Category Archives: FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

The European Union gives voice to peace in Colombia with community radio

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An article by Jaime Ortega Carrascal in La Vanguardia – translated by CPNN and reprinted for non-commercial purposes.

A survivor of the Bojayá massacre, a FARC guerrilla who is about to leave his weapons or a peasant who stopped cultivating coca are some of the anonymous Colombians who found in the community radios the way to promote the peace thanks to support from the European Union (EU).

The initiative “Community Radios for Peace and Coexistence”, launched in mid-2016, supports 400 of the 627 community radio stations in Colombia to generate a culture of peace in the most remote rural areas, those most affected by the armed conflict.


Photo Resander

“This is very important because community broadcasters disseminate the expressions and feelings of those living in distant territories,” the EU ambassador to Colombia, Ana Paula Zacarias, told EFE.

The EU allocated two million euros (about US $ 2.23 million) to this initiative promoted by the Cooperative Network of Community Media in Santander (Resander) with the support of the Colombian Presidency, the Ministries of Culture and ICT, The Office of the High Commissioner for Peace and the newspaper El Espectador.

“The messages are adapting to the different regions,” added Zacarias, recalling that the “Fiesta Estéreo” station in Barrancas, in the Caribbean department of La Guajira, emits in Castilian and Wuayuunaiki, a language of the Wayú Indians who represent a high percentage of the population of the area and are distributed between Colombia and Venezuela.

In the Wuayuunaiki language curiously there are no words like “peace” and “coexistence”, which is why in these programs they say it in Spanish.

Building peace and providing post-conflict support after the agreement with the FARC guerrillas is the EU’s priority, which also emphasizes issues such as indigenous communities, children, gender equality and environmental protection.

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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article

Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

Journalism in Latin America: Is it turning towards a culture of peace?

How can peace be promoted by radio?

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“All the guerrillas of the FARC are committed to the peace process and on our part we do not want to use words as a weapon”, says a guerrilla at the station “La Calidosa”, Policarpa, municipality of the department of Nariño, on the border With Ecuador.

Policarpa houses one of the 26 temporary transitional zones of normalization in which about 7,000 FARC guerrillas will leave their weapons to return to life in society and that is why messages of reconciliation are very important among listeners of ” La Calidosa “.

“We are sure that this project is one of those that is having an impact in the construction, in the transmission of the peace in the territories because the 400 radios can reach an audience of ten million listeners”, indicates Zacarías .

At the same station, Juan, a peasant, tells how “violence has hit very hard” in the area and with his testimony advises listeners to return to traditional crops, such as coffee that for years was replaced by coca, which brought them nothing but misfortunes.

“People came and were infusing what is called the cultivation of illicit uses … we went directly or indirectly, without realizing that we were hurting our families,” he says.

The EU initiative not only opens microphones to the people, but also includes workshops in which 200 community radio journalists have been trained in the elaboration of educational content on peacebuilding, as well as 50 broadcasters receiving technical assistance and donations of recording equipment.

The project is secured until next November, although the EU ambassador is of the opinion that this “does not mean that we can not in the future study other formulas to continue supporting this work of sending messages on peace to the territories” to promote reconciliation between the Colombians.

An example of this is Noel, a singer-songwriter known as “El Negrito del Swing”, a survivor of the Bojayá massacre, the worst committed by the FARC, which on May 2, 2002 caused between 79 and 119 deaths when a bomb launched during a combat against paramilitaries fell in the church of that town of the department of the Chocó where hundreds of people had sought refuge.

“Art will allow us not to forget what happened, it will preserve our memory, and I think that I am contributing (to peace) by not being spiteful and trying to heal,” comments Noel in “Suba al aire” in which he remembers “that we were happy in Bojayá.”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Uganda has benefited from peace journalism

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An article by Gloria Laker Aciro for D+C /E+Z D+C Development and Cooperation

Uganda has a history of conflict and violence. In particular, the strife caused by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda from 1995 to 2004 made peace efforts necessary. At the time, a strong foundation for peace journalism was laid. Its principles are of lasting relevance in view of unrest in border regions and the refugee population which is growing due to civil war in neighbouring countries.


