in collaborative conflict resolution who will give their views on how to achieve reconciliation.

During the six days of the Congress, dialogue, deliberation and consensus will become the common denominator of an academic agenda with the active participation of entrepreneurs, NGOs, the Government and citizens, in addition to the academic community. This event is the ideal place to raise awareness of the importance of solving everyday conflicts through peaceful alternatives and mediation.

The president of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogota, Monica de Greiff said that “although the country is going through a very important moment of reconciliation, conflicts are part of daily life in the family, at work, in the community, at school and in business; therefore, this will be a space for national and international experts to deliver tools for healthy living and the peacefu solution of conflicts at any stage. ”

Mauricio Gonzalez, director of the Center for Arbitration and Conciliation said “at the Center, we have contributed to building peace for more than 30 years. We promote a culture of dialogue in all our services. Both employers and communities benefit from the school and community programs that we make available. ”

The Congress will also address the advantages of associative dialogue in the sectors of mining and energy in projects in vulnerable areas of the country, and will analyze the relevance of mediation and conciliation to public, private and social institutions.

For mor information, see: www.congresodemediacion.com.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Guatemala: 28 years of struggle for the life, dignity and rights of women survivors of genocide

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article from CLOC – the Latin American Coordination of Peasant Organizations (translated by CPNN)

We express our deep appreciation for another year of life to our Creator and Maker, to our grandmothers and grandfathers who taught us the ways of resistance, defense and the practice of our languages, our arts, customs, ancestral knowledge. They support and encourage us, and work for the fullness of life, gratitude, reciprocity and harmony with Mother Earth and her natural resources.

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From our emergence as the National Coordination of Widows of Guatemala -CONAVIGUA-, beginning September 12, 1988, we have achieved the organization of widows and orphans, starting our way to defend the dignity of women victims of violence and to defend our children from discriminatory forced military recruitment. We have searched tirelessly for those missing from our families and for detainees, knocking on the doors of justice in the courts and searching in clandestine cemeteries, hoping to find the truth and whereabouts of our loved ones.

As women we have told our stories in the RHEMI report, the Historical Clarification Commission, the Public Ministry, the National Compensation Program and many more with the aim that our truth is recognized. We bring content to the Peace Accords, and we have actively participated in promoting compliance with the Accords. In addition, we have promoted, together with other women’s organizations, the institutionalization of DEMI, SEPREM and others.

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

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Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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It’s been 20 years since the signing of the Peace Accords and 28 years since the beginning of our organization. We continue to demand respect for life, human rights, an end to the persecution, violence and rape against women survivors of genocide. We fight to defend our land, territory, water, holy sites and the individual and collective property of our peoples. We demand compliance with international conventions and treaties on the rights of women, indigenous peoples, youth , justice, environment, peace and security

As women who possess experience in community and social work, we have submitted proposals for legislative initiatives and organized campaigns for women’s access to education, health, housing, agroecology and civic and political participation. We have supported the struggles against impunity, demanded justice against genocide and made claims for the defense of Mother Earth.

In CONAVIGUA have accompanied participation and community organization, strengthening of ancestral authorities and empowerment of women. This has led to trials to bring charges against the perpetrators and masterminds of violence and rape against women, as in the cases of the women from Tululché, and Sepur Zarco Ixil. We also demand an end to the criminal prosecution of the leaders of our struggles and our social organizations.

Our vision is to promote changes and transformations and to continue the work with the excluded sectors for a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country that includes women and indigenous peoples. We are committed to further deepening and strengthening networks and local, national and international alliances in different spaces and levels.

For compliance with the rights of women and the eradication of violence against women .

For the culture of peace.

For the Unity and Dignity of Women

HUMAN RIGHTS, Latin America

South America: A ‘sweeping’ win for the oceans that you didn’t hear about

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

A blog by Scott Henderson on the Conservation Blog

Today [September 15] is the first day of the Our Ocean conference, an annual event hosted by the United States to seek commitments for protecting the ocean. The conference comes on the heels of historic commitments made last week from the presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador, who declared their intention to expand their countries’ pledges to ocean protection. Human Nature sat down with Scott Henderson, vice president of Conservation International (CI)’s Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape program, to discuss the significance of these commitments, which have largely avoided widespread attention so far.

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The presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica make their historic announcement. (© Conservation International/photo by Scott Henderson)

Question: What did the presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica announce?

