| Posted: April 27 2005,10:18 |
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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? |
The
Dominican Leadership Conference is the networking organization for over
9000 members of the Dominican Family in the United States and is a part
of the worldwide Dominican Family who live in over 100 countries. We
work in education, healthcare, social service, immigration and legal
services. In our efforts to support the Culture of Peace, we have
involved those with whom we work and with whom we share our mission.
Progress in Developing a Culture of Peace
The
Dominican Leadership Conference, through its members, takes seriously
its commitment to a Culture of Peace. Though the values we
incorporate into our lives and work, through spirit and action, we
reject violence and seek to live in peace with ourselves and with those
with whom we share this planet. We are increasingly aware of our
relationship with all of creation and of the need to live in harmony
with all life. We are an ECOSOC and DPI accredited NGO. Our focus
on human rights, on trafficking of women and children women and
children, on the reality of life in Iraq, Colombia, the Philippines and
Vieques as well as the death penalty and the Millennium
Development Goals strongly support our progress toward a Culture of
Peace.
We recognize that developing a Culture of Peace is a
process that can only be achieved by constant attention and vigilance.
We recognize that each day, each person, each place offers an
opportunity for healing and reconciliation as steps to a lasting and
true peace. We have the example of Jesus as he prayed for peace
for those who both followed him and denied him, for those who loved him
and those who persecuted him.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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There
are many insidious obstacles to a culture of peace. We see the
violation of human rights as the most fundamental cause of violence
that leads to social disintegration and environmental damage. Many of
our members work with people who feel the crush of poverty and struggle
to find options and escape. We know, first hand, the difficulties faced
by many in this world and recognize the overwhelming conditions of
poverty and conflict.
When people live in extreme poverty,
when their basic human rights and needs are denied, peace seems a
distant dream. When people are hungry, without adequate shelter,
when democratic participation is absent, peace seems a distant dream.
When the very environment in which people live is depleted and abused,
peace seems a distant dream. These obstacles must be faced, must
be overcome before the distant dream of peace will be realized.
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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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Actions Supporting a Culture of Peace
It
would be impossible to list all the activity related to our
participation in developing a culture of peace, but a sample of action
are:
Commemoration of the International Day of Peace:
This day was commemorated in various living and institutional locations where our members live and work:
• In schools, students gathered to pray, to toll a bell, to plant peace poles, to write letters to the newspaper editors
• In hospitals, senior centers, assisted living facilities, staff and clients gathered to pray for peace.
• In some locations, the press was invited to make the call for peace more public
Members of our organization live in Iraq; it is their home. In
the United States, we participated in advocacy for peace in Iraq by:
• Visiting Iraq
• Providing public presentations on the situation of our family in Iraq.
• Initiating and participating in the “I have Family in Iraq” campaign.
•
Displaying the number of soldiers and civilians killed in Iraq,
inviting people to hear the stories of our sisters and brothers
in Iraq, writing to the UN and to the governments of the nations
involved to advocating for the rights of the Iraqi citizens, inviting
others who have experience in Iraq, to speak in our sponsored
institutions
• Participating in peaceful actions calling for the end of the war.
• Inviting two of our sisters from Iraq to live with us and be a voice for the Iraqi people in the US.
Throughout the year:
• Peace poles have been planted in many locations, peace roses bloom
• Prayers for peace are scheduled by different groups, for some weekly, for some monthly
• Prayers for peace have been included in mailings to constituencies
Our members are involved in
• Peaceful demonstrations in an effort to close the School of the Americas housed at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA
• Anti Racism programs and workshops among our members and within our educational institutions
•
Education and advocacy on Trafficking of Women and Children. Our
members work with trafficked women and children as well as they have
developed educational resources for high schools, and adult groups.
We hold membership in and support organizations which focus this
issue (Coalition Against Trafficking.
• Advocacy against the Death
Penalty is significant among our members. Education, vigils,
lobbying political leaders, letters to newspapers are a few of the
activities. One of our members founded the “For Whom the Bell
Toll”, whereby in many of our public buildings, bells toll on the day
of an execution.
• Our members hold membership and support
personally and financially, Amnesty International, Church World
Services and Catholic Relief Services, Pax Christi, Eighth Day Center,
Network, Bread for the World, Greenpeace, Center of Concern,
International Committee for Peace Council. Some of our members
serve on the Boards of various peace organizations and on the
boards of various organizations whose primary focus includes peace.
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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? |
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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)? |
We will continue to incorporate our hope and actions for peace in all that we are and do.
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Postal address of organization
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211 East 43rd Street Room 910
New York, NY 10017 USA
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E-mail address of organization
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egannon@verizon.net
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Website address of organization
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www.op.org/dlc
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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human rights
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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sustainable development
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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international
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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