Category Archives: global

World Congress of Education International: Call for values and end to violence

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Education International

Several resolutions were passed at Education International’s 7th World Congress on the promotion of democracy, sustainable development, fair trade, basic social service and health and safety through solidarity and cooperation among member organisations, the international trade union movement and civil society.

edinternational
Photo Credit: Gabriel Castro – IEAL

Resolution 4.1: The Promotion and Protection of Standards and Values in the World “recognises four major interlinked challenges: the liberalisation of the economy, the lack of respect for agreed standards by governments, geopolitical shifts, particularly in Eastern Europe, and the rise of religious extremism,” said EI’s General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen, who proposed the resolution on 25 July. The resolution calls on EI to work with its members and stay vigilant in response to these four global challenges, he said, adding that EI must continue to engage with the UN and other international organisations.

Speakers to the debate raised concerns about privatisation, standardised tests, violence against teachers and students, the environment, climate change, and urged unions to protect agreed standards and shared values.

Millions of children across the globe are involved in child labour, denied their right to education and health. So said James Tweheyo, Uganda National Teachers’ Union in proposing Resolution 4.2: Accelerated Action Against Child Labour in Connection with the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals on 25 July. “The damage to these children is too much to ignore.”

Speakers called for further actions of education trade unions in collaboration with other unions, civil society organisations, governments and international institutions to eliminate child labour. The Resolution echoed the keynote speech earlier on 25 July by Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailish Satyarthi, the founder of the Global March Against Child Labour, who said that EI, trade unions, and teachers played a key role in facilitating the building of the Global March Against Child Labour. “I refuse to think the world is so poor that it cannot bring all children to school,” he said.

Society should not have to witness the abduction and killing of students and teachers across the world, said Philipa Harvey of the National Union of Teachers (UK). She was proposing Resolution 4.3 Resolution on Education, Peace and Justice in Conflict Areas to Congress on 26 July.

The resolution instructs the Executive Board to encourage affiliates to promote peace, justice and conflict resolution. And it urges affiliates to press governments to adopt and endorse international guidelines for protecting schools and universities from military use during armed conflict.

Delegates raised concerns around extremism and school shootings and the education deficit caused by warfare and violence.

The need to promote values to combat extremism was a common theme in contributions to Resolution 4.4 Resolution on Education and Extremism. “Education is key to tackling extremism in all its forms,” said Arthur Frederick Brown, of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT). “The role of teachers and trade unions is to promote the values of equity, solidarity, democracy, and respect for others.”

Amongst other elements, Congress resolved to ensure EI continues to demonstrate its commitment to equality and diversity and its opposition to exclusion and extremism in all its forms.

Question for this article:
EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

At the UN: Women, Peace and Security Agenda Still Hitting Glass Ceiling

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

Nora Happel, Inter Press Service (reprinted by permission)

This October will mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325. The landmark resolution on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) recognises not only the disproportionate impact armed conflict has on women, but also the lack of women’s involvement in conflict resolution and peace-making.

1325
Liberian National Police Officer Lois Dolo provides security at the third annual commemoration of the Global Open Day on Women, Peace and Security in Liberia. Credit: UN Photo/Staton Winter

It calls for the full and equal participation of women in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, humanitarian response and post-conflict reconstruction and urges member states to incorporate a gender perspective in all areas of peace-building and to take measures to protect women from sexual violence in armed conflict.

Since its passage, 1325 has been followed by six additional resolutions (1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106 and 2122).

But despite all these commitments on paper, actual implementation of the WPS agenda in the real world continues to lag, according to humanitarian workers and activists.

Data by the U.N. and NATO show that women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict.

Before the Second World War, combatants made up 90 percent of casualties in wars. Today most casualties are civilians, especially women and children. Hence, as formulated in a 2013 NATO review, whereas men wage the war, it is mostly women and children who suffer from it.

Kang Kyung-wha Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who spoke at a recent lecture series on WPS, cited as example the situation of women and girls on the border between Nigeria and Niger, where the average girl is married by 14 and has two children by age 18.

Secondary education for girls is almost non-existent in this area and risks of violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking are particularly high, she said.

“Thus marginalised and disempowered, [these women and girls] are unlikely to play any part in building stable communities and participate in the socio-economic development of their societies and countries,” Kang said.

“Despite 1325 and the successor resolutions…women and girls continue to be routinely excluded from decision-making processes in humanitarian responses as well as in peace-negotiations and peace-building initiatives.”

High expectations are placed on the World Humanitarian Summit, scheduled to take place in May 2016 in Istanbul. Activists hope that the summit will help turn the numerous rhetorical commitments into concrete actions.

Marcy Hersh, Senior Advocacy Officer at Women’s Refugee Commission, who also spoke on the panel, told IPS: “Women and girls are gravely implicated in peace and security issues around the world, and therefore, they must be a part of the processes that will lead to their protection.”