Answer: Ecuador reiterated its commitment to rezoning the Galápagos Marine Reserve, beginning with the creation of a 36,000-square-kilometer (13,900-square-mile) fully protected sanctuary in the northwest of the reserve. Colombia stated their intention to quadruple the size (to more than 27,000 square kilometers, or 10,425 square miles) of the fully protected Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. Costa Rica announced their intention to create a 10,000-square-kilometer (3,861-square-mile) fully protected area around Cocos National Park.

Here’s why it matters: These three presidents made sweeping commitments that could transform the way their ocean resources are managed, generating incredible benefits for their people. These commitments were made during a ceremony to celebrate the culmination of nearly 30 years of negotiations to agree on the definitive maritime borders between the three countries. Sitting behind these commitments is the growing recognition that creating marine reserves is not a wasted economic opportunity, but just the opposite: President Rafael Correa of Ecuador emphasized that industrial fishermen have told him they are one of the main beneficiaries of the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Effectively, the reserve has served as a massive fish “bank” that pays out “interest” to those that scoop up the abundant spillover on the reserve boundaries.

Q: What do these announcements mean for ocean conservation and ocean health?

A: President Correa was quick to note the strong ecological connections — uncovered over the past decade through the work of CI and partners — between Galápagos, Malpelo and Cocos Island. Together they make up the world’s densest cluster of UNESCO Marine World Heritage Sites along with Panama’s Coiba National Park. He emphasized three critical factors that national leaders have often failed to heed and act on. First, small areas provide protection for highly mobile species, especially large pelagic species such as sharks, turtles, rays, whales, seabirds, tuna and billfish. Second, strong protection in just one big area is not enough because these species spend different parts of their life cycles in different places. Third, big reserves in the middle of the ocean don’t do enough — these species often breed, feed or rest in coastal areas that are being lost to development or degraded by pollution.

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Question for this article:

If we can connect up the planet through Internet, can’t we agree to preserve the planet?

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To give you a sense of the import of this announcement: President Luis Solís of Costa Rica called it “transcendental,” and President Correa emphasized that it is one of the best moments in history for these three nations to cooperate to achieve shared goals. This historic announcement is nothing less than the declaration of a new sustainable development model that puts ocean management at the forefront of national strategies to improve the livelihoods of millions of people. These Latin American leaders have risen to the front of the global pack to act on their belief that marine conservation is a wise investment, not an economic drain.

Q: Describe the biodiversity of this region.

A: The Galápagos Marine Reserve, Malpelo Sanctuary, Cocos Island National Park and Coiba National Park are the crown jewels of the ETPS — the marine version of Africa’s Serengeti. As in the case of the Serengeti where vast herds of large migratory mammals and dependent predators follow seasonal changes, in the ETPS vast populations of iconic migratory marine species — sharks, turtles, rays, whales, seabirds, tuna and billfish — surge back and forth in response to seasonal changes in water temperature and food availability. In fact, these protected areas have registered the highest density of sharks recorded anywhere on Earth and some of the highest fish biomass (total weight per unit area) ever recorded. Cocos is world-renowned for its massive groups of hammerhead sharks and tiger sharks. Coiba is home to the region’s largest coral formations and numerous turtle nesting beaches. Malpelo’s large schools of silky sharks are a major attraction for divers and underwater photographers. Galápagos is home to rare and endemic marine species such as Galápagos penguins and sea lions, as well as more than a third of the world’s whales and dolphin species.

The marine “highways” that connect these sites are some of the world’s great tuna fishing grounds. The coasts that border the ETPS are covered with mangroves, which serve as nurseries for many of these iconic species, and the beaches are nesting grounds for sea turtles.

Q: What are the challenges to making these new protections happen?

A: To make the most of this opportunity three key things must happen. First, the three leaders need to garner support from key constituencies in their countries, especially industrial fishermen and related businesses. Second, these leaders and the full range of ministries that create and implement marine policy in these countries — Environment, Fisheries, Defense, Foreign Relations, Finance and Tourism — will have to all pull in the same direction towards a shared vision of building prosperity around marine conservation and management. Third, the international community will have to be prepared to respond with funding to help overcome the barriers that currently stand in the way of the ETPS becoming an outstanding example of ocean-based development.

There has never been a more promising moment in this region’s marine history.

