| Posted: April 27 2005,14:58 |
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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? |
(i)
At international level, progress has been especially seen in developing
the UNESCO Chairs' scheme in Human Rights, Democracy, Peace and
Tolerance to a worldwide scheme within UNITWIN; the number of
participating Chairs has more than doubled from 27 Chairs in 22
countries (1998) to 55 Chairs in 46 countries (2002 until today).
Highlights
of this process were the Second and Third International Meeting of
UNESCO Chairs (Stadtschlaining/Austria, 2000, 2002) that adopted
far-reaching decisions on their strategies and action set forth, inter
alia, in 'The Stadtschlaining Declaration on Promoting Human Rights,
Democracy, Peace, and Tolerance' as well as in the 'Agreement of
Co-operation Between UNESCO Chairs on Human Rights, Democracy, Peace
and Tolerance'. On the occasion of the Second International Meeting
(May, 2000), the European Museum for Peace at Schlaining Castle was
inaugurated by a national exhibition on "War or Peace - From the Cult
of Violence to the Culture of Peace", organized by the European
University Center for Peace Studies and its UNESCO Chair and dedicated
to the International Year for the Culture of Peace. and exchange on
issues related to War, Violence and Conflict, Security and
Peace/Culture of Peace.
The European Museum for Peace has
developed into a focal point for information and exchange on issues
related to War, Violence and Conflict, Security and Peace/Culture of
Peace, and the cultural impact of the Peace Center and its UNESCO
Chair at the national level and beyond has remarkably increased during
last years through this progress achieved.
Issues of a Culture
of Peace are given highest priority by the big majority of Chairs, in
close connection with issues of human rights, democracy, tolerance,
non-violence and conflict resolution. This is clearly reflected in all
issues of the international Bulletin of UNESCO Chairs annually
published since 1999 by the EPU and its UNESCO Chair on Peace, Human
Rights and Democracy and widely disseminated to the Chairs, their
partners and a large audience of other readers.
The Bulletin has
become a rich source of information and exchange between the Chairs as
well as their great number of partners outside the scheme, an
expressive chronicle of the Chairs' development and action, a useful
link between their International Meetings and a unique means for
promoting a Culture of Peace.
Appended to Bulletin issue 2005,
a collection of about 100 essays and monographs on major issues of a
Culture of Peace, Human Rights and related issues will be published,
provided from 2002 to 2005 by Chairs and their partners. This will
represent the first 'academic volume' on major issues of our time
presented by the UNESCO Chairs of the scheme and their partners and
help spreading ideas, initiatives, problems and prospects related to
the Culture of Peace and closely connected issues.
(ii)
Participants in international training courses (2005: 23 male/46
female, together 69), summer academies, seminars,
international/regional conferences etc. as well as in International
Civilian Peace-keeping and Peace-building Training Programmes at the
Peace Center 'Schlaining Castle' repeatedly expressed their view that
the Center (including its UNESCO Chair) constitutes an out-standing
international model in making manifold efforts conducive to the
creation of a Culture of Peace. For its verification, 2 selected fields
are drawn on:
- The EPU provides the comprehensive framework
and infrastructure for inter-national post-graduate study courses on
issues of peace, conflict management, human rights and development
problems Many students come from least developed countries and conflict
regions of Africa, e.g. from countries of the "Southern African
Development Community" (SADC) and of the "Great Lakes' Region".
Graduates are further on assisted by the "Alumni Network" initiated and
guided by the EPU under the auspices of Dr. Gerald MADER, Chairholder
of the UNESCO Chair and President of the Peace Center Schlaining Castle.
-
The EPU's "Peace Library", located in a beautiful, restored former
Synagogue and effectively promoted by the Chair, has a rich stock of
25.000 volumes and 300 permanent subscriptions to international
journals/periodicals on issues related to peace and conflict studies,
non-violence, human rights, democracy, tolerance, and sustainable
development. The furtherance of this unit is evidently resulting in its
increased utilization by scientists, students, teachers, tourists and
interested visitors from near and far. The UNESCO Chair issued itself a
great number of publications and a series of multi-media material. The
Peace Center attaches high importance to the Media that are involved in
all public highlights of the Center.
