Category Archives: South Asia

Amnesty International: New generation of young activists lead fight against worsening repression in Asia

… . HUMAN RIGHTS … .

An article from Amnesty International

A wave of youth-led protests across Asia is defying escalating repression and a continent-wide crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said today as it published its annual report on human rights in the region.

‘Human Rights in Asia-Pacific: A review of 2019’, which includes a detailed analysis of human rights developments in 25 countries and territories, describes how a new generation of activists are fighting back against brutal crackdowns on dissent, poisonous social media operations and widespread political censorship.

“2019 was a year of repression in Asia, but also of resistance. As governments across the continent attempt to uproot fundamental freedoms, people are fighting back – and young people are at the forefront of the struggle,” said Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific.

“From students in Hong Kong leading a mass movement against growing Chinese encroachment, to students in India protesting against anti-Muslim policies; from Thailand’s young voters flocking to a new opposition party to Taiwan’s pro LGBTI-equality demonstrators. Online and offline, youth-led popular protests are challenging the established order.” 

Hong Kong’s defiance echoes across the world

China and India, Asia’s two largest powers, set the tone for repression across the region with their overt rejection of human rights. Beijing’s backing of an Extradition Bill for Hong Kong, giving the local government the power to extradite suspects to the mainland, ignited mass protests in the territory on an unprecedented scale.

Since June, Hong Kongers have regularly taken to the streets to demand accountability in the face of abusive policing tactics that have included the wanton use of tear gas, arbitrary arrests, physical assaults and abuses in detention. This struggle against the established order has been repeated all over the continent.

In India, millions decried a new law that discriminates against Muslims in a swell of peaceful demonstrations. In Indonesia, people rallied against parliament’s enactment of several laws that threatened public freedoms. In Afghanistan, marchers risked their safety to demand an end to the country’s long-running conflict. In Pakistan, the non-violent Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement defied state repression to mobilize against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.

Dissent met with crackdown

Peaceful protests and dissent were frequently met with retribution by the authorities.

Protesters faced arrest and jail in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand as repressive governments across South-East Asia took severe steps to silence their opponents and muzzle the media.

In Indonesia, several people were killed as police clamped down on protests with excessive force. Yet few steps were taken to hold anyone to account for the deaths; no police were arrested nor were any suspects identified. 

In Pakistan and Bangladesh, activists and journalists alike were targeted by draconian laws that restrict freedom of expression and punish dissent online.

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

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the state of human rights in the world today?

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And in Hong Kong, police deployed reckless and indiscriminate tactics to quell peaceful protests, including torture in detention. Demands for a proper investigation into the conduct of the security forces have yet to be met.

“The authorities’ attempts to crush any form of criticism and suppress freedom of expression were as ruthless as they were predictable, with those daring to speak out against repressive governments often paying a high price,” said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director.

“Asians are told their aspirations for fairer societies are fantasies; that economic disparities can’t be addressed; that global warming is inexorable and natural catastrophes unavoidable. Most emphatically of all, they are told that challenging this narrative will not be tolerated,” said Biraj Patnaik.

Minorities feel the weight of intolerant nationalism

In India and China, the mere risk of insubordination in nominally autonomous areas has been enough to trigger the full force of the state, with minorities conveniently deemed a threat to “national security.”

In the Chinese province of Xinjiang, up to a million Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities have been forcibly detained in “de-radicalization” camps. 
 
Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state, saw its special autonomous status revoked as authorities imposed a curfew, cut access to all communications and detained political leaders.

In Sri Lanka, where anti-Muslim violence erupted in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings, the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dimmed hopes of human rights progress. Another self-styled strongman, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, continued his murderous “war on drugs.”

Governments have tried to justify repression by demonizing their critics as pawns of “foreign forces” and to bolster that repression through sophisticated social media operations. Neither ASEAN nor SAARC, the two main regional bodies, tried to hold their members to account, even in the case of gross human rights violations.

It has been left to the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State against the Rohingya in 2017. The court is also looking into the thousands of killings carried out by police in the Philippines, and hearing an appeal on its decision not to authorize an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Australia’s egregious offshore detention policies left refugees and asylum-seekers languishing in deteriorating physical and mental condition on the Pacific islands of Nauru and Manus, Papua New Guinea.

Progress against the odds

People speaking out against these atrocities were routinely punished, but their standing up made a difference. There were many examples where efforts to achieve human rights progress in Asia paid off.

In Taiwan, same-sex marriage became legal following tireless campaigning by activists. In Sri Lanka, lawyers and activists successfully campaigned against the resumption of executions.

Brunei was forced to backtrack on enforcing laws to make adultery and sex between men punishable by stoning, while former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak took the stand on corruption charges for the first time.  

The Pakistani government pledged to tackle climate change and air pollution, and two women were appointed as judges on the Maldivian Supreme Court for the first time.

And in Hong Kong, the power of protest forced the government to withdraw the Extradition Bill. Yet, with no accountability for months of abuses against demonstrators, the fight goes on.

“Protesters across Asia in 2019 were bloodied, but not broken. They were stifled, but not silenced. And together, they sent a message of defiance to the governments who continue to violate human rights in pursuit of tightening their grip on power,” said Nicholas Bequelin.

East Asia, HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia,

Iran: Children from 41 countries participated in the Global Campaign for the Prevention of Child Marriage

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

Sent to CPNN by Mr. Daniel Petrosiyan

Child Marriage is fundamental violation of human rights, which depriving children from their right to education, health and safety. The U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, estimates more than 650 million women alive today had been married off when they were before the age of 18. The statistical analysis show that If child marriage had continued, more than 150 million girls will marry by 2030. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have set a target To eliminate child, early or forced marriage by 2030.

According to SDG 5.3 which has targeted the end child of marriage by 2030, Shahin Gavanji and Jahangir Gavanji launched a new international program in 2019 which is called “Painting your dreams for your future”, and invite all children in world to stand against child marriage. In this program they asked all children in the world to paint their dreams for their future.

In the campaign all children in the world were invited to Join the program in taking action to advance gender equality and end child marriage, and children announced that they are artists of their life, and let them to paint their dreams for their future.

Question related to this article:

How can this program help societies to end child marriage?

The campaign received 1869 painting from 41 countries in the world (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Mauritius, Azerbaijan, Portugal, Turkey, Thailand, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Egypt, Lebanon, Canada, Romania, Sri Lanka, Somalia, The United States, Iraq, Philippines, The United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Malaysia, Italy, Zimbabwe, Croatia, Finland, India, Indonesia, Bahrain, Uganda, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kenya), and children send a united message that Child marriages should be banned and together we can make world free of child marriage.

The goals of this campaign:

Raising awareness on child marriage and declares the negative impacts on overall development, prosperity, and stability.