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

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Latin America: The International Day of Peace

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A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed during the week of 17-24 September in “Google News” under the key phrases “Día Internacional de la Paz”, “Dia Internacional da Paz,” or “International Day of Peace. For events elsewhere in the world click here.

map of latin america
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As seen on the map above, there were articles about 33 events in 14 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Havana, Cuba: With the assistance of academics and representatives of social movements, workers and peasants from 12 countries will meet in Havana from 21 to 23 September, the first international seminar on Realities and Challenges of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

Bogota, Colombia: More than 120 artists gathered in the central Plaza de Bolivar to invite Colombians to “weave peace” through a concert that combines music, dance and multimedia projections. Speakers included 17 actors on stage, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Colombia Opera Chorus and members of the Victus laboratory – made up of victims of armed conflict, a metaphor for the absurdity of war.

San Jose, Costa Rica: About 300 young people gathered in Independence Park and the Cartago Municipal Amphitheatre to celebrate the International Day of Peace with interactive and educational activities that culminated with the presentation of the results of the edition 2016 of the contest “Let’s sing for peace “.

Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico: During the ceremony commemorating the International Day of Peace, mayor Maria Luisa Gonzalez Achem invited the children and young people present to make peace a way of life, founded on the values ​​of respect and cordiality. The Mayor was accompanied by students of the primary school Felicitas Cordero Villela whom she invited to spread a message of peace among their peers and family, and to avoid actions such as bullying.

Caracas, Venezuela: State agencies conducted a conservatory in Nueva Esparta, aimed at young people of this island in order to promote peace and prevent violence in communities. The activity, part of the International Day of Peace, was held in the House of Culture Manuel Placido Maneiro Pampatar, located in the municipality Maneiro, where 50 young people participated.

Ushuaia, Argentina: The International Day of Peace was celebrated in Ushuaia Municipality with the undersecretary for Political Affairs and Community Relations, Mirta Oriz, who said that “peace is a journey, not a destination. It is directly related with our daily actions, which have to do with how we relate with the boss, with neighbors, with our dependents, with the family; and with what we do every day. ”

Santiago, Chile: The representatives of different religions and spiritual traditions, with active communities in Chile, gathered to pray on Wednesday 21 September, generating a space of fraternity and deep spirituality in the Hall of San Ignacio de Santiago. The slogan was “Peace is Love made Coexistence”. Representatives and religious leaders of Judaism, Buddhism, Mapuche, Islam, Sikhism, pentecostal, Baha’i Faith, Orthodox, mainline Protestant churches and Brahma Kumaris attended. The Catholic Church was represented by Mons. Jorge Concha y Rev. P. Jose Manuel Arenas.

Vicente Lopez, Argentina: Under the slogan “Build Peace Together in our community, country and planet “, the Civil Association Mil Milenios and the Bethlehem Community organized an event for the International Day of Peace. They called on all individuals and educational, civic and governmental institutions to share activities, workshops and reflections as a way of building a culture of peace.

Valenia, Carabobo, Venezuela: The Crime Prevention Division of Carabobo State developed cultural and recreational activities to commemorate the International Day of Peace.
Their event, which was took place in the municipality of San Joaquin, started with a walk from the Indiana neighborhood to the Plaza Bolivar of that city, where attendees enjoyed theatrical plays and other activities to promote peace.

Apatzingan, Michoacan, Mexico: In the commemorative framework of the International Day of Peace, the State Government and the City Hall of Apatzingan celebrated the day with various civic, recreational and cultural activities that were attended by municipal and state authorities as well as basic level, upper middle and upper level institutions of the municipality.

Moquegua, Peru: Students from the college Juan Scarsi Valdivia marched through the main streets of their district of Samegua. The family prosecutor Mirtha Diana Morales Portilla explained that such a mobilization seek to encourage a culture of peace in the students as well as the general population. Another similar march takes place in the town center of Chen Chen. Meanwhile in the province of Ilo, William Prescott college students went to the Provincial Municipality to deliver a letter of peace to the mayor, William Valdivia Davila.

Mexico City, Mexico: The collective, “CPAZ” composed of 15 civil associations, will perform two activities for the commemoration of the International Day of Peace. The will meet at Chapultepec Avenue where 15 associations will carry out different activities, with the objective to serve the needs of everyone.

