Category Archives: d-democratic

How can peace be promoted by radio?

Perhaps the most successful of all the national culture of peace programs undertaken by UNESCO during the 1990’s was the radio services for non-formal education and information for the women of El Salvador. The radio programs provided non-formal education, information and counselling on different problems that women face in their daily lives, including contributing to the elimination of the various forms of discrimination and violence suffered by poor women. The initiative played a major role in assuring a transition to peace in that country following its bitter civil war.

The initiative received a comprehensive evaluation, from which the following quotations are taken.

Broadcasts took place on six national radio stations with an estimated audience of more than one million listeners and 15 stations with regional coverage operating in ail provinces with an average of about 300,000 listeners each.

In addition to the reception via individual radios, in many market places loud speakers were set up which constantly transmit radio programmes, including “Buenos Tiempos Mujer”, to the visitors of the market place.

The radio programs were accompanied by education campaigns that reached 14,000 women. Evaluation surveys found that twelve per cent of the persons interviewed listen continuously to the radio-shows 47 per cent occasionally, and 42 per cent never. Thus, it can be concluded, that the radio­ shows and the education campaigns complement each other for the majority of participants.

Most women talked about the contents of the seminars with friends and neighbours, and to some extent also with their husbands. The subjects which provoked most discussions were “equal rights”, followed by “self-esteem” for the women and “better treatment of women” for the men, issues which were rarely dealt with by mass media before.

Ninety-three per cent of men and 89 per cent of women interviewed confirmed that they had learnt something in the campaigns which helped them to change for better in their private life. The issues mentioned were in the order of importance: defending rights, better communication in family relations, increasing self-awareness, division of labour in the household, and self-esteem.

According to the conclusion of the evaluation, the project contributed to make the concepts of culture of peace and of gender equality accepted or at least tolerated in large parts of the society.

Here are the CPNN articles that touch on this subject:

South Kanem, Chad: the ADM promotes the culture of peace and peaceful cohabitation

Celebrating Radio Day in Haiti

World Radio Day: Celebrating radio as a tool for feminist peace

Cameroon: A radio station for the protection of the Waza biosphere reserve

Peace promotion in the Sahel: The best award-winning radio productions

Colombia’s rural radio stations are a key to peace

Mexico: Zacatecan Radio and Television System to introduce “the culture of peace” as a transversal theme

Making Waves: Local radio transforming perceptions of gender-based violence in Africa

The European Union gives voice to peace in Colombia with community radio

Cameroon: Community radio in the service of peace education

Why radio is proving the best medium to promote Colombia’s peace process

In Nepal, Woman Radio Host Makes Big Splash over Airwaves

English bulletin June 1, 2024

. MOBILIZING FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AROUND THE WORLD

Last September we described more than 942 events to mark the International Day of Peace that took place in 93 countries. And in March we carried photos of mobilizations for International Women’s Day that took place in 68 countries in all regions of the world.

Mass mobilizations for peace and justice continued during the past two months.

Workers took to the streets around the world to celebrate May Day, and we carried photos from events in 11 countries of Europe, 10 countries of Asia/Pacific, 6 countries of Africa and the Middle East and 12 countries of the Americas. In addition to the traditional demands of wage increases and job security amid soaring food and oil prices, many of them demanded action against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and others protested the new fascist regimes in Italy and Argentina. A transcript of the rally in New York with its demands for peace in Gaza has been published by Amy Goodman.

University students occupied their campuses to protest the Israeli genocide. The latest counts of university encampments list 17 countries including India, Mexico, Japan, as well as the UK, Australia, France and, of course, the United States where encampments are listed in at least 24 colleges and universities.

Michael Moore compares the students’ actions to those that made possible women’s suffrage, trade union rights, civil rights and protests against the American war in Vietnam. The Global Campaign for Peace Education published an eloquent description by an encampment participant explaining how they are guided by the UN definition of a culture of peace.

Youth participated in a global strike marking Earth Day to demand “climate justice now”. In Sweden, Greta Thunberg  joined hundreds of other demonstrators for a march in Stockholm; in Kenya, participants demanded that their government join the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty; and in the U.S., youth activists held more than 200 Earth Day protests directed at pressing President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency. Mobilizations took place around the world, not only in Sweden, US and Kenya, but also in Bangladesh, UK, Ireland and Spain. An interview with Earth Day founder Denis Hayes says the young climate activists carry on the spirit of his generation.

Mobilizations like this are necessary if our world is to survive the economic and political storms that are gathering on the horizon of history. But they are not enough. As described in this month’s blog, they need to be guided by a vision of a new world of peace and justice. Recent bulletins describe voices of reason and hope and culture of peace as a vision for the future. But will the activists for peace and justice be guided by them?