Details of progress
selectively and briefly described has also been reflected at Internet
in the 'UNESCO Portal' (www.portal.unesco.org) and the new homepage of
the EPU UNESCO Chair (www.aspr.ac.at/unesco/main.htm) which itself
represents an effective progress achieved during in 2004/05.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
|
On
national level, cutback in expenditure by the national government for
the EPU including its UNESCO Chair is to be drawn on first.
On
international level, change of paradigms in UNESCO strategy
(mainstreaming Human Rights) should avoid to be enforced 'at the cost'
of the Culture of Peace; any (including hidden) dualism in this field
has proved to be counterproductive; recognizing the principle of
interrelationship and interdisciplinary approach remains to be
indispensable.
For implementing the UN documents adopted on the
Decade for a Culture of Peace, an international lead organization would
be most important as at former times represented by UNESCO.
|
ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
|
Highlights
of promoting a culture of peace and non-violence were the Second and
Third International Meeting of UNESCO Chairs (Stadtschlaining/Austria,
2000, 2002) that adopted far-reaching decisions on their strategies and
action set forth, inter alia, in 'The Stadtschlaining Declaration on
Promoting Human Rights, Democracy, Peace, and Tolerance' as well as the
'Agreement of Co-operation Between UNESCO Chairs on Human Rights,
Democracy, Peace and Tolerance'.
The participants of the
Second International Meeting (May, 2000) were witnessing the opening of
the European Museum for Peace at Schlaining Castle inaugurated by a
national exhibition on "War or Peace - From the Cult of Violence to the
Culture of Peace", organized by the European University Center for
Peace Studies and its UNESCO Chair and dedicated to the International
Year for the Culture of Peace. Since then, the European Museum for
Peace has developed into a focal point for information and exchange on
issues related to war, violence and conflict, security and peace.
Beside the large permanent basic exhibition, special exhibitions are
shown annually, so in 2003 on the theme "Peace - World wards", in 2004
on "Mysterious East - Horrors, Treasures, Destinies" and in 2005 on
"From Liberation to Freedom - the long way to the State Treaty".
Issues
of a Culture of Peace are given highest priority by the big majority of
Chairs, in close connection with issues of human rights, democracy,
tolerance, non-violence and conflict resolution. This is clearly
reflected in all issues of the international Bulletin of the UNESCO
Chairs annually published since 1999 and widely disseminated to the
Chairs, their partners and a large audience of other readers. The
Bulletin has become a rich source of information and exchange between
the Chairs as well as their great number of partners outside the
scheme, an expressive chronicle of the Chairs' development and action
in this field, a useful link between their International Meetings and a
unique means of promoting a Culture of Peace.
Appended to
Bulletin issue 2005, a collection of about 100 essays and mono-graphs
on major issues of a Culture of Peace, Human Rights and related issues
will be published, provided from 2002 to 2005 by Chairs and their
partners. This will represent the first 'academic volume' on major
issues of our time provided by UNESCO Chairs of the scheme and
help spreading ideas, initiatives, problems and prospects related to
the Culture of Peace.
Participants in international training
courses, summer academies, seminars, international and regional
conferences etc. as well as in International Civilian Peace-keeping and
Peace-building Training Programmes at the Peace Center 'Schlaining
Castle' repeatedly expressed their view that the Center (including its
UNESCO Chair) constitutes an out-standing international model in making
efforts conducive to a Culture of Peace.
Two selected fields should be drawn on for its verification:
-
The EPU provides the framework and infrastructure for international
post-graduate study courses on issues of peace, conflict management,
human rights and development problems and covers the total cost of
implementation of all international training courses in Stadtschlaining
(one- and two-semester courses, including a two-semester Master's
Programme at university standard).
Many students come from
least developed countries and conflict regions of Africa. The EPU seeks
to provide the chance to students from Africa, e.g. from countries of
the "Southern African Development Community" (SADC) and of the "Great
Lakes' Region", to start or continue participating in the EPU study
courses, the pressing need of which is quite obvious with a view to the
aggravating situation in these regions concerned.
The UNESCO
Chair is actively promoting the preparation and implementation of
training courses, for instance on "Capacity Building in Specific
Conflict Regions of Africa through Education and In-service Training",
with a view to the following point of attachment: The situation in
regions of crisis, in wartime, post-war conditions or in danger of
outbreak of war, is also characterized by drastic prejudices,
discrimination, refugees, health and supply problems.