​​Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic: Several institutions celebrated World Peace Day with various events. A joint effort of the Office of the First Lady, the Archbishop of Santiago, City Hall and Local Education, concentrated hundreds of school and public officials, in an event entitled “In peace we live better”. For his part, Mayor Abel Martinez, called on the people of Santiago to work for a culture of peace.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Provincial senator Sebastian Galmarini participated in the celebration of the International Day Peace which was organized by the civil association Mil Milenios de Paz and the Belem Community in the Quinta Trabucco of Vicente Lopez; The theme of the meeting which brought together educational, civic and government institutions was “Building Peace Together in our community, country and planet.” The president of Mil Milenios de Paz, Inés Palomeque, invited the legislator to sign the Peace Accord.

Sullana, Peru: More than 100 schools that take part in the programFiscales Escolares marched through the main streets of the city, sensitizing the population throuch a parade called “For the International day of Peace and National day to Combat Trafficking in Persons.”

Cozumel, Mexico : In order to celebrate the “International Day of Peace” the municipal government held a very emotional ceremony that honored the members of the Student council of the editions 2014, 2015, 2016. The youth representative Niza Teresita Vivas Chacón, who had been Municipal President for a Day in 2014, expressed their desire for world peace.

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish)

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Manizales, Colombia: The chief negotiator with the FARC, Humberto de la Calle Lombana, was one of the participants in Manizales in the “March for Peace”. The Secretary General of the mayor of Manizales, Jhon Robert Osorio, said that “this activity aims to bring together people who support peace in our country. Peace is a constitutional right of and today as citizens we are making that right tangible.”

Santiago del Estero, Argentina: Organized by the Circle Dance Group of Santiago del Estero, there will be a meeting to celebrate the International Day of peace. The circle dances have been part of this tribute for several years and since 2015 they have been part of the activities of the Peace Council of Argentina.

Tunja, Boyaca, Colombia: To commemorate the international day of peace, the biggest event will take place in San Pablo de Borbur where at least 300 young leaders from 14 to 28 years old will meet to share experiences during the First Meeting of Youth for Peace of Western Boyaca. They are young leaders from the municipalities of Chiquinquirá, Buenavista, Coper, La Victoria, San Miguel de Sema, Pauna, Quípama, Muzo, Briceño, Caldas, Maripí, Otanche, Tununguá, San Pablo de Borbur y Saboya. On Friday and Saturday, they participate in different academic, cultural and educational activities.

Viedma, Argentina: Paper cranes and 24 degree heat was the perfect way to enjoy the first day of spring with various artistic and cultural events in parallel for World Peace Day. Over a thousand paper cranes were displayed.

Cartagena, Colombia: For an activity, held in the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, students read, listened to and wrote experiences related to peacebuilding. “Adults talk of ‘Yes or No’ because they are the ones who can vote in the plebiscite, but the children were not asked about this although it is they who will inherit a country at war or at peace,” said the rector Olga Acosta, who added that “what we say on this day is that children can also decide about peace.”

Maiquetía, Vargas, Venezuela: The people of Vargas raised their voices for peace and respect for human rights during a demonstration in Maiquetia, a populous parish of Vargas state, which marked the beginning of activities of the International Week of Peace, in response to the guidelines of the President of the Republic, Nicolas Maduro, to reject the intentions of those who, from the right, want to promote the culture of violence to destabilize the country.

Zacatepec, Mexico: The regional competition “Painting a World for the Right to peace “organized by the CDHEM was attended by about 200 middle school students in the southern region. It aimed to promote peace among young people, against the scenario of violence taking place in the country.

Catamarca, Argentina: On the International Day of Peace and with the presence of the governor Lucia Corpacci, the International Forum for Peace and Human Values, was launched. It is unprecedented because it is the first such forum in Argentina composed of government representatives and civil society. The forum’s objectives is to promote education, culture and research in different fields of knowledge and human activity; promote human values ​​and solidarity especially, in all manifestations of social life

Puebla, Mexico: As part of the commemoration of the Day International peace, along with a free concert at the Auditorium of the Reformation, the 2016 Conference for peace officially opened in Puebla, a series of events and activities that aim to promote the culture of peace . From September 21 to October 5 with a closing concert in the BUAP, the Days of Peace will be held in various parts of the city, with 20 free activities among which are concerts, conservatories and workshops.