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



May 1, workers’ day, around the world

HUMAN RIGHTS



Michael Moore: I Now Bring You the Voices of a New Generation

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Working for water and peace in the Tessalit area of Mali

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



UN Women: Rebuilding the women’s movement in Afghanistan, one organization at a time

  

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Manifesto: European mobilization against increasing militarization and wars

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Egypt: Role of Universities in Building Bridges of Understanding and Peace between East and West” International Conference

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY



Recasting the narrative of pro-Palestine student encampments: a commitment to nonviolent changemaking

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



“Workers Have Power”: Thousands Rally in NYC for May Day, Call for Solidarity with Palestine

English bulletin January 1, 2024

. GOOD NEWS FROM LATIN AMERICA .

Efforts continue to stop the Israeli genocide in Gaza. The UN General Assembly voted 153 in favour to 10 against and 23 abstentions to demand a ceasefire. And the UN Secretary-General has been asked to put the ceasefire to a vote by a global referendum.

While Europe and the Middle East, abetted by the United States, continue to destroy themselves with war and the culture of war, not only in Gaza but also in the Ukraine, there is good news from another part of the world. In Latin America, the people of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina continue to cultivate a culture of peace. This continues the trend that Latin America leads the world in developing a culture of peace. Over the years, CPNN has published more articles from this region than from any other, with Africa being second.

Colombia is developing a strategy of tourism for sustainable development and peace, including peace tourism territories, local economic development, purposeful tourism promotion and the construction of a culture of peace around tourism.

In Colombia, the city of Medellin celebrates its most peaceful days in the last 40 years, thanks to the work of the Non-Violence Secretariat that was created in 2020. The work includes attention to the victims of the armed conflict, and with opportunities and training for peace signatories; with measures to prevent the involvement of adolescents and young people in organized crime; with training in a culture of peace for boys and girls; and with the implementation of actions for reparation between victims, community and those responsible.

From November 24 to December 8 in Colombia, the Peace Cinema Festival took place, with the screening of more than 30 cinematographic pieces, including feature films and short films, that give an account of the New Colombia that has arisen after the signing of the Peace Agreement. The programming of the festival includes public training spaces, forums, workshops, dialogues and projections around memory and peace.

Added to these efforts is the proposal of the Global Alliance for Infrastructure and Ministries of Peace – Latin America and the Caribbean chapter, presented in November to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives in Bogotá, to create a Ministry of Peace that coordinates the construction and culture of peace actions throughout the country in collaboration with the ministries in charge of health, education, environment, culture and security.

In Mexico, the VI Global Culture of Peace Forum took place at the University of Guadalajara, including a master conference “Peace Studies in Latin America”, as well as a panel “Construction of Citizenship and Promotion of the Culture of Peace” and the international tables “Education, Consciousness and Peace”, Public Policies of Peace, Security, Justice and Peace.

Also in Mexico, the program Multipliers of Peace has impacted more than 19 thousand young people in the state of Guanajuato. The program uses the “Humanízate” methodology, consisting of various activities that involve the participation of the youth community, such as discussions, training sessions, conferences, macro games and virtual meetings. In this strategy, young people between 17 and 30 years old can participate who intend to generate a positive change in their life and environment, building a culture of peace.

At the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Permanent Seminar on Social Sciences was dedicated this year to the reconstruction of the social fabric and the culture of peace. During 18 sessions methodologies were analyzed, experiences of community and territorial interventions were shared, and theoretical approaches were addressed to provide elements for the understanding and relevance of the reconstruction of the social fabric and the culture of peace.

Also at the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City, the recently created Research Network on Culture of Peace, Justice and “Solid Institutions” carried out various peacebuilding actions throughout the year. In September 2023, this Network held the First Days for Peace with conferences and workshops on peace education, meditation and strategies to build peace in Latin America.

At the assembly of the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions, 113 rectors of universities and public and private institutions in Mexico committed to a joint strategy for the construction of a culture of peace. This commitment is made within the framework of the new General Law of Higher Education that makes a university education mandatory for “The culture of peace and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, as well as the promotion of the value of equality, justice, solidarity, the culture of legality and respect for human rights”.

The joint work between Colombia and Mexico has also been observed throughout this year. José Luis Calderón and Irene Álvarez, officials of the Ministry of the Interior, Mexico, edited the book “Culture of human rights for a future of peace. Experiences in Mexico and Colombia“, published by the Economic Culture Fund. This book is proposed as a reference for future binational collaborations for peacebuilding in Latin America.

