Category Archives: DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

May Day Demonstrations Worldwide Condemn US-Israeli War on Iran, Champion Workers

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An article by Brad Reed from Common Dreams (licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

May Day demonstrations across the world on Friday denounced the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has caused a global energy crisis that is disproportionately harming working-class people.

Among the earliest May Day demonstrations took place in the Philippines, and a video published  by The Associated Press shows protesters clashing with police near the US Embassy in the capital city of Manila.


Workers in the Philippines clash with police

While many demonstrators held signs that referenced local issues, American foreign policy was also a major focus of the protesters, as marchers in Manila carried a large banner that read, “Down With US Imperialism.”

Josua Mata, leader of the SENTRO umbrella group of labor federations, told  The Associated Press that the war with Iran was a central focus of protests because of the impact it’s had on energy costs.

“Every Filipino worker now is aware that the situation here is deeply connected to the global crisis,” Mata explained.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended a May Day rally held in the capital of Jakarta, where Jakarta Globe reported  that he announced a host of worker-friendly policies including plans “to build daycare facilities for workers’ children and accelerate the construction of at least 1 million homes.”


Workers’ demonstration in Jakarta, Indonesia

Question related to this article:
 
What is the contribution of trade unions to the culture of peace?

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France 24 reported  that hundreds of demonstrators in Istanbul, Turkey were arrested after attempting to march to the city’s iconic Taksim Square, which police had sealed off.

The Turkish Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) said  on Friday afternoon that at least 350 demonstrators in Istanbul have been detained as a result of the protests, with hundreds more potentially in custody.


May Day protests in Istanbul

May Day demonstrations are also taking place across Europe, with many demonstrators blaming US President Donald Trump’s war for the deterioration of workers’ living standards.

The European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 93 trade union organizations in 41 European countries, released a statement declaring that “working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East,” adding that “today’s rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed.”


May Day demonstration in Madrid (Photo by Fernando Sanchez/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Trump is also facing protests at home, with more than 4,000 “May Day Strong” events planned across the United States.

Daniel Bertossa, general secretary for Public Services International, said  this year’s May Day demonstrations are providing a desperately needed backlash to power grabs being made by the global billionaire class.

Bertossa pointed to the US-Israel attack on Iran, as well as Trump’s repeated threats to invade Greenland, as key turning points that have pushed workers to organize and fight back.

“Rising living costs caused by the war are now driving anger among working-class people and producing a rare and powerful moment to connect and educate,” said Bertossa. “Fascists don’t have the answers to the economic pain they exploited to get elected—international affairs impact us all—and international working-class solidarity matters
.”
Bertossa added that “May Day is a vivid reminder that working-class politics is not a spectator sport,” and “we have never won by watching, waiting, or relying on great power leaders to gift us our future.”

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global

‘A Moment of Reckoning’: 4,000+ May Day Demonstrations Across US

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An article by Stephen Prager from Common Dreams (licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

In thousands of locations across the United States, workers and students are taking off from work and school and swearing off shopping on Friday as part of a national May Day protest.

May Day Strong, a coalition of activist groups and unions organizing the events, said more than 4,000 actions, from marches to pickets to displays of peaceful civil disobedience, were underway.

It is yet another nationwide display of coordinated resistance to the Trump administration’s agenda, including its war in Iran and its use of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to attack immigrant communities, issues that were at the forefront of March’s “No Kings” protests.

Six young protesters with the Sunrise Movement were taken into custody  after blocking a bridge in Minneapolis in what they said was an act of “nonviolent noncooperation” to “stand up to the war in Iran and against ICE terrorizing our neighbors and our cities.”

Dozens more Sunrise protesters in Portland held a sit-in in the lobby of a Hilton hotel that was housing top officials with the Department of Homeland Security, leading to eight arrests.

“It’s May 1st, it’s workers’ day,” one of the protesters was recorded saying while being led away by police. “Don’t forget that you have power.”

In New York, over 100 activists lined up  outside every entrance  to the New York Stock Exchange in downtown Manhattan, banging drums and chanting “No ICE, no war!” where they were met by a flood of cops.