Tijuana, Mexico: This year’s March for Peace will take place in this border city. According to the organizers, led by the collective Tijuana Propone, “the march was born from the initiative to promote unity and to add a symbol of peace for the city.” To participate, the organizers are urging people to wear white clothing as a symbol of peace and unity. This edition will be the fourth annual walk for peace, celebrating the International Day of Peace; previous editions have drawn more than five thousand participants.

Florianopolis, Brazil: Florianopolis wants to become the first capital of World Peace. The was revealed by Dulce Magalhães, President of the 10th World Peace Forum. And the title may be merited thanks to the 200 people who participated in a flash mob (immediate mobilization) in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday, the International Day of Peace. Moving to the sound of a Hindu mantra and the rhythm of samba, teachers and students of dance, physical education teachers, students of public and private networks and young peace activists from Spain, Italy and Egypt presented a show to call attention to the opening of the Forum.

São José dos Campos, Brazil: The event “I offer peace to you”, an exchange of ideas, ideals and inspiring actions that lead to inner peace, will take place in Spider Vicentina Park on September 25, in celebration of the International Day of peace. There will be space for children’s stories, children’s yoga and music. A therapists corner will provide free application of Reiki, massage and Pranic healing. Everyone can participate in the conferences and experiences, yoga, Chinese body practices, and collective picnic.

Teresina, Piauí, Brazil: In celebration of the International Day of peace, the Public Ministry of the State of Piauí promoted a conference on the culture of peace in the auditorium of the State College Zacharias de Goes – Liceu Piauiense. The initiative promotes the struggle against school problems such as discipline and bullying, among other issues.

San Martin [Caribbean]: As part of the International Day of Peace the UNESCO Elementary School Aline Hanson Sandy Ground “The Friendly School” is organizing its peace march on Wednesday. For 3 years now, the UNESCO school in Sandy Ground, celebrated the International Peace Day in the streets of the neighborhood, with a march which involved the educational community as a whole.

St Croix, Virgin Islands: Peace advocates filled the Evans Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus, on Friday to celebrate World Peace Day with poetry, song and motivational speeches.

Haiti: The United Nations in Haiti commemorated the International Day of Peace with the launch of the CD “Vwa Ayiti Pou Lapé” (Voices of Haiti for Peace), result of 18 months of collaborative work between James Germain, Emeline Michel and Beethova Obas, renowned Haitian artists who have held workshops for over 200 young singers and musicians of sensitive areas from 10 cities. A total of ten songs reflecting the musical mosaic of Haiti and combining many influences of musical styles that this Caribbean countries make up this album; each of them recalls that the future of Haiti requires stability and a rejection of any form of violence.

Barbados: Hundreds of Barbadians took part in yesterday’s Walk For Peace in The City. Among the local charities, groups and organisations represented were: Lions Club Barbados, members of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Junior Chamber International (JCI) Barbados and the Barbados Defence Force.
BWU General Secretary, Toni Moore; Member of Parliament for St. Joseph, Dale Marshall; the Barbados Labour Party’s candidate for St. Philip West, John King; Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Hope Transplant International, Reverend Michael Steele, also took part in the Walk.

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Mexico: Mancera opens the International Forum of ‘Mayors for Peace’

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article Excelsior (Reprinted as a non-commercial use)

Prime minister, Miguel Angel Mancera, opened the International Forum of “Mayors for Peace” aimed at combating violence worldwide. The capital is a vice-president of the non-governmental organization “Mayors for Peace”, which involves 132 cities in 161 countries.

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(Click on photo to enlarge.)

The event, organized by the Secretary of Social Development of the capital, called for the promotion of peace and eradication of violence in the world, through actions such as voluntary disarmament and social inclusion.

In that respect, the Minister said that his administration carries out various actions to promote peace through social programs such as “Por tu Familia Desarme Voluntario”, “El Médico en Tu Casa”, “10 X la Infancia” and the recent creation of “Hospital de las Emociones.”

He said a permanent task is to build more egalitarian cities, where conflicts over lack of inclusion are avoided: “how to prevent violence is by avoiding the causal conflicts and by developing a long-range program that involves the environment, access to water, food and education. Regarding the environment his government is working with the Climate Leadership Group (C40), and has joined the Food Policy Agreement of Milan to favor the creation of fair and sustainable food systems.

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

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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During this forum, which is held during the International Day of Peace, five working groups and the keynote address will be developed.

In addition there will be demonstration of the destruction of weapons collected by the program “For Your Family, Voluntary Disarmament” and the exchange of war toys for educational toys.