Send a message that education is a powerful strategy in keeping girls from child marriage, since educated youth paves the way for a better future for the country and every child has the right to dream for his or hers future and it’s a duty of parents to help and encourage them.

Calling the attention of governments to reinforce their commitment to end child marriage by 2030.

(Editor’s note: the World Academy of Medical Sciences informs us that “In this program, more than 31000 brochure were delivered to people in 31 cities in Iran and helped Iranian people getting them informed in full knowledge of the harmful effects of child marriage on physical and mental health. The campaign encourages people to read the brochure thoroughly and share it with families and friends.”)

HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia

Iran: Educational program for parents was held by the First National Campaign to Prevent Child Abuse in IRAN

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

Sent to CPNN by Mr. Daniel Petrosiyan

Child abuse is one of the most ignored issues in IRAN. The First National Campaign to Prevent Child Abuse in IRAN (FNCPCA) has held street classes by Shahin Gavanji and Jahangir Gavanji for more than 15000 parents in 31 cities of Iran. In this plan they made small changes in teaching and the parents got familiar with many forms of child abuse and important points to prevent abuse and ways to help their child.

Some parents don’t have free time to attend in classes or conference about this delicate issues so,the purpose of this campaign was to use the time of parents in street and educate them between 5 to 10 minutes with the important ways to protect children and ask them to get involved with other parents in their communities.

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Question related to this article:

Rights of the child, How can they be promoted and protected?

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In these classes the important points to prevent child abuse were put in an A4 brochure and presented to parents in the main parks and square of each province. The content of brochures include the:

* Different types of child abuse

* Identifying signs of child abuse

* How to support children including psychological and emotional support

* What we should do when we are the witness of child abuse

We tried to explain all information in the short time and asked them to read the brochure,

The goals of this campaign:

* Face to face meetings with parents and creating supportive environments to empower parents and help them to access with the necessary information to raise and protect their children in a safe place.

* Calling attention to child abuse

* Helping communities to reduce child abuse

* Using the times of parents availability for them to learn important points about prevention of child abuse

HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia

Bangladesh: Rohingya children get access to education

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article from Amnesty International

The Bangladesh government has announced it will offer schooling and skills training opportunities to Rohingya refugee children, two and a half years after they were forced to flee crimes against humanity in Myanmar.


Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have been campaigning for the nearly half a million Rohingya children in Bangladesh’s refugee camps to be allowed to enjoy their right to quality education, warning of the costs of a ‘lost generation’.

“This is an important and very positive commitment by the Bangladeshi government, allowing children to access schooling and chase their dreams for the future. They have lost two academic years already and cannot afford to lose any more time outside a classroom,” said Saad Hammadi, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International.

“It is important that access to appropriate, accredited and quality education be extended to all children in the Cox’s Bazar area, including Rohingya refugees and the host community. The international community has a key role to play here in ensuring the Bangladesh government has the resources it needs to realize this goal.”

Up to now, the Bangladesh government had resisted calls to grant Rohingya refugee children access to education, limiting learning opportunities to a few provisional learning centres that offer playtime and early primary school lessons scattered across the refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazar district. A few children who managed to gain access to local secondary schools were expelled on the government’s instructions.

Amid fears of either being forcibly returned to Myanmar or relocated offshore to the uninhabited silt isle of Bashan Char, these children have faced an uncertain future. Many were on the verge of completing their schooling when the Myanmar military attacked their villages, forcing them to flee to Bangladesh and throwing their lives into limbo.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Masud bin Momen, told journalists today: “The government has felt the need to keep Rohingya childrens’ hope for the future alive with extending education and skills training to them.”

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Question related to this article:

Rights of the child, How can they be promoted and protected?

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Under the government’s plans, Rohingya refugee children will get school education up to the age of 14, through the provision of the Myanmar curriculum, and children older than 14 will get skills training. The schools will need adequately trained teachers who can use the Myanmar curriculum and teach in Burmese.

A pilot project led by UNICEF and the Bangladesh government will start off with the involvement of 10,000 children. The scheme will then be extended to other children, including those from the host community, who will be taught separately according to Bangladesh’s national curriculum.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, a binding treaty which Bangladesh has ratified, makes clear that education can and should ensure the development of the child’s personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential while enhancing respect for human rights and preparing them for a responsible life in a free society.

“The benefits of educating children cannot be underestimated, with the positive effects rippling through their communities and broader society. They can speak up for themselves, claim their rights, and lift themselves and others out of a difficult situation. But the costs of denying children education can be severe, including leaving them vulnerable to poverty and exploitation. We welcome this significant breakthrough and look forward to the government delivering on its commitments,” said Saad Hammadi.

Amnesty International’s campaign for the right to education

On World Refugee Day last year, Amnesty International held an ‘art camp’ for children in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar. Working with a group of Bangladeshi artists, they spent two days drawing sketches depicting their aspirations for the future – some of whom wanted to become teachers, doctors, pilots and nurses. In collaboration with UNICEF, the works of art were exhibited in Dhaka and later made their way to Washington DC, London and other major world cities.

In August 2019, Amnesty International published a briefing, “I don’t know what my future will be”: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, detailing conditions in the camps, particularly for children who had not seen the inside of a class room since arriving in the camps in 2017.

Amnesty International also launched a global petition, calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure children in the refugee camps and the host community are provided quality education. 

Two of Bangladesh’s best-known YouTube stars developed a hip-hop music video in collaboration with Amnesty International, echoing the petition’s call.

HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia, Uncategorized

Tens of thousands march in southern India to protest citizenship law

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article by Vinod Babu and Manoj Kumar from Reuters (reprinted by permission)

Over one hundred thousand protesters, many carrying the Indian tricolour flag, took part in a peaceful march in the southern city of Hyderabad on Saturday [January 4], chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new citizenship law.


Demonstrators hold placards and flags as they attend a protest rally against a new citizenship law, in Hyderabad, India, January 4, 2020. REUTERS/Vinod Babu

The protest, dubbed the ‘Million March’, was organized by an umbrella group of Muslim and civil society organizations. More than 40 percent of Hyderabad’s estimated population of nearly 7 million are Muslims.

Demonstrators were still pouring into the protest site late on Saturday afternoon, according to a Reuters witness, despite police saying no march would be allowed and that permission had only been granted for a 1,000-person gathering.

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Questions related to this article:

How effective are mass protest marches?

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The Indian government has faced weeks of acrimonious and, at times, violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was passed by Modi’s government in December.

The Hyderabad protesters held placards with slogans including “Withdraw CAA immediately,” and “India’s only religion in Secularism.”

The Reuters witness said the protest remained peaceful, and estimated that more than one hundred thousand people were in attendance.