In the spirit of May Day, a global day of solidarity among workers, Sulma Arias, the executive director of the social justice organization People’s Action, said Friday’s “Workers Over Billionaires” protests are just as much about confronting injustices as about building an alternative.

“During the ‘No Kings’ demonstrations, we showed what we’re against. May Day is the day we’re making clear what we are fighting for,” Arias said. “We are for affordable housing for low-income people. We are for free healthcare for all. We are for utility laws that ensure every home stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer at costs that a person on a fixed income can afford. We are for the right to a fair and equal vote for Americans from every race and in every state. May Day is our day to assert and defend our rights.”

“They want us afraid. They want us divided. But on May 1, we refuse.”

Despite claims by President Donald Trump that the US is entering an economic “golden age” under his leadership, a Gallup poll  released this week found that 55% of Americans said their finances were getting worse, the highest number ever recorded in more than 20 years of polling, and even higher than in the doldrums of the Great Recession.

Question related to this article:
 
What is the contribution of trade unions to the culture of peace?

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A coalition of labor unions across several major cities, including Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles, has coordinated  what has been called an “economic blackout,” which includes avoiding buying from private sector retailers.

“When we say ‘workers over billionaires,’ ‘billionaires’ is not just this amorphous figure, right? They’re real people,” said Jana Korn, the chief of staff for the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, in an interview  with The Real News Network. “In Philadelphia, we’re kind of a poor city. We don’t have that many billionaires, but we have one. The CEO of Comcast is the only billionaire that lives in the city.”

“So why should we, as a city, accept that they take and take from us? And then with that money, what do they do? They donate  to Trump’s ballroom project,” she continued. “People in Philadelphia are struggling… Our transportation system barely works. We’re at risk of having 17 schools close down  this year.”

Some labor organizers have described economic boycotts, undertaken  as part of prior mass protest movements against the second Trump administration, as an act of building strength for something larger, such as a future general strike.

“I think really for us in the labor movement,” Korn said, “[the boycott is] about how do we build the capacity to really disrupt, to strike when necessary, to shut things down when we have to. And that’s something that we have not been called to do as a labor movement in a very long time.”

Other unions have used May Day to confront their own employers directly. In New Orleans, hundreds of nurses at University Medical Center announced that they were beginning a five-day strike  after attempting to negotiate a contract for more than two years.

In New York City, Amazon workers unionized with the Teamsters assembled on the steps of the public library before marching to Amazon’s corporate offices to demand the company cut its contracts with ICE, which has used its cloud computing services to target immigrants, including some Amazon workers and contractors.

Matt Multari, who has worked as an Amazon driver for a year and a half, told Mother Jones  that he joined the protest to “demand the one thing that’s worth fighting for in this life: respect.”

Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, said, “May Day is a moment of reckoning.”

“Immigrant communities—from farmworkers in our fields to nurses in our hospitals, from refugees fleeing war to families who have built their lives here for generations—are under siege,” she said. “They want us afraid. They want us divided. But on May 1, we refuse.”

“Workers and immigrants—documented and undocumented, native-born and newly arrived,” she said, “will stand together in the streets because we know the truth: there is no workers’ rights without immigrant rights, and there is no justice for working people here while our tax dollars fund devastation abroad.”

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, North America

Sowing the seeds of a culture of peace: Why we founded the New Brunswick Peace Council

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An article by Denis Boulet for NB Media Coop

For as long as I can remember, I have felt that our corner of the world – this small part of the planet we call New Brunswick – exists in a state of constant tension. Whether it be our language debates, the climate crisis, social alienation, or the relentless struggle between capital and labour, conflict seems to be our backdrop.

In 2022, it became clear to us that these local tensions are not disconnected from global turmoil. In a context where powers clash, where the spectre of nuclear armageddon resurfaces, and where millions of people are displaced by conflict, we can no longer remain mere spectators. It was in this spirit that the NB Peace Council was born on May 13, 2022.


Demonstrators rally in a blizzard at Fredericton City Hall on March 14, 2026 to protest Canada’s support for US aggression. Photo: Robiin Purcell

Our work is rooted here, on the unceded lands of Wabanaki, people of the Dawnland. We refuse to accept that the territory be used to fuel violence, whether ecological or human. For us, peace is not simply the absence of war, it is an active refusal to accept the destruction of our ecosystems or to allow the Canadian state, or its major commercial interests, to be complicit in the oppression of peoples, whether in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, or elsewhere.