In Brazil, the 2nd Restorative Justice Dialogue in Schools was organized by the Ministry of Education. This was the first step in the implementation of a Technical Cooperation Agreement for the implementation of the “Restorative Justice in Schools” project signed by the Ministry and the National Council of Justice. The objective is to promote a culture of peace and non-violence in schools, using practices that involve dialogue, accountability and repairing the damage caused by conflicts.

Brazil has long been a leader in the development of restorative justice.

In Argentina, despite the recent election results, progress continues towards a culture of peace. On December 6, an international meeting on Participatory Conflict Resolution Methods “Human Rights, democracy and culture of peace” was held in the City of Salta with more than 400 mediators from different organizations at the federal level. During the conference, different panels were held with experts working on different thematic axes related to Participatory Conflict Resolution Methods throughout Argentina.

The current issue of the magazine CoPaLa-Construyendo Paz Latinoamericana, is dedicated to the Declaration for the Transition towards a Culture of Peace in the 21st century, through reflections and experiences of peace building in several countries in the region that include Argentina, Chile , Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The issue is free and open for reading.

Even if we fail to see progress towards a culture of peace in international relations, i.e. between national governments, we can find it in initiatives such as those listed above at the national and local levels. These countries of Latin America show us how it can be done.

HUMAN RIGHTS



UN Asked to Submit its Call for “An Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza” for Signature by the Peoples of the World

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY



Guernica stands in solidarity with Gaza

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Tourism as an engine of peace: strategies for sustainable development in Colombia

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution Demanding Immediate Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza, Parties’ Compliance with International Law, Release of All Hostages

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Graça Machel: Enhancing women’s participation in peacebuilding is key to building a peaceful world

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Mexico: Multipliers of Peace impact more than 19 thousand young people from Guanajuato

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Nuclear Abolitionists Occupy New York

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Brazil: Ministry of Education advances the debate on restorative justice

English bulletin January 1, 2023

. LATIN AMERICA AND AFRICA .

Looking back at 2023, one bright spot has been the continued advance of the culture of peace in Latin America and Africa.

In Latin America, this has been particularly dramatic in the case of Colombia, which is emerging from decades of civil war. Last month we featured articles from the cities of Armenia, Cúcuta and Florencia. Earlier in 2022, we published articles from Cartagena, Viotá, Medellin and Tuluá, as well as numerous articles on national initiatives for the culture of peace.

In Armenia, the Observatory for the City, Peace, Coexistence and Citizen Culture has been created so that organizations, associations and foundations, public and private entities, as well as members of civil society and victims of armed conflict can contribute to the construction of the peace of the municipality. Armenia is the second city in Colombia to establish such an observatory.

In Cúcuta, during the Nights of Peace. the neighborhoods of Cúcuta and the adjacent rural area will be visited for 17 days, with different entertainments including a theatrical presentation, puppet shows, musical acts and, of course, the traditional prayer of the Novenas of Bonus. All these are framed under the message of the culture of peace and the promotion of the values of respect, forgiveness and reconciliation.

In Florencia, 45 university students, social leaders and victims of the armed conflict attended a course and received the diploma “Transitional justice: a contribution to the construction of territorial peace”. The course started last July for which ten accredited national and international organizations contributed their knowledge and experience.

Mexico, too, is heavily involved. In 2022, we published articles on the Mexican cities and states of Oaxaca, Zacatecas, Alamo and Queretero, Jalisco and Chihuahua, as well as national government initiatives for a culture of peace. Additionally, in December, we published the following:

In San Juan del Rio, various commitments have been established by Rotary International as part of the project “Building a culture of positive peace”,

In Atlixco, the First Day of Culture of Peace included a discussion with local actors “to generate a space for the exchange of knowledge, dialogue and learning for reconstruction of the social fabric and the construction of a Culture of Peace..”

In Jalisco, the “V Global Forum on the Culture of Peace” was held to analyzing the conflicts and problems that trigger violence, as well as proposing solutions to promote social reconciliation.

In Hidalgo, networks of Women Peace-Builders (MUCPAZ) were created in Apan, Tula de Allende and Pachuca, strategic municipalities for the reconstruction of the social fabric.

In Brazil, the project “Weaving Networks for a Culture of Peace and Violence Prevention” was part of the Culture of Peace Fair of Juiz de Fora, dedicated to the establishment of an effective network for preventing and coping with the various forms of violence in the city.

Also in Brazil, the XII Educational Guidance Forum in Brasilia addressed the theme “Educational Guidance for a Culture of Peace”, to prevent violence and for a culture of peace in the daily lives of schools.

In Honduras, the Festival of Inclusion of Cerro Juana Laínez was dedicated to strengthen the inclusion and participation of women, youth, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, people with disabilities, the LGBTIQ+ community and Honduran citizens in the processes of social oversight and participation politics, as a contribution to the culture of peace.

As for Africa, during last year we carried articles on the culture of peace from Togo, Mali, Guinea, Gabon, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, Chad, Niger and Zimbabwe.

In December alone, here are additional articles from Africa.

In Chad, the provinces of Lac and Hadjer-Lamis came together for a sports cultural festival focused on the culture of peace and living together.

In Morocco, the city of Agadir hosted the the 6th Edition of the African Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes targeting Local Governments. One of the themes was “Capacity building for the promotion of the Culture of Peace and the art of negotiation.”

In Burkina Faso, it was announced that the 28th edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival will take place in February with the theme “African Cinemas and Culture of Peace”.

And in the Gambia, the West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) convened a day’s ‘bantaba’ (group discussion) on youth participation in decision-making and peace-building to strengthen the capacity of peace building practitioners, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and to develop conflict prevention networks and mechanisms to promote the culture of peace.

Finally, the results of the World Cup of Football were celebrated in terms of the culture of peace in Latin America and Africa. From Argentina, Alicia Cabezudo considers that World Championship as an opportunity for education for cultures of peace. And from Africa, the embrace of footballers Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and Kylian Mbappe of France but African ancestry was celebrated as “the spirit of sport which is the culture of peace”.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

dem

Mexico: Culture of Peace Day in Atlixco for first time

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

tolerance

Africa Well-represented in Catholic Non-Violence Initiative on “just peace” in Rome

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

development

Greenpeace on COP15: A bandage for biodiversity protection

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

disarm

What Do Ukrainians Want? Not an Uncompromising Battle That Puts Them in Grave Danger

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

women

Hidalgo, Mexico: Networks of Women Peace-Builders created in Apan, Tula and Pachuca

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

education

Brazil: Forum brings together advisors to discuss culture of peace in schools

HUMAN RIGHTS

HR

Revealing He Too Had Manning Leaks, Ellsberg Dares DOJ to Prosecute Him Like Assange

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

info

Colombia: This is how the new Peace and Human Rights Observatory of Armenia will work

English bulletin August 1, 2022

CULTURE OF PEACE IN LATIN AMERICA

The elections of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico, Gabriel Boric in Chile, Jose Pedro Castillo in Peru, and Gustavo Petro in Colombia, as well as the potential for the election of Lula da Silva in Brazil are being considered as a “second progressive wave.

It is compared to a “first progressive wave” from 2008 to 2016 when Latin leaders included Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Luz Ignacio Lula da Silva in Brazil, Nestor Kirchner in Argentina, Rafael Correa in Ecuador, and Evo Morales in Bolivia.

During the earlier wave, CELAC, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, issued a declaration proclaiming their region as a “zone of peace.” One of the points in their declaration was “The promotion in the region of a culture of peace based, inter alia, on the principles of the United Nations Declaration on a Culture of Peace.”

The culture of peace figues strongly in the new wave.

In Colombia, “the government has considered implementing a “Pact for Total Peace” that includes not only the implementation of the existing agreement and the creation of others with other illegal armed agents, but it goes beyond the end of the conflict in the territories.”

The victory of the left in Colombia and the potential normalization of relations between Colombia and Venezuela promises to bring renewed peace to that Latin American region.

Also in Colombia, the City of Medellin involved more than 1300 young people in the Week for Disarmament, “to consolidate a culture of peace and Non-Violence in the city of Medellín.”

In Honduras, newly-elected President Xiomara Castro is instituting “Mesas de seguridad ciudadana” within the framework of the Community Police in 298 municipalities. She explains that “I want to promote a culture of peace and citizen participation in our country with preventive actions, establishing bonds of trust and proximity between the Police and the community.”

In Mexico, “the Government of Jalisco has begun work on its first “State Culture of Peace Program”, one of the main instruments derived from the state’s Culture of Peace Law, designed to reduce the various forms of violence that occur there.

Also in Mexico, 10 cities in the Yucatan have signed agreements to “to coordinate efforts to strengthen the culture of peace “.

In Chile, the new Constitution promises to transform the country “from a ‘democratic republic’ to a ‘parity democracy’. . . (so) . . . that women occupy at least 50% of all State bodies,” and “proposes to take measures to achieve substantive equality and parity.”

In Bolivia, this year has been declared the “Year of the Cultural Revolution for De-patriarchalization , seeking to establish structural solutions to curb the persistent cases of violence against women in the country.”

In the Dominican Republic, “the Dominican College of Journalists (CDP) and the National Conflict Resolution System (Sinarec) have signed an agreement to promote a culture of peace at the national level through workshops, courses, seminars and other forms of education.”

The first progressive wave was suppressed by North American imperialism in collaboration with right-wing forces in Brazil and Bolivia and attacked by economic sanctions and in some cases military threats against Cuba, Venezuela and Nicarague.

Will the new wave be able to resist these pressures?

In Brazil, where one of its candidates was recently assassinated, the Workers Party of Lula is resisting explicitly by way of the culture of peace, offering a workship on “Culture of Peace and Militant Self-protection.”

Among his campaign promises Lula says he will “defend the integration of South America, Latin America and the Caribbean, with a view to maintaining regional security and promoting development, based on productive complementarity.” Earlier, he promised to create “a pan-Latin American currency, in order to be freed of the dollar.”

Brazil is already a member of the BRICS alignment which promises freedom from domination by the dollar, and most recently Argentina has asked to join.

In Mexico, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador has proposed to replace the Organization of American States which is dominated by the United States with an organization that is independent like CELAC.

Referring to the two progressive waves, Evo Morales says, ““Those times are returning, We need to again consolidate these democratic revolutions for the good of humanity. I have a lot of hope. In politics we must ask ourselves: are we with the people or are we with the empire?”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

info

The Two Waves of Latin American Progressive Governments

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

tol

Regional Peace Boosted by Colombia-Venezuela Relations Reset

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

Bolivia

Bolivia Enacts Law on Femicide, Infanticide & Rape

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

disarm

United States: Statement by the National Council Of Elders

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

dev

The Era Of Northern Hegemony Over Mexico Is Coming To An End

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

dem

Honduras: “Mesas de seguridad ciudadana” to be developed in 298 municipalities

HUMAN RIGHTS

HR

Chile: the main changes in the proposal for the new Constitution

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

ed

Mexico: Invitation to register for an online diploma in the Culture of Peace through the Arts

English bulletin November 1, 2021

CITIES, TOWNS FOR CULTURE OF PEACE

As we have previously remarked in this bulletin most recently in 2020 and 2016, the leadership for a culture of peace is often taken by cities and towns, since, unlike nation-states, they are not heavily invested in the culture of war and since they tend to be more responsive to the needs of their citizens.

This month, there are four articles in this regard from Mexico.

The mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, has emphasized the social programs that she has implemented during her mandate to improve security conditions. She explains that “security is also the result of social justice, that is why we address the causes of violence with programs that allow access to education, culture and sports.” She emphasized the projects that have been the foundations of her government in the capital of the country: the Points of Innovation, Freedom, Art, Education and Knowledge (Pillars), Yes to disarmament, yes to peace, Inside the Neighborhood and Wellbeing for Girls and Boys, My Scholarship to Get Started.

Mayor Sheinbaum also hosted the third World Forum on Cities and Territories of Peace in Mexico City. The Forum demonstrated the power of women and their influence in the most important positions to run large cities in the world. In the first session of the event, all the participants were women. Claudia Sheibaum (representative of Mexico City), Claudia López (mayor of Bogotá), Ada Colau (mayor of Barcelona), Manuela Carmena (former mayor of Madrid) and Reyna Rueda (mayor of Managua).

Women have also taken the lead for a culture of peace in the Mexican city of Chihuahua. Their network, the Red Mesa de Mujeres, highlights the importance of training women leaders in this area. “We started with the idea of building a group of ten women and we already have 65 of all ages.”

In the Mexican city of Saltillo, the Mano Cadena program works to create, implement and disseminate preventive strategies for conflict resolution that promote a culture of peace. Actions include more than 138 information and awareness talks on the subject of alternative justice, 30 workshops on Peace Circles, and more than 50 training courses-workshops in community, school and alternative justice mediation given to more than 1,800 participants, community representatives and teachers.

Other articles come from Spain, United States, Japan, China, United Kingdom and France.

In Spain, United States and Japan, organizations of cities are putting pressure on their national governments to join the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which so far has only been signed by non-nuclear countries. Details are provided in the newsletter of Mayors for Peace.

Also in the United States, the city of Pittsburgh is taking steps to create “a city of peace with a culture of nonviolence.” A group, which called the Black Elected Officials Coalition, announced it would begin a series of community events to promote peace in the streets.

In China, the city of Nanjing hosted the 2021 Nanjing Peace Forum, co-sponsored with UNESCO. The Forum conducted a lively and in-depth discussion on the natural environment and human destiny, sustainable development goals and green investment, environmental challenges and youth actions, global green recovery and good business, peace actions and international practices. The “2021 Nanjing Peace Consensus” was passed. This has become an annual event, as the 2020 Forum was described in CPNN.

In the United Kingdom, the city of Coventry, the current City of Culture, which is known as a city of peace and reconciliation, welcomed Little Amal, a giant puppet of a child, as she nears the end of a 5,000-mile walk from Syria to “rewrite the narrative about refugees”. Coventry is home to about 1,500 people seeking refuge.

In France, the welcome of refugees also contributes to a culture of peace. The lead in this regard is being taken by small villages that have lost population in recent years and that find a revitaliization by refugees. In Notre-Dame-de-l’Osier, the refugees have engaged in gardening and a weekly market, as well as pottery workshops, cooking and honey harvesting that have enlivened village life. In Pessat-Villeneuve, the immigrants took responsibilty for the creation and distribution of masks that were needed to combat the epidemic of COVID.

The mayor of Grigny, France, Philippe Rio was chosen as best mayor in the world by the London association “ City Mayors Foundation ”to reward his management of the Covid crisis, and his fight against poverty in his city.” He has also taken part in the welcome of refugees and the struggle to abolish nuclear weapons.

Mayor Rio spoke at the first national forum of the AFCDRP (Association of Mayors for Peace, France) that took place October 13 in Montpelier.

At the Forum I was privileged to deliver an address that described how cities can contribute to the culture of peace, with reference to the Declaration for the Transition to a Culture of Peace in the 21st Century.

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

CDMX
Mexico City successfully holds the World Forum of Cities and Territories of Peace

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

worldmarch
Successful start of the Latin American March for Nonviolence, Multiethnic and Pluricultural

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Thunberg
Our future, our decisions: young activists call for seat at climate table

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Sheinbaum
The programs of Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum to reduce violence in Mexico City

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Nobel

The Nobel Peace Prize 2021

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

IPB
World Peace Congress concludes in Barcelona with successful participation

HUMAN RIGHTS


abortion

USA: Women Rally for Abortion Justice Amid ‘Unprecedented Attack’ on Reproductive Rights

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Jovenes
Chad: AJPNV training for democracy and human rights

English bulletin March 1, 2021

AFRICAN UNION AND CULTURE OF PEACE

The African Union (AU) increasingly promotes a culture of peace on the continent.

As described in a new book by Kathryn Nash, the African Union has developed, since its beginning at the turn of the century, a conflict management policy that was not available to its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity. Currently, the AU deploys monitors, authorizes peace support operations, and actively engages to resolve internal conflicts.

The 34th Session of the African Union Summit ended on 7 February 2021 with the new Chair, President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), outlining an ambitious agenda, including combating climate change, expediting regional integration, investing in human capital, promoting Africa’s culture, empowering women and youth, and accelerating the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

One of the priorites mentioned by President Tshisekedi is the “Silencing the Guns” campaign, which has been extended to 2030, and now consists of a roadmap and practical steps to achieve its objectives. There will be a two-year periodic review of implementation.

As part of Youth Silencing the Guns Campaign, the Office of the Youth Envoy (OYE) in collaboration with partners has recently provided grants to four youth projects:
– Silencing the Climate Crisis Award to project Ibn El Bitar (Algeria)
– Silencing Gender-Based Violence Award to #ShutItAllDown movement (Namibia)
– Silencing Corruption Award
to Citizens Gavel Foundation for Social Justice (Nigeria)
– Silencing Youth Unemployment Award
to Garden of Hope Foundation (Kenya)

Another recent initiative of the AU Office of the Youth Envoy has been the virtual meetings of women activists in the five regions of Africa, which resulted in a Africa Young Women’s Manifesto. The Manifesto is a comprehensive document addressing all aspects of the culture of peace.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), mentioned as a priority for the AU, began operation on January 1, 2021. This may become an important contribution to the culture of peace on the continent as it may transform conflicts across the continent by reducing the incentives for participating in conflicts, via the creation of jobs. AfCFTA has the potential to promote women’s equality in Africa as stated in remarks to the AU Summit by outgoing President Cyril Ramaphosa. He stated that state parties would report annually on progress made in strengthening women’s participation in continental trade matters. “This includes tailor made financial products for women with reliable means to save, access, transfer and borrow money.” He called for a “women-led Peace Forum to be attended by Heads of State and Government and to implement decisions of the Peace and Security Council to institutionalise the office of the special envoy on women, peace and security.”