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Question for this article:

UN Resolution 1325, does it make a difference?

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“The key challenges in protecting women and children in emergencies, and ensuring women are able to participate in these processes, is not related to knowing what needs to happen…We need a commitment to do it. We need to see leadership and accountability in the international community for these issues.”

“If humanitarian leadership, through whatever mechanisms, can finally collectively step up to the plate and provoke the behavioral change necessary to ensure humanitarian action works with and for women and girls, we will have undertaken bold, transformative work.”

Another challenge in making the women, peace and security agenda a reality is linked to psychological resistance and rigid adherence to the traditional status quo. Gender-related issues tend to be handled with kid gloves due to “cultural sensitivity”, according to Kang Kyung-wha.

“But you can’t hide behind culture,” Kang said.

Also, women activists continue to face misogyny and skepticism in their communities and at the national level. Christine Ahn, co-founder of the Korea Policy Institute and former Senior Policy Analyst at the Global Fund for Women, told IPS that often enough the involvement of women in peace-keeping processes seems inconceivable to some of the men in power who hold key positions in international relations and foreign policy.

“They are calling us naive, dupes, fatuitous. Criticism is very veiled of course, we are in the 21st century. But even if it is a very subtle way in which our efforts are discounted, it is, in fact, patriarchy in its fullest form.”

Christine Ahn spoke at the second event of the lecture series at the United Nations. She is one of the 30 women who, in May 2015, participated in the Crossing of the De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea as part of a one-week long journey with North and South Korean women.

The project aimed at fostering civil society contacts between women in North and South Korea and promoting peace and reconciliation between the countries.

The symbolic act for peace at one of the world’s most militarised borders can be seen as a practical example of Security Council resolution 1325.

Ahn told IPS: “We will use resolution 1325 when we advocate that both of Korean women are able to meet because under each government’s national security laws they are not allowed to meet with the other – as it is considered meeting with the enemy.”

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

global, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

Education International to focus on refugees

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

Education International (reprinted according to terms of Creative Commons)

Education International (EI) must – and will – work to ensure that education is made available to displaced children, according to Education International’s 7th World Congress in Ottawa, Canada.

refugees
Michael Thomson of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU/Australia), Photo Credit: Gabriel Castro – IEAL

At the end of 2014, 60 million people were displaced. These UN statistics were brought to Congress by Graham Dawson, of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT/UK) who proposed a resolution on the Right to Education for Displaced People, Refugees and Stateless Children. He highlighted the plight of refugees from Iraq, Syria, the Middle East, North Africa, and elsewhere saying they “should not be allowed to struggle alone.”

The Resolution outlines Congress’ resolve to support member organisations in countries hosting large numbers of refugees and displaced children. It also outlined Congress’ resolve to pressure national and international agents to prioritise financial assistance for the education of refugees and internally displaced people.

The treatment of refugees all over the world is unacceptable, said Michael Thomson of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU/Australia), adding that the “inhuman treatment of children” must be tackled head on by trade unions.

EI should call for an extra protocol to make those responsible for war also responsible for education, said Jean Kamdem, Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement et de la recherche (FESER/Cameroon). This would promote quality education for all, he said, and would also promote education in areas of conflict.

Contributions to the debate were made by Michelle Olivier, SNUIPP-FSU (France), Rose Therese Magalie Georges, CNEH (Haiti), Stephanie Ly, AFT (US), Aurelia Sarasin, SNES-FSU (France), and Abdelaziz Iouy, SNE-FDT (Morocco).

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

(click here for the French version) of this article or here for the Spanish version

Question for this article:
EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

Protecting Schools 80 Years After Roerich

… HUMAN RIGHTS …

Bede Sheppard, Human Rights Watch (abridged)

Eighty-years ago today [July 13], the United States became the first country to ratify the international treaty commonly known as the Roerich Pact. Actually, “commonly” is a bit of a stretch—the 80-year-old agreement doesn’t get a lot of attention these days—yet one of its key objectives has recently been in the spotlight.

safeschools
A child’s painting of education under attack: A student depicts the scene at her school in Sagene during the years of German occupation. Randi Lind/1944

The pact’s full name, the “Treaty on the Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historic Monuments,” gives a clearer overview of its intentions. The treaty’s first article notes that “educational…institutions shall be considered as neutral and as such respected and protected by belligerents… The same respect and protection shall be accorded to…educational…institutions in time of peace as well as in war.”

Only 10 countries joined the treaty—all of them from the Americas. The Americas is also the region with the highest number of countries in which laws explicitly limit the authority of government security forces to enter higher education institutions. Most recently, many countries in the Americas have been early and enthusiastic supporters of the Safe Schools Declaration that was opened for states to join at an international summit in Oslo, Norway, on May 28-29.

