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Organization: The Hamilton Culture of Peace Network
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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Postal address of organization/institution

173 Dundurn St. S.
Hamilton, Ontario,  
L8P 4KS  Canada

E-mail address of organization/institution

Secretary:  ray.c@cogeco.ca

Website address of organization/institution

none

Telephone of organization/institution

: (905) 628-4976

PRIORITIES: All of the organization's domains of culture of peace activity

EDUCATION FOR PEACE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RIGHTS
WOMEN'S EQUALITY
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION
UNDERSTANDING, TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY
FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION
INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY

TOP PRIORITY: The organization's most important culture of peace activity

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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

All local peace groups in our area including:
Project Ploughshares,
Physicians for Global Survival,
United Nations Association in Canada,
Hamilton Interfaith Group,
Department of Peace Initiative,
Centre for Peace Studies McMaster University,
Gandhi Festival Committee,
The Skydragon Cooperative,
Kairos,
peace.ca,
peace- education.ca, etc.
Also some contact with Hamilton municipal government.

ACTIONS: What activities have been undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence during the ten years of the Decade? If you already made a report in 2005, your information from 2005 will be included in the 2010 report.

1. By the second half of the decade, working with the United Nations Association and the City of Hamilton, our group had obtained some $100,000 federal funds and established an agency with the goal of protecting vulnerable minorities from being harassed for reasons of religion or ethnic origin. Our goal was to provide ‘safe havens’ in public places where people could find help, refuge from racism, and a place to calm down. Unfortunately funding ran out before effective goals were obtained; a major obstacle being that such ‘havens’ increased liability insurance.

2. In October 2008, at the instigation of Robert Stewart (peace.ca), we ran a 3 day Symposium on The Culture of Peace at the Skydragon Cooperative.  David Adams was the facilitator.  A major outcome was his approach to City Council about the establishment of a Culture of Peace Commission.  This initiative is now being actively pursued by members of our Network.

3. As a follow up, our network is currently preparing a grant application to fund a facilitator/social geographer to create a running inventory of peace related groups to identify, meet with, sensitize each to the other their activities in the City. This activity will help us assess progress towards the transformation and reduction of violence, while moving towards a local culture of peace.

4. Recently we have been involved with the Gandhi Festival and Interfaith Group in support of a Hamilton Peace Park adjacent to City Hall.

5. Our group is actively petitioning our local paper to run an extended series of in-depth articles about the Culture of Peace.


Business meeting at CPDI Conference


Speaker at CPDI Conference

PROGRESS: Has your organization seen progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of action and in your constituency during the second half of the Decade?

As an overall assessment probably not.  However the response has been mixed. There  is some growing recognition of the Culture of Peace concept, and there have been many bright spots and heartening events.  The recent election of President Obama.is probably encouraging more groups to address the serious amount of violence in society.

OBSTACLES: Has your organization faced any obstacles to implementing the culture of peace and nonviolence? If so, what were they?

The intractable U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in an unfortunate rise in military propaganda in this country.  So much misinformation has been spread by governments and media during the past decade that the average citizen appears unsure about what to think and is largely uninformed about peace issues.  In order to wage peace more effectively many social justice groups like ours need to find new allies and funding to become more socially visible.

PLANS: What new engagements are planned by your organization in the short, medium and long term to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence?

Many individual members are working with other groups to address issues of violence in the community. One important ally we are partnering with is the national Department of Peace initiative (Hamilton Branch).. A peace ‘think tank’ has been started in Hamilton, and a public celebration of the first decade of the Culture of Peace is planned.

Our goal for the coming decade is to move forward with city council towards creating a Culture of Peace Commission

GLOBAL MOVEMENT: How do you think the culture of peace and nonviolence could be strengthened and supported at the world level??

It would be helpful if UNESCO were to reiterate its support for Manifesto 2000 and its six principles.  These have become widely accepted as useful standards.  Any additional U.N. publicity or financial support for such actions would be greatly appreciated.
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Organization: The Hamilton Culture of Peace Network

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