Tag Archives: english bulletin

English bulletin August 1, 2021

PROGRESS IN AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

This month sees continued advances on the themes presented in the last few bulletins: the leadership of women and youth for a culture of peace in Africa; and the struggle against Israeli apartheid in the Middle East.

The Luanda Biennale, to be held October 4-8, will continue the development of networks promoting the “creation of a continental and sustainable movement for peace.” These include the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace and the Pan-African Women’s Network for the Culture of Peace and Sustainable Development.

The Kinshasa Declaration, launched at the Generation Equality Forum [Paris, July 2], outlines concrete actions for African Union member countries to advance gender equality in Africa by 2030. The Declaration was drafted during the Conference on Gender Equality held in Kinshasa on June 10, and is the result of a large mobilization of pan-African groups including youth, civil society, researchers, government officials, activists and international organizations.

The African Union has announced that they have finished the call for nominations of African women who have exceptionally advanced the women, peace and security agenda in Africa. The selected women will be featured in an upcoming commemorative book featuring twenty African women. A chapter will be dedicated to each woman to share her story or contribution to either of the four pillars of UN Resolution 1325 namely; prevention, protection, participation and/or relief and recovery as part of the peace and security activities.

The African Union Special Envoy for Women Peace and Security, Mme Binetta Diop, has shared the findings of the UN-AU high level Solidarity Mission to the Republic of Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In both countries, the delegation met grass root women leaders, and the Chibok Girls, who have been rescued from Boko Haram.  There are big camps for IDPs (displaced persons) including the Dalori camp in Nigeria, and the Mugunga IDP camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We held a focus group discussion with women IDPs to further gain understanding and learn from their experiences.

In Nigeria, The First Ladies of Osun and Kaduna States have been elected chairpersons of the Southern Governors’ Wives Forum and Northern Governors’ Wives Forum respectively. The forums ensure increased participation of women in governance, the construction of a culture of peace in communities across the country and access to education for girls.

In Côte d’Ivoire, delegations of women from several African countries have been participating in a training workshop in peace education and socioeconomic empowerment. “Women cannot remain on the sidelines of our priorities. For this, we need to take into account the issue of gender and education for a culture of peace as a new and promising theme allowing everyone to truly play the role of mediators, educators, actors. of peace and reconcilers,” underlined Dr Diénéba Doumbia, the director of the Regional Center for Education and the Culture of Peace that provided the training.

At the WANEP-GUINEA school, a training workshop was held with about 50 women “in order to allow the communities of Conakry and those of Upper Guinea to develop the culture of peace.” The training enables a sharing of experiences between women with strong experience in their professional career and young women at the start of their careers.

In Uganda, 15 Rotary Peace Fellows gathered at Makerere University for the inaugural session of Rotary International’s new peace center. Among them, the peace center’s first cohort represented 11 countries and spoke, in addition to English, a dozen African languages, including Luganda, Swahili, and Zulu. “Coming from diverse backgrounds, and yet with a shared desire for peace in Africa, they are the epitome of unity in diversity,” said Anne Nkutu, the host area coordinator for the Makerere University peace center.

Finally, in a remarkable contribution to the struggle against Israeli apartheid, two former ambassadors from Israel to South Africa have written that “It is time for the world to recognize that what we saw in South Africa decades ago is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories too. And just as the world joined the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, it is time for the world to take decisive diplomatic action in our case as well and work towards building a future of equality, dignity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Luanda

Culture of Peace and the Luanda Biennale

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Peru
Different religions come together to pray for peace in Peru

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

indigenous
WWF report: The custodians of nature crucial to any and every effort to protect our planet

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

mayors

Mayors for Peace Adopts New Vision and Action Plan

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 9 virtual events.

