| Posted: May 04 2005,12:32 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
Peace
means an end to wars, fighting and poverty. It means an end to
discrimation on the grounds of race, sex and religion and giving
everyone a chance to achieve their dreams.
The World Alliance of
YMCAs has been promoting a culture of peace for many years through its
40 million members at local, national, regional and international
levels.
As a youth organisation the YMCA is particularly
focused on engaging young people to promote a culture of peace. The
World Council of YMCAs meets every 4 years. In the first World Council
meeting after the Decade for the Culture of Peace, in Mexico 2002, the
Council adopted three Global Youth Priorities, one of them being to
promote a culture of peace. The resolution stated :
- That the YMCA intensifies its commitment to peace education especially for children and young people.
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That the YMCA takes a larger role in community mediation and
reconciliation in countries struggling with conflict and post conflict.
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That the YMCA further develops the role of youth observer and develops
a corps of youth correspondents around the world to report on global
issues.
- That the YMCA continues to take a proactive role in networking with international peace building campaigns.
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That the YMCA movement works with governments on issues related to the
Culture of Peace, with the support of that nation's national movement.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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Obstacles - A response from Africa
Most of the obstacles that many African countries face are :
1.
Political instability and poor governance : brought about by the
colonial policies of the past as well as weak and bad governments of
the day.
2. Intolerance : caused by individual or group
manipulation of differences in ethnicity, religion and desire to
achieve selfish ends.
3. Poverty, ignorance and illiteracy :
leads people especially the youth to engage in crime or join the rebel
activities hoping for a better future.
4. Foreign interests
:this has led to the proliferation of small arms, as well as support
given to rebel groups by neighboring countries.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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The
World Alliance of YMCAs is actively promoting a culture of peace
through a wide variety of programmes, depending on the needs of the
communities. For example, YMCAs are working hard in to the
following areas:
* Education for a culture of peace, e.g. Japan, Liberia, Spain, Middle-East, Sri Lanka
* Gender equity, e.g. Senegal, Uruguay
* Democratic participation, e.g. Korea, Colombia, Ecuador
* Human rights, e.g. East Jerusalem
* Sustainable development, e.g. Bangladesh, India, Thailand
Some
brief case studies of this work are given below. A more detailed case
study is also included highlighting the work of the YMCA and the YWCA
in the occupied Palestine Territories.
As well as work at the
grassroots level the YMCA is promoting peace at regional and
international levels. For example, YMCAs throughout Europe met in
October 2004 in Kosovo to explore ways for reconciliation in the
region. At international level the World Alliance of YMCAs marks a
Peace Day in November each year when all National YMCA Movements are
encouraged to reflect on how to respond to the need to promote a
culture of peace. The World Alliance also submits written and oral
statements to the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on the
Status of Women on the isse of a culture of peace. The YMCA is also
working alongside agencies such as UNESCO, DESA, and UNICEF to promote
peace. In addition, one of the opportunities that the YMCA has an
ecumenical organisation is to bring together people of different faiths
to promote a culture of peace.
CASE STUDIES - SUMMARIES
Education for a culture of peace
In
2004 the YMCA of Japan organised a Peace Caravan called Reverence for
Life and Culture of Peace, led by a young person whose father died
whilst rescuing others. Young people from YMCAs in India, Sri Lanka,
Jerusalem and the USA visited 2,000 people on the peace tour. They
began in Hiroshima and visited many YMCAs with the peace flame of
Hiroshima and peace water of Nagasaki. They shared about conflict
situations in their own countries and gave messages of peace.
In
Spain 25 young people from nine countries met together for a seminar on
education for peace in the Mediterranean context just a week before the
Madrid bombings. The aim of the seminar was to allow participants to
exchange experiences and deepen their understanding of the problems
that affect communities in conflict, and particularly the difficulties
affecting youth in the Mediterranean.
In India, 48 young
Hindus, Christians and Muslims from eight Asian countries met in
September 2004 to attend a consultation on ‘Living our Faiths in
Community’ organised by the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs, the
Christian Conference of Asia and the Church Development Service
,Germany. "This experience has enriched our moral values and
guided us to live life in peaceful ways," said Mohamad Abbas Noorani, a
Muslim from Gujarat, India.
Ashima Kaul, a women’s activist
from Kashmir, India, spoke about the divisions in the Kashmir region.
"Peace building, reconciliation, and justice are most important in the
context where I work," she said. Both Hindus and Muslims claim that
their community’s pain, reality, oppression and victimisation is
greater than the other. Ashima was hopeful that children will be
possible change makers in this deeply divided society.