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

Question related to this article:


How can we develop the institutional framework for a culture of peace?

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It was to refuse Canada’s support for the Israeli-American war against Iran that we held our very first rally on March 14, braving the stormy weather.

My father has often told me that I couldn’t change the world on my own. He’s probably right. But I refuse to believe that we are powerless. While we cannot transform everything at once, we can certainly organize ourselves to improve our provincial reality, protect our waterways, and cultivate genuine solidarity among citizens.

How can we organize this struggle? We do not have all the answers, but we must start asking the right questions. The Peace Council does not seek to replace what already exists, but to join a large community of consciousness. That is why we stand in solidarity with the Wolastoqiyik grandmothers and the Coalition to Stop the Sisson Mine. Peace also means defending our territory from greed, extractivism, and environmental harm.

Voices for peace are rare in the mainstream media, where the roles of NATO and the military-industrial complex are either obscured or glorified. This is why we believe that a true culture of peace must emerge from the bottom up, through building alliances, by mobilizing all spheres of New Brunswick civil society.

We are a young organization, made up of citizens from various regions and linguistic communities. We know that the road ahead is long and that we sometimes seem very small in the face of global challenges. But we are confident: the more of us who share our ideas and energy, the greater the momentum of our movement.

For those who, like us, refuse to remain silent and wish to participate in this movement of peace, dialogue and disarmament, the doors of our council are wide open. Together, we can make a loud and clear call for peace.

Denis Boulet is a teacher and francophone co-chair of the NB Peace Council. Anyone wishing to get in touch with us can write to paixnbpeace@gmail.com.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, North America

New Barcelona for Peace International Award

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An article from the Ajuntimiento de Barcelona

The Barcelona for Peace International Award recognises the trajectory, action or project of a person, organisation or institution at an international level which has helped, in a relevant, transformational and verifiable way, to promote peace, coexistence, human rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Launched by Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council and the Fundació Pau Casals as part of the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth, the biennial award carries 300,000 euros in prize money and is geared towards strengthening the media impact and transformational characters of the winning project or organisation. The first award will be held at L’Auditori de Barcelona in February 2027 and comes with a parallel cycle of dialogues for peace in other cities such as New York, Tangiers and Medellín.

The award is inspired by the universal values that define Barcelona as an open, diverse and inclusive city, committed to the defence of human rights, as well as the legacy of the maestro Pau Casals, remembered for his extraordinary musical talent and for his firm commitment to the values of freedom, democracy and peace.

The intention is for the award to be a catalyst for change, inspiring and recognising the work of people and institutions committed to the culture of peace at local and global levels. In this respect, the goals of the Barcelona for Peace International Award are to:

° Identify and recognise real and specific solutions for the main global goals, with peace and coexistence as the central threads.

° Increase visibility and support for transformational initiatives in fostering the culture of peace and coexistence.

° Foster institutional collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.

° Generate an inspirational and multiplying effect.

° International projection of the validity of the great legacy of the maestro Pau Casals.

Money to generate an impact

The Barcelona for Peace Award aspires to be one of the most important in the field of peace. With 300,000 euros in prize money, the intention is to reinforce the symbolic, mediatic and transformational impact of the project or organisation that receives the recognition.

The money should be devoted to guaranteeing the continuity, scaling up and consolidation of the winning project. Its execution will be assessed by the organising institutions through a social impact report, to be presented during the award ceremony.

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(Click here for a version of the article in Spanish.)

Question related to this article:

How can we develop the institutional framework for a culture of peace?

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Candidacies

The Barcelona for Peace International Award is open to natural and legal persons of any nationality, international organisations, foundations, NGOs, public institutions or collective initiatives propose by them, specialist organisations, international networks and members of the award’s advisory council.

For this first edition, the call will be opened through a public announcement in April. The directing committee will adopt their decision by majority in November, in accordance with the terms and conditions established by promoting organisations and in consultation with the advisory committee, to ensure the award reflects excellence, commitment and a real impact in the construction of peace.