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

Kinshasa

African women propose a 10-year plan for gender equality in Africa at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

IPB

Barcelona will host the Second International Peace Congress from October 15-17, 2021

HUMAN RIGHTS


apartheid
It’s Apartheid, Say Israeli Ambassadors to South Africa

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Argentina
Argentina: Teachers lead national strategy for Comprehensive Environmental Education

English bulletin July 1, 2021

AFRICAN WOMEN, YOUTH LEAD THE WAY

As UNESCO helps prepare the Biennale Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace that will take place in October in Luanda, the UNESCO Directrice-General Audrey Azoulay, has emphasized the participation of women, especially in the session on “Women’s Networks for Peace in Africa”. She explains that “Around the “Pan-African Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation” ( FemWise-Africa ) created in 2017, it is important that the various networks of women for peace that exist in Africa can exert more influence, unite and enhance their complementarities. It is only through collective action that we can effectively contribute to building and consolidating peace on a daily basis.”

The Biennale is also placing a priority on African youth. It is being organized as an intergenerational dialogue. 150 young people (from all AU countries and the Diaspora) will be invited to take part in this Dialogue. These young people will be selected from among members of National Youth Councils, National Coordinating Bodies of the Pan-African Youth Network for a Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP) and other youth leaders and organizations, through a call for applications.  They will discuss with Heads of State and Government, Ministers in charge of Youth / Culture, Commissioners of the AU and Regional Economic Communities in charge of Youth, representatives of the United Nations, international organizations and technical and financial partners invited to the Biennale. 

Among the many networks of women for peace in Africa, several have featured in recent CPNN articles.

The Nala Feminist Collective (Nalafem); a  Pan African group of 17 young feminists with a mission to foster and mobilize young women from Africa and the diaspora, advocate for Africa Young Women B+25 Manifesto; a groundbreaking political document that sets out ten critical issues of concern for young African women. The manifesto calls on world leaders to scale up action for progressive gender inclusion and will be presented at the upcoming Generation Equality Forum in Paris.

In Mali, the national restitution conference “Palabre trees of Timbuktu and Gao” engaged more than a hundred women from the north, some of whom are on their first trip to the capital. The initiative lays the groundwork for a return to lasting peace and cohesion with a dual objective:
– to restore and make available to all participants the diagnosis of the Mali situation by women in the regions;
– and to give a voice to the representatives of women from the municipalities for the implementation of structuring projects for local community development.

In Kenya, The inaugural season of Think African  is inspired by Nobel Prize Winner Wangari Maathai’s political philosophy, which she likened to a traditional African stool, comprising a seat and three legs. First leg: Inclusive Democracy. Second leg: Sustainability. Third leg: ” a culture of peace”; fairness, respect, compassion, forgiveness, recompense and justice. The first episode features Kenyan climate change activist Elizabeth Wathuti. She is the founder of the Green Generation Initiative, which nurtures young people to be environmentally conscious from a young age and has planted 30,000 tree seedlings in Kenya.

In Senegal, the members of the Platform of Women for Peace in Casamance (PFPC) have called for serenity and social stability in the country. “Our nation is characterized by a multiethnicity which, instead of being a source of division, is a richness and a pledge of a symbiosis, a harmony, a mutual respect. The joking cousin is the real social cement that unites the Serer to Pulaar, Diatta Ndiaye to Diop, the game of fraternal alliances which banishes any hostility between Diola and Serer.”

African youth networks for peace have also been featured recently.

In Gabon, The Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, Gabon section (PAYNCoP Gabon) has recently launched, in Libreville, a project to promote the culture of peace and fight against violence in schools. The initiative will sensitize key actors (supervisory staff, students, parents of students) on the effects of violence in schools, train them on the culture of peace and peaceful conflict resolution. In order to engage students in the continued promotion of the culture of peace within the school, the project also plans to create a club of young peacemakers within the school.

In Chad, an interactive conference was held on “The involvement of young people in the preservation of culture of peace”. The objective was to make young students understand the essential role of peace and the culture of peace. Following ideas expressed by students regarding peace, the speakers emphasized that peace is the acceptance of others, peace being the foundation or the basis of life in society. The president of the organizing committee, Wardougou Moussa Abdelkader, on behalf of the students of HEC-TCHAD, thanked the United Nations association of Chad, for the initiative, and pleaded for the sustainability of this theme.