Roundtables during the first day of work will incude: “Practices of Local Governments for a Culture of Peace”; “Challenges of Local Governments faced with new threats at the Global Level” and “The Role of Local Governments for Peace Building in Latin America and the Caribbean”.

Speakers at the forum include the coordinator of the Global Network of Safer Cities UN Habitat; the mayor of Frogn, Norway, Thore Vestby; and the director and representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Mexico, Nuria Sanz. In addition, the director of Peace Boat, Kawasaki Akira; the Mayors for Peace coordinator in North America, Jackie Cabasso; the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Mexico, Mark Manly; and the representative of Granollers, Spain, Carme Barbany. Also participating are the mayors of Cartago, Costa Rica, Rolando Rodriguez; Managua, Nicaragua, Daisy Torres; the Alderman of San Jose Costa Rica, Fernando Jimenez and Professor at the National Pedagogical University Paolo Pagliai.

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Indigenous, peasant and Afro-Colombian communities say YES to peace

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An article by the Abya Yala Agricultural Collective in CONPI.org (translated by CPNN)

“We believe that the defense of life and territory cannot be an isolated task of our indigenous communities, and thus we propose bonds of unity, solidarity, fraternity and commitment with whom we share the land as small farmers: the communities of African descent and others, not only those in the agricultural and rural sectors but also those in cities who also want to change the history of this country,” – National Dialogue Declaration of Indigenous Women for Peace

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As noted by the historian Diana Uribe, we have come to a turning point in Colombia with the negotiated solution to the armed conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army and the National Government. We are also encouraged by the announcement last March of negotiations with the ELN National Liberation Army to advance the construction of a diverse nation that is no longer marked by the history of war.

This article aims to make visible the voice of the indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendant ommunities. Its victims have been deeply affected by the unresolved armed conflict in the country, but nevertheless they are moving forward with proposals from their territories in the post-accord context, as stated in the following excerpt from the report of the Historical Commission of the conflict:

“The main players of today [in relation to the assertion of rights] are now urban dwellers, displaced by war, peasants and indigenous sectors, women, inmates of prisons, and ethnic and sexual minorities. Their demands include the desire for peace,

– the rejection of anti-democratic amendments to the Constitution and legislation,

– the denunciation of the tax reforms,

– the unveiling of the negative effects of NAFTA,

– land claims,

– opposition to programs that would eradicate illicit crops with aerial spraying with effects on environmental and living conditions,

– reform of the public hospital sector,

– changes in the educational system,

– the placement of demobilized and displaced persons,

– an end to actions that violate human rights by the armed forces “(page 67)

As a sign of support for the process of negotiation of Havana, the communities have presented their positions on complex issues such as the arrival of former combatants into their territories.

In Caldono last July the traditional authorities of the indigenous reserves of Pueblo Nuevo, San Lorenzo de Caldono, Pioyá from the Municipality of Caldono and Tumburao from the Municipality of Silvia published a letter offering their territories to install a ZVTN. (District Zone for Transition to Normalization):

“When we heard the news that Caldono is a ZVTN, it was no surprise because we have prepared for it, not so much for the large investments that we may receive as part of the implementation of the agreements, but rather to welcome our colleagues who with or without conviction joined the insurgency that brought so much disharmony and imbalance to different territories of the country. They will be welcomed, forgiven and asked to compensate for the damages with ideas that positively transform the social order. This will clarity the values of our community set out in our Law of Origins by returning to our community its members, both men and women, returning them to their spiritual home and harmonizing the relation between the community and Mother Earth.”

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish or here for a translation into French.

Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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For their part, the rural communities of the Peasant Reserve Areas that are expected to be protagonists in the postconflict agreements have offered themselves as managers of the implementation process of the agreements through a critical look at laws like the ZIDRES [Zones of Rural, Economic, and Social Interest] which they consider to be in conflict with the process.

According to the Political Declaration of the General Assembly of the National Association of Peasant Reserve Zones (ANZORC): “As the 66 processes of the Peasant Reserve Zones ANZORC, at a general meeting in the village of San Isidro de Pradera (Valle), we see a great opportunity in the eventual signing of a final agreement with the FARC and the implementation of peace agreements. (…) ANZORC, in its first General Assembly of 2016, decided

– to initiate a process of territorial anchoring of the peace accords,

– to advance the special circumscriptions of the peace accords (i.e. the 16 zones of transition),

– to promote intercultural territories,

– to fight against the expropriation of 6,000 peasant families living in the alleged “vacant FARC” regions of El Pato Balsillas, El Yari, the Losada-Guayabero and La Macarena,

– to oppose the law of ZIDRES,

– to establish rural guards in their territories,

– to establish a dialogue with the Ministry of the Environment and Autonomous Regional Corporations concerning the law on the 2nd forest reserve zone and regional protected areas,

– to formulate a proposal for social control over the extent of coca crops,

– to extend the process of popular assemblies throughout the country,

– and to strengthen our involvement in the National Constituent Assembly.”

In Natagaima from 12 to 14 August this year under the theme “Indigenous Women weaving their thoughts to defend the territory and build peace with social justice” more than 170 indigenous women from different villages, after a festive march in the municipality publicly declared their “Yes” to the plebiscite with the understanding that peace becomes possible with the end of the armed conflict, but it will not be easy:

“We believe that indigenous peoples must not be indifferent to the historical moment facing the country with the end of the armed conflict. The process in which we have been involved includes an ethnic approach to each component of the agreements. We must prepare to ratify our YES in the referendum as the main tool to build territories for peace with social justice. This means balance and harmony in our relationship with Mother Nature and the guarantee of conditions for a dignified life in our territories and our communities. ”

It has been declared by the parties at the negotiation table in Havana that the implementation of the agreements requires a new approach in order to overcome the historical and structural conditions of the armed conflict in Colombia. In this approach it is necessary to include the proposals of communities from the territories. This approach must see beyond the rigid legal principles of the Anglo-Saxon tradition in the constitution and the law, and take into consideration the diverse cosmologies of the peoples. It must fight against practices such as racism and extinction of indigenous communities.

The Interethnic Dialogue Peace Proposal brought to the table in Havana last April 6 by indigenous organizations and Afro-Colombianos reads as follows: “The black communities of African descent, the palenqueras, raizales and indigenous peoples conceive the territory as a collective good, in the function of the needs of its inhabitants. The land is a source of material, cultural and ecological life. It is not a commercial product based on private profit. The land has to be seen as a geographical and free space where communities can fully develop, as the physical place and symbolic source of sovereign welfare and independence, under the principles of autonomy, solidarity, growth, indigenous development, balance and sustainability ” (…)

“Indigenous peoples, Blacks, Afro-Colombians, palenqueros and raizales have been historic victims of exclusionary structures of racist and discriminatory State practices that have prevented us from enjoying all the rights and guarantees that citizens should have in a nation . In that regard, the social and armed conflict that the country has experienced for 60 years has particularly affected these communities in all aspects.”

Finally, we say that the challenge of building a culture of peace in Colombia will take several generations but at each step forward, there is more hope in our territories that we can finally emerge from the long night of 500 years, the colonial and republican legacy of war.

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UN-supported ‘historic’ training to monitor ceasefire between Government and FARC-EP starts in Colombia

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An article from the United Nations News Service

Following a recent agreement to end more than 50 years of conflict between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), a seven-day training session on monitoring and verifying their bilateral ceasefire has begun in the country’s western city of Popayan, with United Nations support. Instructors from the Government, FARC-EP and the UN Mission in Colombia are training 80 men and women who will form part of the tripartite verification and monitoring mechanism at national and regional levels, according to a news release from the UN Mission

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    Members of the FARC-EP take part in the traning with the Government of Colombia and the UN Mission. Photo: UN Mission in Colombia

“This first training session is an important step towards building a stable and lasting peace,” the UN Mission said. “Not only does it mark the beginning of the realization of the agreements reached in Havana but it also marks the full commitment of the parties with a robust and transparent monitoring and verification mechanism to give full guarantees to all Colombians.”

Sessions will cover the verification methodology, logistical aspects, security, gender issues and operational procedures for the transitional local zones and points for normalization, where the separation of forces and the laying down of arms is to take place. The sessions also include theoretical and practical aspects of the Final Agreement, especially related to the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and protocols covering the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.

In June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travelled to Havana, where he witnessed the signing of the agreement on the ceasefire and the laying down of arms. He noted that the “peace process validates the perseverance of all those around the world who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise.”

The UN Mission in Colombia’s international observers include representatives from eight countries from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.

(Thank you to the Good News Agency for calling this story to our attention)

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article

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