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Organization: Peace People
The following information may be cited or quoted as long as the source is accurately mentioned and the words are not taken out of context.
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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?

Yes. We have seen progress

OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?

Over emphasis on culture of violence to resolve social problems

ACTIONS: What actions have been undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?

Peace People, Ireland, Report on the UN Culture of Peace

1) International Peace Councillors

30 members of the International Peace Council visited N.Ireland from 15-21 June this year. The members were from the Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish faiths whose aim is to help build bridges between people of different faiths and cultures. They came at the invitation of Mairead Corrigan Maguire of the Peace People to promote the message of peace through compassion and non-violence (physical, verbal, symbolic). They were in the North to listen and dialogue with local community groups, and with church and political leaders.

As part of their Outreach Programme two Peace Councillors came to Newry on 18 June at the invitation of Newry & Mourne Council; Professor Sallie King, Head of Philosophy and Religion at James Madison University USA, and Professor Chung Hyun Kyung, Professor of Ecumenics and Christianity at Union Theol. Seminary New York.  Colin Moffett, Council Equality Officer, arranged a morning tour of South Armagh for the two Councillors. They met first with Pat McGinn and a group of young people in Crossmaglen, who are doing an accredited course studying and learning about how to appreciate and understand difference and diversity.  Then it was on to Newtownhamilton to meet William Fraser and members of FAIR victims support group and hear their concerns.

After lunch in the Arts Centre, Newry, Colin Moffett chaired a Seminar at which over 60 people were present. The topic under discussion was " Northern Ireland’s divided society - the need for a shared vision?"

The panel of speakers were - Rev Michael Barry (Presbyterian Church), Kevin Cassidy (Peace People), William Fraser  (FAIR), Kevin Mulgrew (Republican ex-prisoners group) and Claire Treanor (organiser of an anti-war protest in Newry). There was lively debate from the floor.  The Peace Councillors ended the session by saying how much they appreciated hearing the stories from all sides. The seminar had given an opportunity to try and look into the future where communities can live together.  Professor Chung said, " A peace process is a very slow process, it is never like a rabbit running, it is always like a turtle moving slowly."

2 Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Peace People President and Nobel Peace Laureate’s work to promote a greater awareness of UN Resolution 53/25travels and talks to promote the UN Decade of Peace.

a) Mairead was official Speaker at the World Summit of Nobel Laureates. She delivered the address at 4th Summit in Nov 2003,  ‘Ethical Policies-The Right Things to do’.
Also delivered the address at 5th World Summit, in Rome Nov 2004 advocating an international world culture of peace

b) Travelled to India in January 2005 to address an international Conference at Santrhigiri Ashram, in Kerela, S. India attended by Indian Prime Minister and former President of India, Dr K.R. Narayan. She appealed to the Indian Government to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation treaty and make friends with Pakistan.  She expressed the hope that during this  decade of UN culture of peace and non violence for the children of the world that  India would choose to walk in the spirit of Gandhi by taking the steps towards nuclear disarmament for the 21st Century

c) Mordechai Vanunu, Israel’s nuclear whistle-blower.
Mairead nominated Vanunu for the Nobel Peace Prize in Jerusalem on 19 Dec 2004. She was in Israel on 23 April 2004 with Peace People delegation to welcome Vanunu out of prison after serving 18 years for disclosing Israel’s nuclear secrets. She led another delegation to Israel 16-23 April 2005 to again support Vanunu’s call for freedom to leave Israel. This was after renewed restrictions on his freedom of speech and movement was imposed on him for another by the Israeli government

d) Mairead has also travelled to USA on many occasions to speak at Peace events.  She travelled to Chicago in 2004 to speak at the trial of the Boeing 7. This was a group who held a protest in the lobby of Boeing’s Headquarters in Chicago in 2003 prior to the Iraq War. They choose to have a trial and their lawyer requested her presence at the trial to speak on their defence.

3 "New Releases" a schools initiative in 2002/3 of the Peace People in Ireland in partnership with organisations active in the area of development through education. Their aim was to combine a range of events that would build together to promote a greater awareness of UN Resolution 53/25, declaring the decade of 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World.

This project aimed to generate through the insight and experiences of young people in Ireland New Releases of fresh creative ideas, thinking and vision to help develop greater learning and understanding of the benefits that come from a culture where peace and nonviolence are the norm.

Release can also mean to let go, and while there may be a perception that when you let go you lose something, the reality is that for most occasions letting go of negative attitudes, habits, and prejudices produces very positive results.

The New Releases Project was open to all Primary & Secondary Schools throughout Ireland. An exhibition and awards ceremony was held in Belfast in June 2003 to recognise and feature selected works from each age category.  The only overriding condition was that entries illustrate a clear understanding of the issues relating to the chosen sub theme and the overall concept of the UN Declaration 53/25.

Prizes included a trip to the UN Headquarters in New York for the pupils and teachers of the best three Year 10 entries. Also for the runners -up in each category there was a range of audio-visual equipment for their schools.

The Project was initially launched in Belfast, N. Ireland on 24 Oct 2002 (United Nations Day) and in Dublin, and the Republic of Ireland on 10 Feb 2003

A selection of the best submissions was displayed in the Waterfront Hall; Belfast to coincide with an International Peace Conference planned in N. Ireland June 2003.

On Thursday 19 June a Schools’ workshop and presentation of prizes took take place in the morning and a concert in the evening.



Peace People leaving Dublin Airport for Israel to support Mordechai Vanunu on whom sanctions have been re-imposed.  Vanunu is the whistle-blower who spent almost 18 years in prison in Israel, 11 years and nine months in solitary confinement.  He, like the Peace People, is calling for a nuclear-free world. They are calling too for his release
from Israel. Left to right: Justin Morahan, Kevin Cassidy, Regina O'Callaghan, Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Ann Patterson

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?

Help funding of  groups

PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the global movement for a culture of peace?

Peace groups in Ireland

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)?

Engaging with local conflicts

Postal address of organization

224 Lisburn Road, Belfast N. Ireland

E-mail address of organization

info@peacepeople.com

Website address of organization

www.peacepeople.com

Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace

Education for culture of peace

Second priority action domain of a culture of peace

human rights

Highest priority country of action (or international)

Ireland

Second priority country of action (or international)

U.K.
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Organization: Peace People

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