Considerable
peace-political endeavours are necessary for peace-keeping, for
securing sustainable conflict de-escalation in connection with
constructive changes of the comprehensive conflict environment. To a
great extent, success in regions of crisis depends on the endeavours of
persons and organizations engaged in peace-political actions. Due to
missing personal and professional preconditions, they are often not
sufficiently able to meet these challenges. They need a fundamental
knowledge and practical skills in conflict management as well as
special knowledge on reconstruction and stabilization of economic
structures. Furthermore, they need the capabilities in observing and
promoting the situation of human rights and democracy (including
elections), the development of information and education structures as
well as educational programmes, conducive to understanding and carrying
out activities necessary for peace-keeping including the elimination of
prejudices and enemy images.
The EPU has integrated these
tasks into its training courses, in order to provide to students from
African countries the chance to become additionally trained for meeting
these concrete tasks. Until now, this offer has been accepted and
utilized with great interest and effectively contributed to the
development of a network in Africa assisted and guided by the EPU.
During
the training programme, students meet participants from the same
conflict region, but with different political, ethnical or religious
background in different conflict parties. They are to guarantee to
apply and implement the knowledge acquired afterwards in their region
in practice. Therefore, members of relevant organizations or with a
respective personal and professional background might be especially
capable to meet this challenge.
This aims both at strengthening
personal capacities in civil conflict management, and making sure that
the participants purposefully apply these improved capacities in
conflict regions. At the same time, they are prepared for utilizing the
contacts established during their training and are further on assisted
by the "Alumni Network" initiated and guided by the EPU under the
auspices of Dr. Gerald MADER, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair and
President of the Peace Center Schlaining Castle.
- The EPU's
"Peace Library", located in a beautiful, restored former Synagogue, has
been effectively promoted by the Chair. Its rich stock of 25.000
volumes and 300 permanent subscriptions to international
journals/periodicals is permanently increasing. So in 2004, 945 new
volumes were integrated many of them acquired free of charge. The Peace
Library provides a wide range of issues related to peace and conflict
studies, non-violence, human rights, democracy, tolerance, and
sustainable development. The furtherance of this unit is evidently
resulting in its increased utilization by scientists, students,
teachers, tourists and interested visitors from near and far. The
UNESCO Chair prepared and published itself a great number of
publications. There is also a series of multi-media material (CDs,
films, cassettes as well as a collection of 90 videotapes on
peace-related topics, mostly in English. Films are shown to students
and visitors once a week."
In this regard, and in general, the
Peace Center attaches high importance to the Media. They are not only
involved in all public highlights initiated and organized by the
Center, but there are frequently joint events and activities with
Austrian Radio (ORF) and non-governmental organizations, for example, a
large public gathering held in Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland,
on the occasion of the World Peace Day on 21 Sept. 2003.
It
is worth mentioning that the Chairholder is permanently present in the
print media at national level through interviews and articles on actual
national and international issues that find a remarkable public
resonance.
Details of progress selectively and briefly described has also been publicized at Internet in the 'UNESCO Portal' (www.portal.unesco.org) and
the homepage of the EPU UNESCO Chair (www.aspr.ac.at/unesco/main.htm).
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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? |
For
implementing the UN documents adopted on the Decade for a Culture of
Peace, an international lead organization would be most important as at
former times represented by UNESCO.
|
PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
- UNITWIN network of UNESCO Chairs, UNESCO Chairs in Human Rights, Democracy, Peace and International Understanding
-
"Alumni Network" of graduates from EPU international training courses
initiated and guided by the EPU under the auspices of Dr. Gerald MADER,
Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair and President of the Peace Center
Schlaining Castle.
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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)? |
Beside the continuation of the manifold running engagements:
-
organization, together with one or two other UNESCO Chairs, of
the 4th International Meeting of UNESCO Chairs in Human Rights,
Democracy, Peace and Tolerance
- regional preparatory meetings
- annual publication of the UNESCO Chairs' Bulletin
-
collection and publication of the second scientific volume of essays
and monographs on topical issues of a Culture of Peace, Human Rights,
Democracy and Tolerance
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Postal address of organization
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A-7461 Stadtschlaining/Burg, Austria
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E-mail address of organization
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aspr@aspr.ac.at
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Website address of organization
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www.aspr.ac.at/unesco/main.htm
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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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