The Safe Schools Declaration was drafted under the leadership of Argentina and Norway. The 47 countries that have joined so far include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, and Uruguay. The Declaration is a political commitment to do more to protect students, teachers, schools, and universities from attack during times of armed conflict. It also allows countries to endorse and commit to use a set of Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict, which call upon armed forces to refrain from converting schools or universities into military bases, barracks, defensive positions, detention centers, and weapons caches.

The need to continue working for the protection of education institutions 80 years after the Roerich Pact remains clear. In the past decade, schools have been used for military purposes in at least 26 countries with armed conflict—the majority of countries with armed conflict during that time. The practice exposes students and teachers to the danger of incoming attacks if they remain in the school while they are being used, as well as the risk of harassment, rape, and forced recruitment by the soldiers inside the school. When schools are taken over completely, those buildings may still be damaged or destroyed, with long-term consequences for students’ education. The practice has also been shown to cause students to drop out of school as well as harming school attendance, new enrollment, and advancement to higher levels of education.

But 80 years after being the first to join the Roerich Pact, the United States has shown no interest in joining the Safe Schools Declaration. At the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this month, the United States joined countries such as China, Cuba, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia to snub efforts to highlight the Oslo Safe Schools Summit in an annual resolution on the right to education. (Bolivia and Venezuela sat out the vote as well.) . . .

 

Question related to this article:

The Roerich Pact, Is it still relevant?

Readers’ comments are invited on this question and article. See comments box below.

global, HUMAN RIGHTS

Mayors at Vatican: Cities play ‘very vital role’ in addressing climate, poverty

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Brian Roewe , National Catholic Reporter

Mayors from around the world meeting at the Vatican this week issued a manifesto that recognized the reality of human-induced climate change and underscored the “moral imperative” for action, both in within their cities and the global community. The two-day summit was held Tuesday and Wednesday [July 21-22] and hosted by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences. In their joint declaration issued Tuesday, 64 mayors and government officials said they came together in the context of Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home,” to discuss issues related to “two dramatic and interconnected emergencies: human-induced climate change and social exclusion in the extreme forms of radical poverty, modern slavery and human trafficking.”

pope
(Photo from Catholic News Service/Paul Haring)

Earlier that day, Francis emphasized to the assembly that his encyclical is not merely a “green” document, but rather “it is a social encyclical.”

“It is true that everything revolves around … this culture of care for the environment. But this ‘green’ culture — and I say that in a positive sense — is much more than that. Caring for the environment means an attitude of human ecology. In other words, we cannot say: the person and Creation, the environment, are two separate entities. Ecology is total, it is human … you cannot separate humanity from the rest; there is a relationship of mutual impact, and also the rebound effect when the environment is abused,” Francis said.

Those attending the Vatican summit presented a cross-section of the globe, with 31 countries represented: among them Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Botswana, Gabon, Italy, Jamaica, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and France — which in Paris will host the U.N. climate summit (COP 21) in December.

Ten U.S. mayors also participated, hailing from Boston, Boulder, Colo.; Birmingham, Ala., Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York City, Portland, Ore., San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle. California Gov. Jerry Brown was also a participant.

In their declaration, the mayors, who joined the pope in signing it, said their cultural traditions each affirmed the beauty of the natural world and the “moral duty to steward rather than ravage” the planet, and committed to developing more sustainable cities that better protect their most vulnerable residents.

Among the declaration’s highlights:

“Human-induced climate change is a scientific reality, and its effective control is a moral imperative for humanity.”

“Today humanity has the technological instruments, the financial resources and the know-how to
reverse climate change while also ending extreme poverty, through the application of sustainable development solutions, including the adoption of low-carbon energy systems supported by information and communications technologies.”

“The financing of sustainable development, including the effective control of human-induced climate change, should be bolstered through new incentives for the transition towards low-carbon and renewable energy, and through the relentless pursuit of peace, which also will enable a shift of public financing from military spending to urgent investments for sustainable development.”

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Question for this article:

Despite the vested interests of companies and governments, Can we make progress toward sustainable development?

(Article continued from the left column)

The Paris climate talks “may be the last effective opportunity” to negotiate a global agreement to limit human-induced warming below 2 degrees Celsius, and “Political leaders of all UN member States have a special responsibility to agree at COP21 to a bold climate agreement that confines global warming to a limit safe for humanity.”

“The high-income countries should help to finance the costs of climate-change mitigation in low-income countries as the high-income countries have promised to do.

“As mayors we commit ourselves to building, in our cities and urban settlements, the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reducing their exposure to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters, which foster human trafficking and dangerous forced migration.

“At the same time, we commit ourselves to ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of modern slavery, which are crimes against humanity, including forced labor and prostitution, organ trafficking, and domestic servitude; and to developing national resettlement and reintegration programs that avoid the involuntary repatriation of trafficked persons.”

In addition to the declaration, several mayors used the Vatican summit as occasion to announce local plans of action. De Blasio said New York City has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 along its way to achieving 80 percent reductions by 2050, a goal he announced in September.

