Category Archives: global

US, Russia agree to extend ‘New START’ nuclear arms treaty

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from Deutsche Welle (reprinted by permission)

The United States and Russia “agreed in principle” to extend the New START  arms treaty by five years, the Kremlin reported on its website Tuesday following a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Obama and Medvedev signing the START treaty in 2010 (Source: White House photo)

A Kremlin description of the call between the two leaders  said they had both “expressed satisfaction” that diplomatic notes had been exchanged earlier Tuesday confirming that the treaty would be extended,

Putin had submitted a draft bill for the extension to the Russian Parliament, the Kremlin statement added. The extension doesn’t require approval from lawmakers in the US. 

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

Deadline approaching 

The White House did not immediately confirm the Kremlin’s remarks, however, press secretary Jen Psaki said the two leaders agreed to have their teams “work urgently” to iron out the details of the extension before the treaty’s expiration date, February 5. 

The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), was signed in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart at the time, Dmitry Medvedev.

The treaty limits each party to 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), 1,550 nuclear warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs, and 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers. 

It also envisions a rigorous inspection regime to verify compliance. 

The last nuclear arms control agreement 

Biden had indicated during his presidential campaign that he favored extending the treaty, and Russia has long proposed its extension without any conditions or changes. 

However, negotiations to extend the treaty were stalled by the administration of former US President Donald Trump, which insisted on tougher inspections for Russia and for China  to be included, which Beijing refused. 

During Trump’s term, the US withdrew  from a separate nuclear weapons control agreement with Russia, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)  treaty, making New START the last  remaining nuclear weapons control treaty between Russia and the US. 

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Protect People and the Planet: Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An appeal from Unfold Zero

The following appeal to cities, parliaments and governments globally was launched on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, September 26, 2020, as one of the actions of #WeThePeoples2020.


The Appeal will be presented to various forums including the UN General Assembly, Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference and Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, as well as to national parliaments and civil society events..

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

The Appeal

The nuclear weapons possessed by nine countries threaten us all. Any use of these weapons by accident, miscalculation or malicious intent, would have catastrophic human, economic and environmental consequences. The use of just a small fraction of the 14,000 nuclear weapons in the world’s stockpiles could end civilization as we know it.

In addition, the $100 billion spent annually on nuclear weapons is sorely needed for environmental, economic and human needs, including addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting the climate and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

We, the undersigned, call on our cities, parliaments and governments to:

1. Affirm that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and therefore the nuclear armed States should stand down their nuclear forces and affirm policies never to initiate a nuclear war (no-first-use policies);


2. Commit to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United Nations;


3. Cut nuclear weapons budgets (if they are a nuclear-weapon State), end investments in the nuclear weapons industry (all governments), and redirect these investments and budgets to support the United Nations, COVID-19 management and recovery, drastic reductions in carbon emissions to protect the climate, and financing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Click here to endorse the appeal.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Red Cross: Nuclear Weapons Are Finally Outlawed, Next Step Is Disarmament

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An statement by Robert Mardini, Director-General of the Red Cross

The vile suffering that poison gas inflicted on the soldiers of WWI so horrified the world that chemical weapons were banned only seven years after the Great War ended.

But during the next global conflict, an even more indiscriminate and inhumane weapon was unleashed. Nuclear blasts decimated two Japanese cities as if they had been “swept away by a supernatural power”, Dr Marcel Junod, a doctor for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), wrote after visiting Hiroshima.


António Guterres said that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) The doctor quickly concluded that like poison gas after WWI, nuclear weapons too must be banned outright. “Only a unified world policy can save the world from destruction,” he wrote. By 1950, an estimated 340,000 people had died from the effects of those two bombs.

For more than 75 years, almost half of the ICRC’s 158 years of existence, we have been advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons for one simple reason: We do not believe they can be used without inflicting significant death and suffering among civilians.

That is why January 22, 2021, is such a momentous day for us. It is the day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) comes into force.

This day is nothing short of a victory for humanity. Seventy-five years after nuclear bombs wrought war’s worst horror on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world’s newest multilateral treaty outlaws nuclear weapons. It prohibits the use, threat of use, development, production, testing and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, formalising into law a strongly held taboo against the use of nuclear weapons and providing a further disincentive for their proliferation.

(Continued in right column)

(Click here for the French version of this statement or here for the Spanish version.)

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

The TPNW is also the first instrument of international law to mitigate the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons by requiring states that suffered a nuclear explosion to provide medical care for victims on their territory.

What the treaty does not do, quite obviously, is magically eliminate the world’s current nuclear arsenal. Indeed, it would be naive to expect the TPNW to deliver a world without nuclear weapons tomorrow. The new treaty should instead be viewed as the moral and legal starting point for a long-term effort to achieve nuclear disarmament. We must now work to ensure the broadest possible adherence to the treaty’s prohibitions.

The world’s nine nuclear-armed states have more than 13,000 nuclear bombs, with command-and-control networks vulnerable to human error and cyberattacks. The power of many of those warheads is far greater than those dropped in 1945, bombs that killed more than 100,000 people, including 1,924 of Hiroshima’s 2,080 doctors and nurses. This is the reality we are up against.

Even if the horror of nuclear detonation may feel like distant history, the risk today is too high. Treaties to reduce arsenals are being abandoned, new types of nuclear weapons are being produced, and serious threats are being made. That is an arms race, and it is frightening.

By setting out pathways for their elimination, the treaty is a concrete step towards fulfilling longstanding nuclear disarmament obligations, notably those under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which desperately needs to see real progress on its nuclear disarmament obligations if it is to maintain its credibility.

We are urging states that possess nuclear weapons to urgently take them off high alert status and reduce their role in their military doctrines, pending their total elimination. And we hope every country finds itself, sooner or later, in a position to sign and ratify the treaty.

The passage of time may have numbed us to the devastation of a nuclear detonation. But every human on earth should be horrified at even the possibility that such a weapon could be used again.