In Cameroon, UNESCO is supporting five exemplary leaders of youth-led organizations engaged in early warning and response Mechanisms for peacebuilding. These young leaders include- Christian Achaleke of Local Youth Corner (LOYOC), Loic Atangana Nkulu of the Pan-African Network for a Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP), Brice Nisebang of the Cameroon National Youth Council (NYC), Paul Bernard Noah of “G-54 Afrique Avenir” and Gladys Tchegoue of Dynamique Mondiale des Jeunes (DMJ). Other youth leaders equally participated in this initiative such as Desmond Ngala of Rog Agency for Open Culture, Stephane Mebonde of Accord Parfait and Ramatu Abdou of the Association for the Welfare of Women and Indigenous Persons (ASOWWIP).

In her interview, Directrice-General Audrey Azoulay concludes that “Africa is the continent of today. The African continent is rich in knowledge and opportunities, it is the youngest continent in the world and UNESCO is committed to ensuring that this youth has the skills, education, creativity, all the capital. human potential to build a better future.”

And in supporting the Luanda Biennale, the African Union says, “The strategic objective of the event 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.”

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Bibang

Gabon: Youth for the Culture of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

virtual
Past virtual events in June

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Shell

Netherlands: Court orders Shell to cut carbon emissions 45% by 2030

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Tlalpan

Mexico City prepares third culture of peace meeting

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 26 virtual events.

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

Mali

Mali National Restitution Conference: Women propose possible solutions

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

summit

US-Russia Summit advances key points in international Open Letter

HUMAN RIGHTS


Biden

#NowIsTheTime – A global call to President Biden

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Autesserre

Building peace, from the bottom up: A Q&A with Séverine Autesserre

English bulletin June 1, 2021

SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE .

As they suffered attacks from Israel which, according to the United Nations experts and Amnesty International, may end up being condemned as crimes of war, there was a global movement of solidarity with the people of Palestine.

It was as if the Israeli government and military wanted to prove the allegations, as described in last month’s CPNN bulletin, that they are imitating the apartheid policies of South Africa half a century ago.

The Israeli attacks began against Palestinians who protested forced evictions of their countrymen living in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. Amnesty International condemned the evictions and what they called “repeated, unwarranted and excessive force against Palestinian protesters in occupied East Jerusalem.” After that the Israeli attacks were broadened into a war against Gaza, where, according to the UN, “222 people, including 63 children, were killed . . . More than 450 buildings in the Gaza Strip were completely destroyed or damaged by missiles, the statement continued. Among them were six hospitals, nine healthcare centres and a water desalination plant, supplying around 250,000 Palestinians with clean drinking water, as well as a tower which housed media outlets including the Al Jazeera network, and Associated Press (AP).” The war was almost completely one-sided, as the UN said that only “12 people died in Israel as a result of the fighting.”

The list of solidarity events with the people of Palestine was global in scope, including events listed from almost all of the 50 states of the USA and 27 cities of the UK. Also in Europe: Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canary Islands, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, Also in the Americas: Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala. In Asia/Pacific there were events in Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan, while in Africa: Morocco and South Africa.

Photos showed huge mobilizations in London, New York City, Washington, D.C., Beirut and Pakistan.

In addition to the international solidarity movement, there were mobilzations for peace in Palestine and Israel.

According to our source in Palestine, “Today [May 18] will go down in history as one of the most powerful days of Palestinian non-violence resistance against the Israeli aggressions. Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and inside Israel took part in “GENERAL STRIKE” to protest against the Israeli occupation, aggressions in Jerusalem, and the bombardment in Gaza!!”

In Israel, thousands of Jews and Arabs rallied in Tel-Aviv in a mass march and rally for peace and coexistence, organized by the movements “Standing Together” and “Breaking the Silence”.

The solidarity movements made use of social media, despite attempts by facebook to censor them, according to a letter to facebook signed by many well-established progressive movements in the United States. They wrote that “Facebook executives’ decision at this moment to directly collaborate with Israeli Defense and Justice Minister Gantz on content moderation, without appropriate parity of government engagement until prompted by civil society, is beyond outrageous. . . . Facebook must take . . . urgent and crucial steps to repair this mistrust with our communities and ensure that we can count on Facebook and Instagram as free civic spaces and tools for holding governments accountable:”

In response to the question as to what people can do to support the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality, the BDS movement has listed five kinds of actions, including the kinds of international moral, economic and political pressure that contributed to the end of South African Apartheid.