But the purpose of the gathering wasn’t to congratulate one another on their progress, he said, but “to take Laudato Si’ and give it life.”

“Our hope is that each of us — and thousands more like us all over the world — will act boldly, and in doing so, will jolt our national paradigms and the collective global paradigm,” de Blasio said.

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales told NBC News that there was excitement in his city for his Vatican trip, particularly among the young people.

“They say, ‘He’s our pope.’ He’s the ‘Portland pope,’ because his values about the environment and about social justice so closely match the young people who’ve moved to Portland … And they read this document, maybe the first encyclical they’ve ever read, and say, ‘He’s one of us,’” Hales said.

At the summit’s second day, the mayors turned their attention toward city planning that simultaneously promotes economic growth, equality and environmental protection. According to Catholic News Service, many of the mayors discussed the growing number of poor people in their cities and the increasing wealth gap.

“We live in one valley, but two worlds,” said Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, Calif., which sits in the tech capital Silicon Valley, but has witnessed a growing homeless population.

CNS reported that De Blasio asked his fellow mayors why they remained committed to outdated economic growth models when that “model of development is slowly killing us.” He challenged them to create sustainable cities that address poverty while reducing pollution, even when such work becomes uncomfortable.

“By setting the high goal, we actually force ourselves day by day to take action related to it,” de Blasio said.

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Book review: Voices against Violence

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

A book review from UN Women

“Voices against Violence” is a co-educational curriculum developed by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and UN Women, with inputs from young people. Designed for various age groups ranging from 5 to 25 years, it provides young people with tools and expertise to understand the root causes of violence in their communities, to educate and involve their peers and communities to prevent such violence, and to learn about where to access support if violence is experienced.

WAGGS-ENGLISH

The curriculum includes a handbook for peer educators that will help them deliver age-appropriate sessions, as well as age-appropriate non-formal educational activities. The youngest groups may start out with storytelling and games that prompt them to think about gender bias and stereotypes, while older age groups can organize poster competitions, visit and volunteer with local shelters, or develop local community-based campaigns and projects to address specific forms of violence against girls and women.

“Voices against Violence” is a tool for young people around the world. It can be adapted to national contexts, translated into local languages, and rolled out in schools and communities in partnership with youth organizations, UN partners and governments.

For more information on the curriculum and how to deliver it among children and young people, please visit: Our solutions.

View online/download

Handbook

How to deliver [ en | es | fr ]

Sample activities 

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

(click here for the original article in Spanish)

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global, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

On Mandela Day, UN joins call to promote community service and inspire change

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article from the UN News Centre

The 70th anniversary of the United Nations’ founding provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on the life and work of Nelson Mandela with a call to action for helping others, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon affirmed today as he joined the world gathers in marking Nelson Mandela International Day [18 Jully].

mandela
Photo United Nations/Pernaca Sudhakaran

“Nelson Mandela International Day is an annual call to action for people around the world to make a difference in the communities where they live and work by taking time to serve others,” the Secretary-General stated in his message for the Day.

“Nelson Mandela gave 67 years of his life to the struggle for human rights and social justice,” Mr. Ban continued. “The United Nations joins the Mandela Foundation in asking people around the world to devote at least 67 minutes of their time on 18 July – Madiba’s birthday – to a community service activity.”

The UN General Assembly declared 18 July ‘Nelson Mandela International Day’ in 2009 in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to democracy, justice and reconciliation and to mark his birthday. Mr. Mandela passed away in December 2013 in Johannesburg at the age of 95.

The overall campaign slogan – Take Action, Inspire Change – seeks to inspire people around the world to take 67 minutes of time devoted to helping others and, in so doing, empower entire communities and build a global movement for good.

In the past, volunteers have helped to rebuild homes destroyed by hurricane Sandy in the New York, offered school supplies to children, prepared meals for the elderly, helped out in orphanages, cleaned up parks, and delivered computer literacy workshops.

This year’s commemoration comes a week before the UN is set to bestow its first-ever Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize to two individuals – a man and a woman – for their service to humanity.

Dr. Helena Ndume, of Namibia, and Jorge Fernando Branco Sampaio, of Portugal, will receive the award at a ceremony to take place on 24 July 2015, at UN Headquarters in New York.

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

Latest Discussion

What is the legacy of Nelson Mandela for us today?

Comment by Rama Singh posted: Dec. 31 2013

ON MANDELA’S LASTING LEGACY

In death, as in his life, Nelson Mandela has captured the imagination of the world. Mourning mixed with celebration has electrified crowds all over South Africa and elsewhere. His life’s achievements and his lasting legacy are the topics of discussions. He has been described as a great warrior, a great liberator, the last giant in the fight against colonialism, forgiver, peace maker, and in many other ways.

All this week, Mandela’s lasting legacy has been on my mind. We tend to capture the legacies of great men and women in a word or two. A scientist becomes famous for an important discovery, a writer for a famous book, a musician for a great composition, and so on.

