Category Archives: East Asia

The Mindanao-Sulu Peace and History Education Project (Philippines)

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An article by Gail Ilagan for Minda News

Republic Act No. 10908 was signed into law on 21 July 2016, mandating the integration of Filipino-Muslim and Indigenous Peoples history, culture and identity in the study of Philippine History in both Basic and Higher Education. The law recognizes the ultimate objective of creating an inclusive history that accounts for all Filipinos, thus the need to integrate the history, culture and identity studies of Filipino-Muslims and Indigenous People in the grand narrative of Philippine history.


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Earlier in March 2016, the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) released its main report and recommended among others to “integrate in the curricula at all educational levels… subjects on Bangsamoro history, indigenous peoples’ history, and corresponding lessons in art, literature, and language by promoting intercultural exchange and cultural diversity.”

There is however a dearth of resources on Bangsamoro and Lumad history, art, literature, and language. Many Philippine History textbooks for Basic Education are largely silent, misrepresentative, confused, or vague on these topics. Teachers have been known to decry that they don’t know what to teach about Mindanao and its peoples and that they haven’t been given authoritative sources on Mindanao history. There is a need, therefore, to generate educational materials that Basic Education teachers of Philippine History can use in the implementation of RA 10908.

The Mindanao-Sulu History and Peace Education Project seeks to respond to this need. Funded by the World Bank and implemented through the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the project was conceived by Fr. Albert E. Alejo, SJ, one of the staunchest advocates for the Writing Mindanao, Righting Mindanao campaign.

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Question for this article:

Can peace be achieved in Mindanao?

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For this project, however, writing about Mindanao was not about turning out lengthy expositions, such as were attempted in the past. The Timeline project sought instead to introduce Mindanao through bite-size pieces intended to raise initial interest. It used no more than 50-word blurbs crafted by professional writers to introduce political, economic, cultural, and ecological events identified by reputable academics such as Patricio Abinales, Macario Tiu, and Karl Gaspar to be highlights in Mindanao history.

These blurbs, accompanied by pictures from the MindaNews archives, were laid out in an infographic  that could theoretically be mounted on the classroom wall and referred to during history classes. The infographic, printed on tarpaulin, does not require an LCD player – thus it has particular utility in schools where there is no electricity.

Towards the end of 2016, the infographic was reviewed by the National Historical Institute, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Office of Muslim Affairs and, more recently, by the Jesuit Basic Education Council. At each stop in the review process, more items of interest were added, such that the final product consists of 211 items plotted on a 7-meter stretch of canvas.

In March 2017, a full year after the Mindanao Timeline project was conceived, the Department of Education and the CEAP invited Basic Education teachers in Regions V, VII, and IX to pilot workshops on the utility of the tarp as instructional resource. Project Manager Pauline S. Bautista put together a multi-disciplinary team – consisting of Pauline, Fr. Alejo,Bagong Lumad artist  Joey Ayala, ADDU Psychology Department chair Dr. Nelly Limbadan, and myself – to deliver on a design that introduced the timeline in a fun and interactive manner.

Dr. Limbadan designed the tools to measure the cognitive reframing impact of the infographic workshop on the participants. The results indicate that the material did indeed expand the associations the participants now have of Mindanao and its people and generated the interest to visit the southern islands to learn more about it. Moreover, the participants were now more ready to account for a sense of multicultural awareness in the way they would handle instruction on Mindanao history in the future.

Every school that was represented in the pilot will receive a copy of the final Timeline tarp accompanied by a bound compilation with a page dedicated to each item on the infographic.  It is hoped that Philippine History teachers in grade school and high school would use these materials to complement the textbooks they are using.