Siriphone
Niradsay, a participant from the Catholic minority of Laos said, "I
lived in a family where interfaith practices are always tolerated.
Trust, respect and love are valued most in our families. Religious
practices and observances of two religions are allowed and encouraged.
I'm open and appreciate Buddhist religious practice and sometimes I
also join them. Every religion teaches us to be good. Conflict only
begins when a person doesn’t follow what their religion asks them to
follow."
During the five days, these young people explored,
shared and deliberated on how their different religions can be used to
promote peace, harmony and unity in their communities, their region and
the world.
Gender equity
In Senegal the YMCA is working
for gender justice by empowering women and young women to realise their
potential and to build peace in their families and communities. The aim
of the work is to promote the participation of women and young women at
all levels of decision-making and the elimination of all forms of
violence against them are unavoidable conditions to build sustainable
peace in the country and in the world. Some of the ways this is done is
through women’s training eg in literacy (for those whose fathers /
husbands will only allow them to participate in women only activities),
eg lending women money for income generation activities to bring
economic independence, eg human rights training for women to know their
rights eg supporting women to find employment.
The YMCA of Uruguay has programmes to prevent domestic violence, focusing on 3 strategies
1. Prevention
* Including a gender perspective in all programmes.
* Specific programmes to strengthen women, in particular young women.
* Promoting gender equity (included in all leadership and social volunteer training programmes).
* Employment programme for Women (125 women in Montevideo).
2. Advocacy and lobbying
* Follow-up to Domestic Violence Law approval process in Parliament.
* Youth network: spaces for debate on issue such as abortion,
* Participation in United Nations: Beijing + 5, Special Session on Children.
3. Referral
*
If amongst the participants in any of their other programmes the YMCA
of Uruguay comes across women who are suffering from violence, they
refer them to the appropriate services.
Democratic participation
Putting
young people forward as local and district councillors is part of a
deliberate strategy of the YMCA in Bogota, Colombia to involve
youth in the political and social arenas. As part of this strategy the
YMCA runs a Youth Development School to give young leaders aged 14-26
the skills to become socially and politically active for the
transformation of society, including promoting a culture of peace.
Sustainable Development
Bangladesh
YMCA places a lot of emphasis on women's development as a very
effective way of eradicating poverty. Organising rural women's groups
of between 20 to 25 members at the grassroots is the main activity of
the YMCA programme. The objective of the group activities is to empower
women socially, politically and economically.
Throughout
Bangladesh, 11 local YMCAs are now actively engaged in this process of
people's empowerment with a network of 467 groups and more than 9,035
group members, 98% of them women. As at 31 July 2004, the total group
savings in the Bangladesh YMCA's micro-credit programme amounted to
Taka 8,838,692 (US$ 151,088). The revolving fund that the YMCA has
provided so far in this micro credit programme is Taka 14,839,535 (US$
253,667).
The next step for the Community Organising Programme is to
strengthen the networking amongst the groups to add a new dimension to
the activities.
DETAILED CASE STUDY
Working for a culture of peace in Israel / Palestine
The Olive Tree Campaign
In
their community work, the YMCA and YWCA in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories are confronted with numerous obstacles every day when
encountering with the Israeli occupation forces. Routine humiliation
and oppression as part of the ongoing siege and closure prevent them
from carrying out even the most basic elements of their jobs in the
territories. In spite of this, however, the staff remain committed to
ensuring the operation of a variety of programs - and started new peace
building activities including the Olive Tree Campaign.
Throughout
the years of occupation, hundreds of thousands of olive trees have been
systematically uprooted and destroyed. According to the Palestinian
Ministry of Agriculture: 441,611 olive trees have been uprooted in the
Palestinian Territories for so-called security reasons since the start
of the Intifada in September 2000 (statistics until 31/12/2004). This
amounts to a loss of $17,363,592 in the olive sector.
Because
the hope in the community must be kept alive, the YMCA and the YWCA's
Olive Tree Campaign aims to replant olive trees in places where they
have been uprooted. The Campaign goal is to replant 50,000 olive trees
in the Palestinian Territories with the sponsorship of YMCAs and YWCAs,
as well as churches and other groups and individuals around the world.
Through replanting olive trees, Palestinians will be encouraged to keep
their sense of hope alive and to reaffirm their commitment to work
constructively toward peace-building.