People like Mandela fall in a different category. He is in the category of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King. They are known for their fights on behalf of oppressed people; they are known for their personal sacrifice, and for their moral authority. If we are to look for words to associate with these men, it will be “nonviolence” for Gandhi and “love’ (beloved community) for Dr. King. But what about Mandela- how will we describe his legacy?

What were the important transformational changes in Mandela’s life?

Mandela the great warrior: Mandela has been described as a great warrior, but he was no ordinary warrior. All legendary warriors, mythical or real, are known for the destruction of their enemies. Mandela was different; he did not seek annihilation of his enemy; he transformed his enemy into his collaborator.

Mandela the resilient sufferer: I know of no other person living or dead who was forcefully made to disappear from the scene for this long (incarceration for 27 years) and who survived and made his triumphatic return. Gandhi said there is no other way to show your love for the suffering of your loved ones than to suffer yourself with them, for them. Mandela suffered the longest because his work was the hardest.

Mandela the great liberator: Colonial rulers are known for their ruthless treatment and putting down of citizens but South Africa was not a typical colonial rule. The rulers were Afrikaners, citizen of South Africa. I know of no other country, outside of the United States, where the blacks were so harshly treated by another segment of their own country. It was a true liberation. Thanks to Mandela, sad songs of seeking freedom through death were transformed into freedom in life.
Mandela the magnanimous forgiver: Gandhi’s nonviolence is a complete philosophy of life and it includes love of your enemy and forgiveness. Nonviolence had to be tested to show that it works and that it’s not just a philosophy. Dr. King tested nonviolence with his own suffering and love for his people. His passion for his “beloved community” became the brand of his civil rights struggle for which he paid with his own life. As Gandhi said, the only two places of non-action for such fighters are prison or death. Mandela went to prison, suffered longer, and tested his resolve to forgive his “enemy”. We can only imagine the blood bath had he not done that.

Mandela the peace maker: Gandhi, Dr. King and Mandela, together, constitute a shining trinity of peace and their contributions, respectively, nonviolence, love, and forgiveness provide a prescription for peace if the humankind needs to survive. Truth and Reconciliation will remain one of Mandela’s brilliant and innovative contributions for healing wounds between warring people, warring nations. Gandhi, King and Mandela, all tested nonviolence in their own way and they all came out with the same result: The path of peace and liberation goes through love, suffering, and forgiveness.
Mandela the spiritual father: We go through life with two sets of parents. Our own parents, of course, who brought us in this world, whom we owe our life, body and brain, whom we remain eternally grateful for their sacrifice and care to help us grow and to teach us how to live.

There are another set of parents, for a lack of a better word we can call them our “spiritual parents”. These are men and women whom the whole humanity owes gratitude because it is their discoveries, contributions and, teachings that we like fill our brain with, they make us human- kinder, gentler, and humane.

We call ourselves human because we made a pledge with destiny that we will become humane. It has been a long and arduous journey. With his love, suffering and forgiveness, Mandela has brought us further on the path and has warned we still have a long way to go.

Gandhi-King-Mandela, or Mohan, Martin and Matiba, are angels of peace. We are their descendents, the keepers of their dreams.

Rama Singh, is a professor in the department of biology, and member, Coordinating Council, Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University.

This appreciation was originally published in the Hamilton Spectator in Canada.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global, United Nations,

ICLEI Leaders and Members to strengthen Pope Francis’ efforts on climate, modern slavery and sustainability

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability

On 21-22 July, a delegation of more than 60 Mayors from around the world will meet Pope Francis in the Vatican for a two-day event on climate change, human trafficking and sustainable development. ICLEI has mobilized its leadership and membership to show full support to the groundbreaking work of Pope Francis on these timely issues.

iclei
Park Won Soon, ICLEI President and Mayor of Seoul, South Korea

“The current wide-ranging crisis has brought us close to a point of no return and has the potential to nullify the social and economic progress achieved so far, thus posing a threat to the future existence of humankind,” remarked ICLEI President Won Soon Park. “We believe that the timely efforts of Pope Francis will help lead to bolder climate action and the birth of an inclusive and ambitious global climate regime”.