(Thank you to the Peace Education News for sending us this article)

East Asia, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Philippines: Theater, a tool for international understanding

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Manila Buletin

World Theater Day, instituted by the International Theater Institute (ITI) on March 27, 1962, to mark the opening of the Theater of Nations in Paris, France, has since been annually celebrated on March 27 to focus on the importance of theater as a diverse and complex art form that taps the creative work of the playwright, director, actors, artists, and composers. In musical theater, acting is combined with music, song, and dance.2

ITI, the world’s largest organization for the performing arts established in 1948 by UNESCO during the first world congress in Prague, Czech Republic, has a network of 100 national centers worldwide, including the Philippines, that promotes international exchange of knowledge and practice in theater arts, aiming to consolidate peace and friendship among peoples, deepen mutual understanding, and increase creative cooperation among people in the theater arts. An ITI center is made up of professionals active in the theater life of a country and representative of all branches of the performing arts.

The Philippines celebrates UNESCO-ITI World Theater Week every year on March 21-27, pursuant to Proclamation 1262 in 2007. The National Commission for Culture and Arts leads the weeklong celebration, in coordination with ITI-affiliated Philippine Center of the International Theater Institute. Events in Metro Manila and in the regions include the presentation of short plays, dance troupe performances, puppet shows, art exhibits and singing. NCCA encourages artists and culture enthusiasts to partner with the government towards the full flowering of theater arts among Filipinos.

On World Theater Day, events are held by theater communities all over the world, the most important of which is spreading an international message by a renowned personality on the theme of theater and a culture of peace. The first international message was written by French poet-novelist Jean Cocteau in 1962. For 2017, French theater and cinema actress Isabelle Huppert will deliver the World Theater Day message at a special show at the UNESCO in Paris.

Each year, the message is translated into more than 20 languages, read for tens of thousands of spectators before performances in theaters worldwide, released throughout the ITI network, and printed in newspapers.

(For an article on World Theater Day in Mexico, click here)

Question for this article:
East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Philippine Catholics march against Duterte’s deadly war on drugs

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article from Deutsche Welle

Thousands of demonstrators marched alongside Catholic Church leaders in the Philippines capital of Manila on Saturday [February 18] to protest President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs and attempts to reinstate the death penalty.


(c) picture-alliance/AP photo/B.Marquez
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According to police estimates, at least 10,000 people joined the “Walk for Life” march, making it the largest rally yet against Duterte’s brutal crackdown against drug dealers and users. It also marked the largest show of opposition from the Roman Catholic Church against the government’s anti-drugs campaign, which has seen more than 7,600 mostly poor people killed in the past seven months.

“We have to stand up. Somehow this is already a show of force by the faithful that they don’t like these extrajudicial killings,” Manila bishop Broderick Pabillo said. “I am alarmed and angry at what’s happening because this is something that is regressive. It does not show our humanity.”

The Catholic Church is one of the Philippines oldest and most influential institutions in a country where about 80 percent of the population identifies as Catholic, a legacy of the country’s time as a Spanish colony.

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Questions related to this article:

How effective are mass protest marches?

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Duterte on a collision course with Catholic Church

As one of the nation’s most powerful institutions, the Catholic Church has in the past played a crucial political role in the Philippines. In 1986, it helped lead a revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Then, in 2001, it supported an uprising against then- president Joseph Estrada before he was subsequently ousted over corruption charges.

The Church initially refused to voice its opposition to Duterte’s anti-drugs campaign but its opposition has grown increasingly vocal since the end of last year, with the number of casualties continuing to rise.

“It is obvious that there is a spreading culture of violence. It is saddening to see, sometimes it drives me to tears how violent words seem so natural and ordinary,” the country’s highest-ranking Church official, Manila Cardinal Luis Tagle, said. “In your surroundings, in your neighborhood, there are so many lives that must be saved. They will not be saved by mere discussion.”

Duterte was elected president in May on the back of a strong anti-crime and anti-drug platform, claiming he would save generations of Filipinos from the drug menace. Since being elected to office, he has often attacked the church, once describing it as “the most hypocritical institution” for speaking out against his campaign. The President has also scolded a number of local bishops, accusing them of corruption and sexual abuse.

