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Posted: Oct. 09 2005,18:16 by Martha
Gallahue from INTERNATIONAL - NGO subcommittee, Universal
Ethics and Global Concerns |
 
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Strategies
toward a Culture of Peace: First meeting of the subcommittee,
Universal Ethics and Global Concerns in conversation with David
Adams - September 27, 2005.
New governance models built upon
transparency are making a big difference. Wider information
sharing thus is crucial. Networking was looked upon as a new
form of intimacy when it is directed to achieving nobler ends than
individual citizens can achieve alone.
Networking diffuses
hierarchical assumptions of responsibility and increases empowerment
at the grass roots level. Barbara Marx Hubbard was mentioned
as doing innovative work in this regard. We note the work of
Global Coalition Against Poverty (GCAP) a worldwide network against
poverty. We also noted there were 75 million signatories on
the Manifesto for Peace for the International Year for the Culture
of Peace, 15 million of them from Brazil.
We agreed that
ethical action must be dynamic, energizing and practical.
Turning military factories into factories of industry was
mentioned as a way of turning minds toward peace and shifting the
basis for human security. At a Peace Alliance Conference held
September 23, in Washington, DC., there was a recommendation to
campaign governments to putting 2 % of their military budgets toward
peace education. We noted the principle of martial arts
shifting energy from destructive to constructive
use.
Continuing to introduce language for the culture of
peace into the 60th General Assembly session was recommended (cf
paragraph 144 in Millennial Summit Outcome document). David
mentioned that he already had mobilized youth from organizations
coordinatred by United Network of Young Peacebuilders to participate
in circulating the "Civil Society Report at Midpoint" to
governmental Ambassadors. He encouraged us to join with this
group for a meeting in The Church Center on Friday, October 14th at
5:00pm to help with this effort and hear how the youth were
organizing to achieve their purpose. Their intent is to get
the survey into Ambassadors hands before October 20th, the GA's
Plenary session.
Finally, we recommend daily ordinary
conversation about what is most important to us everywhere we find
ourselves. This meeting was a practice that can have powerful
impact in the world when we continue to uphold the centered focus of
listening and sharing our deepest passions
everywhere.
Closing remarks.
Our group described this
meeting with David as: creating unifying conversation, offering an
expanding rich discussion of multiple-layered intersections.
We need to work more with media, and make sure that we extend
our outreach beyond those with whom we are comfortable. Yet in
small groups, we can fortify our own intentions to
implementing peace in our own locales. One member
offered that war is not a culture and that art possesses great power
to inspire us to be peace.
David closed by reminding us that
all institutions are limited. They can serve as beacons of
purpose with great values. But they require us to put the
values into action. We here are attracted to the beacon
United Nations. The greater UN is "We the People"
Because of the presence of the UN, we have found others who are
giving their lives to the same values we share. Because of
the UN, a Manifesto was created as was GCAP, the MDG's, AGENDA 21,
Our business are these ideals. We are the makers of a
culture without precedent. We are the creators of new
traditions that can transcend war.
Attendance: Thomas A
Downes, Pax Christi International, VCC
Ana Lita, International
Humanist Ethical Union, Ex.Dir. The Appignani Bioethics
Center
Edward Emery, Ethical Futures
Noema Chapin, Aquarian Age Community, VCC
Diane Williams, Chair of CSCGC
Kathleen Quain,
Information Habitat
Rose Walker, The
Nat'l Serv.Conf. of AEU
Martha
Gallahue, facilitator, Chair of subcommittee
Anne Creter, World Peace Prayer Society,
Universal Ethics and Global Concerns
Co-Chair of subcommittee Culture
of Peace
Guest: David Adams, first Director of UNESCO project,
Decade for a Culture of Peace. cf. http://decade-culture-of-peace.org./ |