As of March 2005, the
third consecutive planting season in the Olive Tree Campaign ended with
a remarkable accomplishment. Sponsorships from partner YMCAs and YWCAs,
organizations and churches around the world, and individuals from 26
countries around the world, have allowed the East Jerusalem YMCA and
the YWCA of Palestine to plant and replant 6,600 young olive trees in
the very fields where trees were previously uprooted, or in fields
where the land is threatened to be confiscated. Each season, the olive
tree campaign tries to locate fields in new areas. This season featured
new fields in "Ramallah"; a city 10 miles north of Jerusalem. Fields in
East Jerusalem, Hebron, Nablus, and the Bethlehem area were located and
planted with olive trees as well. Total number of planted fields is 30.
In total over 13,000 olive trees have been planted in different
locations in the West Bank so far as result of the Olive Tree Campaign.
Two
International planting days were planned to take place on the 5th of
February and 5th of March. On this day, olive tree campaign invites
members from the local and international community to join their staff
and employees in planting olive trees in a selected field.
Unfortunately, the first planting day was called off because the land
owner was threatened by the Israeli forces not to come any close to the
field as it might be confiscated. However; the second international
planting day was magnificent. Close to hundred volunteers joined us in
planting trees in "Al No’man" village, southeast of Bethlehem.
The
most recent development is a new Joint Advocacy Initiative web site.
Exact date for opening is not confirmed yet, however, it is expected to
be online by summer 2005. It will contain detailed unified information
from both organizations concerning their campaigns, activities,
upcoming events, photo galleries, an electronic shop, and most
important of all, an online database allowing olive tree sponsors to
check the status of their trees, preview photos, and even sponsor a
tree online.
The Good Earth Campaign (Al Ard Al-Taybeh)
This
is another campaign developed recently. Through buying the products of
the campaign, people can take peaceful action against the illegal
occupation of the Palestinian land. And they also support the
Palestinian people in their struggle for their livelihood and in
achieving peace with justice.
The East Jerusalem YMCA and the
YWCA of Palestine have embarked on Al Ard Al-Taybeh Campaign to
advocate on behalf of and provide support to economically disadvantaged
Palestinians who gain their livelihood from their land. For countless
generations, Palestinians have been inextricably linked to their land.
But the Palestinians’ connection to their land is threatened, and so
are the lives of those who depend on the land for a living.
Agricultural work has now in many areas become nearly impossible as a
result of the restrictive measures imposed by Israel on Palestinians.
The
Good Earth Campaign seeks to make a difference through creating
marketing and sales opportunities for Palestinian producers, promoting
economic independence and self-confidence for marginalized and
disadvantaged producers, promoting and preserving the rich heritage of
Palestine through affirming the vital link between Palestinians and
their land and also to provide an opportunity for organizations and
individuals throughout the world to act in solidarity with Palestinians
in their struggle for peace with justice through the purchase of land
products.
For more information and pictures about the olive tree
and other campaigns for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel, please
visit www.ej-ymca.org/site/Display-Cat.cfm?CatId=7&Main=2
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
What needs to be done - a response from Africa
An
education grounded in good will holds the keys to international peace
and harmony and building bridges of understanding. These initiatives
hold the key to many of the conflicts which we see working in the world
at this time. Education for peace and human rights should occupy a
special place in our activities. It is central to realizing our vision
for a just and peaceful world, in which respecting others and their
rights will be part of everybody’s reaction and human right
relationship will be the rule.
We need to initiate programmes
which nevertheless celebrates and maintains cultural awareness and
diversitiy. This would bring together the cultures of the world so that
all mankind may come to truly know one another, thereby helping to
create the foundation whereby peace will eventually become the norm.
To
fashion a new vision of peace for the world we need to work out a
better educational system which will present the possibilities of human
living in such a manner that barriers will be broken down, prejudices
removed and training given to the developing child which will enable
him, when grown up to live with other men in harmony and good will.
A good peacemaker is the one who :
* Advocates and lobbies for reconciliation, good governance and respect for human rights as a means for peaceful coexistence.
* Assist in healing sessions between individuals and groups after violent conflicts.
*
Promotes and organizes peace building and conflict resolution sessions
in institutions like prisons, schools and refugee camps.
* Organizes youth camps, exchange and network visits both locally and internationally for sharing and healing purposes.
*
Treats everyone fairly, honestly and lovingly, because peace is a
fundamental prerequisite for sustanaible development.
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
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Postal address of organization
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12, Clos-Belmont
1208 Geneva
Switzerland
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E-mail address of organization
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office@ymca.int
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Website address of organization
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http://www.ymca.int
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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