Duterte has also asked Congress to revive the death penalty by public hanging, which has also put him on a collision course with the Church. “Execution is murder,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who heads the country’s bishops, said. “We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill.”

East Asia, HUMAN RIGHTS

World Culture Forum 2016 Concludes with Bali Declaration Launched

.. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT .. .

A press release from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture published by ACN News Wire

World Culture Forum (WCF) 2016 concluded on October 14 in Bali, Indonesia, with the issuance of the Bali Declaration, consisting of 10 points of commitment, which enable culture to be the driver of sustainable development and urge the UNESCO state members and civil societies to accomplish the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

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Read by the Head of WCF 2016 Steering Committee, Ananto Kusuma Seta in the closing ceremony, the Declaration emphasized that all participating countries should incorporate culture at the heart of future development frameworks.

The Bali Declaration contains following issues:

1. Commitment of the UNESCO state members and civil society to work for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

2. Promote the culture of peace in order to make an inclusive, just, and tolerable society

3. Implement the points of recommendation from WCF symposiums series

4. Strengthen the role and involvement of the youth in economics, culture, and socio-politics in respect of promoting mutual understanding and equality

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5. Recognize the role of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations to enable culture to contribute to sustainable inclusive development

6. Increase the investment in human capital and empowerment of the local community in developing solutions to the world’s most demanding issues

7. Partner with all the elements of stakeholders to ensure that the effort to address the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is culture-oriented

8. Support from UNESCO to protect cultural heritages from various forms of threats, including wars and social conflicts

9. Drive the implementation of cultural values into a report mechanism at every stage of Sustainable Development Goals

10. Develop an action framework to be launched at the 39th UNESCO General conference in October 2017

Director General of Culture, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, Hilmar Farid, stated that the Declaration will soon be followed-up in the general meeting to be held in 2017.

In the same occasion, the representative of the youth group from 39 countries also declared the point of recommendation of IYF 2016, one of which was to develop and make benefit from open source technology to improve education, social, and culture over three years.

For further information, please contact:

Ministry of Education of Culture, Republic of Indonesia
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Senayan, Jakarta 10270
Phone: +62 21 5711144
Website: www.kemdikbud.go.id

East Asia, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Solomon Islands: Malaita and Guadalcanal support peace education

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by George Manford in The Island Sun

MALAITA and Guadalcanal provincial governments have supported the idea of peace education for both province’s education authorities.

Solomon
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Deputy Premier of Guadalcanal Hon Peter Aroanisaka said this is a step forward to find lasting peace through education.

“We could find links for our students to have access through attending our various high schools in our two respective provinces.

“This initiative is much important for both education authorities (EA’s) to build relationship for malaita and Guadalcanal provinces.

“It also creates a goal which is peace through education within these two EAs and for the rest of Solomon Islands.

“We want to see true peace and true education among our students and leaders.

“They are time bombs in the future if we don’t create this kind of initiatives for these future generations.”

Speaking on behalf of Malaita provincial government, deputy and the acting premier of Malaita province Hon Alick Maeaba said, “We have to come up with re-creative ideas to contribute on the values of our education.

“The Malaita provincial government see this importance to build this relationship not only through education but through political levels.

“The Malaita provincial government will stand and support the initiative for the betterment of our children in the future.

“We are looking forward for the idea to be implemented Maeaba revealed.”

The delegation also visited Aligegeo PSS and Kware community high school in west Fataleka north Malaita.

(Thank you to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for calling this to our attention.)

Question for this article:
East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Philippines: Fostering a culture of peace through art

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Manila Bulletin (slightly abbreviated)

Mindanao has . . . been through decades of armed conflict, which has claimed countless lives and displaced some 30,000 to 50,000 persons annually. Children and adolescents are among those who have suffered the most, caught in the midst of violence, displacement, poverty, and the loss of loved ones. It is for this reason that civil society groups have taken initiatives in introducing the culture of peace among the children in Mindanao’s conflict-affected communities through the promotion of their own traditional, cultural, and artistic abilities.

