Dear Friends,
It is the youth, the next generation, that is now taking the lead in the Global Movement for a Culture of Peace.
I've had the privilege of participating in several youth-led initiatives which have been described in recent CPNN articles.
One is the United Nations advocacy group of recent graduates of the University of Peace (see http://cpnn-world.org/cgi-bin/read/articlepage.cgi?ViewArticle=352 ). The initiative was conceived and managed by Nick Martin, one of the young people who took part in last year's culture of peace advocacy group at the United Nations. Learning from that previous experience, he and his fellow UPEACE graduates improved upon the methods that had been used last year.
Another is the recent Global Youth Assembly that was held in Edmonton, Canada, under the auspices of the John Humphrey Center for Peace and Human Rights. It is described by Aliaa El zeiny, one of the Assembly delegates, in the recent CPNN article at http://cpnn-world.org/cgi-bin/read/articlepage.cgi?ViewArticle=361 . The Assembly was organized by a group of young people at the Center, including Renee Vaugeois and Kiran Choudhry.
As pointed out in the article by Aliaa, and as stressed during the training session of the UPEACE group, one of the important challenges is to maintain the momentum achieved during these mobilizations so that participants can remain active and connected with each other and with the Global Movement as a whole. This will be tested again at the upcoming International Youth Forum, "Youth Speak - We Listen! Voices for Peace", sponsored by the Suzenne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where Aliaa and I will meet again as well as a number of other youth who have already been working for an Arab Youth Network for the Culture of Peace. Thanks to the generous support of Federico Mayor and his Fundacion Cultura de Paz, the Youth Report on the Culture of Peace will be translated into Arabic and published and disseminated to the youth delegates in Sharm El Sheikh. Once it is available the Arabic version will also be uploaded onto the Decade website.
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Here are the recent reports and discussions that have been put on CPNN since the last bulletin:
ALL REGIONS
The gift of Change: The Global Youth Assembly 2007
"a project to keep the momentum of the assembly going on; so this assembly would not have a dead end like most of the other youth "Things"."
New class of Rotary World Peace Fellows announced
"Launched in 2002, this innovative approach to world peace is a masters level program aimed at equipping the next generation ... with skills needed to reduce the threat of war and violence."
A Smile Goes a Long Way
"When we smile to someone new, we create an opportunity to say 'hello' and this 'hello' allows us to create a friendship."
Book Review of The Real Wealth of Nations
"Eisler contributes by promoting a "new economics" and by recognizing the recent efforts by a number of economists to include measures of household work as an important part of a nation's economic output."
Advocating for UPEACE at the UN
"The UPEACE alumni advocacy team met with 30 UN missions, 10 UN agencies, and 7 NGOs. The project was highlighted by two events, each with over 100 individuals in attendance."
The Thread Project
"The World Cloths are a repository of human experience and goodwill; each thread is spun with the story of the individual who sent it."
AFRICA
Somali Youth Organization for Development and Reforming
"SOYODER has opened two centers for literacy development and vocational training for the illiterate people and militia groups, using our motto :"put down the gun and take up the pen"."
To desire freedom is an instinct
"one of my literary projects that are committed to building understanding, tolerance, and Peace initiative in Nigeria"
ARAB STATES
"Colors from Palestine" Calendars and Cards
"In a simple and forceful way, Naji cuts though all lies and disguises and brings the truth to the people."
EUROPE
House of Erasmus of Rotterdam at the Nelson Mandela Festival
"One of the highlights was the performance by our musical group the 'BLOX' who presented themselves with the slogan 'Peace and understanding'"
Development of Peace Thinking and Peace Education by NGOs in Russia
"results of a survey I recently made concerning peace activities by NGOs in Russia"
LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
In the City of Santos, Young People from Nine Countries Talk about Peace
"Each country will have a moment to hold a folk audio-visual presentation and to offer their typical food with tasting by selected audience. "
Peace Sculptures by Women in Mexico
"The sculptures were among 20 presented by the artist and FEMU member Glenda Hecksher to a cycle of round tables entitled, War and Peace"
NORTHERN AMERICA
UFPJ Assembly a Great Success, Next Steps Decided
"UFPJ, as the nation's largest grassroots antiwar coalition, will have as our primary work a Campaign to End the War"
Report on U.S. Social Forum
"More than 10,000 people attended the USSF and each day three workshop sessions were held at various venues around the downtown area. "
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DISCUSSION TOPICS
Here are some of the topics that have been discussed since the previous Bulletin. They may be found under the Forum indicated on the CPNN DiscussionBoard (http://cpnn-world.org/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi ). I especially call your attention to the excellent discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first item listed here.
GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE
Can you add to this analysis of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
ECOLOGY
If we can connect up the planet through Internet, can't we agree to preserve the planet?
MIDEAST PEACE
How can a culture of peace be established in the Middle East?
MAKING AN EFFECTIVE PEACE MOVEMENT
The U.S. Social Forum 2007, Can you add to this evaluation?
CULTURE OF PEACE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
When is it most difficult to smile? Why?
SCHOOLS AND PEACE EDUCATION
Can children be involved in the peace process through literacy?
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE OF PEACE
How can we assist and connect with other mediators/peacemakers?
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For details on how the CPNN website works, please see the previous bulletin for April/May which was sent to you by email and which is available online at http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/bulletin/may2007english.html
To repeat from the last bulletin, "Please go to the website http://cpnn-world.org and write your own news report about events or media that promote a culture of peace. It may be something that you and your organization have done, or something that your read or saw in the media that promotes one or more aspects of a culture of peace (human rights, democratic participation, understanding, tolerance and solidarity, sustainable development, free flow of information, equality of women, peace education or disarmament).
Also add your comments to the DiscussionBoard which already hundreds of questions that have already been raised. Your comments may be on your own story or to any story previously submitted.
Peace,
David Adams