Peace journalists from Uganda and South Sudan

After years of failed military interventions and series of futile peace talks, the Ugandan army opted for peace journalism in order to try to reach out to LRA insurgents. In 1998, the first peace radio was established in Gulu, a town in northern Uganda. It was called Radio Freedom. The army used it to communicate not only with displaced people, but even the rebels, inspiring hope among child soldiers that demobilisation might be possible.

After the media highlighted atrocities collectively, international attention turned to the LRA conflict. Donor agencies started to consider radio programming and professional media work as a way to promote peace and later to reduce tensions in the post-conflict situation.

Important principles of peace journalism are to avoid hate speech and involve voices from all sides of a conflict. Balance, fairness and factual accuracy matter very much. The idea is to convey an understanding of a conflict’s reasons, history and possible non-violent solutions rather than to fan the flames. Attention must be paid not only to acts of violence, which are easy to report, but also to longer term developments in society, which are harder to cover.

Effective peace reporting does more than merely report events. It puts them in context, by engaging communities. Various approaches matter, including social media, local discussions and drama performances. They all serve to enhance the news reporting, talk shows and public service announcements.

Successful approaches

From 1999 to 2002, Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) fully backed the use of persuasive radio programmes to urge rebels to abandon fighting. DFID funded the establishment of Mega FM radio in Gulu. The station went on air in August 2002, covering parts of Uganda as well as of southern Sudan and eastern DR Congo. It broadcasts general information on conflict and development as well as specific items geared to conflict resolution and promoting the peace process in the region.

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Question(s) related to this article:

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

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In a surprising innovation, Ogena Lacambel, the host of Mega FM’s flagship programme Dwog Paco (which means “come back home” in Luo), invited former child soldiers to share their stories on radio. They were assured free passage. Today, Mega FM still has several peace-building programmes including Kabake (“community dialogue”) and Teyat (“stakeholders’ debate”). Open dialogue and call-ins with community members and rebel LRA soldiers have contributed to several abducted children returning home.

Over 22,000 child soldiers and commanders responded to the appeal and abandoned the rebellion, significantly weakening the LRA. In short, the LRA conflict could only be ended after the intervention of peace journalism.

Today, the LRA has retreated into the Central African Republic. The Ugandan army is still using the come-back-home radio format, as Innocent Aloyo, host of Mega FM’s Kabake programme, reports. The host is flown into the CAR to interview child soldiers there.

Since the LRA was defeated in Uganda, local community radio stations have been reaching out to the public through peace reporting with a focus on development. The next crucial step is for media houses to adopt in-house policies and guidelines. Many radio hosts in rural areas are not aware of what peace journalism requires, and even some who are aware have proven unable to handle people who call in by phone to incite hatred.

International agencies that promote media development such as Internews and DW Akademie have trained hundreds of local journalists in peace reporting. The impact of trainees on the peace process has been assessed. A number of community radios were set up with a commitment to peace journalism and are still active today.

Today, the sensitive issue in Uganda is reporting about refugees. Even though the country hosts thousands of refugees, the matter is under-reported. The point of view of the refugees is rarely included. When Chris Obore, a well-known journalist, highlighted the plight of a Burundian refugee girl, his reporting changed the girl’s life for the better.

Peace journalism must give marginalised people a voice. Moreover, these efforts must transcend national borders. Since refugees from South Sudan, the DRC and other countries live in Uganda, conflicts spread to the border region.

It therefore makes sense for Ugandan and South Sudanese journalists to cooperate on covering refugee issues. Speak FM, a small community radio in Gulu, is doing just that. Station manager Jane Angom says that “exiled South Sudanese journalists contribute important information about the refugee community in northern Uganda, which our radio otherwise would not be able to access”. Language matters, after all.