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One of these groups is the 13-year-old Kalimudan Culture and Arts Center, a non-profit organization based in Gen. Santos City. It is currently undertaking the Fostering Culture of Peace and Child Protection program, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Coined from the Maguindanaon term for gathering, Kalimudan is composed of artists and advocates for social reforms, backed by their experiences as cultural and community workers, trainers, researchers, and teachers.

In recent months, Kalimudan has been conducting the Adolescent Development and Participation-Peace building program in the provinces of Maguindanao, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Lanao del Sur.

According to Al Nezzar Ali, the project uses culture and arts as tools to assist communities in creating a violence-free home environment, and helps children promote a culture of peace.

Among the strategies used in the workshops are play production dance drama and choral narration, peace tiles and peace totems, interactive storytelling, dance, music, and visual workshops, which enhance participants’ coping mechanisms.

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Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

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“The program also helps develop children’s creativity, appreciation of tradition, and culture to foster peace, which get them more engaged in sports and recreational activities, instead of getting involved in armed activities,” Ali enthuses.

He said that the project hopes to contribute to the attainment of strengthened mechanisms for promoting the rights of children in peace process and situations of armed conflict and supporting children’s participation.

During the International Day of Peace held last Sept. 21 at the Mindanao State University Gymnasium in Maguindanao, children and adolescents representing the different Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) areas in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Lanao del Sur will be the highlight of the celebration. These children and adolescents took part in the ADAP workshops and #ChildrenNotSoldiers campaign traditional cultural performance showcase, which were exhibited on the same day.

Ali said that peace building measures should address the root causes of the conflict, enhance social cohesion, build trust in governments, and build capacity of individuals, communities, and institutions to manage conflict and deliver appropriate services.

He noted that under the UNICEF framework, programs create space for young people and enhance their capacity to participate in the decision-making on the peace process, especially between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the MILF, while promoting pro-peace knowledge, attitudes, and lifestyle.

He pointed out that the quest for peace is integral to the fulfillment of the rights of children to safety and wellbeing, since young people have distinct capacities in contributing to peace-building due to their diverse experiences in armed conflict.

Founded in 2003, Kalimudan Culture and Arts Center seeks to raise awareness, advocate basic social issues through culture and arts as its tool, as it links with local and national movements for social and cultural development

It specializes in Mindanao cultural dances and music, contemporary arts (music, film, and video), and collaborates with national agencies like the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as NGOs such as the SOCSARGEN Peace Network, and Mindulani, a Mindanao-wide network of theater workers.

East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Papua New Guinea: Thousands march to ‘make a stand for peace’

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article from Nonviolent Conflict News

As many as 10-thousand people walked for peace in the Papua New Guinea capital over the weekend [of September 10-11]. The governor of Port Moresby says the Sunday morning event was planned as a stand against violence in the country following a brawl at a rugby league match which left an innocent bystander dead.

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Powes Parkop tells Dominic Godfrey the death of Joe Pidik was a tragedy that he and others are ashamed of.

POWES PARKOP: We don’t condone this type of activity and we want to make a statement. It is not something that we accept and we want the public to come out to make that statement, to ourselves more particularly. Also, it’s leading up to our anniversary of our 41st year’s independence. We want to also make a statement for peace and unity in our country.

DOMINIC GODFREY: Next year of course PNG is co-hosting the Rugby League World Cup. Has there been any reaction to this outbreak of violence from your co-host countries?

PP: Yes. We had a grave concern expressed, especially by the Rugby League World Cup secretariat down in Australia. They rightfully expressed to us concerns that the games that we are going to host might be addressed. But we have given them the assurance that this is only a minority activity. This doesn’t represent all our people in Papua New Guinea and especially in Pt Moresby and so I hope they put their fears to rest and we are looking forward to hosting the three games for the Rugby League World Cup.

