| Posted: April 12 2005,09:42 |
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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
level of participation in human rights and peace advocacy is one way to
measure progress toward a culture of peace. Franciscans in India are
organising Peace Clubs in schools that would involve teachers,
children, and parents in programs aimed at encouraging and
strengthening ideas of 'life, freedom, human dignity, equality,
pluriformity, etc.' Franciscans International assists them by providing
peace education materials, sources, and contacts.
Progress has
been seen not only on a local level, but also in an international
forum. Franciscan grassroots were able to participate in UN Commisson
and Sub-Commission on Human Rights in Geneva during the recent years by
providing testimonies on human rights violations. Franciscans
International had organised workshops to train the participants in
advocacy skills and networking.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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Unstable
political situation in some regions and lack of funding to implement
peace-centered programmes are two major obstacles in achieving
progress.
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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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Every
year, Franciscans International helps to organize a worldwide effort to
observe the International Day of Peace, September 21st in a spiritual
manner, and urges all Franciscans to join the vigil for peace. Some
ideas on how to observe the International Day of Peace include:
inviting people from different faith traditions to join in a prayer
service for international peace, suggesting local school districts to
construct lesson plans with focus on conflict prevention and resolution
or on women and men who devoted their lives to peace, finding and/or
creating symbols of peace to collect and share their meaning later at a
peace event.
At the United Nations, Franciscans International
monitors disarmament processes with special focus on small arms and
light weapons and cooperates with other non-governmental organisations
in promoting international efforts to control arms trade. Gun violence
fueled by widespread presence of illegal arms hinders the attempts to
establish and maintain culture of peace.
Recently, Franciscans
International sent out to its constituents a questionnaire on
human rights violations committed by the use of small arms and light
weapons. The responses to the questionnaire will be used in
organisation's peace and disarmament advocacy.
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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? |
Dominicans for Justice and Peace
Marist Brothers
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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)? |
Franciscans
International is planning to hold a Peace Taskforce meeting aimed at
creation of an action plan in peace and reconciliation advocacy. The
plan would include involvement in disarmament processes at the UN
as well as programmes to assist grassroots Franciscans in their efforts
to establish culture of peace and reconciliation in their communities.
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Postal address of organization
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211 East 43rd St, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10017
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E-mail address of organization
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newyork@fiop.org
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Website address of organization
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www.franciscansinternational.org
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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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INTERNATIONAL
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