The new law eases the path for non-Muslim minorities from the neighboring Muslim-majority nations of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to gain Indian citizenship. But, if combined with a proposed national register of citizens, critics of the CAA fear it will discriminate against minority Muslims in India and chip away at India’s secular constitution.

Modi’s government maintains the new law is necessary to help minorities facing persecution in Muslim-majority nations, and it has called the pan-India protests politically motivated.

At least 25 people have been killed in protest-related clashes with police since early December.

Elsewhere, protests against the CAA also went ahead in several other Indian cities on Saturday with hundreds turning out for protests in cities in the southern state of Karnataka.

Hundreds of men and women gathered at a rally in the tech hub of Bengaluru, with some accusing Modi’s government of trying to divide India along communal lines, to distract from a sharp domestic economic slowdown and job losses.

HUMAN RIGHTS, South Asia

Nagaland, India: Festival on ‘cultures of peace’ underway in Kohima

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from the Nagaland Post

Peace activist, Niketu Iralu suggested that Northeast India must come together to create a wider common stability through a platform or meetings to achieve development in the region. 


Photo from culture of peace seminar

To this, he said change was needed to achieve for development and added that without stability, peace, mutual trust and cooperation, the neighbouring community cannot grow together. 

He was speaking at the two-day festival on “Cultures of peace” which began at Kohima on Monday organised by Zubaan, the Heinrich Boell Foundation in collaboration with Morung Express.

Iralu viewed that if one dealt with these issues, one could build mutual trust, while also apologising in times of need was important for the region. 

Iralu believes that Northeast region will be able to see wider common stability and to do that, the people needed to go to one another and express their concern to neighbouring states to build up the relationship.

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Questions for this article:

Can festivals help create peace at the community level?

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Stating that the region is a fragile community, he said if NE stays united, it can become very strong as the region was in sensitive, strategic meeting point. 

He opined that “if we cannot solve our common problem, we will be used by others or used other for immediate instant desire for vengeance for ourselves, such community will not survive.”

He was also of the view that northeast has to do away with the culture of bandh and that calling a bandh will not solve problems. 

Towards this end, Iralu maintained that the bandh is not at all sustainable, but that people have to think to serve for more sustainable doctrine revolution and society building.  

While mentioning that the aspirations of each state was sacred and varied according to the geography, Iralu said “we forget our responsibility to be worthy of our aspiration, we have to have our aspiration declared and have the world respect, we must live life in such a way, we will began to solve our problems, the problems that the quality of our  life’s will be solved.”

He said “our aspiration, our slogans are very young compared to the other around us, recently declared and defended, they have been ignored or treated with, sense of superiority by other people of India.”

Earlier, short introductions were given by publisher of Morung Express, Akum Longchari. Chock Tsering of Heinrich Boell Foundation India, said the culture of peace aimed to bridge the gap between Northeast and mainland India to bring them closer through such events. 

Highlight of day included panel discussion among chairman of Kohima Educational Society, P. Ngully, dean, School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Guwahati, Xonzoi Barbora, senior journalist and writer,  Pradip Phanjoubam, moderated by advisor, Naga Mothers Association (NMA), prof. Dr. Rosemary Dzuvichu.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, South Asia

Nepal urges concrete plans to tackle climate emergency

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Lok Raj Joshi based on articles in The Himayan Times, The Kathmandu Post , the UN climate Summit and the United Nations Climate Change website.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Conference of Parties, COP-25) is in progress in Madrid, Spain. The event started on December 2 and will conclude on December 13. Heads of state/governments and environment ministers from 197 countries as well as representatives of various organizations working in the climate change sector are participating. The conference aims to negotiate plans to limit global warming in line with the Paris Agreement. Under the Paris Agreement, governments had agreed to update their climate plans by 2020.


(Click on image to enlarge.)
”

However, it has been reported that a little (not much) progress has been made till now in COP-25 on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement that calls for minimizing unfair carbon markets. It needs to be noted that carbon emission is the prime cause of global warming. It has also been reported that responsible parties are far from finding compromise positions on mobilizing finance and support for loss and damage. This has drawn huge attention from the victims of global warming, climate scientists, social justice protesters and people around the globe. An estimated 500,000 people, led by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg marched through Madrid on Friday night. One million people marched in Santiago, Chile.

A government team from Nepal led by the Minister for Forests and Environment, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, is taking part in COP-25. He is scheduled to address the special session of COP-25 on Wednesday. Nepal is going to propose formulating a plan for coping with the adverse conditions resulting from global warming. Nepal is also lobbying for the Green Climate Fund. Highly affected countries like Nepal are entitled to receive it as compensation from the responsible countries that are releasing large quantity of carbon into the atmosphere.

Although Nepal has not been able to raise the issue of global warming strongly in the international forums, Nepal is serious about the disasters caused by it. Scientific evidence clearly shows that Nepal is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the planet and it is already facing the disasters of the man-made global warming. The latest landmark study in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which covers 3,500 kilometres across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan, has projected an alarming future for economically and geographically challenged developing countries like Nepal. The study by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has concluded that the region would lose one-third of the region’s glaciers by the end of the century.

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Question for this article:

Despite the vested interests of companies and governments, Can we make progress toward sustainable development?

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Considering the geographical and economic characteristics of Nepal, climate change is an urgent matter for Nepalese people. First, its northern region is comprised of the snow-covered Himalaya mountains including the top of the earth Sagarmatha (internationally famous as The Mount Everest) and the south is the Terai (plain area). The middle hilly region is mostly dependent on water flowing from the Himalayas and the crops from the Terai. The Terai itself depends on water from the north and supplies food to the rest of the nation. This relationship makes the adverse effects of global warming even more complex, more intense and more widespread creating a vicious cycle of disasters in Nepal. Second, agriculture and tourism based on natural beauties including the Himalayas, rivers, glaciers, lakes, jungles and wild animals are the major sources of income for Nepal. Hydroelectricity is the most potential area that is expected to contribute to realization of the Nepalese dream of prosperity. Unfortunately, these all have been the first targets of global warming.

For us, the Nepalese people, it is unfortunate to see the reluctance of the responsible parties to accept the scientific conclusions regarding global warming and to internalize the gravity of the adversities caused by it. Its serious adverse effects which are unpredictable at the same time, have threatened the livelihood of the Nepalese people. In the most recent instance of extreme weather events in the country, incessant heavy rainfalls, floods and landslides claimed more than five dozen lives in various parts of the country. 


The Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Oli has said, “The country is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change although our contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is negligible. Rising temperature, retreating glaciers, erratic rainfall and extreme weather events are causing damages to our people and economy. The climate is becoming more vulnerable and unpredictable. We received a delayed monsoon. We also had first tornado in our recorded history. As a result of rapid industrialization, the adverse impact of climate change is also increasing. Some countries are well prepared to deal with them, but countries like Nepal are most vulnerable. I urge scientists to consider small mountainous and small-island nations while preparing the report.” This is what Prime Minister Oli said addressing the Second Lead Authors Meeting of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC Working Group (II) held in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, in July this year.