In his remarks to the AU summit, incoming President Felix Tshisekedi also confirmed the AU participation in the 2nd Biennale of Luanda on the Culture of Peace to be held in Angola in September, 2021 (see the many articles on this in CPNN). The strategic objective of the Biennale is to promote a peaceful and prosperous Africa through the defense and encouragement of actions that prevent conflicts in the management of national and cross-border natural resources on the African continent, as well as to educate a generation of young Africans as agents of peace, stability and development. The theme of the event this year will be: “Art, Culture and Heritage: Levers to build the Africa we want”.

In her analysis of the African Union, Kathryn Nash Nash argues that the devlopment of its conflict management policy largely happened within the African context, and international pressure was not a determinant factor in its evolution. If the AU continues its independent development, it has a chance to escape from the culture of war that was imposed by the old colonial powers and that is maintained by the economic exploitation of Africa by the empires of Europe, United States and China. The development of the new continental free trade zone can help protect this independence and enable an Africa in peace.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Book review: African peace: Regional norms from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Central Africa: Ambassador Sita José Analyzes Luanda Biennial With ECCAS Commissioner

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



New UNEP synthesis provides blueprint to urgently solve planetary emergencies and secure humanity’s future

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Colombia: Cultural spaces for the construction of peace

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 23 virtual events.

  

HUMAN RIGHTS




New ICC ruling ‘opens the door’ for justice in occupied Palestine – Independent UN expert

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



‘Women and girls belong in science’ declares UN chief  

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


G5 Sahel: Heads of State announce Prize for the promotion of the culture of peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Brazil: Culture of Peace in schools will be the subject of a webinar on February 18th

English bulletin November 1, 2020

CULTURE OF PEACE FLOURISHES IN AFRICA

Judging from the many articles from Africa in CPNN this monrth, the culture of peace is flourishing in Africa.

African Union (AU). The AU continues to provide leadership for a culture of peace throughout Africa, as we have followed in recent years in CPNN. This month the joint task force on peace and security of the AU with the United Nations held its 19th consultative meeting. The meeting discussed developments and cooperation in support to on-going electoral processes in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Guinea. The meeting also exchanged views on the situations in Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Western Sahara. 

The AU Youth Envoy, in cooperation with other African organizations, has sponsored this month a series of virtual events in five regions to develop the leadership capacities of young African women. Breakout groups discussed ecomomic rights and justice, sexual reproductive health and rights, climate justice, technology and innovation for feminist action, feminist movement and leadership, gender-based violence and “youth silencing the gun.”

The African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) plays a supportive role to the African Union as well as regional organizations and national governments in promoting a culture of peace and preventig conflicts. This month CPNN reprints an interview with the Special Assistant to the President concerning the work of the organization.

Côte d’Ivoire. Leading up to the national elections in Côte d’Ivoire, many sectors are working for a culture of peace to prevent a recurrence of the violence that has marred elections in previous years. This includes the Voice of Women, the traditional chiefs of Gagnoa, young Christian and Muslim leaders convened by the Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny pour la recherche de la paix and the musical group Les Héritiers du Zouglou. The culture of peace has deep roots in Côte d’Ivoire, since it was in Yamoussoukro in 1989 that the UNESCO culture of peace program was born. The Network of Foundations and Research Institutions for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace in Africa reprints each month the bulletin of CPNN.

Guinea. Also in Guinea to reduce violence in the pre-election period there is a mobilization of the civil society for a culture of peace. The NGO Conseil de Réflexion pour une Guinée Nouvelle ( CRGN) launched a campaign to guarantee an inclusive, peaceful, transparent and credible election and to sensitize and educate citizens on the culture of peace.

Nigeria. The candidates for governor in the forthcoming election in the state of Ondo have promised to embrace peace. They made the pledge at the signing of a peace accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senegal. In Kedougou, near the borders of Mali and Guinea, the think tank Timbuktu Institute-African Center for Peace Studies Institute is launching an the initiative called “Resilience at the borders” to promote the culture of peace.

Liberia. Mariama H. Konneh, a young Liberian women’s rights advocate, has been selected to participate in the Global Peace Chain summit 2020 in Turkey. “By transferring knowledge and skills gained from the Global Peace Chain, I hope to build a network of youth activists committed to non-violence advocacy and values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence,” she said.

Niger. Organized by the NGO OXFAM, an awareness campaign has been launched to strengthen the participation of women and young people in the various inter-community dialogue frameworks.

Gabon. Dedicated to the prevention and resolution of conflicts in the sub-region of Central Africa, the creation of a network of “Young peace weavers” in Gabon, Chad and Cameroon was recently presented by the head of the United Nations System in Gabon, Dr. Stephen Jackson.

Burkina Faso. “Culture of peace, prevention and management of crises; guarantees of sustainable social cohesion ”: This is the theme of the 3rd edition of the “96 hours of the Center region,” launched in Ouagadougou.

The flourishing of the culture of peace in Africa has been stimulated and supported by UNESCO since the 1989 Yamoussoukro conference mentioned above. The UNESCO support has, if anything, increased in recent years as detailed in more than 40 CPNN articles.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Côte d’Ivoire : The traditional chiefs of Gagnoa call for peaceful elections

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



‘Democracy Has Won’: Year After Right-Wing Coup Against Evo Morales, Socialist Luis Arce Declares Victory in Bolivia Election

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Montreal: Demonstration for “climate justice”

HUMAN RIGHTS




Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on the Colombian Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition

          

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Mexico: Courses and training to build a culture of peace

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Mairo Al-Makura African First Ladies Peace Mission is Serious Business

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire : Young Christian and Muslim leaders take action for peace

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Red Cross : Nuclear ban: “Today is an historic day. We call on world leaders to act with courage and join the right side of history”

English bulletin September 1, 2020

HOPE FOR THE US . .

In the face of pessimistic predictions, even to the point of civil war, there are progressive mobilizations in the United States.

Unionization . The public approval rating for unions has climbed to nearly its highest level in fifty years. There has also been a surge of unionization among adjunct professors, grad students, digital and print journalists, museum workers, nurses, cannabis store workers, and nonprofit employees.

Colleges and Universities .. Search for Common Ground has partnered with Soliya and Tiger 21 to implement an orientation program for first-year students that will facilitate intra-campus dialogue and build trust, respect, and constructive coexistence across differences.

Black Lives Matter .. The movement continues to mobilize, most recently in professional sports. Players of the Women’s National Basketball Association are wearing t-shirts to support a progressive Congressional candidate opposing a team owner who opposes racial equality.

Youth climate activists .. A teen-age activist from the US has launched an international nonprofit organization, Climate Cardinals with over 5,000 volunteers translating climate information into more than 100 languages and dialects. The average age of the volunteers is 16!

International Day of Peace .. Campaign Nonviolence has already listed over 3500 actions planned for the national week of actions the third week of September around the International Day of Peace – “to take to the streets against violence and injustice, and to carry on Dr. King’s vision of what we could become—a new culture of nonviolence”

Peace movement .. The United National AntiWar Coalition, which unites a broad specturm of American peace organizations, has issued a “Call to Action”:

* Demanding justice and accountability against racist killer cops!*

* For economic justice in response to the economic collapse.


* In defense of migrants rounded up and deported!

* In solidarity with LGBTQ+ and disabled people

* Against endless wars, sanctions and occupations

Peace on the ballot .. New Haveners will vote on a referendum, proposed by the city’s peace commission and unanimously endorsed by the city’s Board of Alders on the following question: “Shall Congress prepare for health and climate crises by transferring funds from the military budget to cities for human needs, jobs and an environmentally sustainable economy?”

Progressive political agenda .: Addressing the Democratic National Convention, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a mass people’s movement working to establish

* 21st century social, economic, and human rights, including guaranteed health care, higher * education, living wages, and labor rights for all people in the United States;

* a movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny, and homophobia, and to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration

* and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past;

* a movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few at the expense of long-term stability for the many.”

Hopefully, in future editions of the bulletin, we will be able to report that these progressive mobilizations in the United States are able to provide a “soft landing” for the crash of the American empire.

HUMAN RIGHTS




Plan for Campaign Nonviolence Action Week, September 19-27, 2020

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



USA: Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks to the 2020 Democratic National Convention

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



First Person: Turning ‘apathetic people into climate activists’; a young person’s view

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Colombia: Details of the Non-Violence Secretariat to be created by the Mayor’s Office of Medellín

          

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



For colleges in the United States: First Year Connect

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



International Alert Programme on Women, Peace and Security in Nigeria

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Palestine: 15 lessons from 15 years of BDS

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



US: The United National AntiWar Coalition – Call to Action

What is the legacy of Nelson Mandela for us today?


This question applies to the following articles in CPNN:

UN Secretary-General: Tackling Inequality: A New Social Contract for a New Era

SADC and United Nations honor Nelson Mandela

South Africa: Sisulu – UN Security Council Tenure Will Be Dedicated to Mandela’s Legacy

Mandela’s vision for a better world

On Mandela Day, UN joins call to promote community service and inspire change

Mandela Day 2014: how will you be an ethical leader?

Song for International Day of Nelson Mandela

Do not turn off the light – a book review

Mandela is the new Africa

UN Secretary-General’s Statement on the Death of Nelson Mandela

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane pays tribute to former President Nelson Mandela