Can we imagine that freedom, justice and equality will eventually be achieved as was the case in South Africa? The answer is “Yes,” according to this month’s blog for the culture of peace.

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

London

People Around the World Stand Up in Solidarity With Palestine

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Amada1
Nonviolent Response to the Crisis in Colombia

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

manif

France: March for the Climate: Thousands Demonstrate in Paris

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Haiti

Haiti: CNDDR workshop finalizes its national disarmament strategy

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 13 virtual events.

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

podcast

Think African Podcast Episode 1: Planting Seeds

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Brisbane

Australia : Brisbane Weapons Expo Protest Planned

HUMAN RIGHTS


Amnesty

Amnesty International : End brutal repression of Palestinians protesting forced displacement in occupied East Jerusalem

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Quintana

Mexico: Quintana Roo celebrated a unique virtual hip hop festival in Maya language

English bulletin May 1, 2021

. OVERCOMING ISRAELI APARTHEID . .

Believing that a solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is the key to peace in the Middle East, CPNN has carried many articles on this subject. Increasingly it is recognized that the situation resembles the apartheid of South Africa.

The overcoming of apartheid was accomplished by a combination of struggle within South Africa and international pressure through boycotts, divestment and sanctions. In this regard, a number of important developments have occurred since the beginning of this year.

SANCTIONS

A report released by Human Rights Watch : Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution Human Rights Watch on April 27 states that the Israeli oppression of Palestinians has reached a “threshold and a permanence that meets the definitions of the crimes of apartheid and persecution.” According to HRW director Kenneth Roth, “Those who strive for Israeli-Palestinian peace, whether a one or two-state solution or a confederation, should in the meantime recognize this reality for what it is and bring to bear the sorts of human rights tools needed to end it.”

The HRW report confirms previous reports, such as that of January 12 by the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem labelling Israel as an “apartheid state.” According to Richard Falk, who served from 2008-2014 as the  United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, B’Tselem is Israel’s most respected human rights organization. He states that the report “confirms earlier UN reports and allegations that the Palestinians are victimized by an apartheid regime that seeks to impose policies and practices that ensure the supremacy of Jews by victimizing the Palestinian people.”

Perhaps the most important development is the decision of the International Criminal Court on February 5, 2021. By a 2-1 vote the Chamber’s decision affirmed the authority of Fatou Bensouda, the ICC Prosecutor, to proceed with an investigation of Israeli war crimes committed in Palestine since 2014. Richard Falk considers that ICC decision may turn out to be a turning point in the struggle against Israeli apartheid, not unlike the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa.

According to Michael Lynk, the present United Nations Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, the ICC decision “offers profound hope to those who believe that consequences, not condonation, must be the answer to the commission of grave crimes . . . Ending impunity and pursuing justice can only bring us closer to peace in the Middle East.”

BOYCOTTS AND DIVESTMENT

Boycotts and divestment continues to develop around the world, especially from religious and academic institutions, as reviewed in the website of the BDS movement.

STRUGGLE WITHIN PALESTINE

Pressure continues to grow for elections in Palestine in order to arrive at a unified struggle against apartheid, since elections previously scheduled for May have been postponed. Palestinian activist Mazin Qumsiyeh reports on key points towards a electoral program for the needed social change, as agreed to in recent discussions with Palestinian activists. These include, among other points :

– Support for human rights including a) the right of return for refugees to their homes and lands and to be compensated for their suffering, b) the full equality to women (in all aspects of social, educational and economic rights, c) the right to education to all, d) the right to due process of law, e) the right to clean and healthy environment, d) right to food/sustenance and shelter;

– Complete freedom of expression through all communication media;

– Mechanisms created to weed out corruption, nepotism and other unethical behaviors in all levels of society;

STRUGGLE WITHIN ISRAEL

Israel has not seen mass demonstrations for justice for Palestine since 2017 when some 15,000 Israelis attended a Tel Aviv rally to demand progress for a two-state solution to the conflict.

However, there continues to be a movement among young Israelis to refuse to serve in the armed forces. In January of this year sixty Israeli teenagers published an open letter addressed to top Israeli officials declaring their refusal to serve in the army in protest of its policies of occupation and apartheid.

WHEN WILL IT END, AND HOW?

Quoting Richard Falk, “the African majority waited more than 30 years for their emancipation from apartheid. The Palestinian people have already endured the hardships and humiliations of racist subjugation and Jewish supremacy for more than 70 years. When will it end, and how?”

HUMAN RIGHTS




Human Rights Watch : Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Glen Greenwald : My New Book on Journalism, Exposing Corruption, and the Resulting Risks, Dangers and Societal Changes

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Biden’s Climate Summit Falls Short : Lofty Words But Where is the Plan?

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



We the Peoples : Call for Inclusive Global Governance

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 19 virtual events.

  

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Generation Equality Forum: Mexico City, 29-31 March 2021

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Latin American Congress of Research for Peace will be held virtually in August

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Richard Falk: A Palestinian Balance Sheet: Normative Victories, Geopolitical Disappointments

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Brazil: Compaz invites schools to the 19th edition of the book Londrina Pazeando

English bulletin April 1, 2021

. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY . .

This year’s celebration of the International Women’s Day was especially strong in Latin America with millions marching in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay.

In Mexico, it was the biggest March 8 protest in the country’s history. On March 9,  many women walked off the job for “A Day Without a Woman.” The primary motor for the protest was the indignation with femicides, which are all too common in Mexico. In 2019 alone, about 10 women were killed every day and thousands more have gone missing. 

In Argentina, where marchers demanded abortion rights, a new law to legalize abortion is in process.

Marking International Women’s Day across Europe and Asia, women shouted their demands for equality, respect and empowerment, with protesters in Spain launching a 24-hour strike and crowds of demonstrators filling the streets of Manila, Seoul and New Delhi.

In Australia, tens of thousands of women gathered outside the parliament and across the country calling for gender equality and justice for victims of sexual assault. The rallies were spurred by a recent wave of allegations of sexual abuse, discrimination and misconduct in some of Australia’s highest political offices.

The United Nations theme this year was “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world,” to celebrate the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to highlight the gaps that remain. UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said “During the pandemic, we have seen increased violence against women and girls and lost learning for girls as school drop-out rates, care responsibilities and child marriages rise. We are seeing tens of millions more women plunge into extreme poverty,”

Mlambo-Ngcuka added, “There are breakthroughs to celebrate, where women have taken the helm of organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank and we look forward to more such appointments that help to change the picture of what a leader looks like. Yet this is not the norm. In 2020, as a global average, women were 4.4 per cent of CEOs, occupied just 16.9 per cent of board seats, made up only 25 per cent of national parliamentarians, and just 13 per cent of peace negotiators. Only 22 countries currently have a woman as Head of State or Government.”

Women continue to take the lead in the struggle for peace and justice around the world.

In Belarus, women are at the forefront of the human rights struggle.

In Syria, women are seen as key to the struggle against violent extremism.

In Palestine, their leadership can be traced since the the first Arab Women’s Congress of Palestine in 1929.

The project “Weaving Alliances for Gender Equality” prepared by the Coordinator of NGOs in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, highlights examples of women’s leadership for peace and justice in Guatemala, Haiti, Colombia, Bolivia and the Mahgreb.

In Africa, Adja Kadije is highlighted for her work as a peace mediator in the Central African Republic and Quitéria Guirengane for her work as an organizer of women. She is based in Mozambique but her work extends to all of Africa.

Participants from 45 African countries took part in the formulation of the Africa Young Women’s Manifesto, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The manifesto is reprinted by CPNN with its extensive demands for Generation Equality Forums.

Although the marches and demonstrations remain vital for the movement, there is also an increasing role for virtual meetings. The Africa Young Women’s Manifesto was formulated in a series of virtual meetings in five regions on the continent that were followed by CPNN. To celebrate March 8, CPNN readers could take part in virtual meetings held by the Pan American Health Organization, the International Labor Organization, UNFOLD ZERO, Youth Fusion and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. And in the weeks that followed there were four more virtual meetings for the 65th Commission on the Status of Women and six others about women’s equality and leadership.

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



International Women’s Day 2021

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Financial Press Fears Brazilians Will Be Allowed to Elect President of Their Choice

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



In Central Africa, Villages Join an Experiment To Save the World’s Second-Largest Rainforest

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



The Rotary Club of Pétion-Ville : promoting the culture of peace in Haiti

In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events. Last month we registered 35 virtual events.

  

HUMAN RIGHTS




Belarus: Women at the forefront of human rights struggle

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Civil society in northeast Syria promotes women’s role to fight extremism

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Danny Glover on Amazon Union Drive in USA, the Power of Organized Labor & Centuries of Resistance in Haiti

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Mexico: Second Edition of the International Festival of Cinema for the Culture of Peace

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 February 1, 2021

TREATY ON PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The Red Cross: “For more than 75 years, almost half of the ICRC’s 158 years of existence, we have been advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons for one simple reason: We do not believe they can be used without inflicting significant death and suffering among civilians. That is why January 22, 2021, is such a momentous day for us. It is the day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) comes into force. This day is nothing short of a victory for humanity.”

This month, many others joined with the Red Cross in celebrating the Treaty.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres commended the States that have ratified the Treaty and welcomed the “instrumental role of civil society in advancing the TPNW’s negotiation and entry into force , , , Nuclear weapons pose growing dangers and the world needs urgent action to ensure their elimination and prevent the catastrophic human and environmental consequences any use would cause . . . The elimination of nuclear weapons remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations.”

The Foreign Minister of the Vatican, speaking on behalf of the Pope, welcomed the Treaty as a step toward a “nuclear weapons-free world,” saying that nuclear deterrence gives a ‘false sense of security,’”

Members of the World Future Council and Right Livelihood Laureates issued a joint statement celebrating the Entry-into-force of the Treaty and listing further steps that are needed towards the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

On January 13, the organization Ploughshares Calgary (Canada) held a webinar explaining the treaty featuring Earl Turcotte, the Chairperson of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

On January 21, a Global Health Webinar was held by health professionals to mark the Treaty, co-sponsored by the International Council of Nurses, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Medical Students’ Association, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, World Federation of Public Health Association, and World Medical Association.

On January 22, the International Peace Bureau held a celebration for the Treaty, calling on members of the IPB family, our friends and all peace lovers to celebrate this historical step, and deliver this great news with noise and fun in your countries all across the globe, as the road to a world free of nuclear weapons is now wide open!

On January 25, a webinar was held with discussion by experts and activists on the political openings for global nuclear disarmament and the vital roles being played by the United Nations and civil society. It was sponsored by the Basel Peace Office, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Right Livelihood Foundation, UNFOLD ZERO, World Future Council and Youth Fusion.

In France, demonstrators gathered near the French National Assembly and in front of the embassies of the 4 other nuclear-weapon States and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Russia, USA, Great Britain, China) to celebrate the Treaty and demand their adherence.

As the Red Cross concludes, “But it is only the beginning of the world’s journey to eliminate nuclear weapons. The end comes when those 13,000 nuclear weapons no longer exist.”

Many of the organizations above make demands of the nuclear states to begin the process of nuclear disarmament. And people are invited to sign appeals to these governments such as the Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.

But there is no indication that the nuclear powers are listening., We must do more than that, as argued in the blog, APPEALS ARE NOT ENOUGH.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



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

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



World Social Forum 2021

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Irate farmers storm Delhi on tractors as tear gas deployed and internet cut off in scramble to defend Indian capital

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Who to Believe about Venezuela’s Election: Firsthand observation or PBS Newshour?

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




Israel to ban human rights groups from school visits

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



In Malawi, Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Fights against Child Marriage

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Spain: Movimiento por la Paz produces educational material for secondary schools on the culture of peace

English bulletin January 1, 2021

. CULTURE OF PEACE IN MEXICO .

Six years ago we carried in CPNN an article about Mexico by the great peace researcher Johan Galtung. He said, among other things, “At the national level an overarching program to prevent violence has been designed and enacted . . . grounded in a legitimate peace philosophy –one in which peace is constructed through the satisfaction of basic human needs- and is well equipped in scope and with enough budget and personnel to achieve transcending results by construction of peace infrastructures (i.e. mediation centers, academic degrees in peace for civil servants, etc.)  and the buildup of a mediation-dialogue-conciliation culture. . . ”

Recent articles in CPNN show that the peace programs described by Galtung are continuing to develop.

Many initiatives are underway in the educational systems of Mexico.

At a national level, the Ministry of Education is training teachers, students and parents in violence prevention and school mediation. Recently the Council for School Coexistence (Convive) convened a virtual seminar with teachers to discuss Gender Equality, Human Rights, School Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Management

In Baja California, more than 1,500 preschool, primary and secondary school teachers participated via zoom in the seminar called: “Socio-emotional education, child and adolescent participation and the culture of peace in Mexican schools”, convened by the Ministry of Public Education,

In San Luis Potosi, Training workshops and conferences for the elimination of violence against women., both face-to-face and digital, were carried out for 16 consecutive days for all personnel in the educational system.

At the Maguen David Hebrew School in Mexico City, high school students took part in a workshop on the natural relationship between the concept of Peace and Education and the importance of their own commitment to take actions in order to build peace. They collaborated in small groups to analyze thoughts and phrases of Martin Buber, Hanna Arendt, Paulo Freire and María Montessori,

At the level of higher education, the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca and the Honorable Congress of the State, have ratified a framework collaboration agreement to strengthen the Culture of Peace. And the University Family Development Center of the University of Colima, through the University Program for Culture for Peace, held the virtual forum “University Students Fostering a Culture of Peace”.

Other recent initiatives in Mexico include a General Directorate of Culture of Peace and Human Rights, an international congress on culture of peace by women, a festival of culture of peace, activation of networks of women peace builders, an initiative called “100 actions for peace” and the use of the principles of the culture of peace to prevent violence and care for its victims.

The Government of Veracruz has established the General Directorate of Culture of Peace and Human Rights in order to contribute to institutional strengthening through the design, implementation, conduct, strengthening and consolidation of public policies on culture and education for peace.

In Sinaloa, the III International Congress “Culture of peace by women: various worldviews; women and men for positive masculinities” involved prominent specialists in these issues.

A fifth edition of its Culture of Peace festival was announced to take place on December 20 in Valle Dorado, to support neighborhood youth, “as it is one of the neighborhoods with a high rate of violence” in Mexico City. Culture of Peace workshop were planned, focused on children, and the festival was to conclude with a concert of the Imperio de la Cumbia musical group.

217 members of the Networks of Women Peace Builders took part in a meeting convened by the Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection in order to inform them about the progress in the fight against discrimination and gender violence.

The project “100 actions for peace” has been initiatied on a national level by the National Council of Civil Organizations for the Culture of Peace, in coordination with the International Committee of the Banner of Peace and the Center for Studies for Peace, Security and Development. The campaign aims for individuals to promise to carry out for each of 100 days, a conscious action that promotes the construction of Peace, with your partner, your family, or in favor of your community and country.

The principles of a culture of peace are being used to assist victims of violence and prevent its recurrence in Mexico. To help communities of people who live on the streets and who consume psychoactive substances, students and researchers from the National School of Anthropology and History and the Metropolitan Autonomous University have formed the “Colectivo Psicocalle.” The mental health of journalists, human rights defenders and / or their relatives who have been victims of violence is being addressed by the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Mexico City. And in the context of the National Strategy for the Prevention of Addictions, the National Commission against Addictions and the Chair for Peace at the Guerrero Autonomous University have held more than ten workshops and free online conferences.

The culture of peace, as a way to counteract violence and addictions, confirms Galtung’s analysis quoted at the beginning. As he himself explained: “massive structural violence can only be addressed with massive peace policies.”

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Mexico: Virtual seminar on peace building in schools

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Mexico: 100 Actions for Peace; Wilfrido Lázaro

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



Broken societies put people and planet on collision course, says UNDP

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Costa Rica: Peace brings together parliamentarians from the world in our country

          

HUMAN RIGHTS




U.N. rights boss urges withdrawal of article in French draft security law

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



Female victims and ex-combatants graduated as peace activists in Antioquia, Colombia

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


United Nations Alliance of Civilizations : Applications now open for the Youth Solidarity Fund

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Global arms industry: Sales by the top 25 companies up 8.5 per cent; Big players active in Global South

English bulletin December 1, 2020

VIRTUAL EVENTS FOR CULTURE OF PEACE

There are now so many virtual events promoting the culture of peace that we have started a new service at CPNN, listing them in advance along with their registration infomation. We list those that are free and open to the general public. In this way, CPNN readers are able to participate in the live event.

This month we have listed an average of almost one event per day coming from all regions of the world. Here is a brief summary, organized by theme.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

A lab for nonviolent action was sponsored the the US organization Pace e Bene on November 5, 12 and 19.

Nonviolence: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter. This year’s Mahatma Gandhi lecture was held online on November 7. The lecture now held annually for 20 years is sponsored by the Peace Studies Program and the Centre for Peace Studies at McMaster University in Canada.

Mediation and Restorative Justice was the theme in Mexico on November 27 at the Fifth Congress of the Federación Nacional De Colegios De Mediadores.

HUMAN RIGHTS

with the Palestinian people. A dozen or so French organizations hosted activists for the human rights of the Palestinian people on November 30.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

“School of democracy” was the theme of a series of conferences sponsored by the UNESCO Chair in Pamploma, Spain. On November 5, the conference featured Agusin Ruis Robledo, Professor of Consitutional Law at the University of Granada, speaking on the theme “the dceadence of parliamentarianism.” On November 12, Miguel Angel Simon spoke on “the rise of the extreme right.”

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Transformative economies. The World Social Forum on Transformative Ecoomies held a series of five programs between November 4 and 18 with specific examples from throughout Latin America.

“Creating a better world for future generations” was the theme of a web event on November 21, sponsored by the Goi Peace Foundation of Japan and featuring Dr. Jaques Attali.

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 promoting the role of women in UN peacemaking was celebrated on its 20th birthday November 20 in the annual Texas (USA) symposium on Women, Peace and Security.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was celebrated by the African Union Office of Youth Envoy on November 25 with a number of very high-level officials from Africa and the United Nations.

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY

Defense of the Venezuelan elections against US imperialist interference was discussed in a forum on November 18 sponsored by proggressive organizations in the US.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Youth leading the movement against racism was the subject of a webinar sponsored by the Global Campaign for Peace Education on November 20.

Speakers addressed various culture of peace themes in the annual Global Peace Forum of Coventry Rising on November 11-13.

INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY

Analysis of the prospects for peace with the new US government.This was the theme of several internet conferences. Two were sponsored by the Stop the War Coaltion in the UK. On November 30, the speaker was Jeremy Corbyn. On November 28, there were five speaker, including a member of parliament. A similar theme,”Anti-imperialist election; Youth fight back”, was discussed on November 21 by member organizations of the United National Antiwar Coalition in the United States. Another webinar on this subject, on November 11 was sponsored by the International Peace Bureau

of nuclear war and global warming were discussed in a confeerence on November 29 by the Canadian organizations Peace Magazine and Project Save the World.

Pathways to reset international cooperation” was the theme of Geneva Peace Week that was held on line from November 2-6 sponsored by the Geneva Center for Peacebuilding. A similar theme, “inspiring cooperation on behalf of the common good”, was sponsored by the National Peace Academy of the United States on November 10.

Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was the theme of the webinar on November 2 sponsored by Unfold Zero.

CPNN readers are encouraged to regularly consult the listings contained on our webpage, and to share this information with yout friends and colleagues. Above all, participate. Participate! PARTICIPATE!

HUMAN RIGHTS




France: Thousands protest against bill to curb filming of police

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION



Five new digital media platforms for uncensored news from Colombia

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT



FAO : Strong support for innovation and digital technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION



Toluca, Mexico, establishes more than 150 Peace Centers

          

EDUCATION FOR PEACE



Burkina Faso: Blanche Bana wins the Sotigui Awards 2020

WOMEN’S EQUALITY



I am Generation Equality: Ixchel Lucas, youth advocate for girls’ leadership

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


France: Youth in Normandy Mobilize for Human Rights and the Freedom Prize

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY



Following peace deal, talks on Libya’s political future begin

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”