In 2005, the media were a key player in the Juba peace talks that led to the signing of a cessation of violence and hostilities agreement (CPA) in South Sudan. Traditional leaders who were active in the peace and reconciliation efforts point out that peace journalism as a tool was “useful in mobilising people and reaching out to rebels”.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Spike in Colombian violence underlines ongoing need for peacebuilding, prayer

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An article from the Mennonite World Review

Partners of Mennonite Central Committee in Colombia continue to walk with people affected by more than 50 years of violence as new armed conflict emerges even after a peace accord.
Violence among armed groups is escalating as FARC-EP guerrillas demobilize, threatening Mennonite Brethren churches in the Chocó region.


Members of a Colombian Mennonite Brethren Conference visit a rural community in the San Juan region shortly after the community experienced significant flooding. The community is stuck in the middle of violence between the Gaitanista Self Defence Forces of Colombia, a paramilitary group that occupies the area, and a guerrilla group vying for power. — Brendah Ndagire/MCC

The country’s largest rebel group, FARC-EP — the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — signed a peace accord with the government last year. But “there is still a long journey toward peace,” said Amy Eanes, an advocacy support specialist for MCC in Colombia.

Some armed groups are becoming more active, hoping to assert dominance and claim territory once occupied by the FARC-EP.

This is especially true in rural areas of the Chocó region, where MCC partners with the Mennonite Brethren Conference, whose members are working and praying for peace.

Living in fear

A member of one of the churches, Maria Camila, whose real name isn’t being used to protect her identity, says another guerrilla group is fighting the Gaitanista Self Defence Forces of Colombia, a paramilitary group that normally occupies the area, and it’s very dangerous there now.

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Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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Armed conflict between the two groups broke out in February, months after the peace accord was signed by the FARC-EP. In one part of the town, the guerrilla group threatened to shoot civilians if they didn’t open their doors because the guerrilla fighters believed members of the paramilitary group were hiding there.

“Even though you know that God says that wars will come and in the midst of all these things God will protect you, it was something so terrible — to feel the shootout, to hear the sounds,” she said. “I just said, ‘Lord, have mercy on us and watch over us,’ but we thought this was going to be the end.”

Camila has never felt so unsafe. “We aren’t free to walk around at night. We all live shut in our houses,” she said. “All of us in the community are frightened. That’s why we’re living like this.”

She has little faith the peace accord will make a difference in her community or other rural areas in Colombia.

“In reality, the hope we have is from God,” she said.

Teaching peace

MCC continues to support partners in Colombia that work on peacebuilding initiatives and assist some of the most vulnerable families, particularly those displaced by violence. The conflict has resulted in 7 million internally displaced people.

In April, MCC embarked on a three-year peace-education project with the Mennonite Brethren Regional Council of Chocó to promote an understanding of a culture of peace and how to encourage peacebuilding among youth and young adults.

One of MCC’s partners, the Church Coordination for Psychosocial Action, supports churches and organizations, enabling them to provide trauma awareness and healing, build resilience and contribute to peacebuilding and reconciliation in Colombia.

MCC works with a number of Mennonite churches and organizations in Colombia who have been actors for peace for many years.

“The churches are figuring out what this post-accord period will look like for them, and I think it’s important to walk alongside these partners,” Eanes said.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

The Gambia: African youth calls for intergenerational bridges

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An article from UNESCO

100 young leaders coming from 22 African countries gathered in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia from 9 to 10 May 2017 to develop new strategies for peacebuilding and regional solidarity in Africa. This international conference was an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of youth to the democratic transition in The Gambia and to reflect on the role of youth movements in the transition and consolidation of democracy on the African continent.

Organized under the theme “Youth, Peacebuilding and Regional Solidarity: Lessons from Africa”, the conference provided a platform to reflect on the opportunities and challenges for the development of the continent’s youth and find consensus on how to address them collectively. The forum was organized with the support of the Government of The Gambia, UNESCO, and the African Council for the Development of Social Science Research (CODESRIA).

Participants and various speakers called for more openness and interaction between generations in Africa in order to promote peace and reduce conflicts on the continent. “We need to bridge the generation gap to prevent violence and resolve conflicts in Africa,” said Ibrahim Ceesay, Executive Director of the African Artists Peace Initiative, adding that “it is important in this context to reflect on exclusion, on migratory phenomena linked to the hostile political environment and on the “mutilated promises that impede development”.