We will be hosting the Under 20 FIFA Women’s World Cup too in November and December of this year. That’s 16 countries coming from five continents of the world. Young leaders of tomorrow will be coming to our city and our country and it’s also important that we send that message loud and clear to the participating countries in particular but to the world generally that this type of behaviour is not acceptable, not tolerated. It’s why we came out in big numbers on Sunday with our minister for sport and rugby league board and chairman, and some of our rugby league teams and other sport teams.

Everybody came out in a very strong powerful way to send a message, especially going to our own people. It’s a problem that we have with our own people and we need to get our people to change their behaviour, change their habits and that’s essentially the main purpose we marched for yesterday. We need our people, the majority of whom reject violence, and if many more of people come out and make these type of statements, then it will get this minority to change their behaviour and attitudes so I’m very pleased with the outcome yesterday.

DG: What would the message be to the people of Papua New Guinea and Pt Moresby?

PP: Violence is an impediment to prosperity and development of our people.

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

Questions related to this article:
East Asia, HUMAN RIGHTS

India: Buddhist nuns bike Himalayas to oppose human trafficking

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article by Nita Bhalla for Nonviolent Conflict News with credit to Thomson Reuters Foundation,

– Clad in black sweatpants, red jackets and white helmets, the hundreds of cyclists pedaling the treacherously steep, narrow mountain passes to India from Nepal could be mistaken for a Himalayan version of the Tour de France. The similarity, however, ends there. This journey is longer and tougher, the prize has no financial value or global recognition and the participants are not professional cyclists but Buddhist nuns from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

Five hundred nuns from the Buddhist sect known as the Drukpa Order, on Saturday complete a 4,000-km (2,485 mile) bicycle trek from Nepal’s Kathmandu to the northern city of Leh in India to raise awareness about human trafficking in the remote region.

nepal
Photo Credit: Live To Love International / Handout via Reuters

“When we were doing relief work in Nepal after the earthquakes last year, we heard how girls from poor families were being sold because their parents could not afford to keep them anymore,” 22-year-old nun Jigme Konchok Lhamo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“We wanted to do something to change this attitude that girls are less than boys and that it’s okay to sell them,” she said, adding that the bicycle trek shows “women have power and strength like men.”

South Asia may boast women leaders and be home to cultures that revere motherhood and worship female deities, but many girls and women live with the threat of violence and without many basic rights.

From honor killings in Pakistan to foeticide in India and child marriage in Nepal, women face a barrage of threats, although growing awareness, better laws and economic empowerment are bringing a slow change in attitudes.

“KUNG FU” NUNS

The bicycle trek, from Nepal into India, is nothing new for the Drukpa nuns.

This is the fourth such journey they have made, meeting local people, government officials and religious leaders to spread messages of gender equality, peaceful co-existence and respect for the environment.

They also deliver food to the poor, help villagers get medical care and are dubbed the “Kung Fu nuns” due to their training in martial arts.

Led by the Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Order, the nuns raise eyebrows, especially among Buddhists for their unorthodox activities.

“Traditionally Buddhist nuns are treated very differently from monks. They cook and clean and are not allowed to exercise. But his Holiness thought this was nonsense and decided to buck the trend,” said Carrie Lee, president of Live to Love International, a charity which works with the Drukpa nuns to support marginalised Himalayan communities.

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Question related to this article:

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

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“Among other things, he gave them leadership roles and even introduced Kung Fu classes for the nuns after they faced harassment and violence from the general public who were disturbed by the growing shift of power dynamics,” she said.

Over the last 12 years, the number of Drukpa nuns has grown to 500 from 30, said Lee, largely due to the progressive attitudes of the 53-year-old Gyalwang Drukpa, who was inspired by his mother to become an advocate for gender equality.

The Gyalwang Drukpa also participates in the bicycle journeys, riding with the nuns as they pedal through treacherous terrain and hostile weather and camp out in the open.

“PRAYING IS NOT ENOUGH”

The Drukpa nuns say they believe they are helping to change attitudes.