The ICLEI Leaders and Members attending the events in Vatican include: ICLEI President Park Wonsoon (Mayor of Seoul, participating via video message), ICLEI Vice President Miguel Angel Mancera ( Mayor of Mexico City), members of Global Executive Committee and Council namely Gustavo Petro (Mayor of Bogota), Parks Tau (Mayor of Johannesburg), Matthew Appelbaum (Mayor of Boulder), Estaella Marino (Deputy Mayor of Rome) and a number of ICLEI Members including George Ferguson (Mayor of Bristol), Anne Hidalgo (Mayor of Paris), Marcio Lacerda (Mayor of Belo Horizonte), Bill de Blasio (Mayor of New York City), Mayor Eduardo Paes (Mayor of Rio de Janeiro), José Fortunati (Mayor of Porto Alegre), Gustavo Fruet (Curitiba, Brazil), Jarosław Jóźwiak (Deputy-Mayor of Warsaw), Virginio Merola (Mayor of Bologna), Gregor Robertson (Mayor of Vancouver), Milan Bandić (Mayor of Zagreb), Stian Berger Rosland (Mayor of Oslo) and Karin Wanngard (Mayor of Stockholm). ICLEI Deputy Secretary General Monika Zimmermann and ICLEI Head of Policy and Advocacy Yunus Arikan will also participate in the meetings.

The meetings mark the first time that the Vatican has approached Mayors to work together and discuss how cities can help tackle the crucial issues facing humanity. From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has taken a firm stand against modern slavery, calling all communities to reject all systematic deprivation of individual freedom for the purposes of personal and commercial exploitation. In his well-received encyclical Laudato Si, the Pope has highlighted the connection between natural and human environment, emphasizing that global warming is one of the causes of poverty and forced migration and calling for all actors to work together in shaping a sustainable future.

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Question for this article:

Despite the vested interests of companies and governments, Can we make progress toward sustainable development?

(Article continued from the left column)

As the world’s leading cities’ network on sustainability, ICLEI has been at the forefront of tackling issues related to climate change and sustainability in cities and regions worldwide. In both the global and local stages, ICLEI has been actively promoting and advocating for sustainable cities and regions, which are low-carbon, resilient, smart, ecomobile, biodiverse, resource-efficient and productive, and healthy and happy.

“We are happy to observe an active and committed engagement of ICLEI Leaders and Members in the Vatican on 21 and 22 July. It is no surprise to us that Pope Francis has received a strong support from local and subnational leaders worldwide whose ambitious actions could help spur a global transformation to a sustainable urban future. This spirit and gathering in the Vatican will send clear signals to the global community and citizens of the world which will hopefully help ensure tangible and ambitious outcomes in the post2015 development agenda, climate negotiations and HABITAT III processes,” said ICLEI Deputy Secretary General Monika Zimmermann.

See original article for videos, advocacy documents, social media links and program information.

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

NGO Open letter to Member States of the General Assembly on the Selection Process of the UN Secretary-General

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A letter by 13 NGOs listed in the right column

To: Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Representatives to the United
Nations

Excellencies,

The selection of the new Secretary-General in 2016 will be one of the most important decisions the General Assembly will make in the next ten years. The new Secretary-General will have to address a world confronted with increasingly dangerous civil wars, humanitarian and environmental disasters, terrorism, regressive development, economic and financial turmoil, and inequality. The need for global leadership and international cooperation is greater than ever. It is crucial that the best and most highly qualified candidate is selected to become UN Secretary-General.

1for7

The importance and complexity of the office has changed radically during the last 69 years, as have the threats and challenges to the entire UN system. The leadership of successive UN Secretaries-General – as chief administrative officers, diplomats, mediators, and representatives of the UN purposes and principles – has been fundamental in shaping the work of the United Nations. They have provided a critical public international voice on key issues of peace and security, development, and human rights.

The procedure the General Assembly adopted in 1946 to select the UN Secretary-General is significantly outdated, and is not compatible with selecting the best possible candidate. It falls far short of modern recruitment practices for high-level international appointments, as well as of the UN’s own standards and ideals. We highlight, for instance, that no woman has ever been selected to become UN Secretary-General, and that few have been seriously considered.

In the last twenty years, many international organisations, including the UN, have made major improvements and reforms in procedural mechanisms to enhance the transparency and accountability of high-level appointments. It is imperative that the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General is changed to meet the higher standards that the UN General Assembly, UN experts and civil society have persistently called for. A more open and inclusive selection process engaging all UN Member States will also help to revitalize the UN and enhance its global authority.

A group of civil society organisations strongly committed to upholding the UN Charter and its values has agreed on a set of principles and made proposals that form the basis for urgent and credible reform. The proposals are realistic and do not require an amendment of the UN Charter. Many of them have already been endorsed by a majority of UN Member States.

They include publication of formal selection criteria, a call for nominations and a clear timetable for the selection process that enables adequate assessment of candidates, including through an official list of candidates and the submission of candidate vision statements.

We believe that all Members States of the General Assembly can and should play a more prominent and meaningful role in the appointment process.

For example, the General Assembly should hold open sessions that enable Member States, and, in accordance with General Assembly procedures, other relevant stakeholders, to meet the nominees and consider their candidacies. The Assembly should request that candidates undertake not to make promises on specific senior appointments in advance of the Assembly decision on the Secretary-General appointment.

Furthermore, the Security Council could be requested to present or recommend more than one candidate to the General Assembly. Another recommendation is for a single term of a non-renewable period of seven years, which would help the Secretary-General to pursue a longer-term agenda without the disruption of re-election campaigning.