Today we celebrate the entry into force of the TPNW. But it is only the beginning of the world’s journey to eliminate nuclear weapons. The end comes when those 13,000 nuclear weapons no longer exist.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Past Virtual Events in January

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events and application deadlines in January that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

Tuesday January 12 8 p.m. (EST-USA)

Introduction to the History & Dynamics of U.S. Asia-Pacific Policies
— The United States has been an imperial power across Asia and the Pacific since Admiral Perry’s Black Ships “opened” Japan, and the U.S. conquered the Philippines, Guam and Samoa and annexed Hawaii during the “Spanish-American War.” President-elect Joe Biden and Antony Blinken are repeating their commitments to reinforce U.S. Asia-Pacific alliances and to the military buildup to contain China that was begun with the Obama “pivot” to Asia and the Pacific and deepened by Trump’s ratcheting up tensions with China.
— Speakers include Corozon Fabros of Asia-Europe Peoples Forum, the ASEAN Civil Society Conference- ASEAN Peoples Forum., Tobita Chow of Justice is Global and Mark Seldon editor of The Asia-Pacific Journal
— Register here in advance for this webinar

January 13, 2021 at 7:30pm – 7:30pm MST

The Nuclear Weapons Stand-off: State of Play
Organised by: Ploughshares Calgary
— Our speaker, Earl Turcotte, will provide a clear, interesting and informed update on the new Treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons. Earl is the current Chairperson of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, served over 40 years as an aid worker, Canadian diplomat and UN official. For 15 years prior to his retirement in 2015, he focused on arms control and disarmament, including being lead negotiator for Canada of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Since retiring in 2015 he has focused his efforts on nuclear disarmament.
— Virtual event | link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85810285613
Meeting ID: 858 1028 5613
Passcode: 166927

Thursday, 14 January 2021, 14:00 – 15:00 CET

PeaceTech: Digital Platforms for Inclusive Peace
This webinar will explore how digital platforms can support peacebuilding, with a special focus on the new PeaceFem mobile app which illustrates women’s inclusion in peace processes around the world.
— Featuring Dr Sanja Badanjak, Dr Devanjan Bhattacharya, and Fiona Knäussel from the PeaceTech team of PSRP (Political Settlements Research Programme), with special guest Dr Benjamin Bach, Lecturer in Design Informatics and Visualization at the University of Edinburgh, as event chair.
— This event is free and will be held on Zoom. Joining instructions will be sent to registered participants.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, 15:00 CET

On January 19, the Basel Peace Office, Basel-Stadt Kanton, UNFOLD ZERO and Youth Fusion will hold Intergenerational dialogue on peace, the climate, nuclear disarmament and the pandemic, a forum of youth, experts and policy makers discussing actions and effective policies for peace, disarmament, the climate and public health especially in times of pandemic.
— Speakers include Marzhan Nurzahn (Kazakhstan/Switzerland), Convenor of Youth Fusion, the Abolition 2000 Youth Network for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World; Davina Maloum (Cameroon), Founder of Children for Peace. International Children’s Peace Prize Co-winner 2019 (with Greta Thunberg), Prof. Dr Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker (Germany), Past Chairman of the German Bundestag Environment Committee, Honorary President of the Club of Rome: Maria Espinosa (Ecuador), Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the UN General Assembly (2018-2019), Chair of the World Future Council Commission on the Rights of Children and Youth, and more…
— The event will also include the finalists and award ceremony for the Basel PACEY Plus youth award.
— Click here to register.

21 January, 2021 @ 2:00 – 3:10 pm GMT

Entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Role of Health Professionals
— Share your contact information below to receive updates on the Global Health Webinar, co-sponsored by the International Council of Nurses, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Medical Students’ Association, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, World Federation of Public Health Association, and World Medical Association.
Confirmed speakers:
-Moderator; Tilman Ruff, co-President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW)
-Mahmood Al-Hamody, Liaison Officer for Human Rights and Peace Issues, -International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations
-David Barbe, President, World Medical Association
-Bettina Borisch, Executive Director, World Federation of Public Health Associations
-Erica Burton, Senior Advisor on Nursing and Health Policy, International Council of Nurses
-Véronique Christory, Senior Arms Control Advisor, The International Committee of the Red Cross
-Carlos Umaña, Regional Vice-President, IPPNW
— Register here

Friday – Jan 22, 2021, 1:00-3:00 pm CET

Celebration of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
— On January 22nd, the world will celebrate the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), supported by over 120 states at the UN in July 2017.
— On this historic day, we call on members of the IPB family, our friends and all peace lovers to celebrate this historical step, and deliver this great news with noise and fun in your countries all across the globe, as the road to a world free of nuclear weapons is now wide open!
— We invite you to join us for a virtual IPB Zoom party where we will celebrate this milestone toward nuclear disarmament together!
— Register to join the event here: https://bit.ly/ipbprt

Saturday, January 23 09:30 AM (EST)

Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War: Invest in Minds not Missiles” A National Conference
— CPDCS has been privileged to work with Jonathan King of MIT and many others in organizing this important national disarmament conference together.
— Though the Coronavirus has devastated the economy, it has not had any braking effect on the Presidential and Congressional push for spending more of our tax dollars on military and nuclear weapons development programs. Thus, we will have to find ways to continue to collaborate and cooperate in the development of a social movement strong enough to reverse the new nuclear arms race. This Conference is focused on that task.
— Speakers include Alan Robock, Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Ayana Pressley, Rev. Liz Theoharis, Elaine Scarry, Subrata Goshroy, Lindsay Koshgarian, and many others.
— Breakout sessions – including the Asia-Pacific session led by CPDCS – A. Ban Treaty & Arms Control Treaties: B. The Costs of 21st Century Wars and the Politics of Defense Spending: C. Back from the Brink Campaign: D. No Resumption of Testing: E. No First Use Campaign: F. Demilitarizing Police: G. Climate and War/Green New Deal: H. Divesting from Weapons Manufacture: I. Bringing Peace into Electoral Contests: J. No New Cold War: The U.S., China, and the Asia Pacific: K. Moral Budget for Massachusetts: L. Vaccines Not Submarines: M. Campus Organizing
— Register here for free

23 de enero – 31 de enero
Foro Social Mundial: COMUNICACIÓN, EDUCACIÓN Y CULTURA

— Hola, Te has inscrito al FSM Virtual 2021 y has expresado tu interés en el espacio temático COMUNICACIÓN, EDUCACIÓN Y CULTURA.
— En este enlace puedes seguir las actividades que se están registrando en relación con este Espacio Temático.
— El correo electrónico educacioncomunicacioncultura@wsf2021.net está disponible para preguntas sobre este Espacio Temático.
— Para registrar organizaciones, actividades o iniciativas para Agora, inicie sesión en join .wsf2021.net y acceda al formulario correspondiente.
— En caso de necesitar más información sobre su actividad, una persona del Grupo Facilitador se pondrá en contacto contigo.