“Most of the people, when they see us on our bikes, think we are boys,” said 18-year-old nun Jigme Wangchuk Lhamo.

“Then they get shocked when we stop and tell them that not only are we girls, but we are also Buddhist nuns,” she said. “I think this helps change their attitudes about women and maybe value them as equals.”

South Asia, with India at its centre, is also one of the fastest growing regions for human trafficking in the world.

Gangs dupe impoverished villagers into bonded labour or rent them to work as slaves in urban homes, restaurants, shops and hotels. Many girls and women are sold into brothels.

Experts say post-disaster trafficking has become common in South Asia as an increase in extreme events caused by global warming, as well as earthquakes, leave the poor more vulnerable.

The breakdown of social institutions in devastated areas creates difficulties securing food and supplies, leaving women and children at risk of kidnapping, sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Twin earthquakes that struck Nepal in April and May 2015, which killed almost 9,000 people, left hundreds of thousands of families homeless and many without any means of income, led to an increase in children and women being trafficked.

More than 40,000 children lost their parents, were injured or were placed in precarious situations following the disaster, according to Nepali officials.

The Drukpa nuns said the earthquakes were a turning point in their understanding of human trafficking and that they felt a need to do more than travel to disaster-hit mountain villages with rice on their backs.

“People think that because we are nuns, we are supposed to stay in the temples and pray all the time. But praying is not enough,” said Jigme Konchok Lhamo.

“His Holiness teaches us that we have go out and act on the words that we pray. After all, actions speak louder than words,” she said.

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

East Asia, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue sparks ‘young energy’

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An article from China.org

Twenty-three years after Samuel Huntington’s popular book “The Clash of Civilizations” was published and aroused calls for dialogue between different civilizations, it is still as relevant as ever in the current era of regional confrontations and inter-religious mistrust. In this context, and through an initiative with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Chinese Ministry of Education, the first Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue opened on Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, in the southwestern city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

Dialogue

Around 200 young delegates from 46 countries of the Asia-Pacific region gathered to discuss how to build a nexus between Asia Pacific civilizations, cultures, social cohesion, respect for diversity and peace building, as well as engaging with the youth as agents of change and custodians of the future regionally and internationally.

The initiative coincides with the call of the country’s policymakers to boost regional cooperation and development as President Xi Jinping proposed in a speech last year at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). This, he said, could act as a platform to enhance interactions among young people, local communities and the media and to form a network of cooperation.

Dr. Marielza Oliveira, director and UNESCO representative to the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea, said at the opening ceremony, “The youth delegates here are chosen from thousands of applicants and represent the best, the brightest and the most committed who come together to discuss what needs to be done to defend the dignity of all human beings.”

She called for young people to act on the domestic and international problems they face, citing the fact that British youth might be the hardest hit by the Brexit scenario due to their inaction before and during the referendum.

Robert H. Xiao, CEO of Perfect World Co., Ltd., China’s online gaming giant and sponsor of the event, highlighted three keywords, i.e. communication, hope and responsibility, as his expectations for the young people.

“Communication is the foundation on which Asian young people can build mutual understanding, find mutual benefits and grow together,” said Xiao. “Communication among Asian countries and among young people in particular, is an important source of confidence and recognition of Asian civilization.”

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Question for this article

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

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“It is also the basis for Asian people to build mutual understanding and benefits, and achieve joint development.”

When asked about his expectation for the event, Andrew Lesa, a youth delegate and also a diplomat from New Zealand told China.org.cn he wanted to see actions in earnest following the event.

“At a lot of meetings, all we do is talk.” He hoped that after the meeting and when everyone had returned home, there could be tangible projects and activities staged in their respective countries on the important agenda items of the event so as to “make a difference on the ground.”

Hoe Wee Kiat, a youth delegate from Singapore, told China.org.cn the event could enable them to learn about each other’s culture and civilization. “Youth can be agents of change, and they should be more proactive and take the initiative in making a positive difference.”