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

Question(s) related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace? – See comments below

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The proposals are described in the attached policy platform for a new global campaign: 1 for 7 Billion – find the best UN leader. More organisations and individuals from around the world are joining this campaign every day.

As the United Nations is preparing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UN Charter next year, we hope that Member States of the General Assembly and the Security Council will seize this historic opportunity to initiate a key set of basic reforms, including those outlined in our document, to ensure that the best and most qualified candidate is selected to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Yours sincerely,

Dinah Musindarwezo, Executive Director
African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

Salil Shetty, Secretary-General
Amnesty International

Ricken Patel, Executive Director
Avaaz

Danny Sriskandarajah, Secretary-General
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Yasmeen Hassan, Global Director
Equality Now

Evelyn Balais-Serrano, Executive Director
Forum-Asia

Jens Martens, Director
Global Policy Forum

John Burroughs, Executive Director
Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy

Roberto Bissio, Coordinator
Social Watch

Chee Yoke Ling, Director
Third World Network

Eleanor Blomstrom, Program Director
Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

William R. Pace, Executive Director
World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy

Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary-General
World Federation of United Nations Associations

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

16 Successful Projects Highlighting Permaculture Use

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Danielle Nierenberg, Savannah Knell, and Emily Nink for Foodtank

Permaculture is an innovative ethics and design based process used to make agriculture more sustainable, restore soil, conserve water, and redirect waste streams. The process is inspired by the everyday relationships found in nature. The primary goal of adopting permaculture principles is to empower individuals to be their own producers and move away from being dependent consumers. These techniques are practiced in very different ways globally based on climate and resources particular to the region. While there is variety in the methodology of permaculture practices, the holistic approach remains constant. The easy to remember primary ethics of permaculture include earth care, people care, and resource share. 

permaculture

Permaculture is an innovative ethics and design based process used to make agriculture more sustainable, restore soil, conserve water, and redirect waste streams. The process is inspired by the everyday relationships found in nature. The primary goal of adopting permaculture principles is to empower individuals to be their own producers and move away from being dependent consumers. These techniques are practiced in very different ways globally based on climate and resources particular to the region. While there is variety in the methodology of permaculture practices, the holistic approach remains constant. The easy to remember primary ethics of permaculture include earth care, people care, and resource share. 

There has recently been a call for research on the long-term benefits and participation rates of individuals adopting the principles. According to Scott Pittman, the director of the National Permaculture Institute, approximately 100,000 to 150,000 students have completed the certificate course with around 50,000 students from the United States. There is a wide body of literature confirming many success stories of permaculture being implemented around the globe. According to Appleseed Permaculture, over 1,000,000 people are now certified in permaculture in more than 140 countries with more than 4,000 projects on the ground. 

The use of permaculture has been instrumental in combating malnutrition in Malawi. Never Ending Food is an organization dedicated to Permaculture and nutrition, Africa. Stacia and Kristof Nordin focus on designing systems for sustainable living. The organization has been facilitating various sessions and Permaculture Design Courses throughout Malawi. Because Malawi has a 12-month growing season, access to water, and a large genetic base of local food crops, the incorporation of permaculture has the potential to produce large amounts of food throughout the year and bring about positive agricultural change. By making low-cost improvements to family farms, Malawian families can increase their overall household food security. To increase awareness about the benefits of permaculture, the Kusamala Institute of Agriculture and Ecology implemented the Red Soil Project to create a means for farmers to share knowledge and experience about the process. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) reported that permaculture is a viable solution to help combat food insecurity for the 15 percent of the global population that’s malnourished. Permaculture farmers in Malawi have on average, better food security, larger diet diversity, and higher crop yield compared to conventional farmers. 

The Worldwide Permaculture Network has published an extensive database on which to understand better what projects exist all over the world. The site allows you to search for projects based on keywords, climate zone, and types of projects to better filter your results. Currently, the site features 1957 permaculture projects around the globe. 

To get a better sense of what projects are happening across the globe, Food Tank highlights 16 successful projects featuring permaculture use: 

1. Ferme MiKu Valley Farm – MiKu is located in rural Eastern Ontario, Canada and is a successful demonstration and educational site. The farm spans 68 acres and is home to a small livestock group, expanding market gardens, food forest development, and an educational site with a permaculture design. They welcome wwoofers in three seasons to help promote their practice of permaculture and gain hands on experience.

2. Findhorn Ecovillage – The Findhorn Foundation community is an experiment in conscious living, an education center, and ecovillage located on the west coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom. The Foundation prides itself on being sustainable not only with regard to environmental terms, but also in social, economic, and spiritual terms. Findhorn offers a permaculture design course to provide a comprehensive introduction to permaculture principles, design practices, and their application. 