Several youth organizations and movements made this event unique by their contribution to the discussions, including the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP), set up with the support of UNESCO, the Y’en a Marre (Senegal) movement, GambiaHasDecided, the Balai Citoyen du Burkina Faso and the Malawi Students Movement Association. Panafrican leaders also attended the forum, such as Professor Abdoulaye Bathily and the Honorable Halifa Salla, member of the Gambian parliament and outgoing Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Central Africa.

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(Click here for the original French version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Despite the measures taken to place youth issues at the heart of the development agenda and strengthen their participation in the process of governance, peace and development in the region, the social commitment of young people is still limited by challenges and weaknesses in existing networks and interventions. These challenges and weaknesses include participation without representation, limited allocation of resources for youth development, economic marginality and skill gaps.

The UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Office for the Sahel, under the leadership of Dr Maréma Thiam Touré, Head of Social Sciences, made an effective contribution to the organization of this important international initiative as part of its agenda for youth development and civic education. The Social and Human Sciences Sector of the Dakar Regional Office has set itself the task of providing young people with skills and assisting them, in collaboration with the education and culture sectors, in the promotion of Social innovation and effective participation in the development of their societies, to eradicate poverty and inequality, to consolidate a culture of peace, gender equality and intercultural dialogue. This involves information and communication sciences and technologies, in the realization of the Sustainable Development Objectives.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, United Nations

Senegal: A regional seminar on “The role of journalists and the media in preventing violence”

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An article from Abidjan.net

The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs ( DFAE) of Switzerland is organizing a seminar on “The role of journalists and the media in preventing violence and violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel” from 12 to 14 June 2017 in Dakar .

The seminar’s main objective is to help improve the capacity of journalists and the media to better contribute to the prevention of violence, including violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel. It will bring together some thirty journalists and experts from the countries of West Africa and the Sahel.

This meeting follows the recommendations of the conference organized by UNOWAS in partnership with the International Institute for Peace (IPI) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) in Dakar on 27 and 28 June 2016, on the theme : “Investing in peace and preventing violence in West Africa and the Sahel: Conversation around the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action”. It also draws on UNESCO’s existing initiatives to promote journalism education and a culture of peace.

(Click here for the original French version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:
Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, United Nations,

UN: Consultation in Panama brings together youth from Latin Americans to discuss peace and security

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An article from the UN Agency for Refugees (translated by CPNN)

The main challenges faced by young people in Latin America and the Caribbean are focused on issues of security, equity and governance – key elements for moving towards sustainable peace. In this context, 63 young people from different countries of the region participated in the first Regional Consultation on Youth, Peace and Security held between May 28 and June 1 in Panama City.


Caption: Maha, a young stateless person who participated in the Regional Consultation on Youth, Peace and Security, actively promotes the right of each person to have a nationality. Photo: Miguel Trancozo

The young people were selected as being agents of change in their respective countries as they work with other youth in search of a more just and prosperous society. Many of them belong to vulnerable groups and minorities, which motivates them to speak out for the changes they want to see in the world.

“When I was 15, I lost my father because of crime and violence,” says Tawana from St. Kitts and Nevis. “This was a wake-up call for me, so I decided to take a proactive role to make a difference. As soon as I return to my country, I will pass on to the young people everything that is happening in this consultation. For our country and our world, “said Tawana.

The consultation seeks to formulate proposals, based on a vision of peace and human security, with a broad participation of young people and with concrete actions, directed towards the fulfillment of Agenda 2030.

Georgeanela, a young woman from Costa Rica, points out that the most important thing is that each person has full entitlement to all human rights. That is why it is important for people to be educated with a sense of respect and tolerance in order to seek peace.

“My motivation is to formulate with other young people in the region a proposal for new opportunities and to take this opportunity to improve the quality of life for all people,” says Georgeanela.

Some proposals from young people aim to make use of new technologies and art to promote a culture of peace and security in the region.

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(Click here for the original Portuguese version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

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According to Ricardo, from El Salvador, we must recognize that there are many opportunities and initiatives that are started by youth. One of his best achievements was when, through the creation of workshops of hip hop and artistic expressions, he helped young people to avoid entering the gangs. He offered them a chance to express themselves through dance and used it as a tool for social transformation.

As a result of his work, Ricardo and his family were threatened and therefore forced to move. But this only served as an stimulus to continue to work to prevent young people from falling into the hands of organized crime.

Fanny, a trans woman from El Salvador, fights for the rights of the LGBTI community in the country.

“Being young in El Salvador is a crime, we do not have the freedom to express ourselves, we can not walk the streets freely without being stigmatized by our own community,” he said, “being young in El Salvador means that we are all members of gangs, we are all thieves.” Fanny explains how the situation of gangs and gangs affects youth. “Some young people were killed simply because they refused to be part of it.”

Young people who try to help other vulnerable youth become victims of threats and harassment.

For Heidy, from Guatemala, “peace is to leave home, to go to work, to return and to receive a hug from my mother, knowing that I have been able to return without being raped or beaten. Peace is the little things we can do in the midst of chaos “.

A person’s vision of peace depends on context and experiences. For Maha, a stateless young woman, peace is interior, is to achieve dreams and goals. “I lost my brother a year ago because of street violence. He was born and died stateless. I was born stateless, but I want to die belonging to a country.” Building on her experience, she advocates for the 10 million stateless people for the right to have a nationality. “It’s not about politics, it’s about people and their lives,” ahe says.

Many of the participants in the consultation are taking action to promote gender equality, respect for ethnic and cultural differences, the defense of social and reproductive rights, the building of democracy and the right to a nationality.

These young people return with the great task of continuing to act in the present, targeting the future they wish to build, committing themselves to continue to influence communities and their environments to ensure a safer, more peaceful and more inclusive region.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America, United Nations

The Government of Colombia and the ELN agree on international aid to support the peace process

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An article from Sputnik (translated by CPNN)

The peace delegations of the Colombian Government and the ELN guerrillas announced on June 6 that they reached a series of agreements at the negotiating table in Ecuador during the second round of talks in that city, including international financing to push forward the peace process.



The new President of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno, assures that his administration will continue to support the peace process.

“A fund to finance the peace process has been established by negotiators for the Colombian National Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Its objective is to mobilize contributions from international cooperation to finance, in a transparent and flexible manner, the expenses for its development, “they said in a joint statement.

They also pointed out that during the first two weeks of negotiations in the second round of talks (which began on 16 May) they reached consensus on issues related to pedagogy and communication for peace.

According to reports, it was possible “to establish a joint team of pedagogy and communication for peace, whose general objective is to promote the construction of a culture of peace through the generation of trust and credibility, which gives greater strength to the work of the Dialogue Table and the agreements being reached. ”

Finally, they highlighted the progress in the creation of the group of countries for support, accompaniment and cooperation with the peace talks (GPAAC).

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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article

Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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“The GPAAC, initially made up of Germany, Holland, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland, have defined the terms of reference that will guide their development,” the government and the guerrillas said.

The statement came after the national press reported that 206 people from different rural populations in the municipality of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé (Nariño, southwest) were displaced last weekend by clashes between the ELN and criminal gangs.

“Community leaders reported that four older adults remain in the area where the fighting took place because of their health problems,” according to the local radio station Blu Radio. They added that the displaced are housed in homes of friends and relatives in a situation of overcrowding.

Neither the Government nor the ELN have yet commented on this situation.

The Colombian Government and the ELN have held public peace talks since last February 8, after the participation of that rebel group with the Executive was supported by sectors that consider that it is only possible to speak of a general peace for Colombia when an armistice similar to that achieved with the FARC is achieved.

The Colombian armed conflict, which has involved guerrillas, paramilitaries, state agents and drug gangs for over half a century, is the oldest war on the continent and has left some eight million victims, as well as 300,000 dead, 45,000 missing and 6 to 8 million displaced, according to official reports.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Argentina: Conference on the Culture of Peace

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An announcement by the Commission of the Culture of Peace and Citizenship

Conference on the Culture of Peace: PRACTICAL FORMS OF IMPLEMENTING UN RESOLUTION 53/243. “Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace”

Organized by the Commission of the Culture of Peace and Citizenship of the Consultative Council of the Civil Society of the Argentine Chancellery.

OPENING:

• Patricia Pérez
Director of the ILAPyC and Coordinator of the Culture and Peace Committee of the CCSC.

• Fernando Lorenzo
Special Representative for Integration and Social Participation. General Coordinator of the Consultative Council of Civil Society. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic.

EXHIBITORS:
• Alicia Cabezudo, Argentina – “The Peace Process in Colombia”
Member of the Pedagogical Team of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Prizes. Responsible for the Training and Training Area of ​​ILAPyC. Member of IPB – International Peace Bureau.

• Domen Kocevar, Slovenia – “Auschwitz Project”
Founder and Director of Theosophical Library and Reading Room of Alma M. Karlin. He is currently working on the creation of the One Humanity Institute in Auschwitz.

DATE AND TIME

Mon. May 29, 2017
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ART
Add to calendar

LOCATION

Press Room, Palacio San Martín
Esmeralda 1231, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina

Confirm attendance.

(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Argentina: Meeting with Nobel Peace Laureates

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An article from Rosario Net (translated by CPNN)

For the first time in Argentina, a unique meeting will be held that will bring together 5 Nobel Peace Laureates in one city. The reason: La PAZ. An initiative of the Foundation for International Democracy. VOYXLAPAZ is an action for the construction of a less violent world.


The meeting, on will include sessions, work panels and a public event that will bring together world peacebuilding activists along with leading exponents from diverse disciplines to raise awareness about the fact that peace can be promoted by ordinary people as well as Nobel Peace Prize winners and social activists.

FRIDAY JUNE 9

Panels with the 5 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. Place: Rosario Stock Exchange.

9:00 “Education for Peace”. Rigoberta Menchú Tum

11:00 “Memory, peace and forgiveness”. Adolfo Pérez Esquivel

14:00 “Transparency, democracy and peace”. Oscar Arias Sánchez

16:00 “The role of women in peacebuilding”. Shirin Ebadi

18:00 “Work, democracy and peace”. Lech Walesa

The event is free subject to limited accreditation by room quota.

Accreditations (http://nannini.com.ar/acreditacion/paz/)

Panelists accompanying the Nobel Prize winners:
Emilio Pérsico, National Secretary General of the Evita Movement.
Dr. Facundo Manes, Neurologist, Neuroscientist.
Susana Trimarco, Mama of Marita Verón, president of the María de los Ángeles Foundation.
Rosario Lufrano, Journalist.
Marcelo Colombo, Protex.
Rafael Pérez Taylor, Director of Anthropological Research at UNAM.
Ramsés Vargas Lamadrid, Rector Autonomous University of the Caribbean

SATURDAY JUNE 10

15:00  Grand closing event at the National Flag Monument. Free admission.

With the live performances of:

Leon Gieco, Juan Carlos Baglietto, Jairo, Patricia Sosa, Peteco Carabajal, Hilda Lizarazu and Raúl Porchetto. Musical Direction and Artistic Production: Lito Vitale.

The five Nobel Peace Prizes will share a microphone with singers, athletes, exponents of the arts, culture, science and education.

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(Click here for the original version of this article in Spanish)

Question related to this article:
 
Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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NOBEL PARTICIPANTS AWARDS:

Shirin Ebadi (Iran) Nobel Peace Prize 2003
Iranian lawyer and human rights defender. She was one of the first women to be a judge in her country and had to seek exile after the Islamic revolution. Ebadi founded the Association for the Support of Children’s Rights and provided free legal advice to persons accused of political, ideological and religious motives. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her work on democracy and human rights, especially for women and children.

Rigoberta Menchú Tum. (Guatemala) Nobel Peace Prize 1992
Indigenous Guatemalan. She was a victim of discrimination and devoted her life to peacefully combating attacks on the indigenous population. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for her struggle against inequality and her role as an advocate for the rights of indigenous communities and women.

Óscar Arias Sánchez (Costa Rica) Nobel Peace Prize 1987
Costa Rican politician who assumed the presidency of his country in 1986, critical period for Central America due to the conflicts that were developed in countries like Nicaragua and El Salvador. He worked on structuring a peace plan for the region, known as the “Plan Arias,” signed by all Central American presidents on August 7, 1987. The consolidation of the peace process earned him the Nobel Prize in 1987 .

Lech Wałęsa (Poland) Nobel Peace Prize 1983
Polish politician and trade unionist. He was one of the leaders of the workers’ mobilization of 1980 and president of the union “Solidarity” during the communist period. Their struggle focused on improving the political and economic conditions of the working class. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his work to solve the nation’s problems through negotiations and joint work without violence and won the presidency of Poland in December 1990.

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (Argentina) Nobel Peace Prize 1980
Argentine activist, defender of human rights and the right of free self-determination of peoples; Defender of non-violence and of the peaceful struggle for justice and freedom. He is president of the Honorary Council of the Peace and Justice Service of Latin America, executive president of the Argentine Peace and Justice Service, the Provincial Commission for the Memory of Buenos Aires, the International League for the Rights and Liberation of Peoples, the International Academy of Environmental Sciences, of the International University Foundation of La Pau de San Cugat del Vallés (Barcelona), and of the Academic Council of the University of Namur, Belgium.

This is the way. Let’s start building PEACE. Step by step.

FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY

The Foundation distributes its efforts in 3 main areas of work:

-The design of the first Museum of Private Democracy in the world to be inaugurated in Rosario.

– Culture of Peace Program, which aims to generate social awareness about the importance of peacebuilding and the idea that peacebuilding is born of an individual decision and contributes to a collective construction.

– The struggle against contemporary slavery and similar practices: research, design and promotion of public policies and fieldwork.

Its president, Guillermo Whpei, was recently honored in Guatemala by the 1993 Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchu ​​Tum for “his impetus to place at the center of the world agenda the abolition of all forms of urban violence and contemporary slavery. Among the world’s leaders for peace.” Awarded by the Secretariat of Peace of the Presidency of the Republic of Guatemala, and the 2016 International Maya Award (Madrid).

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Colombia: A boost to implementation of the Peace Accords. National Congress for Peace

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An article by Hernán Camacho in Seminar Voz

More than 300 organizations in 18 departments signed on to the National Pact for Life and Peace.

It was more than just a peace initiative. The National Peace Congress, held between 27 and 29 April, became a mobilizer of a vision that can ead us along the path towards a stable and lasting peace. The expectations of the social organizations that convened the Congress were fulfilled, the agenda of new mobilizations and peace initiatives is already being confirmed, and most importantly, those attending the Congress signed the National Pact for Life and Peace.


Closing of the National Congress of Peace in the Place of Bolivar in Bogota.
Photo NC News.
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It was more than just a peace initiative. The National Peace Congress, held between 27 and 29 April, became a mobilizer of a vision that can ead us along the path towards a stable and lasting peace. The expectations of the social organizations that convened the Congress were fulfilled, the agenda of new mobilizations and peace initiatives is already being confirmed, and most importantly, those attending the Congress signed the National Pact for Life and Peace.

This pact is a commitment that describes the current reality of the implementation process of the Havana agreement, and the peace process in Quito with the ELN. But it also draws on what is happening today in the territories where there are conflict scenarios, Transition Areas of Normalization and in the territories where the Farc was present. A Pact for Life calls us to take the weapons out of national political life and to promote reconciliation among Colombians.

Difficulties

This was said in Bogota by the secretary general of the Colombian Communist Party, Jaime Caycedo, who attended the regional peace congress that was held at the Minuto de Dios University, on Friday, April 28: “Taking the weapons out of politics involves not just the insurgency, but those sectors that are based on paramilitarism and maintain a war against the forces of the left that propose an alternative to a corrupt and patronizing country, “said Caycedo.

And the concern, which the participants of the initiative mostly pointed out in the regional meetings, refers to the increase of the paramilitary presence in each one of the departments of the country. The main concern is in Chocó, Antioquia, Cesar, Meta, Caqueta, among others. Testimonies such as those of settlers in Cacarica and Urabá Antioquia, warn that there are paramilitary forces present with the approval of official troops. “The Army is paralyzed.”

Timing of renegotiation

But paramilitarism was not the only topic of discussion in the long days. For Senator Iván Cepeda of the Democratic Pole, the Peace Congress should mean a boost to the implementation process and attention to lost time and putting legislative initiatives on the fast track.

“The processes of renegotiation of the agreements need to be finished and that the legislative process for integral agrarian development should be initiated immediately,” said Cepeda, who invited the candidates and candidates for the Presidency of the Republic to Respect and commit to the signed peace accords.

The United Nations, represented by its resident Martin Santiago Herrero, said that his presence at the Peace Congress is a sign of the will of the international community to accompany each of the initiatives that contribute to the realization of peace.

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“Peace is an opportunity for transformation and change in those regions that have suffered from the conflict. But experience also shows that the first 18 to 24 months are the most important in the implementation of the agreements. All efforts are necessary, “said Santiago.

The UN is concerned about three worrisome issues to consolidate peace. On the one hand, to safeguard the lives of human rights defenders and some cases of death to ex-combatants of the FARC and their families; On the other hand, the presence of criminal successor groups of the paramilitaries, and the need to advance the peace process with the ELN.

The intervention of Roberto Menéndez, Head of the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia of the OAS, was in the same vein. “The Peace Congress motivates the efforts made by the national government, insurgencies, communities, women, indigenous peoples, Afro peoples, workers and the people in generating them out of the tragedy of the conflict. But we must recognize that the Congress that boasts of having different visions of peace, “said Menendez.

Regional peace

For Green party leader Ángela María Robledo, the Peace Congress revealed that peace has a regional focus: “We are here to continue to accompany implementation and give unconditional support to the ELN peace talks. We have to take the weapons out of politics, we must strengthen the rule of law and we must focus on peace in the regions to transform the lives of the Colombians of the deep Colombia, “said Robledo.

The guerrilla commander Iván Márquez made an appearance and expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the FARC-EP. From the rostrum he noted: “The peace agreement of November 24 signed at the Teatro Colon, are more than 310 pages. It is the birth certificate of a transforming power that in the hands of the people and statesmen with vision, can be used to fill our homeland with humanity, inclusion, respect for the other and social justice. It is urgent to activate the great national political agreement mentioned in the introduction of the agreement that defines the reforms and institutional adjustments to address the challenges that peace demands by imposing a new framework of social coexistence, “said Márquez.

The fulfillment of the agreement that Iván Márquez demands, was reiterated by Commander Victoria Sandino, who denounced the lack of advances in the process of implementation of the agreements in the Congress and in the Transitional Areas of Normalization. “We are building a conflictive peace, starting with the situations of the paramilitary phenomenon unleashed throughout the national territory. They are killing the comrades and relatives. Peace can not be possible in the midst of death, “said Sandino.

Government

Another of the attendees was the ex-mayor of Bogotá Rafael Pardo, who noted that the next step in the implementation process will be the ambitious economic plan that should establish agricultural points to replace illicit crops. “May is the key month for implementation. These are major challenges, as the FARC must finish the arms embargo and the Government must present the Framework Implementation Plan, which has to do with points one and four for the next 15 years. This framework will regulate local and national development plans for the next three five-year periods and how they are to be executed. For this, it will be the Council for Economic and Social Policy who will set the budgetary frameworks for the agreements, “said Rafael Pardo who is now serving as post-conflict minister.

At the end of the day the conversation turned to the question: How is the process going with the ELN? The participants were Alberto Castilla as moderator, Juan Camilo Restrepo, chief negotiator of the Colombian government in Quito and guerrilla chief Eduardo Martínez, of the ELN. They stressed the importance of the participation of local communities because they are the ones that today suffer the war. “We will continue at the table, ready to advance in the path of difficulties, but with everyone involved,” said Eduardo Martinez.

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