Directing committee and advisory council

The directing committee will be tasked with deciding who receives the award according to the following criteria:

° Significant contribution to peace and coexistence.

° Sustainability and continuity of the project.

° Innovative, creative and exemplary character of the initiative in addressing conflicts.

° Social, political, cultural and humanitarian impact. Community roots and citizen participation.

° Inspirational capacity and multiplying effect.

° Cross-cutting nature in terms of gender, diversity, interculturality and/or community perspective.

° Ethical coherence and commitment to human rights, equity and inclusion.
International projection and relevance.

The advisory council, an independent and plural body, will be made up of figures with recognised trajectories in fields such a peace, human rights, diplomacy, culture, journalism, social innovation and activism. The advisory council will be coordinated by the Fundació Pau Casals.

This body is under construction and new members will be added. The first recognised figures on the advisory council are the Chilean senator Isabel Allende, daughter of the former president of Chile, Salvador Allende, plus princess Rym Ali of Jordan.

International cycle of dialogues for peace

A cycle of dialogues for peace will be promoted with the goal of giving global visibility to the award as an initiative that promotes the culture of peace around the world, at the same time consolidating Barcelona’s international projection as a leading city in the construction of peace from the urban sphere.

The idea is for these dialogues to take place as part of the next Global Congress by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), which is being held in Tangiers from 22 to 25 June. During the High Level Political Forum, from 6 to 15 July, there will be a debate at the Instituto Cervantes in New York about the role of cities in the construction of global peace. In addition, there will be a dialogue with European experts in peace, democracy and human rights in Brussels on municipal cooperation for peace, within the context of the District 11 initiative, and on policies for global justice in Medellín and Hiroshima.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe

Mayors for Peace Joint Appeal March 16, 2026

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An appeal from Mayors for Peace

Today, the global security situation is significantly in crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its 5th year and no end is in sight. Already too many armed conflicts exist in the world and now a new one has started between the US, Israel and Iran. Many people, including civilians, are being killed and essential infrastructure is being destroyed. The tit-for-tat attacks and their escalation to hitting installations in an increasing number of countries are causing grave consequences not only for the region but also the world at large regarding political and economic security.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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We are also worried that neglecting the rule of law, including the UN Charter, would lead to more and more armed conflicts. We call upon all the countries engaging in armed conflicts to immediately implement a ceasefire and restore peace and stability.

Mayors for Peace, which consists of approximately 8,600 member cities in 166 countries and regions, a global network of local government leaders committed to protecting the safety and security of their citizens, strongly demands that international disputes be resolved by diplomatic efforts through dialogue. The use of force against any country which results in the loss of innocent civilian lives, is totally unacceptable.

On behalf of Mayors for Peace, we hereby declare once again that, together with all peaceseeking people around the world, we will make every effort to achieve lasting global peace and create a world free from nuclear weapons.

MATSUI Kazumi, President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Hiroshima

SUZUKI Shiro, Vice President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Nagasaki

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, global,

Brazil: Pelourinho celebrates culture of peace and diversity, in a Sunday of free programming during Bahia Summer

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An article from the Government of Bahia

Sunday (25) was a day of celebration and encouragement of a culture of peace in Pelourinho, with a free cultural program integrated into the project Summer in Bahia by the Government of Bahia, through the Secretariat of Culture (Secult-BA). With attractions for all ages, the squares of the Historic Center were filled with the public, reaffirming the territory as a space of diversity, respect and living culture.

Photo: Ascom/Secult-BA

Largo Tereza Batista vibrated with the powerful female percussion of the Banda Didá, which enchanted the audience and welcomed Daniela Mercury as a special guest. Meanwhile, at Largo Pedro Archanjo, the BeatBom group enlivened the night with a diverse and vibrant repertoire, engaging the audience.

Children’s programming also had its place throughout the day. At Largo Pedro Archanjo, Tio Paulinho led games and activities for children and their families. At Largo Quincas Berro D’Água, the Afro Ibéji Cultural Contest celebrated the beauty of children, strengthening self-esteem and Black identity from childhood. At Terreiro de Jesus, the Pedro Calmon Foundation brought the Mobile Library (BIBEX), with reading and storytelling.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:

Can festivals help create peace at the community level?

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Hey! Here comes GANDHY! – At Largo do Pelourinho, the 6th edition of the Cultural Festival of Peace, promoted by the Filhos de Gandhy, transformed the space into a great manifesto for peace and respect for differences. The event brought together special guests such as Daniela Mercury, Gabriel Mercury, Afrocidade, Gerônimo Santana, and Orisun, bringing to the public the strength of afoxé, ancestry, and the message of peace that marks the trajectory of the bloco.

For singer Gerônimo Santana, Gandhy continues to be an inspiration over the decades. He performed classics such as “É D’Oxum” and “Jubiabá” and spoke about his relationship with afoxé: “I’ve been participating in Gandhy since 1982. It’s not the first time I’ve participated, and Gandhy is an inspiration to all of us by uniting people, promoting peace and tranquility,” the artist highlighted.

The Secretary for the Promotion of Racial Equality, Ângela Guimarães, reinforced the significance of the festival and the State’s commitment to a culture of peace: “This Cultural Festival of Peace carries a very strong message of respect, coexistence, and celebration of our ancestry. The Government of Bahia is keen to embrace this call, in defense of a plural and peaceful Historic Center. We are very happy to see Largo do Pelourinho packed, in a space where there is no room for racism or religious intolerance,” she stated.

With 40 years of Gandhy, it’s always time to be enchanted. Marivaldo Alves recounts his strong identification with the afoxé: “Listening to this Gandhy music moves me so much, it means so much to me. Every young person should know it!”, he recommends.
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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Brazil: Culture of Peace Strengthened Through the Work of the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Ceará

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An article from the Legislative Assembly of the State of Ceará

Building a culture of peace is an increasingly present issue in society and demands continuous collective mobilization and awareness. The Legislative Assembly of the State of Ceará (Alece), in accordance with the principles established by the United Nations (UN), seeks to strengthen the culture of peace. This work is mainly carried out through the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPRC).

In search of peaceful solutions

The coordinator of the CPRC at Alece, Jussara Queiroz, explains that the work of the agency is guided by the promotion of peaceful, responsible, and humanized solutions. Conflict is understood as an opportunity for transformation, learning, and reconstruction of relationships, through mediation, conciliation, and legal advice.

In taking stock of the CPRC’s achievements in 2025, the coordinator reveals that the Center received the trust of many people who sought its services, resulting in the opening of 639 cases. Each service provided by the sector, according to her, represents the conscious choice for dialogue and the joint construction of solutions, reaffirming the importance of self-composition methods as effective instruments of social pacification.

Strengthening relational skills

“I also highlight the relevance of preventive actions, which enable the strengthening of relational skills, the expansion of listening capacity, and the adoption of practices based on Nonviolent Communication,” points out Jussara Queiroz. According to her, this is a contribution to healthier and more effective relationships, through workshops, discussion groups, and lectures.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:

How can we develop the institutional framework for a culture of peace?

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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The coordinator emphasizes that the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution reaffirms its commitment to a culture of peace, the prevention of violence, and the promotion of dialogue as a legitimate and necessary path to conflict resolution, in accordance with the principles of human dignity and social justice.

Areas of operation of the CPRC

The CPRC works to prevent or resolve family issues, neighborhood issues, condominium issues, real estate issues, and other situations that can be mediated for conciliation.

The work is done through mediation, conciliation, and legal advice. Among the preventive actions are lectures, workshops, discussion groups, and peacebuilding circles.

Service

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 5 pm. Address: Avenida Pontes Vieira, nº 2.348, 3rd floor, room 305, Edifício Deputado Francisco das Chagas Albuquerque (annex III), Dionísio Torres, Fortaleza/Ceará. Telephone: (85) 2180-6513 WhatsApp: (85) 98132-7434 Email: cprc@al.ce.gov.br Virtual scheduling: https://forms.gle/BgXvZ3mh9FBPudML7

Edited by: Samaisa dos Anjos Internal Communication of Alece Email: comunicacaointerna@al.ce.gov.br Page: https://portaldoservidor.al.ce.gov.br/

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

UN General Assembly Calls Upon Warring Parties of Current Armed Conflicts to Boldly Agree to ‘True Mutual Ceasefires’ during Upcoming Olympic Winter Games

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An article from the United Nations

Ahead of the upcoming 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the General Assembly today took note of a Solemn Appeal by the President of its eightieth session, who urged all warring parties to agree to “true mutual ceasefires” during the Games in line with the ancient principle of the Olympic Truce.

“The Olympic Truce proves that, even in times of division, humanity can still find common ground through sport,” said Annalena Baerbach (Germany), reading her Appeal (document A/80/598) into the Assembly’s official record.  “I call upon all warring parties of current armed conflicts around the world to boldly agree to true mutual ceasefires for the duration of the Olympic Truce, thus providing an opportunity to settle disputes peacefully.”

(click on image to enlarge)

Today’s Appeal recalls the ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheiria, translated as “Olympic Truce”, which serves as a hallowed principle of the Olympic Games, she said.  In modern times, the Assembly has taken up the related agenda item “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” every two years, in advance of each summer and winter Olympic Games, adopting a resolution by the same name.

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Question for this article:

How can sports promote peace?

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Noting that the XXV Olympic Winter Games will begin shortly in Milano-Cortina, Italy, Ms. Baerbach cited the Assembly’s most recent resolution, which urged Member States to observe the truce individually and collectively from the seventh day before the Games’ start until the seventh day following the end of the XIV Paralympic Winter Games.  (See Press Release GA/13732  of 19 November 2025.)

“Through friendly competition, we can rise above our divisions and reaffirm our common humanity,” she said.  “The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sports events as a means to promote peace, mutual understanding, the rule of law and goodwill among nations and peoples — goals that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations.”

Pointing out that the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games are on track to be the most gender-balanced in history, she added that the International Olympic Committee has decided to fly the UN flag in the Olympic stadium and the Olympic villages as a symbol of peace. 

“I welcome the leadership of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in promoting peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal,” she said, urging all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce and take concrete actions to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony.

“May the implementation [of the Olympic Truce] reaffirm our shared conviction that, even in a divided world, unity remains possible and respect for our common rules means that we all win,” she said.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global, United Nations,

IPU Statement on the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence

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An article from the International Parliamentary Union

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) joins the international community in marking the first International Day of Peaceful Coexistence on 28 January 2026.

This new international day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2025 through resolution A/RES/79/269, proposed by the Kingdom of Bahrain with support from the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance.

At a time of toxic polarization, growing distrust and division, parliaments have a unique responsibility to promote peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies, and to fight intolerance through their legislative, oversight and representative roles.

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(Click here for the original version in French)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

How can parliamentarians promote a culture of peace?

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By celebrating diversity, promoting peace education, and holding governments to account for human rights commitments, parliaments can and must create an environment in which every person is treated with dignity and respect.

The IPU’s agenda is firmly anchored in building more cohesive and just societies through parliamentary diplomacy, interfaith dialogue, and supporting parliaments to be inclusive and respectful spaces, representative of society in all its diversity.

At the 146th IPU Assembly in Bahrain in March 2023, hundreds of parliamentarians representing some 140 countries endorsed the Manama Declaration, Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance, delivering a message of hope.

Across all its work, the IPU encourages parliamentarians to counter hate speech and divisive rhetoric, to protect freedom of expression while combating incitement to hatred, and to use their platforms to counter prejudice and misinformation.

The IPU calls on all parliaments and parliamentarians to redouble their efforts to foster dialogue, bridge divides, embrace diversity and champion a culture of peace in their constituencies, countries and beyond. 

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global

Spain: Documentary “International Zone of Culture of Peace” in Manzanares El Real

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An article from Manzanares El Real

This documentary explains how Manzanares El Real became the first municipality in the world to declare itself an “International Zone of Culture of Peace,” given the series of requirements it met.


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“I came to live in Manzanares El Real and realized that Manzanares El Real truly meets all the requirements for the creation of the first International Zone of Culture of Peace,” states Valentín Oliveros Sanz, a human rights and peace activist.

“It offered us the possibility of bringing it to the plenary session, to the ordinances, to make it a reality, so that it would have a political impact on the residents of our town,” says Patricia Ibáñez, Councilor for Social Welfare.

It was then that the legal and juridical foundations were developed, and finally, on September 18th, it materialized when part of the governing group approved the declaration of Manzanares el Real as an International Zone of Culture of Peace. “I think this aspect of politics is very important because we are a mirror for society, and if the culture of peace doesn’t emerge from the political sphere, how can we expect peace in society?” states Patricia Ibáñez.

On September 21st, 70% of the citizens of our municipality gathered to celebrate the International Day of Peace. “I brought together a number of activists and artists, poets, renowned speakers, and, above all, children,” adds Valentín Oliveros.

Eva Saldaña, Executive Director of Greenpeace in Spain and Portugal, explains that “the culture of peace is participatory democracy, sustainable mobility, and generating another possible energy system based on clean energy that reaches all citizens.” A culture of peace means using public funds for things that promote the common good, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces, sustainable mobility, and accessible public transportation. It also means curbing violence and generating healthy spaces for interaction, leisure, and free time for everyone.”

Marisa García de Aguinaga, spokesperson for Amnesty International, adds that “civil and political rights, such as the right to freedom of expression, fair trials, equality of opportunity, housing, healthcare, and education, are rights that require states to uphold in order to be realized. Peace is not just the absence of armed conflict: for a more compassionate and just world, where everyone is treated equally, other rights must be fulfilled to achieve that peace.”

A culture of peace is “how we all build human relationships with each other and with the environment in which we live, and even with ourselves; “How do we relate to all of this and build an environment, a space, and a world where we can all feel that we live dignified lives and are free from violence and oppression?” adds Eva Saldaña.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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“A culture of peace is a set of values ​​that includes the first and most fundamental: the right to life, to human dignity, education in human rights, and the democratic participation of society, so that people understand that they must not only attend to their individual affairs, but also to the affairs of the community as a whole,” says Valentín Oliveros.

Furthermore, Marisa García de Aguinaga adds that “it is essential that municipalities, citizens, and all authorities work together to ensure that all these rights, achieved over years and generations, are not lost.” Patricia Ibáñez comments, “I am absolutely certain that this can be contagious. I believe that today’s society needs these kinds of messages; it needs tools from institutions.”

“The fact that even a small town council has the will to show itself and allow its citizens to express their opinions and begin to generate this is already an important step,” says Eva Saldaña.

Marisa García de Aguinaga expresses that “peace, if we don’t build it together, is impossible.”

Finally, Valentín Oliveros concludes the documentary by saying, “We give that enthusiasm, that hope of understanding or believing that another world is possible, a better world, of course.”

Contributors:
– Asociación Cultural El Real de Manzanares.

– Asociación de Mayores +60.

– Asociación Radar.

– Asociación de Sentido Social.

– Asociación ARBA
– Pedriza Refugia.

– La Sierra con Palestina

– JAFRA Dabke Palestino

– Coral de Manzanares El Real.

– Compañía de Teatro de Yoana González.

– Cia La Fábrica de Sueños / El Duende del Globo.

– Escuela de Música Peña Sirio.

– Federación Madrileña de Asociaciones Solidarias con el Sáhara (FEMAS)

– Proyecto Indomitas

– Móstoles sin Fronteras.

– CAUM (Club de Amigos de la UNESCO de Madrid)

– Greenpeace.
– Amnistía Internacional.

– Colectivo Alternativas no Violentas.

– Grupo Mujer, Vida y Libertad de Madrid.

– Asociación Memoria Histórica Los Barracones.

– Isidro Jara Hernández.
– Coordinación técnica, Rafa Rubio y David Elorriaga.

– Coordinacion general, dirección artística, y contenidos,

– Marisa Tejada, Comunicación medios y redes Carlos.

– Rivas y Pilar Bobadilla.

– Valentin Oliveros. Coordinación general.

– Thamatatto Graffitero

– Merian Zidan Lamaadi

– AFA Peña Sacra

– AMPA Los Abetos

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