3. Green Beat Farm – Green Beat is a demonstrative, productive, experimental, and educational farm built on permaculture principles located in Tulum, Mexico. The farm produces vegetables and microgreens for local restaurants, Hotels, and community members. Main crops produced include Arugula, Chard, Kale, Mustard Greens, and Broccoli. Green Beat additionally hosts a large volunteer program that welcomes individuals from all over the globe. 

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Question for this article:

The role of organic farming, Can it help preserve the planet and end world hunger?

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4. Habiba Organic Farm – Located in Nuweiba, Eygpt, Habiba Organic Farm is a former piece of desert on a Bedouin settlement turned into fertile land. The primary interest of Habiba farmers is to experiment to develop appropriate farming techniques for the Sinai Peninsula. This area has previously been difficult in which to grow viable crops. The farm has been successful in introducing a number of crops that can thrive in desert conditions. 

5. Happy Food Farm – Based in Nanning, China, this farm grows fruit, vegetables, and flowers, and breeds fish and chicken. The farm is almost entirely self-sustained on the fruits and vegetables it grows. Furthermore, the farm has a dedicated practice to teaching local children about the benefits of permaculture and has developed educational programming. 

6. IDEP Foundation – IDEP is a local Indonesian NGO based in Bali, Indonesia. The organization develops and delivers training, community programs, and media related to sustainable development through the permaculture method and disaster management. Their work throughout the foundation covers four areas that make up the cycle of resilience including permaculture, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and community recovery. 

7. Institute of Permaculture El Salvador – This permaculture movement is a grassroots organization of sustainable farmers and makes up an alliance of three local permaculture associations: The Ecological Association of Permaculturists of Suchitoto, The Ecological Association of Indigenous Kakawira Farmers, and The Association of Permaculturists of Torola. Their mission is to promote permaculture for the development of a healthier, wiser, and more ecologically sustainable society. 

8. Koanga Institute – Koanga is home to New Zealand’s largest heritage organic seed collection. The Institute provides a home for the Permaculture Research Institute of Wairoa, New Zealand and is internationally known for producing competent and knowledgeable students and teachers. Workshops are geared toward individuals who are interested in living sustainably and empowering change in their communities. 

9. Permaculture Association of South Australia – PASA is a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to promote, practice, and represent permaculture in South Australia. The organization focuses on the following permaculture ethics: Care for the Earth, Care of People, Limiting Consumption, and Fair Distribution of Resources. PASA provides a means for local groups to be connected to one another and find out about projects in South Australia, Australia, and the rest of the globe. 

10. Permaculture in Ukraine – This NGO aims to unify the efforts of those who have successfully applied permaculture techniques in their households and to give them an opportunity to share experiences and support others. Their mission is to spread knowledge and promote the idea of permaculture in society. Future goals include establishing the School of Permaculture in Ukraine in order to provide permaculture instruction at a high level, taking into consideration local conditions and needs.

11. Permaculture Institute of North America – PINA supports students and experienced practitioners of permaculture in North America and Hawaii. The primary goals of PINA include maintaining professional standards in permaculture design, teaching, and practice. The grassroots organization additionally supports permaculture education through a certification process that recognizes exceptional achievement and excellence.

12. Permaculture Institute Thailand (PIT) – The Institute brands themselves as a Thailand permaculture support organization that encourages, supports, and facilitates all forms of education, demonstration, and farmers associated with practicing permaculture. The mission of PIT is to spread the ethics, principles, and theory throughout Thailand, to encourage a sustainable livelihood, and to address the local issues of poverty. 

13. Philly Permaculture – This organization serves as a local forum for all things permaculture based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are showing several videos about mushrooms and will explore and discuss how mushrooms can be used as a healing agent in addition to a main ingredient in vegetarian based recipes. They will also be covering basic cultivation techniques. Each month they select a different educational film to watch and discuss how to incorporate what they learned into their permaculture practices. 

14. Regenerative Kitchen Garden & Food Forest – Located in Anjuna, India, this project focuses on ecosystem regeneration of land that for 20 years had vegetation systematically burnt. The regenerative mission consisted of diversifying the crops by planting five coconut trees, neem trees, and legumes. 

15. Senegal Permaculture Project – This project is based in Sare Suma, Senegal and was implemented at under the request of a local Senegalese landowner to encourage sustainability and local growth. The project is focused on using a local 11-acre farm as a demonstration and educational site for fellow villagers. The permaculture systems demonstrated will include harvesting water, planting trees, permaculture guilds, building soil fertility, and animals in a permaculture system. 

16. Third Millennium Alliance – The Alliance emphasizes a holistic approach to preserve the last remnants of Ecuador’s coastal Pacific Forest and to empower local communities to restore and preserve what was lost. Their practices encourage economic and environmental sustainability in the region for the local communities. To date, they have planted over 20,000 trees and developed an experimental fruit tree orchard with over 50 species of food trees, a vegetable garden, and a tree nursery. 

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

global, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT