Global Campaign for Peace Education, Newsletter December 2005, Issue #28

To those of you for whom January represents the beginning of a new year, we send our warmest wishes for your good health and happiness.

It is hard to say Happy, when so many suffer preventable violence and preventable disease. But it is important to hold out hope, "The future belongs to those who offer the greatest hope", said Teillard de Chardin. So, we hope that the new year will see less violence, more peace, more equality and a peace educator in every school!

HAP HIGHLIGHTS & PEACE NEWS

Peace Boat US, New Project of Hague Appeal for Peace
Simplified Versions of Important International Law Documentation
Progressing Toward a Culture of Peace, 2005 Report and 2006 Agenda
Spanish Parliament Resolutions: Culture of Peace and Control of Small Arms
UN Conference Pledge to Use sports to Foster Peace and Prosperity
Peacebuilding Commission, New UN Body to Prevent Countries From Sliding Back Into War
Thailand Now Providing Education for Burma/Myanmar Refugees
UN Climate Conference Outcomes: 2005 Record for Weather-Related Disaster Linked to Human Action
Year After Tsunami, Conditions Remain Critical in Many Areas
Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers in Central America
World Peace Forum Moves to Create International Peace Secretariat

COURSES, CLASSES, FORUMS

Peace Education Workshops/Seminars, Nigeria
Gender and Conflict Transformation: Online Forum
Discovery Program: Creating a Muslim-Jewish Mutual Discovery Guidebook, Online Seminar
2006 TRANSCEND Advanced International Training Programmes Announcement
Gender and Economic Policy Analysis, Netherlands
Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution 2006, Bolivia
Education for Global Citizenship: Professional Development Seminar, Nicaragua
Master in International Descentralized Cooperation, Spain

EVENTS: CONFERENCES, EXHIBITIONS AND OTHERS

No Name-Calling Week in Schools, USA
Impact of Global Issues on Women and Children, Bangladesh
Imagining Ourselves, International Museum of Women, Online
Parihaka International Peace Festival, New Zealand
Using History Skills and Concepts to Promote an Awareness of European Citizenship, Malta
Challenges and Possibilities in Gender Equity Education, China
World Peace Forum 2006, Canada
Women's Eye on Peace II, Photography Exhibition, Australia

RESOURCES, MATERIALS, PUBLICATIONS

Teacher Training manual: Towards a Culture of Peace Through Teacher Education
Final Report of the Moroccan Truth Commission
Educators for Social Responsibility's Online Teacher Center
Encyclopedia Of Life Support Systems
UNESCO Report on Cultural Trade: Developing Countries Lag Far Behind
Gender, Health and development in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2005
Cycles of Violence: Gender Relations and Armed Conflict
Neolibs, Neocons and Gender Justice: lessons from global negotiations

GRANTS, AWARDS AND JOBS OPORTUNITIES

· Teachers College Columbia University Seeks Faculty Member in Peace Studies

· 1325 Award: Women, Peace and Security

Australian Federation of University Women
Canada Research Chair in Human Rights, Diversity and Identity
2006 Human Rights Advocates Program Colombia University, USA

HAP HIGHLIGHTS & PEACE NEWS

Peace Boat US, New Project of Hague Appeal for Peace
For those who haven’t heard the great news yet, Hague Appeal for Peace adopted Peace Boat US as its new project. We are now ready to welcome Allison BOEHM, Rachel ARMSTRONG and Ryo IJICHI and start the adventure! Peace Boat US will work to promote peace, human rights, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for the environment throughout the world. These aims will be pursued through the organization of educational programs, made up of educational travel, conferences, and other activities in cooperation with other organizations, including the Japan based international NGO, Peace Boat. The initiating Directors of Peace Boat US are: Rachel Armstrong (UK); Tom Shostack (US), Dean, School of Lifelong Learning, University of Ohio; Kathy Matsui (US and Japan), Seisen University and Cora Weiss (US). We will keep you posted as developments happen.

Simplified Versions of Important International Law Documentation
At the suggestion of Betty Reardon, Hague Appeal for Peace wants to launch a new project for global peace educators which is to edit a simplified version of important international law documents such as UN resolutions 1261 on children and armed conflict or 1325 on women, peace and security, the one recently adopted on the peacebuilding commission but also documents such as the Kyoto protocol and the Ottawa Treaty to ban landmines among others. The idea came from a simple realization that legal documents are usually written in a language that is not accessible for us all. Thus, these documents will become valuable resources for peace educators. They will be available on our web resources portal to be used not only by educators but just anyone who wants to learn about international law. We are hoping to have a few ready by next month and we welcome anyone who wants to offer to translate for this project.

Progressing Toward a Culture of Peace, 2005 Report and 2006 Agenda
David Adams reported: Looking back at 2005, I think we can see we are making progress. The Civil Society Report to the United Nations for the midpoint of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World was filled out by over 700 organizations, with over 3,000 pages of text and photos. Almost all of you reported progress toward a culture of peace and non-violence during the first half of the Decade and indicated by your actions that you expect to make further progress in the years to come. Your report was recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, thanks to the efforts of the Youth Advocacy Team who worked out of the Hague Appeal for Peace office in New York. In the resolution A/60/3, the 107 sponsoring Member States commended civil society for its activities for a culture of peace and non-violence and took note "of the progress achieved by more than seven hundred organizations in more than one hundred countries." David Adams invites us all to contribute with ideas on the new website for strategy discussion (see link on right side of the Decade Website). You may register and log in and put your remarks on line directly, or you may send them to David who will put them on line for you.
One important conclusion from last year's report concerns the mass media, which has so far failed to report on the culture of peace. Therefore, a monitoring system was set up on the Internet. You are invited to submit any mass media publications (including Internet news systems) on the culture of peace so that we can keep track of media coverage (see link on the Decade Website). As in the case of the strategy discussion, you may register and log in and put the article on line directly, or you may send it to David.
Get involved! Go to http://decade-culture-of-peace.org or/and contact David Adams at: mail@decade-culture-of-peace.org

Spanish Parliament Resolutions: Culture of Peace and Control of Small Arms
Manuel Dios Diz, a member of the HAP International Advisory Committee, President of the Culture of Peace Foundation in Galicia -Spain- communicated that the Spanish Parliament, on November 30, unanimously approved a Law to Promote Education and the Culture of Peace. The Official Bulletin of the State that incorporates educational measurements now mentions expressly, the Hague Appeal for Peace and the Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice in the 21st Century. We extend our gratitude to Manuel Dios Doz (Seminario Galego de Educacion Para a Paz) and Federico Mayor Zaragoza (Fundacion Cultura de Paz) for their active promotion and intervention. This is great news. We are filled with hopes for a better future to shift from a culture of violence to a culture of peace.
You can read the Law passed by the Parliament in Spanish. You will find more information and a Galician version of the Law at: http://www.sgep.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=21
The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) reported on significant successes this month for the Control Arms global parliamentary action. Following a campaign by IANSA members in Spain, the parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to present revised arms control legislation during 2006. The parliament voted unanimously in favor of this resolution on December 13. The revised legislation must ensure that arms transfers scrupulously obey the European Union Code of Conduct and that any authorizations are fully transparent. It also specifies minimum reporting requirements.
You can read the resolution (in Spanish) at: http://www.iansa.org/regions/europe/europe.htm

UN Conference Pledge to Use Sports to Foster Peace and Prosperity
Over 400 participants from 70 countries have resolved to use sport to improve the quality of education and health, eradicate poverty, and foster peace and tolerance as they wrapped up the Second UN Magglingen Conference on Sport and Development, held in Switzerland in December. “We must use the substantial dynamic generated by the International Year to anchor sport firmly in the global development agenda,” said former Swiss President Adolf Ogi, who is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace. The Magglingen Call to Action urges governments, sports organizations, athletes, development agencies, the private sector and others to promote sport for peace or development in their fields. All are urged to engage in a dialogue on visions, goals and frames of action. Athletes are called upon to act as role models and actively use their influence and experience to advocate for development and peace, and governments are asked to strengthen sport and physical education in schools, and integrate sport, physical activity and play in public health and other relevant polices.
Congratulations to Dr. Ronald S. Feingold, Dean, School of Education, Adelphi University, New York, for his contribution to the 2nd World Summit on Physical Education, held in Magglingen, Switzerland, in December 2005. Dean Feingold is past president of the National Association of Physical Education in Higher Education, and leading the development of a peace education program at Adelphi University.
For further details read the United Nations Sport Bulletin, the Magglingen Call to Action, or go to: http://www.magglingen2005.org/index.cfm?id=4 and http://www.un.org/sport2005/resources/call_to_action.html

The Peacebuilding Commission, a New UN Body to Prevent Countries From Sliding Back Into War
The establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission fulfills a key outcome of the UN 2005 World Summit held in New York last September. The establishment of this new body aims to prevent countries emerging from conflict from falling back into chaos. “This resolution would, for the first time in the history of the United Nations, create a mechanism which ensures that for countries emerging from conflict, post-conflict does not mean post-engagement of the international community,” said the President of the 60th General Assembly, Jan Eliasson of Sweden, in introducing the resolution that established the 31-member Peacebuilding Commission.
Around 50 per cent of the conflicts of the past 20 years have recurred within five years of peace agreements. “When the cameras disappear, the attention also disappears and five years later you pay an enormously heavy price, and people pay a very heavy price. This is what we are trying to repair when we fill this institutional gap,” Mr. Eliasson added at a press conference after the adoption of the resolution.
According to the resolution, the Commission will act only by consensus, proposing integrated strategies for stabilization, economic recovery and development, and providing recommendations for improving the coordination of the UN system in those efforts. The membership will consist of seven Security Council members, including permanent members, selected by the Council; seven members of ECOSOC elected from regional groups, five top contributors to UN budgets, funds, programmes and agencies; and five top providers of military personnel and civilian police to United Nations missions. The General Assembly would elect seven additional members, with special consideration for States that have experienced post-conflict recovery.
To read the resolution (available in English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Spanish or French), please visit:
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/60/l.40

Thailand Now Providing Education for Burma/Myanmar Refugees
Thailand’s decision to provide broad educational services to over 140,000 refugees from Burma living along the border in nine camps in the country was welcomed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on December 20. Under this new initiative, which followed discussions with UNHCR over the past few months, the Thai office of the Non-formal Education Commission will not only provide teachers of Thai, English and occupational skills, but will also supply educational materials such as computers, textbooks, and televisions.
The programme is expected to start in 2006. Since June 2005, the Thai Education Ministry allocated a budget of $225,000 for the development of educational programmes. Additional funds of some $500,000 will be needed for the programme’s implementation, UNHCR said. Until now, some 45,000 refugee children have been taught a limited curriculum by volunteer refugee teachers and non-governmental organizations working with very few resources in schools built out of bamboo thatch. Schooling ended after Grade 10.
For further information go to: http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/country?iso=mmr

UN Climate Conference Outcomes: 2005 Record for Weather-Related Disaster Linked to Human Action
The UN Climate Conference justly pointed out that 2005 sets unprecedented record for weather-related disaster with the largest financial losses according to UN statistics. Delegates see a link with human action toward the environment. “The best form of adaptation is to reduce the world’s emissions by embracing a revolution in the way we use rather than abuse energy and by dramatically boosting energy efficiency and using technologies and techniques already available or at our finger tips,” said UN Environment Programme Executive Director Klaus Toepfer. This year’s figures, partly as a result of the highest number of hurricanes or tropical storms ever seen since records began in 1850, are part of a climbing trend being linked by many in the industry with climate change as a result of human-made emissions. Insurance industry experts pointed to growing scientific evidence, including studies in the journal Nature, which indicate that major tropical storms in the Atlantic and Pacific have increased in duration and intensity by about 50 per cent since the 1970s. “There is a powerful indication from these figures that we are moving from predictions of the likely impacts of climate change to proof that it is already fully underway,” Munich Re Foundation chief executive Thomas Loster, said. He added: “Above all, these are humanitarian tragedies and show us that, as a result of our impacts on the climate, we are making people and communities everywhere more vulnerable to weather-related natural disasters.”
If you are interested in these issues, check the UNEP website (United Nations Environment Programme) which features special pages for Children and Youth. To read all the decisions adopted by the Montreal 2005 Climate Conference, go to: http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_11/items/3394.php

Year After Tsunami, Conditions Remain Critical in Many Areas
The first anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed over 230,000 people and displaced some 1.5 million more in 12 countries, faces challenge of the reconstruction effort for this unprecedented level of destruction. According to FAO’s post-tsunami operations, half a million people in Indonesia are still living in temporary shelter. Entire communities were destroyed and sustainable recovery requires more than a year effort. One of the lessons learned from the disaster is the need for establishing a contingency emergency fund, for which Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed between $500 million and $1 billion, in order to accelerate relief. If the donor response to the tsunami disaster was huge, there were delays in getting help to the people who needed it most and this is precisely where the idea of a global disaster fund came from as it would allow immediate intervention.
We wonder if anyone reading this has done any analysis of why the Tsunami in Indonesia offered the opportunity to resolve the Acheh violence and the same post Tsunami reconstruction time produced opposite results in Sri Lanka. We are very interested in the role of natural disasters in offering chances for introducing peace education and reconciliation when they occur in zones of violent or racial conflict, as happened with hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. We believe emergency education must do more than provide a safe space for young people to engage in traditional education. And that community education following natural disasters is also a golden opportunity to bring people together to discuss democratic ways of distributing reconstruction aid, and ideas for methods of town or village planning that can contribute to reconciliation. You are welcome to send your thoughts.

Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers in Central America
IANSA reported that a legally-binding Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers was adopted by the Central America regional organization (SICA), on 2 December. This is very significant, acknowledging that while Central America is not a major arms producer, governments there are nonetheless responsible for the weapons that travel through their territory.
The Code of Conduct is available at: http://www.iansa.org/regions/camerica/camerica.htm

World Peace Forum Moves to Create International Peace Secretariat
Eric Garris (from Anti-War.com) reported on the World Peace Forum held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from December 14-17, 2006. This event was hosted by the Perdana Peace Foundation started by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia, who was also the keynote speaker. The conference brought together approximately 2,000 people from dozens of nations. Speakers included Daniel Ellsberg, antinuclear activist Helen Caldicott, outspoken British MP George Galloway, Iraq war veteran Jimmy Massey, Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and former UN officials Hans von Sponeck and Denis Halliday. The event was financed entirely by corporate and NGO sponsors. There was extensive media coverage in the Asian world but not really in Western countries. At the outcome, the forum made a commitment to form a ‘world peace secretariat’ that will be based in Kuala Lumpur. Antiwar.com will be very involved in the secretariat.
To read Eric Garris full report and other articles visit the Anti-War.com website at: http://antiwar.com/

The Hague Appeal for Peace is circulating the information below, however this does not indicate our endorsement.
We are not in a position to evaluate them all.