More than 260 climate scientists from more than 60 countries and bureau members IPCC had gathered to discuss the pressing issue. As an intergovernmental body of the United Nations, the IPCC provides scientific evidence of climate change; its impact on various sectors. It also informs about the natural, political and economic impacts of global warming along with possible solutions. “Meeting here in Kathmandu reminds us in a very direct way of the strong interdependence of human and natural systems, and how both are threatened by climate change. Key aspects of our report and reasons to act on climate change are very evident here,” said Working Group II Co-Chair Debra Roberts.

From the global viewpoint, no country in the world is going to benefit from global warming in the long run. Therefore, it is in the best interest of all people around the world to tackle this issue wisely and timely. No development can be called a real development when it does not care about the future of humanity and the home planet. Also, it is not only a pure environmental issue; it is a case of social injustice too. Innocent people are facing the dreadful consequences of irresponsible activities by others. It is high time that all environmental scientists, youths, civil societies, political leaders and all responsible citizens around the world raise their voice to make all the concerned parties realize the gravity of the issue and take appropriate actions without any delay.

South Asia, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Nepal: A senior supports grand seniors with walking sticks

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article by Lok Raj Joshi based on a news article in Kantipur

Mr. Chandra Prasad Acharya has started a unique campaign to support the senior citizens. He himself is now 63 years old, retired from a middle income government job. At his own expense, he buys the raw materials and prepares walking wooden sticks for senior citizens. He then draws beautiful images of birds, fishes or flowers on the sticks. To deliver these gifts, he visits the elders on his own and for those who live far away, he posts them through their relatives.

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“For elders, stick is like a family member and a close friend as it is not possible for their sons and daughters to be with them 24 hours. That’s why I have started this campaign.”- Mr. Acharya explained.

Mr. Acharya initially planned to distribute the supports to 108 seniors above 80 years but later he came to realize that many of them will be left aside. Then he decided to make it 1008. These figures, 108 and 1008, carry special meaning in religious practice, he believes. In the last 8 months, his gifts have reached 550 senior citizens. He shared his joyful experience of delivering his gift to Mr. Nandalal Phunyal, 108 years old.

Mr. Acharya is currently targeting the seniors in his neighborhood in Khotang district in the eastern Nepal and thinking of reaching out to all above 100 years throughout the nation later. His friends are also happy to see his enthusiasm.

His campaign is a good example of culture of peace that expresses love and respect for senior citizens and supports them through efforts at an individual level. It shows that generosity is about great hearts rather than thick purses. His energy also indicates that being retired does not mean being tired.

South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Kashmiri students run out of essentials, money; Khalsa Aid, J&K Students Assn extend help

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from Indian Express

As Kashmiri students are running out of essential items and money, in the consequence of two months of lockdown in Kashmir, the Khalsa Aid and J&K Students Association provided 150 Kashmiri students with groceries, money and other necessary items on Tuesday.

The organisations provided a 25-kg kit of essential items including rice, flour, cooking oil and soaps, among other items to Kashmiri students in Banur.

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Question for this article

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

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Spokesperson of the association, Nasir Khuehami said, “We are in touch with Kashmiri students and in collaboration with Khalsa Aid, we are providing them with every necessary assistance. Since students have run out of money and are not getting any help from their parents and families in the Valley, they are barely able to pay their college and university fees, and are struggling to meet the expenses of other basic needs. Today, we distributed packets containing around five kgs of rice and 10 kgs of flour, along with sugar, cooking oil, salt and some other basic spices to the students, besides some other essential commodities.’’

Khuehami said, while Khalsa Aid was providing groceries and essential commodities to the students, the association was giving them monetary help. ‘’In most cases, it is only around Rs 1,000 a student, but in cases where the student is ill, we give more. Everyone here is facing financial issues following the restrictions imposed in the Valley. Students are not able to pay their room rent and are running out of money for day-to-day commodities,” he said.

Expressing his gratitude to Khalsa Aid, for helping the Kashmiri students in distress, Khuehami said, “These bravehearts showed real humanity by providing groceries and other essentials to hundreds of students in Banur and other areas of Punjab. Humanity is beyond communal differences.’’

(Thank you to Shreya Jani who called this article to our attention.)

South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Ex-Soviet Countries: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following 61 actions in 6 countries formerly part of the Soviet Union were listed in Google during the week of September 21-28 under the key words “Международный день мира” and “Міжнародний день миру”as well as “International day of peace”.

In addition to these, 15 actions are listed on the maps of One Day One Choir and Montessori schools singing for peace, but there is no indication which took place this year and which took place only in previous years.


Many cities and towns on both sides of the war in Ukraine continue to demonstrate for peace, like in this photo from Zhytomyr. The letters spell out “We are for peace”

Here are excerpts from articles about the actions as translated by CPNN:

AZERBAIJAN : On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Azerbaijani musicians have given a concert titled “For Peace” in the Carriere-sous-Poissy commune in north-central France. Organized by the mayor’s office of the commune and Azerbaijani pianist Saida Zulfugarova, the concert featured works by famous classical composers of Azerbaijan as well as mughams.

BREST, BELARUS : This year, our most peace-loving traditional action in Brest in support of International Peace Day will be held again at the sports complex – the Brest Regional Center for Olympic rowing reserve. In addition to the traditional concert part with the participation of young performers of the ArtPipper creative center, Anna Musvydas Art Studios, MagaliFF vocal studios, the May Baby and BOOM educational centers, a dance marathon will be held as part of the most peaceful day in Brest, attention to the weighty list of participants, which by the time of the meeting will probably become even larger: . . . As before, the culmination of the event will be the lighting of lamps, brought by Brest residents to an impromptu “Alley of Peace”, accompanying this ritual in memory of all those who died in various modern military conflicts on the planet that arose in the past year as a “round dance of the world”. . . .

MINSK, BELARUS : A festive action took place on the eve of International Peace Day at the regional Palace of Children and Youth Creativity . . .By tradition, the organizers and guests of the festival performed a large peacekeeping concert and the laying of wreaths at the Eternal Flame took place. The most important words that sounded on this day were “peace”, “accord”, “friendship between nations”.  This year alone, the activists of the fund held about 70 marches, festivals, festivities, celebrations and other significant events that received a wide public outcry. It is significant that 60 – 70% of their participants are young people: schoolchildren and students, representatives of production teams. . . .Today in Minsk, in the White Hall of the All Saints Memorial Church, where the Belarusian Peace Fund celebrates, representatives of the UN and UNICEF will gather in Belarus, heads of many ministries and departments, heads of religious denominations and the public. Among them are young peacekeepers of the Gomel region – winners and prize-winners of the republican drawing contest among students “Happiness live in a peaceful country!”. These are Diana Moroz from the Mozyr Center for the Creation of Children and Youth, Yevgeny Bozhenkov from the Tikhinichi Children’s Art School of the Rogachev District and Stanislav Strelchenya from secondary school No. 9 in Mozyr. 

MOGLIEV, BELARUS : On September 17, 2019. a festive event dedicated to the International Day of Peace was held on 30th Victory Street, 34 in the Leninsky district of Mogilev. . . .Volunteers of the Lenin ROO “Belarusian Republican Youth Union” removed and decorated the yard and carried out the action “Day of Peace and Goodness”. . . The program “Peace Weeks” includes exhibitions of children’s art and contests of children’s drawings “Peace through the Eyes of Children”, thematic excursions, sports relay races, and conversations on the topic: “Peace is happiness for people!”

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN : The School of “Society, Technologies and Ecology” in joint efforts with UN Information Office hosted a panel discussion devoted to the celebration of the International Peace Day. The event started with a minute for the memory of victims of all wars and conflicts. Right after the opening remarks by Dean Ewan Simpson, an adviser to Sustainable Kazakhstan Research Institute, Mr. Brendan Duprey opened the flow of discussions with comprehensive presentation about the SDGs, elaborated with data about climate change and its impact on world security. . . . It worth mentioning that earlier Narxoz students were invited to participate in the “Climate Action 4 Peace” essay contest to celebrate the Peace Day. In their essays they vocalized their take on all above matters. More than 20 applicants who tried their luck in the contest received valuable prizes today. Let us congratulate following students who did an outstanding job in this contest:
1st place – Vadim Melyakov
2nd place – Kyamran Mirzoyev, Katrin Wrulich
3d place – Arailym Zhetkerbayeva, Yerkebulan Turganbay and Zarina Laiykova

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN : This year, International Peace Day is dedicated to combating climate change for peace.. In honor of this significant date, the action #GlobalClimateAction took place in the capital. The protesters took to the streets of the capital to remind everyone to stop climate change through the efforts of each of us, through conscious consumption, saving resources and eco-habits.

GYMNASIUM OF ARZAMAS, RUSSIA : Role-playing game “UNEP Model” on the theme “Climate Change. What to do?” is devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Declaration and Program of Action for a Culture of Peace.
Founder: International Movement of Young Peacemakers and Schools of Peace.
The presentation of the game is held in the format of a Skype conference on September 23, 2019 by the Gymnasium of Arzamas with the support and assistance of the Museum of Peacekeeping Operations (Solnechnogorsk), SPC “Mirotvorets” (Moscow), the Hamburg Club and other organizations.
Participants in the Skype conference: young peacemakers, schoolchildren and personalities of Russia, Belarus, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Norway, France, Sweden.

CHELYABINSK, RUSSIA : September 21 we will celebrate International Peace Day. An important holiday will be held this year under the slogan “Fighting climate change for peace”. On the eve of International Peace Day, September 19, in the capital of the South Urals, a special “peaceful” master class will be held. “Pupils of the social and rehabilitation center of the Kurchatov and Leninsky districts, under the guidance of specialists, will paint eco-bags with patterns. The theme of the drawing will be dedicated to Peace Day , ”said Elena Morozova, coordinator of the Blago74 information center.

KAPOTNYA: RUSSIA : Kapotnya celebrates International Peace Day with a concert. The event will be held in the premises of the Central Commercial Center “Maryino”.

KOROLYOV, RUSSIA : Tomorrow, September 21, will mark the International Day of Peace. And today, students of the Korolev Children’s Art School dedicated a concert to this topic.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA : White cranes and meetings with heroes: this is how schoolchildren celebrated International Peace Day in different parts of the capital. At a school in 1532 in the district of Teply Stan, the children staged a flash mob called World Peace. All students joined hands together. In a school in 2025 in the Ochakovo-Matveevskoye district, high school students by means of an open-mic discussed terrorism and security issues and collected signatures for the symbolic petition “I AM FOR PEACE.” And in the elementary grades, “Good Lessons” were held, where the children enjoyed making peace symbols – white doves of paper. In addition, a competition of drawings on the sidewalk: “Peace to the children of the world” was held. And at school 1280 in the Academic district, second-graders also made symbols of peace – white cranes. Pupils of school 41 in the Vnukovo region met with the honored pilot of the USSR Alexei Timofeev and opened an exhibition of thematic drawings. The School named after F.M. Dostoevsky in Lublin hosted an interactive holiday “Games of countries and peoples.”

NEKRASOVKA, RUSSIA : Nekrasovka will celebrate International Peace Day. The festive concert will take place in the Zarechye culture house, located on 1st Volskaya Street. Everyone is welcome on Friday, September 20. Beginning at 18.00. Free admission.

SARATOV : Schoolchildren of Zavodskoy district will celebrate International Peace Day on the stage of the City House of Culture of National Creativity at 13:00. Children and guests of the event will be told about the history of the holiday and its attributes. Footage on the scenes of war and peace will be shown on a large screen, as well as poetry and songs. At the end of the day, students will be invited to join hands with all the people of the planet at the ringing of a bell and make a wish for world peace.

SEVASTOPOL, RUSSIA : Thematic program dedicated to the International Day of Peace “We are for peace on earth!” 10:00, at the area of ​​the DKR,st. Korchagina, 1.

SHADRINSK, RUSSIA : Today, September 20, in the Shadrinsky city garden, a large-scale action “We are for world peace” took place. It was initiated by activists of educational and cultural institutions, volunteers and students with the support of the Youth Policy Committee of the City Administration. Everyone could become direct participants in the mass flash mob, lining up in the shape of a dove – a symbol of peace.

SOKOL, RUSSIA : International Peace Day will be celebrated in Sokol. A festive flash mob will take place at the Sokol Family Center. This was told by employees of the institution. “First, the children will play a little to warm up, and then they will learn movements and dance together with fun music,” said one of the organizers of the holiday. The event is scheduled for September 24, 14.00. A flash mob is scheduled for students in grades 5-7.

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: September 21 at 12.00 in the exhibition hall of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg (Bolshaya Morskaya St., 38) will be a holiday “St. Petersburg – our peaceful home”, dedicated to the International Day of Peace. The program of the event is scheduled to show video materials on the International Day of Peace, a multimedia exhibition of educational projects on the interethnic and intercultural dialogue of St. Petersburg and the art exhibition “Dialogue of Cultures”. The event is organized by the Association for the Development of Science, Education and Culture “Continuing Education” with the support of the Committee on Interethnic Relations and the Implementation of Migration Policy in St. Petersburg.
Admission to the holiday is free.

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: In St. Petersburg on Saturday, September 21, an uncoordinated “Peace March” took place. Several dozens of participants went through the central quarters of the city – from Nevsky Prospect along the Griboedov Canal, and then through St. Isaac’s Square to the Admiralty The action in St. Petersburg is timed to coincide with International Peace Day. Its participants demand to stop the war in Ukraine, Syria, as well as limit the militarization of Russia. At the Admiralty building, where some protesters stopped with posters, police detained three people. According to the Mndiazona correspondent, a man and woman from the Democratic Petersburg movement were detained, as well as another activist who stood with a solitary picket in the garden.

TSKHINVAL, OSSETIA, RUSSIA : “War is not an option, any situations can and should be resolved peacefully,” said Sergey Skvortsov, head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in South Ossetia during a festive rally dedicated to Peace Day. The event was organized on the Cathedral Square in front of the Church of the Holy Virgin in Tskhinval. A festive banner and an audio system were installed near the square. At the beginning of the action, after a welcoming speech by the hosts, boys and girls went out to the microphone to read poetry. Elina Gakoeva, a participant in the Livadia Forum, read out an appeal in which there were calls for peace to abandon the war and seek friendship. According to one of the traditions of the international holiday, at the end of the rally the bell in the church of the Holy Mother of God struck 11 times to commemorate 11 years of peace in South Ossetia. At the end of the event, white balloons and pigeons were released into the sky.

VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA : Bells will sound in Volgograd on Peace Day The annual international bell of peace will be held in Volgograd for the sixth time, organizers told the City of Heroes news agency. On September 21 at 12 o’clock the Komsomol Garden of the Central District will be filled with jingle bells. This tradition – to celebrate Peace Day – was invented at the Lyceum No. 5 named after Yuri Gagarin. The world’s first bells were sounded in Volgograd in 2013, and the next year the action became international. “If you ring the bell at one time in all corners of our planet, then this chime can become the voice of peace, memory and joy,” says Larisa Tropkina, director of Lyceum No. 5 . – We invite all inhabitants of the planet on September 21 at noon on International Peace Day in all schools to ring the bells. This will prove that we do not want war and we wish the whole world happiness.

YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA: In Yekaterinburg, Ural Federal University students celebrated World Peace Day with an flash mob – they made up words in the form of a heart in the hostel No. 8 from lit windows at night

ZYRYANSK, RUSSIA : On Sept 20 the action will take place in two venues 1. A survey of the population of the village of Zyryansky, creating a poster “What is peace for you?” based on the responses of the survey participants. 2. Drawings on the pavement “My Peace” near the central playground with the involvement of children and their parents.

BEREGOVO, UKRAINE: The International Peace Day was dedicated this year to the All-Ukrainian action “Dove of Peace”, which was joined by students of the Berehove Professional Lyceum of Services. Within the framework of the action, the students produced paper doves as a symbol of peace. The doves were made of different colors, but most were white and the colors of our flag, which symbolize harmony, understanding and unity.

BEREZAN, UKRAINE : Every year on September 21, people in different corners of the globe celebrate the International Day of Peace, a holiday designed to make everyone think and do something for the sake of peace on Earth. Peace in native Ukraine is the most cherished desire of all Ukrainians, who express their voice as cohesively as never before. Every year our school joins the celebration. The elementary school students held an action and created the project “Children of Peace – for Peace!”, Each of which stated that life on Earth was the most important price. Conversations and hours of communication on the topics were conducted in the classes: “Peace begins with me”, “Peace on the planet – happiness to all children”. During the breaks, the students’ self-government leaders organized and held a “dance flash mob“ Children of Peace for Peace! ”For the students of the school.

BEREZAN, UKRAINE : Svetlana Kolga, Social Work Specialist of the Social Support Sector for Children and Family Services of the Berezan City Counci,l held an educational event at the Sadovska School of Law l – lll Art. for students in grades 3 and 4 on International Peace Day, which has been celebrated around the world at the initiative of the UN General Assembly since 1981 on 21 September. This day prompts reflection on the problems of peace, calls for a halt to hostilities and a renunciation of violence and fire . The educational event was attended by 38 children, who also drew drawings for the International Day of Peace.

BILA TSERKVA, UKRAINE : For the International Day of Peace, lyceum students of group 11 prepared a video “We vote for peace!”. Pupils of the 5th grades organized flash mob “Bell of Peace”. Traditional for our students was the action “Dove of Peace”, during which the students made doves by different techniques and write on them the wishes of peace, kindness, happiness for each other and all Ukraine. We sincerely wish every Ukrainian to truly feel that such a peaceful sky is over their heads!

BOROTINSK, UKRAINE: The Rovantsev School has joined the celebration of International Peace Day, which is traditionally celebrated in September. On the occasion of the holiday, the students, together with the teachers, organized a flash mob and organized a patriotic action “Dove of Peace” to once again express their desire to live in peace: “We want every Ukrainian family to feel the highest value of peace today, which is the key to a happy life” .

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What has happened this year (2019) for the International Day of Peace?

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CHERKASY, UKRAINE : On September 21, International Peace Day is traditionally celebrated around the world. Every year, high school families come together for various activities to achieve a common goal – to demonstrate their unity and a strong position on world peace. On the morning of September 20, all students and high school students had the opportunity to listen to radio announcements about traditions and the purpose of the holiday.  Classes 4-5 during the day participated in the chalk competition on the board “We wish Ukraine peace”, the winners were students of class 5A (class leader Omelyanenko OM) and honorary II place, with a difference of several points, took students class 4A (class leader Sitnik TV). High school students in grades 6-9 took an active part in the Peace Festival. The combined teams played a QR-quest, prepared by teacher-organizer Suhenko KO. and the gymnasium parliament, the winners were the class 7A high school students.

DNEPR, UKRAINE : On September 21, Dnepr schoolchildren celebrated World Peace Day with a flash mob. Pupils of school number 133 made a formation in the schoolyard in the shape of a dove of peace, holding a yellow-blue ribbon in its beak. In addition, a peace lesson was held in each class, where the students cut out doves from white paper and also made posters for peace.

GORODOK, UKRAINE : On September 21, International Peace Day is celebrated around the world  . On this occasion a march for peace was held by children, teachers, parents of Gorodotsky Lyceum # 1 and employees of the department of education of Gorodok city council. Marchers passed the column on Grushevsky Street to the central square of the city, walking to the building # 2 of the Lyceum and then to the building # 1 with the aim of demonstrating their involvement in peace-seeking for everyone family, every family, peace in the country and peace in the world.

IVANICHI VILLAGE, UKRAINE : On the occasion of the International Day of Peace and in order to form national-patriotic feelings among schoolchildren, a number of activities were carried out with the students of the school-gymnasium aimed at focusing on the problem of peace in the world and effective means of achieving it.
Peace on earth is peace and quiet
It’s childish laughter and soul flying!
When the poet writes magic poems
About an unusual, wonderful world.

KHARKOV, UKRAINE : As in previous years the students and teachers of our school are involved in events on International Peace Day! For the fourth year in a row, our school has been awarded the Peace School Certificate and is actively involved in peacekeeping actions. This year the classroom leaders held thematic lessons and activities and pupils from the 4-11 classes together created a bright thematic poster, where they expressed their desire for peace in the Ukraine!

KHARKOV, UKRAINE : Every year, September 21, the International Peace Day is proclaimed worldwide, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. The most important for Ukrainian society today is the topic of war and peace in connection with the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The thematic exhibition “May peace be on earth” at the socio-cultural center presents literature on the military conflict in the Donbass. Visitors may be interested in the following editions: OO Kalinovskaya «The Unannounced War. Unknown facts and chronicles of the anti-terrorist operation “, Yu. B. Skobalo” The war did not put us on our knees “, V.Yu.Markitantov” Russian hybrid war: from doctrine to tactics “, VI Golovchenko” Hybrid war of Russia against Ukraine: historically – political research “, VP Gorbulin” World Hybrid War: Ukrainian Front “, etc. Exposure period: from September 17 to October 26.

KIEV, UKRAINE : Starting from 2002, every September 21st is the International Peace Day. Its program on this important holiday for Ukraine will be in Kiev, and the events will begin in the early morning.
Representatives of the UN will also take part in the celebrations. This was reported by the Informant with reference to the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration.
Participation in the action, which this year will be called “Peace and Unity for Ukraine,” in addition to a variety of officials, will also be attended by public organizations, veterans, people with disabilities, women, soldiers in the ATO (anti-terrorist operation), as well as youth. The full program of events for this day is as follows:
09:00 (Lavrskaya street, 27) – gathering participants, laying flowers at the Memorial (monument) to Ukrainian soldiers who died in Afghanistan;
09:30 – the solemn procession of the participants of the action from the Memorial to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II;
10:00 – an action of peace in the square near the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II.

KIEV, UKRAINE : An event to celebrate International Peace Day will be held in the Art Hall (Room 63) of the Institute of Philology on September 23, 2019 from 12:50 to 14:30. Participants and guests: representatives of the Kyiv City Center of the Kyiv City Center for Assistance to the Anti-Terrorist Operation Participants, NGO “Council of Veterans of ATO of the Dniprovsky District of Kyiv”.

KOVEL, UKRAINE : On September 21, International Peace Day is traditionally celebrated around the world. For some, the world is an everyday reality. The streets are quiet, the kids go to school, and the homes are not threatened by enemy shells. However, for many people in the modern world, peace is only a dream. These people are constantly living in fear and an atmosphere of instability, for them every day may be the last. It is for such people that this holiday exists. The lyceum students know and respect the important dates and in honor and memory joined a flashmob called “We for Peace”, thematically finishing the doors of their classrooms, thus showing respect for the people who struggle and work for peace in all over the world.

KREMENCHUK, UKRAINE : September 21 is International Peace Day. Representatives of city authorities and foreign delegations planted symbolic “trees of peace”

KUPYANSK, UKRAINE : On September 21, 2019, an information minute for students of grades 1-11 was held at Kupyansk NSC # 2, on the eve of International Peace Day. Throughout the day, students and teachers took part in the “Blue Dove” flashmob – each one, as a sign of commitment to the holiday, pinned on his breast a white dove made by himself. During the breaks, students and teachers joined in creating a collage “Peace is ..” where everyone was able to write what the word “peace” meant to him. Pupils of 1-4 classes took part in drawing on the sidewalk. They finished the day on the square in front of the institution, where they released doves into the sky as a symbol of peace and harmony in our beloved Ukraine.

KVASILOVSKY, UKRAINE : On the occasion of International Day of Peace (September 21), a festive physical and musical composition “I want peace!” was played as educators expressed their irreversible and fervent desire for peace in Ukraine (instructor in physical education Momotok TR , music directors : Denisyuk OM, Rever OE ) All those present had tears in their eyes as they watched the childrens’ movements and sincere intentions to reach out to us adults: “I want peace! I don’t want to hear the word “war”! “..

LIPCHA, UKRAINE : Grade 3 students held a Flashmob “We are for Peace.”

LISICHANSK, UKRAINE : International Peace Day is celebrated around the world on September 21st. Our school also hosted events dedicated to this holiday. Pupils and teachers gathered for a school-wide lesson “May peace be in our native Ukraine”, which has become traditional. In the lesson, all students read poems about peace and friendship, became acquainted with the history of the International Peace Day, with important world problems that need to be resolved to preserve peace on Earth. After the lesson, all the students took to the festive line “Peace to All”, for symbols of peace were specially prepared. Elementary school students walked the festive walk around the school, urging adults to a peaceful life. On the ground floor there was an exhibition of paper doves “Under the peaceful sky”.

LVOV REGION, UKRAINE : The students of our school joined the My Peace Ukraine campaign. They made and attached a dove as the symbol of peace. May the childrens’ sincere desires of peace come true !

LYUBESHIV REGION, UKRAINE : Lyubeshiv Technical College held an action dedicated to International Peace Day. Teachers, students and students of the college have woven a wreath of peace from the autumn flowers, to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers, fighters for peace and freedom.

NIZHYN, UKRAINE : Today, as part of International Peace Day, the college’s student team has joined the All-Ukrainian Dove of Peace Campaign.

ODESSA, UKRAINE : Today, on September 20, on the eve of International Peace Day, Sergei Grinevetsky, as an honorary member of the Presidium of the Odessa Regional Peace Council, participated in the opening ceremony of the Peace Square.

SHEPETIVKA, UKRAINE : In celebration of the International Day of Peace, September 20, 2019 in the Secondary School I-III. #3, a Global Climate Action was held, “Fighting Climate Change for Peace”. The children made the symbols of peace – paper doves, and put them on the walls. “Ukrainian children are for peace in the world !!!” and decorated their classrooms and school grounds, gave the doves to passers-by, with wishes of peace, kindness and understanding. Senior students honored the memory of the heroes by laying flowers near the memorial “Fighters for Freedom and Independence of Ukraine”.

SLAVYANSK, UKRAINE : International Day of Peace at School N23 for children with visual impairment in Slavyansk was marked with a flash mob.

SUMY, UKRAINE : Sumy Regional Center of Blood Service organizes the action “International Day of Peace”. In the holiday program: Free Hugs; Gifts; Holiday concert; Drawing contest; Plus, delicious candy and a great atmosphere! Come with your family and take your friends! Location: Shevchenko Square. Start: 11:30. For a video click here.

TERNOVSKY DISTRICT, UKRAINE : An information hour entitled Right to Peace was held today, the International Day of Peace, in the municipal institution “Territorial Center for Social Services (Provision of Social) in the Ternovsky District” of Kryvyi Rih City Council for day care units with the participation of specialists of the library-branch # 29.

VASYLKIV, UKRAINE : For the International Day of Peace, students of Vasylkiv NSC “Gymnasium of Secondary School I-III degrees №8”, who are running for the post of Chairman of the Student Council, presented their interesting and creative projects on the theme “My Peace Program”! During their election campaign, candidates from each class showed their enthusiasm, creativity, sociability and a desire to help others. It was on International Peace Day that their election campaign ended. Social videos were also made by the students in support of their candidate. Their active positions attracted not only the student and pedagogical team, but also the parents who support their kids and help with their exciting projects. “Only those with peace in themselves can make peace in the world!  So let us sow peace together good and eternal!”

VINNYTSA, UKRAINE : Social action for Peace Day was held on September 20 at the European Square in Vinnitsa. The event was organized by the NGO “Vinnytsia Regional Council of Women of Ukraine”. It was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Council Mykhailo Kremenyuk, volunteers, displaced persons, soldiers in the ATO / OOS (anti-terrorist operation), students and students.
– Unfortunately, it happened that without the shots, we would not have felt the real thirst for peace. We have a war, the best sons of Ukraine are killed every day, ”Mykhailo Volodymyrovych said in his speech. – But I am optimistic and confident that some time will pass and the long-awaited peace in Ukraine will come. Peace is through negotiation, not capitulation. Sincere words of gratitude to the people who are defending the border today – our servicemen, volunteers who selflessly give their time and health to helping our heroes. I wish our youth growth in a prosperous, peaceful and rich state. During the action, with a moment of silence, all present honored the memory of the fallen heroes. The active participants of the event were children who presented amateur performance numbers dedicated to patriotic topics. The symbol of peace was the hundreds of yellow and blue balloons they released into the sky. During the event flowers were laid on the memorial sign of Heavenly Hundred and the fallen heroes of the ATO / OOS.

ZHYTOMYR, UKRAINE : At the Zhytomyr College of Trade and Economics, today, September 20, on the eve of International Peace Day, a college action “WE ARE FOR PEACE” took place in the college, which was attended by students and teachers. The initiative to hold a challenge among students and the administration of the college belongs to student self-government. The beginning of the action was a photo of representatives of the Student Council, at which they called for peace. Subsequently, students from all college groups made their call to peace and passed the baton to the next group.

ZOLOCHIV, UKRAINE : In the Zolochev GZSO I-III classes. students together with teachers Ulyana Stadnik and Mariana Yasinovskaya held a flash mob on the occasion of Peace Day.  The director of the school Pylypchuk Oksana Nikolaevna congratulated everyone on the holiday. See the video for more details.

(Note: the following cities are claimed by the Ukraine, but have declared their independence as the Donetsk People’s Republic or the Lugansk People’s Republic.)

ANTHRACITE : On September 20, educational institutions of Anthracite and Anthracitovsky region joined the international campaign “United Hour of Spirituality“ The Dove of Peace ”, which is aimed at consolidating the efforts of all concerned people to strengthen friendship and cooperation between states, preserving the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for peace.

AVDEEVKA: In Avdeevka, which has repeatedly come under fire, where they still hear gunshots and heal wounds (there are still a lot of houses destroyed and damaged by shelling), there is a special relationship to World Peace Day. It was expressed yesterday by students of school No. 7. The students made paper doves (a symbol of peace), wrote on special sheets (along with parents and teachers) what they were ready to do for peace, and also arranged a dance flash mob on the street.

DONETSK : On the eve of the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated annually on September 21, in the Donetsk House of Culture. Kuybyshev hosted a special event for the cancellation of postal stamp No. 33, International Peace Day. According to the correspondent of the official website of the Donetsk People’s Republic . . . The postal stamp includes two art postage stamps No. 162, “Peace be at home!” And No. 163, “Donetsk is the city of roses, Donetsk is the city of dreams!” Both were created on the basis of children’s drawings. . .Thanks to the International project “Children paint peace”, thousands of people in different countries saw the drawings of Donetsk children.

GORLOVKA : On September 21, International Peace Day, the Gorlovka Park of Culture and Rest named after Gorky will host festive events beginning at 10:00.

KRASNODON : For the 17th year in a row, September 21 is the International Day of Peace. As part of its celebration today, September 20, the people of Krasnodon took part in the dove of peace republican action: events were held in the main squares of Krasnodon, Sukhodolsk and Molodogvardeisk, as well as in all educational institutions. About a thousand people took part.

KROPYVNYTSKYI : At the regional center, students of Donetsk National Medical University celebrated International Peace Day today, September 20. . . In particular, the event was joined by the Department of Linguistic and Humanities, students of the Faculty of Medicine # 2 and the International Faculty of Medicine. Anatoliy Sustretov, a history teacher of Ukraine, conducted a training game on this subject with students. Also, as part of the event, five IMF students from Nigeria, India, Côte d’Ivoire, Jamaica and Azerbaijan attended a Peace Day English lesson at School # 14. Classes were devoted to environmental topics. Students spoke about the specifics of environmental protection in their countries.

LUGANSK : Pupils of Lugansk in the framework of the rally dedicated to the International Day of Peace, released balloons into the sky with paper doves attached to them in memory of the fallen defenders of the Fatherland. This was reported by the correspondent of the Federal News Agency. The event, held in the center of Lugansk, was attended by schoolchildren and students of educational institutions, deputies of the People’s Council of the republic and representatives of the city administration The deputy chairman of the People’s Council of the LPR, Oleg Koval, said that “Lugansk has always been a land of good and peaceful people. We never oppressed anyone, didn’t capture and didn’t prove anything to anyone. We always respected a different point of view. We have always tried to understand the traditions, culture and customs of other nations. We never separated people on any grounds and understood that we should not be afraid of people with a different point of view. We always understood that other people are those who can enrich us, teach us something and with whom we can always find a common language.”

ROVENKA : In the Shevchenko Palace of Culture, Almazny hosted the event under the motto: “Children of Donbass for Peace!” The children learned about the history of the monument “Peace Bell”, about the Japanese girl Sadako Sasaki.  Poems and songs about the world were sounded. To the sound of the “Bells of Peace” the children stood in a circle and joined hands. Listening to the bell, everyone thought something good and kind. Together, they made a wish that the war would end in the Donbass.

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, South Asia,