January 23 – January 31
World Social Forum 2021: COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION AND CULTURE

— Hi, You’ve signed up to the WSF Virtual 2021 and indicated interest in the COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION AND CULTURE.
— In this link you can follow the activities being registered in connection with this Thematic Space.
— The email educacioncomunicacioncultura@wsf2021.net is available for questions about this Theme Space.
— To register organizations, activities or Initiatives for Agora, log in to join .wsf2021.net and access the appropriate form.
— In case you need more information about your activity, a person from the Facilitator Group will contact you.

23 janvier – 31 janvier
Fórum Social Mundial: COMMUNICATION, ÉDUCATION ET CULTURE

— Bonjour, Vous vous êtes inscrit(e) au FSM 2021 virtuel et avez manifesté votre intérêt pour l’espace thématique COMMUNICATION, ÉDUCATION ET CULTURE.
— Sur ce lien, vous pouvez suivre les activités en cours d’enregistrement en lien avec cet espace thématique.
— L’e-mail educacioncomunicacioncultura@wsf2021.net est disponible pour toutes questions concernant cet espace thématique.
— Pour enregistrer des organisations, des activités ou des initiatives en vue de l’Agora, connectez-vous à join .wsf2021.net et accédez au formulaire approprié.
— Au cas où vous auriez besoin de plus d’informations sur votre activité, une personne du groupe de facilitateurs vous contactera.

Sunday, January 24, 2021 • 13:30 EST, 18:30 GMT

Webinar: Divest-Reinvest: Towards a Local Peace Economy
Grassroots-led divestment campaigns are springing up all over the world. There’s a reason why divestment is trending, and that’s because it’s a winning organizing tactic. Divestment gives direct agency to individuals and communities to cut ties to destructive industries. Change can be affected on a grassroots level, by individuals (switching banks and divesting retirement funds), by institutions (divesting universities, workplaces, & religious organizations, among others) and by communities (divesting municipal & state public pension funds).
— In this panel, three leading organizers will present case studies of successful & diverse divestment models, including fossil fuel and weapons divestment. Beyond divestment, we will explore how divestment must be paired with reinvestment strategies that advance a just transition from a war economy to a local peace economy.
— Moderator: Greta Zarro, Organizing Director, World BEYOND War; West Edmeston, NY, USA
Panelists: David Swanson (Co-Founder & Executive Director, World BEYOND War;
Susi Snyder (Coordinator for Don’t Bank on the Bomb;
Kelly Curry (CODEPINK Local Peace Economy Organizer;
— Join Zoom Meeting via this link
— Here is a recording of the webiner.

Sunday, January 24, 1-3 PM, EST

World Social Forum Peace Day. CPDCS/IPB workshop “For Peace, Justice & Democracy: U.S. Movement Perspectives”.
— President Biden assumes office in the midst of a host of national crises that impact the world: a white supremacist fascist insurrection and threats of continuing domestic terrorist attacks, the Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed nearly 400,000 U.S. lives and devastated the national economy, emerging and deepening cold wars with China and Russia, and a national budget that prioritizes preparations for war over human needs.
— This webinar will present leading voices from the U.S. justice and peace movements, summarizing the challenges the U.S. people face and the priorities of the U.S. justice, peace and democracy movements.
— Speakers include:
Rev. Karleen Griffiths Sekou – Director for International Relationships and Organizing for the Black Lives Matter Global Network
Michael Klare – Military Affairs Editor of The Nation Magazine, Co-Founder Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy.
Lindsay Koshgarian – Director, National Priorities Project
— Initiated by the International Peace Bureau and the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security.
— For more information contact: JGeson80@gmail.com
Zoom link: http://bit.ly/PeaceJan24

Monday, 25 January, beginning at 11:00 PST, 14:00 EST 19:00 GMT 22:00 Yemen

WORLD SAYS NO TO WAR ON YEMEN
Global online rally sponsored by the Stop the War Coalition
— Over 230 organisations from 17 countries have signed up for a call to action against the war on Yemen so far, making this the biggest international anti-war co-ordination since the campaign against the Iraq war.
— The shockingly under-reported war in Yemen has led to the death of 250,000 people and created the worst humanitarian crisis anywhere in the world according to the UN. They estimate that more than 24 million people in the country, which was already one of the poorest on the planet prior to the war, will need humanitarian assistance in 2021.
— The war is led by Saudi Arabia, with the involvement of the UAE, but it is backed by some key Western powers – the US, the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Canada. In particular, the US and the UK have maintained unquestioning support for Saudi Arabia since the war began and are both participants in the war.
— This protest is timed to take place just days after the inauguration of Joe Biden, who has promised to end US support for the war. This is our one central aim – to hold him to his word and force fellow governments to follow suit.
— Among the participants:
Ahmed Al-Babati (British-Yemeni Soldier)
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Danny Glover (Actor)
Tawakkol Karman (Yemeni Nobel Peace Laureate)
Daniele Obono (French National Assembly Member)
Yanis Varoufakis (MeRA25 Secretary-General)
— Click here to register

Monday January 25. 11:00-12:30 Eastern USA time/17:00-18:30 Central Europe time

The United Nations and Nuclear Abolition
Cosponsors: Basel Peace Office, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Right Livelihood Foundation, UNFOLD ZERO, World Future Council and Youth Fusion.
— Last January the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists set the Doomdsay Clock to 100 Seconds to Midnight, indicating how close humanity was to a nuclear disaster by accident, miscalculation or conflict escalation. Amidst the gloom of the pandemic, 2021 dawns with some new rays of light for nuclear disarmament.
— On January 20, a new US administration more amenable to nuclear disarmament was inaugurated. Tow days later (Jan 22) the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force.
— Join us for an international event on Monday January 25 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of UN Resolution 1 (1) – the very first resolution of the United Nations – which established the global goal for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
— The event will include discussion by experts and activists on the political openings for global nuclear disarmament and the vital roles being played by the United Nations and civil society. It will also include presentations of some global civil society appeals for nuclear abolition. Click here to register (if you have not already done so).
— January 25 event speakers.
— Click here to register.

January 26th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm EST
Dialogue as a Tool for Healing

Sponsored by Pathways to Peace
Sharing our thoughts and feelings by speaking our own truth and listening to the truth of others, is a simple action we can take to heal ourselves and to contribute to the healing of others. Dialogue builds community and through community we do our work to advance Peace.
Please Join Us!
— Tezikiah Gabriel and Kim Weichel will facilitate the upcoming dialogues. In the January 26th dialogue, we will be exploring the questions:
— What is on your heart at this time in this country?
— As committed peacebuilders, what kind of positive action can we take to begin to heal ourselves and talk with others?
— How can we transform our anger, sadness, or concern into positive action?
— We look forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, we wish you Peace!
— Zoom Room Access: https://zoom.us/j/6091308836
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,6091308836# US (New York)
+16699006833,,6091308836# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 609 130 8836

Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 16:00 CET
Parliamentarians, peace and disarmament in cyber-space.

UNFOLD ZERO has been actively promoting Securing our Common Future, the Disarmament Agenda released by the UN Secretary-General in 2018. This includes cooperation with Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament to engage parliamentarians in support action at national, regional and international levels. On November 5, 2020 the parliamentary handbook Assuring our Common Future was launched. It includes over 80 examples of effective policies and parliamentary actions in all disarmament areas.
— On January 27, 2021 the first of a series of follow-up webinars going into more depth on specific areas covered in the handbook. The webinars are open to legislators, governments, experts and civil society representatives working with legislators to advance disarmament.
— Speakers for the first webinar, The role of parliamentarians to advance disarmament in cyber-space, include Saber Chowdhury MP, Honorary President of the InterParliamentary Union, Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament; Tilman Rodenhauser, Legal Adviser, International Committee of the Red Cross; Anne-Marie Buzatu, Chief Operations Officer, ICT4Peace Foundation and Arthur Duforest, Research Assistant, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.
— Click here for more information.
— Click here to register.

Wednesday, January 27, 4 p.m. EST
Webinar “Biden and China: Challenges & Opportunities?”

The Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy will be formally launched on January 27 with the release of its signature statement, “Averting a New Cold War Between the United States and China,” and a webinar on the challenges and opportunities in U.S.-China relations facing the incoming Biden administration.
— This webinar will explore the current tensions between the U.S. and China, likely Biden Administration responses, and steps that can be taken for the mutual benefit of both nations.
— Speakers Michael Klare, Rachel Odell and Zhiquin Zhu.
— Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1Fyq2BB6Tg2QvqMHkImINg

Wednesday, January 27th at 2:30 pm EST
Search for Common Ground

Join us for a discussion with Shamil Idriss and Cynthia Miller-Idriss, two world-renowned experts who will discuss the origins of this wave of extremist violence, how peacebuilding can heal the United States, and suggest practical steps for each of us to take in building a country where we can live in community—separated by our differences but grounded in justice, equality, and respect. . .. As the Biden-Harris Administration starts to work, we have an opportunity to take action to reduce violence and repair America’s social fabric. Join the conversation about a path forward for America on Wednesday,
CLICK HERE FOR WEBINAR REGISTRATION

Thursday, Jan. 28th from 2:30pm to 5pm EST
The Critical Role of Communication in Building Cultures of Peace

sponsored by the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY
— Welcome: Margo LaZaro, President & Chair of the NGOCSD-NY & Co-Founder/CSO of the SDGIAs
— Keynote Reflections:
Narinder Kakar, Permanent Observer of the University for Peace to the United Nations;
Satya S. Tripathi, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the UN Environment, NYO;
Alyn Ware, Global Coordinator of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation;
Yasmeen Ally, Communications Specialist with Religions for Peace;
Mandy Sanghera, International Human Right Activist & Award Winning Philanthropist
— Cultures of Peace – Plans of Action:
Monique Cuillerier, Coordinator, of the Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada;
Neil Ghosh, President and CEO of SOS Children’s Villages USA;
Mary Muia, Soroptimist International UN Rep, UNEA in Nairobi, Kenya;
Dennis Wong, Co-Founder of the Rotary Action Group for Peace;
Steven Aiello, Founder and Director of Debate for Peace, Israel;
Jeffery Huffines, Senior Advisor of the Coalition for the UN We Need and Together First
— Interactive Exchange
— Webinar Registration

Saturday January 30, 14:00-17:00 GMT
Virtual World Assembly of Inhabitants

(Intérpretes: En/Es/Fr/Pt/It)
— Balance de la movilización global Cero Desalojos para Coronavirus
— Acuerdos: construir la alternativa basada en los derechos humanos y ambientales y la redistribución equitativa de los recursos
— Definir la Agenda Solidaria de lxs Habitantxs 2021, la convergencia de las re-existencias en tiempos de pandemia
— Coordinación política: Cesare Ottolini, coordinador global AIH, Italia
— Aportaciones
Medha Patkar, Fundadora Narmada Bachao Andolan y National Alliance of People’s Movements, India (por confirmar)
Richard Wolff, Economista Marxista y Profesor emérito Universidad de Massachusetts Amherst, EEUU
Raquel Rolnik, Profesora USP, ex Relatora ONU sobre el derecho a la vivienda, Brasil
Faeza Meyer, Activista Justicia por el Agua, African Water Commons Collective, Sudáfrica
Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Relator ONU sobre el derecho a la vivienda, EE.UU. (por confirmar)
— Click here to register
— Info y contacto: vwai2020@habitants.org

Jan 30, 2021 16:30 in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
No War on Iran

Youth Against Empire will sponsor this webinar called, “No War on Iran.” US has been trying in instigate a War with Iran. Within the past year, the US has been seen to be behind the assassinations of leading scientific and military officials of Iran. The US has Iran surrounded with military bases and Navy ships and has imposed harsh sanction on Iran including sanctioning that deny Iran medical resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Register here

Sunday, Jan. 31, 2:00 – 4:00 PM EST (Toronto Time)
Global Town Hall

Peace Magazine and Project Save the World Invite You to Our Next Monthly Global Town Hall
— On the last Sunday of every month, we hold an open meeting on Zoom for activists worldwide who are addressing issues of militarism (especially nuclear weapons), global warming, famine, pandemics, radioactive contamination, and cyber risks. We talk for two hours with our video cameras on (not just audio, please), edit the recording, and put it on YouTube, Facebook, and our website: https://tosavetheworld.ca and then we publicize it widely.
— Zoom Link
— Facebook Event Page
— Visit Our Website
— Visit Our YouTube Channel

31 January 2021
Closing date for applications for the Youth Solidarity Fund of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies. Seed funding is given to projects, for and by young people, that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. UNAOC additionally offers capacity-building support to help youth-led organizations strengthen the implementation of their projects.
— Application guidelines can be found here. Please read the guidelines carefully before applying.
— Please check the FAQs as they can provide more clarity too.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Committee for a SANE U.S.-China Policy

. .DISARMAMENT & SECURITY. .

Excerpts from the website of the Sane U.S.-China Policy

The Committee for a SANE U.S.-China Policy will be formally launched on January 27 with the release of its signature statement, co-authored by Joseph Gerson and Michael Klare, “Averting a New Cold War Between the United States and China,” and a webinar on the challenges and opportunities in U.S.-China relations facing the incoming Biden administration.


The webinar, which is open to the public, will feature presentations by Committee co-founder Prof. Michael Klare, Rachel Esplin Odell of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and Prof. of Bucknell University, and Prof. Zhiqun Zhu of Bucknell University. 

With information and advocacy, the Committee for a SANE U.S. China Policy works to prevent U.S.-Chinese military conflict, reduce the militarization of U.S.-Chinese tensions, and encourage mutually beneficial diplomacy. We intend to show how forces in both China and the United States are contributing to a dynamic of ever-increasing mutual suspicion and hostility; likewise, we will emphasize the need for cooperative efforts by both countries to overcome outstanding differences, such as over Taiwan and the South China Sea. We further aim to show that U.S.-China cooperation is essential to overcome such global challenges as climate change and lethal pandemics.

(Article continued in right column)

Question for this article:

The peace movement in the United States, What are its strengths and weaknesses?

(Article continued from left column)

Our initial goal is to circulate our Statement widely and solicit additional signatures to it, from as broad a cross-section of the population as possible. With funds collected from those who sign, we plan to place the Statement in major journals and newspapers. 

We also seek to inform debate and discussion on divisive issues in U.S.-China relations by commissioning position papers on mutually beneficial, non-military solutions to outstanding problems such as Taiwan, technology, arms control, and the South China Sea, and publicize these as widely as possible – including via webinars, public lectures and panels. In addition, we will urge members of Congress to hold public hearings on these issues and encourage them to include participation by those who advocate constructive, peaceful solutions. Wherever possible, we hope to join with organizations in pursuing these activities.

We will also encourage transnational dialogue on problem issues in U.S.-China relations involving non-governmental experts from China, the United States, and other nations in the Indo-Pacific region. In time, such “Track-2” diplomacy could be supplemented by “Track 1.5” diplomacy, involving retired government officials and others with links to those in power.

(Click here to add your name to the signatures on the Statement).

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, North America,

United Nations: Guterres hails entry into force of treaty banning nuclear weapons

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A press release from the United Nations

The first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty in more than two decades, came into force just after midnight on Friday [January 22], hailed by the UN Secretary-General as “an important step towards a world free of nuclear weapons”.


Video of Guterres remarks

António Guterres said that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) also represents a “strong demonstration of support for multilateral approaches to nuclear disarmament” overall.

‘Tragic testimonies’ of survivors

In a video message and statement, the UN chief commended the States that have ratified the Treaty and welcomed the “instrumental role of civil society in advancing the TPNW’s negotiation and entry into force”.

“The survivors of nuclear explosions and nuclear tests offered tragic testimonies and were a moral force behind the Treaty. Entry into force is a tribute to their enduring advocacy”, he said.

Mr. Guterres said he was looking forward to guiding the UN’s response according the Treaty, including preparations for the first official Meeting of States Parties.

(Continued in right column)

(Click here for the French version of this statement or here for the Spanish version.)

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

Growing dangers

“Nuclear weapons pose growing dangers and the world needs urgent action to ensure their elimination and prevent the catastrophic human and environmental consequences any use would cause”, said the UN chief.

“The elimination of nuclear weapons remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations. The Secretary-General calls on all States to work together to realize this ambition to advance common security and collective safety.”

The TPNW secured the 50 ratifications it needed to then enter into force, at the end of last October. The campaigners who had steered momentum towards Friday’s milestone moment, described it then as “a new chapter for nuclear disarmament”.

The accord was approved initially by 122 nations at the UN General Assembly in 2017, but it was civil society groups led by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) which had put in the “decades of activism” to secure the number of countries required to make it a reality.

Nuclear powers silent

So far however, the main nuclear powers of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France, have not signed the accord.

It declares that countries ratifying it must “never under any circumstances develop, test, produce, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.”

In a statement released last October by the civil society and campaign umbrella group ICAN – which won the Nobel Peace Prize for its work in 2017 – it said that once the treaty comes into force, all States’ parties will need to follow through on their promises, and abide by its prohibitions.

(Thank you to Phyllis Kotite, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

World Social Forum 2021

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A press release from the World Social Forum

From January 23 to 31, the World Social Forum will celebrate its 20th anniversary online: already nearly 5,000 people and 700 organizations have registered and thousands more are expected.

The world civil society will meet at the World Social Forum (WSF) from January 23 to 31 2021, hoping to provide answers to the urgent challenges imposed by the current global situation. It will thus celebrate its 20th anniversary with a virtual edition against the backdrop of the pandemic.


Since its creation in January 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, by passing through India, Pakistan, Senegal, Kenya, Tunisia, Canada and many others, the World Social Forum has been the largest convergence process of global civil society organizations, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of people throughout its history. For this edition, nearly 5,000 people and 700 organizations from all horizons have already registered and will take part in the hundreds of activities proposed by the participants themselves. It is expected that thousands more people will join the activities that will take place during the 9 days of the WSF, to reaffirm that another world is possible, necessary and urgent.

(Article continued in right column)

Question for this article:

World Social Forums, Advancing the Global Movement for a Culture of Peace?

(Article continued from left column)

A rich program planned for the virtual stage of the WSF:

On January 23rd, there will be a great virtual march for democracy, human dignity and for our future on the planet! Broadcasting of videos from organizations, testimonies of activists from all over the world and a Global Opening Panel with important social and political activists from the five continents, including : Aminata Dramane Traoré, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Leila Khaled, Ashish Kothari, Miriam Miranda and Yanis Varoufakis.

From January 24 to 29, major conferences will be held in each of the nine thematic areas of the virtual WSF: Peace and War, Economic Justice, Education, Communication and Culture, Society and Diversity, Indigenous and Ancestral Peoples, Social Justice and Democracy, Climate, Ecology and Environment. Look at the different activities here.

On January 30th, the Convergence Assemblies will prepare the Agora of the Futures held on January 31st, a pivotal moment where social movements and organizations from around the world will be able to share their initiatives and build a calendar of actions to be implemented until the next edition of the WSF (click here to see the general program of the WSF

Through the email below, the WSF Facilitating Group remains at the disposal of the media around the world for any questions or clarifications.

Email: forumvirtual@wsf2021.net
Website: wsf2021.net

Information (Whatsapp messages): Carminda Mac Lorin (+1 514 381 7090) and Carlos Tiburcio (+55 11 97 666 0176)

(Thank you to Azril Bacal for sending this to CPNN)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

Joint statement by World Future Council members and Right Livelihood Laureates : Abolish Nuclear Weapons to Assure a Sustainable Future

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A statement from the World Future Council

Joint statement by World Future Council members and Right Livelihood Laureates on the occasions of the Entry-into-Force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the 75th anniversary of UN Resolution 1 (1)
 
We, Right Livelihood Laureates and Members of the World Future Council, express deep concern about the existential threat to humanity and the planet from the 14,000 nuclear weapons possessed by nine nuclear-armed States, many of them poised for use at a moment’s notice by decision of unstable leaders or through use by accident, miscalculation or crisis escalation.


The production, deployment, testing, use and threat to use nuclear weapons violate the Right to Life and other international law, threaten current and future generations, provoke international conflicts and consume resources required to address the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The very first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, UN Res 1 (1) which was adopted by consensus on January 24, 1946, established the UN goal of the elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. It is time to fulfil that goal.

On January 22, 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will enter into force making it illegal for States Parties to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess, deploy, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons, or to assist or encourage such acts. The treaty is an important measure by the 51 non-nuclear countries who have ratified, and others who may subsequently join, to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons through national nuclear prohibition measures and international promotion.

We encourage all ratifying states to adopt comprehensive implementing measures, to include prohibition of the threat, use, production, testing, transit and financing of nuclear weapons within their territorial jurisdiction. In particular, the prohibition of nuclear weapons transit and financing, including public investments in the nuclear weapons industry, would impact considerably on the nuclear arms race and on the policies and practices of the nuclear-armed states.

In addition, we encourage the ratifying states to establish ministerial positions, public advisory committees and disarmament education funds to facilitate public education and effective policy to further advance the objective of a nuclear-weapon-free world, as has already been done, for example, in New Zealand.

The nuclear armed and allied states have said that they will not join the Treaty. As such, they will not be bound by it. However, they cannot escape their individual and collective obligations to achieve nuclear disarmament. They agreed to this in UNGA Resolution 1 (1). Most of them also agreed to this in joining the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Article VI of which requires them to achieve nuclear disarmament. In addition, they are bound by customary international law prohibiting the threat or use of nuclear weapons as affirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1996 and the UN Human Rights Committee in 2018.

The Entry-into-Force of the TPNW on January 22, and the 75th anniversary of UNGA Resolution 1 (1) on January 24, 2021 provide opportune occasions for non-nuclear governments and civil society to remind the nuclear armed and allied states of the illegality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons and of their nuclear disarmament obligations, and call on them to implement these immediately.

The nuclear armed and allied states claim that they require nuclear deterrence for their security. However, they have a legal obligation under the UN Charter (Article 2) to achieve security without reliance on the threat or use of force in their international relations. In addition, the UN and many regional bodies and treaty organisations, provide mechanisms for achieving security and resolving conflicts through common security approaches including diplomacy, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and adjudication – instead of through militarism and war.

And, if we have learned anything from the climate crisis, unprecedented biodiversity loss and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that militarism and weapons, including nuclear weapons, are useless in addressing the key human security issues of today and tomorrow.

The 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), with 183 States Parties, has abolished biological weapons, and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), with 193 States Parties, has abolished chemical weapons.  It is now time to abolish the third class of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons.

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:
 
Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

Measures the nuclear-armed and allied states should take include;

1. Affirm that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, stand down their nuclear forces and affirm policies never to initiate a nuclear war;

2. Replace nuclear deterrence with security frameworks based on human security and common security, including acceptance of the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice for international disputes not resolved by other means;

3. Collectively join the TPNW, or alternatively start negotiations in a series of Summits or in a UN negotiating forum on the elimination of nuclear weapons under strict and effective international verification and enforcement;

4. Cut nuclear weapons budgets, end investments in the nuclear weapons industry, and redirect these investments and budgets to support the United Nations, COVID-19 management and recovery, drastic reductions in carbon emissions to protect the climate, achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and public education for disarmament and the peaceful resolution of conflict; and

5. Commit to achieving the complete, global elimination of nuclear weapons no later than 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United Nations.

In this way, humanity can abolish nuclear weapons and help assure a sustainable future.

Endorsers of the Joint RLA/WFC Statement on Nuclear Abolition for a Sustainable Future

Ales Bialiatski, Belarus, Right Livelihood Laureate 2020
Alexander Likhotal, Russia, Member, World Future Council
Alexandra Wandel, Germany, Chair Management Board, World Future Council
Alice Tepper Marlin, United States of America, Right Livelihood Laureate 1990
Alyn Ware, New Zealand, Right Livelihood Laureate 2009
Anda Filip, Romania, Member, World Future Council
Anders Wijkman, Sweden, Member, World Future Council
András Biró, Hungary, Right Livelihood Laureate 1995
Andrea Reimer, Canada, Member, World Future Council
Angelina Davydova, Russia, Member, World Future Council
Angie Zelter for Trident Ploughshares, United Kingdom, Right Livelihood Laureate 2001
Anwar Fazal, Malaysia, Right Livelihood Laureate 1982
Ashok Khosla, India, Member, World Future Council
Cherie Nursalim, Indonesia, Member, World Future Council
Chico Whitaker, Brazil, Right Livelihood Laureate 2006
Fernando Rendón, for  Festival Internacional de Poesia de Medellin, Colombia, Right Livelihood Laureate 2006
Dan Ellsberg, United States of America, Right Livelihood Laureate 2006
Dipal Barua, for Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh, Right Livelihood Laureate 2007, Member, World Future Council
Frances Moore Lappé, United States, Right Livelihood Laureate 1987, Member, World Future Council
Gino Strada, Italy, Right Livelihood Laureate 2015
Hafsat Abiola, Nigeria, Member, World Future Council
Hans Herren, Switzerland, Right Livelihood Laureate 2013, Member, World Future Council
Hanumappa R. Sudarshan,India, Right Livelihood Laureate 1994
Helen Mack, Guatemala. Right Livelihood Laureate 1992
Helmy Abouleish, Egypt, Right Livelihood Laureate 2003, Member, World Future Council
Herbie Girardet, UK, Honorary Member, World Future Council
Hunter Lovins, USA, Right Livelihood Laureate 1983
Ida Kuklina for Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia, Russia, Right Livelihood Laureate 1996
Jacqueline Moudeina, Chad, Right Livelihood Laureate 2011
Jakob von Uexküll, Founder of the Right Livelihood Award and the World Future Council
Jan L McAlpine, USA, Member, World Future Council
Jean Ann Bellini for Comissão Pastoral da Terra, Brazil, Right Livelihood Laureate 1991
Juan E. Garcés, Spain, Right Livelihood Laureate 1999
Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Hungary, Member, World Future Council
Kehkashan Basu, Canada, Member, World Future Council
Khadija Ismayilova, Azerbaijan, Right Livelihood Laureate 2017
Mageswari Sangaralingam for SAM Sarawak, Malyasia, Right Livelihood Laureate 1988
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador, Member, World Future Council
Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Member, World Future Council
Martín von Hildebrand for COAMA, Colombia, Right Livelihood Laureate 1999
Maude Barlow, Canada, Right Livelihood Laureate 2005, Member, World Future Council
Neshan Gunasekera, Sri Lanka, Member, World Future Council
Nnimmo Bassey, Nigeria, Right Livelihood Laureate 2010
Ole von Uexküll, Executive Director, Right Livelihood Foundation
Paul Walker, United States of America, Right Livelihood Laureate 2013
Raul Montenegro, Argentina, Right Livelihood Laureate 2004
P K Ravindran for Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat (KSSP), India, Right Livelihood Laureate 1996
Sam Perlo-Freeman, for the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Right Livelihood Laureate 2012
Shrikrishna Upadhyay, Nepal, Right Livelihood Laureate 2010
Sima Samar, Afghanistan, Right Livelihood Laureate 2012
Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand, Right Livelihood Laureate 1995
Tony Colman, UK, Member, World Future Council
Tony Rinaudo, Australia, Right Livelihood Laureate 2018
Theo van Boven, the Netherlands, Right Livelihood Laureate 1985
Walden Bello, the Philippines, Right Livelihood Laureate 2003
Wes Jackson,  United States of America, Right Livelihood Laureate 2000
Yetnebersh Nigussie, Ethiopia, Right Livelihood Laureate 2017

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

Nomination of Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Press release at Transcend.org

Ms. Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, has today nominated Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.


WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange greets supporters from a balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)

In her nomination letter to Nobel Committee in Oslo, Ms. Maguire wrote:

“My reasons for nominating them together are simple.   Individually each has given countless examples of courage exposing governments’ illegal actions that caused millions of deaths – putting their own freedom and lives on the line.

“Collectively, their lives of self-sacrifice and selflessness constitute remarkable demonstrations of the magnificence of the human spirit.   They are indeed breathtaking testimonies to the goodness inherent in the human heart.

“The Nobel Committee could protect and help save the lives of these three Champions of Peace by awarding them the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.  By doing so the Committee would honour the will of Nobel, in acknowledging true heroes of Peace.   The Nobel Committee would also give great hope to publishers, journalists, writers, and many who face repression and persecution by their governments as they struggle to be writers of truth and history of humanity.”

*******************

4th January, 2021

The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Henrik Ibsen’s gate 51
O255 Oslo, Norway

Subject:  Nomination of Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

Dear Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, I hope this finds you well.
I am herein nominating these three individuals, as a group, for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

All three have been individually nominated in previous years for the Peace Prize, but none received it to date.   My reasons for nominating them together are simple.

Individually, each has given countless examples of courage exposing governments’ illegal actions that caused millions of deaths—putting their own freedoms and lives on the line.

Collectively, their lives of self-sacrifice and selflessness constitute remarkable demonstrations of the magnificence of the human spirit. They are indeed breathtaking testimonies to the goodness inherent in the human heart.

Today around the world, when we listen or read about violence, militarism, poverty, war, pandemics, climate change, and particularly the suffering of millions of little children hungry in a rich world, it is hard not to feel despair and wonder… ‘where is the hope?’  However, the hope lies in the lives of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to serve and help others even sometimes at the cost of their own lives.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Question related to this article:
 
Julian Assange, Is he a hero for the culture of peace?

Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

The Nobel Peace Prize: Does it go to the right people?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

Our hope lies in lives like those of Chelsea, Ed and Julian, their altruism helping restore our faith in ourselves and in our brothers and sisters everywhere.  We allow ourselves to be inspired by their courage and example as they motivate us to act.   If they are capable of such great acts of love, maybe we too can do something for others – at least we can try to keep the Golden Rule, ‘do unto others as you would have them do to you’ (which all religions preach). We each can try to do no harm, and try to do what is right.

Chelsea Manning, as an American soldier based in Iraq, could not go along with the murder of Iraqi civilians.  Julian Assange, as a publisher, had to do his duty and disclose facts of the Iraqi and Afghan wars to the public. Edward Snowden, working in U.S. intelligence, could not remain silent knowing that his government was carrying out illegal surveillance of US citizens and world governments.

They could have remained silent but chose the hard road to tell the truth.

Now they are being punished cruelly and vindictively by those who broke international laws, the very people who should be held responsible for the deaths of children and civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen

Currently Assange is in Belmarsh Prison, UK, facing extradition charges to USA, as the British government cooperates with the American Grand Jury to condemn him (an Australian citizen and publisher) to cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment, which could even lead to the death penalty.

Even more insidious, with a few honourable exceptions, the Main Stream Media–if not silent at the unjust torture of Assange by the UK and US governments–collude in the abuse of Assange, a fellow publisher. If Assange is extradited to USA to stand trial and imprisoned for truth telling, thereafter no reporter, newspaper or publisher in the world will be safe from the same treatment by the USA and other repressive governments opposed to public accountability and scrutiny.

Snowden is seeking asylum in Moscow (Russia have just granted him citizenship to help protect his life) and is unable to return to his home in the USA lest he be arrested and confined to an American prison for life.

Manning is in an American prison, having been re-arrested and held because she courageously refuses to give testimony against Assange.

All of these three Champions of Peace followed their consciences, did their duty with love. I am sure that they were afraid, but they endured their Dark Nights of the Soul, they each did something beautiful and magnificent in service of others.  We must all be grateful for their uplifting spirits.

The Nobel Committee could protect and help save the lives of these three champions of peace by awarding them the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. By doing so you would honour the will of Nobel, in acknowledging true heroes of Peace.  The Nobel committee would also give great hope to publishers, journalists, writers, and many who face repression and persecution by their governments as they struggle to be the writers of truth and history of humanity. Thank you.

Peace,

Mairead Maguire

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, HUMAN RIGHTS

Past Virtual Events December 20-31

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Here are events and application deadlines after December 19 that were previously listed on the CPNN page for upcoming virtual events. Unless otherwise noted the events are in English.

Sunday 20 December, 23:00 UTC+01

The Venezuelan Election, a blow to US Imperialism.
Organised by the United National Antiwar Coalition et Bahman Azad
— The United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the party of Nicolas Maduro won a stunning victory in the recent election for the National Assembly. However, the US has sought to undercut this victory and to deny the will of the Venezuelan people. This webinar will give us the chance to hear voices of people who were there as election observers and independent journalists and saw a different picture than the one projected by the US government. Their talks will be followed by questions and answers. Please join us and share the information about this webinar.
— Speakers:
— Margaret Flower, Popular Resistance
— Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
— Bahman Azad, U.S. Peace Council
— Zoe PC, Peoples Dispatch
Register here
Click here to watch replay on youtube

24 December 2020, 4:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (New York)

Deadline to submit application for Online Youth Consultation on Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport
— Invitation from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) within the framework of the UN Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism, implemented by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in partnership with UNAOC, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the International Centre for Sport and Security (ICSS).
— The consultation aims to gather the input and guidance of young people in developing various outputs such as an awareness campaign to be launched concurrently with global sporting events next year and with the involvement of professional athletes; a policy guide; a handbook; and an app. These products will aim to advance the power of sport and its social values as a tool to prevent violent extremism, and to strengthen the engagement and cooperation of youth and Member States in using sport to promote sustainable peace and development.
— Participants must be :
* between 15 and 19 years old
* Wish to contribute to the advancement of sport in promoting social inclusion, ensuring sustainable peace and preventing radicalization and violent extremism
* Have experience with policy guides, innovative programmes, knowledge sharing tools and/or awareness raising/communication campaigns
— Further details and instructions on how to apply are available at: https://apply.unaoc.org/youth-sport

Sunday, December 27. 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (US/Canada)

Global Town Hall
On the last Sunday of every month, Project Save the World hosts a one-hour conversation via Zoom videoconference about our various projects working to prevent one or more of these threats: war and weapons / global warming / famine / pandemics / radioactive contamination / cyberattacks.
— Video conference URL: https://zoom.us/j/9108970203

December 29

Deadline for nominations for the Peace and Climate action European Youth (PACEY) Plus Award 2021.
— Please make your nomination in one of the two categories:
1. European youth project: A project based in Europe or run by youth from Europe;
2. Beyond Europe youth project: A project based outside Europe or a Global youth project.
— Self-nominations are permitted.
— The Award is organised jointly by the Basel Peace Office and the Präsidialdepartement des Kantons Basel-Stadt, Kantons- und Stadtentwicklung (Office of Cantonal and Urban Development, Department of Presidential Affairs, Canton of Basel-Stadt, Switzerland).
— Questions to info@baselpeaceoffice.org.
— For more information please visit www.baselpeaceoffice.org
— Nomination form

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global