The three-day event is envisioned as a dynamic and participatory event utilizing a combination of plenary lectures and workshops organized both thematically and sub-regionally, and fun activities to provide learning and networking opportunities for the youth.

According to the organizer, the initiative is a follow-up to discussions on Young Global Citizens for a Sustainable Planet in 2015 and leads up to the 2017 Asian Civilization Dialogue Forum in China.





East Asia, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Asia: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events in Asia were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-14 under “International day of peace.” We may suppose that there were articles in national languages that are not listed here. For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

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As seen on the map above, there were articles about 22 events in 11 Asian countries.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

China In Yinchuan, capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, incumbent and former politicians from 33 countries, representatives from NGOs, think tanks and Chinese scholars celebrated the International Day of Peace. In his keynote speech, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao said that society is evolving into a global community of shared destiny where everyone is interdependent, and peaceful development and common prosperity represent the right path to take.

South Korea: Kyung Hee University kicked off the three-day Peace BAR Festival at its Seoul campus to celebrate the International Day of Peace. It has held this festival since 1982 to seek ways to ensure the future of human civilization amid a series of crises including climate change, terrorism, violence, war, human alienation and polarization. This year, the university invited three international academic think tanks, the Club of Rome, the Club of Budapest and the World Academy of Art and Science, to discuss our common future.

Cotabato City, Philippines: The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led by Governor Mujiv Hataman joined Wednesday the celebration of the International Day of Peace. Hataman said he wished for an everlasting peace not only in the region, but elsewhere in Mindanao where armed conflicts have affected tens of thousands of innocent people.

Cebu, Philippines: The students and teachers of Our Lady of Joy Learning Center joined the celebration of International Day of Peace. The day before, the students prepared paper flowers with peace messages such as “Peace is like a tree that needs to grow.” “Worldwide peace begins in our homes.” “The one who is at peace with heaven brings balance to the world and lives in peace with men and women.” . . . “Blessed are the peace makers; they will be called children of God.”

Manila, Philippines: newsinfo.inquirer.net/818184/students-say-their-piece-for-peace”>
Coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Peace, around 500 students from Miriam College, Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and the University of the Philippines held a candlelight vigil in Quezon City, to protest the recent wave of drug-related killings sweeping the country. Jasmin Galace, executive director of Miriam College’s Center for Peace Education, told the Inquirer that they decided to hold the activity to “We will say our piece, we will speak up for peace,” Galace added. Aside from the activity on Wednesday, she also said that Miriam College and other schools were planning to send a statement against extrajudicial killings along with thousands of signatures to President Duterte.

Jakarta, Indonesia: Peace please!: Students of SMA 74 Jakarta high school raised banners in front of the school on Thursday to celebrate the UN sponsored International Day of Peace. The school, which has a history of student bullying and mass brawls, cooperated with the NGO Global Peace Foundation (GPF) to hold the event, advocating “building blocks for peace” as its main theme.

Yangon, Myanmar: Amid ongoing conflict and in the wake of the 21st-century Panglong Conference earlier this month, religious leaders joined members of civil society at a Yangon gathering to offer their prayers for peace. Attendees of the “pre-celebration” for the International Day of Peace – marked on September 21 – said the National League for Democracy’s Panglong initiative marked perhaps the best chance yet to bring peace to a war-weary land.

Fiji: MORE than 200 students from Lautoka who are part of the scouting program gathered at Saru MGM Primary School to take part in celebrations for International Day of Peace. Kailash Pillay of the Fiji Scouts Association said the reception for the event was unprecedented and there were plans to host a bigger event next year

New Zealand: The Royal Commonwealth Society launched The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2017 on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. This year’s topics ask young people to explore a deeper understanding of the meaning of peace and the role of the Commonwealth as a network of and for democracy, human rights and peace.

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Question for this article

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

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Tahiti, French Polynesia: A cycle of 7 conference-workshops is being held in Fare Hau on the theme: “I act 1 minute for peace every day.” The first workshop, showing how “the coaching attitude” can be a first step to calm and pacify the world, coincides with the International Day of Peace.

Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Roots Garden schools and Roots IVY schools celebrated ‘World Peace Day’ to express their feelings, ideas and visions of a peaceful world by holding poster competition, poetry competition, essay competition, tableau competition and speech competition on the theme “Citizenship- How can we contribute to make our community better.”

Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan: The Al-Asar Development Organization hosted a ceremony in connection with observance of World Peace Day. A large number of civil society members, students, mediamen, lady health and social workers attended the ceremony.
Addressing the participants, lawmaker Najma Arshad pointed out that terrorism is the biggest threat to the world peace and the dream of having a peaceful society cannot come true without suppressing this menace. She also stressed to eliminate the racial and religious differences which, she termed, fuel terrorism and sectarianism.

Peshawar, Pakistan: Speakers at a function here on Thursday urged government and people to join hands for restoration of sustainable peace in the country to bring a positive change in life of common man. The event was organised by Peace Education and Development Foundation in connection with international peace day

Jamshoro, Pakistan: The International Day of Peace was celebrated at the U.S-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro. The program on “Water & Peace” followed the theme for this year’s Sustainable Development Goals as building blocks of peace.

Sikkim, India: Sikkim today observed the International Day of Peace through the theme of “Yoga for World Peace”in which enthusiastic school children participated. Multi-faith prayers were also organised. A state level function was organised at Paljor Stadium attended by Governor Shriniwas Patil as the Chief Guest and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling as the Guest Of Honour.

Dimapur, India: The Peace Channel in collaboration with North East Institute of Social Science and Research commemorated the International Day of Peace. The programme began with a presentation on the history and background of the International Day of Peace by Akha Richa and Akumnaro Longchar, third semester students of NEISSR.

Urwa, India: When students of Canara High School Association observed World Peace Day on Wednesday, the martyrdom of 18 Indian Army soldiers at Uri was not lost on them. Paying homage to the martyred soldiers by reading out their names, the students and the CHS Association condemned the act of cowardice by the terrorists.

Pilani, Rajasthan, India: At the JMA Pilani school, the Principal Mrs Booma Natarajan read out the message of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon “Let us all work together to help all human beings achieve dignity and equality; to build a greener planet; and to make sure no one is left behind” and urged the students to express their commitment to peace by becoming a champion of the Sustainable Development Goals. Students recited the Sanskrit shloka for peace and did a peace dove formation to prove that Peace is not just yet another 5 letter word but a “divine manifestation which we have to give birth to within ourselves.

Tamil Nadu, India: A procession by over 100 college students marked the International Day of Peace observance here on Wednesday. The students held placards with quotes of Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Teresa among others.

Doraha, India: Students of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, today took out a peace march here on the occasion of International Day of Peace. The volunteers condemned the attack on Indian soldiers at Uri Brigade Headquarters. They said revenge was not a solution. They sought a world which was not divided into groups and sections and the people had the freedom to live, love and move about. They also urged the Government to find an immediate solution to the Kashmir issue.

Mirpur, Kashmir: Like rest of the world, International Day of Peace was also observed in Azad Jammu Kashmir with a call for the establishment of peace across the globe especially in the conflict zones of South Asia including Jammu & Kashmir. A special ceremony was held here on Wednesday under the auspices of the local Chapter of Kashmir Watch International, the UK-based Kashmiri Human Rights outfit. The participants strongly condemned the increased human rights abuses by the Indian occupational forces in occupied Jammu & Kashmir. They also prayed for the establishment of permanent and durable peace in the conflict zones.

Teheran, Iran: The fourth term of “Art for Peace” Festival opened at Iranian Artist Forum on 15 September 2016. 140 artists are exhibiting their works in painting, photography, Sculpture, installation, video art, music and performance at various galleries of Iranian House of Artists. A ceremony was held for the commemoration of the International Day of Peace and the presentation of its medal on 20 September.

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