COURSES, CLASSES, FORUMS

Peace Education Workshops/Seminars: Available On-line or On-site; Abuja, Nigeria; Starting January 2006
As part of the on-going global campaign for the actualization of the global culture of peace, the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) will be holding both online and on-site peace education workshops/seminars lead by the IIFWP and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) at the Nigeria Peace Embassy in Abuja. It is intended for political leaders, senior civil servants, religious leaders, educators, NGOs and others involved and/or interested in peace building and peace education programs. The workshops will emphasize the need for peace education at homes, into the school curriculum as well as into the various community cultures. It shall discuss the mission of Peace Ambassadors to be actively involved not only on building a "Culture of Peace" but also, building "Communities of Peace" and the utilization of "Technologies for Peace" in the 21st century. The four basic courses are: General Introduction to Peace Education, The Ideal Principle for Peace, The Reality of the World of War, The Restoration of Peace.
For information and/or registration please send an email to Raphael Ogar Oko at: iifwpng@iifwpng.org

Gender and Conflict Transformation: Online Forum; January 9 to February 3, 2006
This forum is offered by The Network University (TNU): “This four-week online course aims to empower women to become key agents in conflict transformation. It is designed to bring together worldwide expertise on the relationship between gender and conflict transformation, and will use a variety of interactive methods to elicit thinking and exchange. The programme is designed for individuals within civil society organizations, working in conflict situations and operating at a regional and national level. Participants may be part of women's organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local authorities, trade unions or can be religious leaders.”
For more information or to register, go to: http://www.netuni.nl/demos/genderconflict/course.htm

Discovery Program: Creating a Muslim-Jewish Mutual Discovery Guidebook, Online Seminar
Deadline January 20, 2006
The program provides an open forum to critically analyze the different forms of media and their impact on these two communities, and creates new opportunities and possibilities to learn about the ‘other’. The Discovery Program is an intensive four-month online seminar designed to act as an educational gateway in bringing together Muslim and Jewish youth to examine their current, as well as prospective relations. Youth from all over the world are encouraged to engage in thought-provoking discussions that tackle themes related to religion, political debates, and the Arab-Israeli conflict and its effect on Muslim-Jewish relations. Each group consists of eighteen students, 9 Muslims and 9 Jews, who are selected from communities all over the world to take pictures of Muslim and Jewish religious themes, symbols, rituals and events. These photos serve as powerful and spiritual visual tools that both challenge and prompt the students to explore and reflect on many issues that are considered 'taboo'. At the end of this educational journey, the students work together to publish a photo essay that serves as an educational tool for use in Muslim and Jewish schools and communities around the world. Participants must be16-18 year-olds and applications are due no later than January 20.
For further details and application form: http://www.hagalil.com/archiv/2005/12/discovery.htm

2006 TRANSCEND Advanced International Training Programmes Announcement
These trainings are some of TRANSCEND most advanced, highly intensive programmes. Participants primarily include UN staff, staff of national and international development organizations, members of governments, government staff and diplomats, policy makers, and experienced practitioners. The three proposed training are five-days programmes and will be held in Cluj - Napoca, Romania:
Reconciliation and Peacebuilding in Divided Communities (RPDC), March 6-10, 2006
Peacebulding, Conflict Transformation and Post-War Rebuilding, Reconciliation and Resolution, May 1-5, 2006
Designing Peacebuilding Interventions and Conflict Transformation (DPI), May 8-12, 2006
For any further information visit: http://www.transcend.org or contact: training@transcend.org

Gender and Economic Policy Analysis; The Hague, Netherlands; March 20-April 7 or March 20-31 or March 27-April 7, 2006
This course consists of three one-week modules, out of which two or three may be chosen, with the second one on methodology as the obligatory course. The course is targeted towards Mid-career economists and other social scientists that work for international development organizations, government agencies and NGOs, as well as academics, who want to better understand the gendered character of economies as well as seek to develop economic policies that are gender-aware. The ISS has obtained five fellowships from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affair's Gender department, for participants who work on development policy.
For more information contact Tanya Kingdon, Programme Administrator Institute of Social Studies, Kortnaerkade 12 2518 AX, Den Haag, Holland or via email at: kingdon@iss.nl.

Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution 2006; Santa Cruz, Bolivia; June 10-July 1, 2006
Final Deadline to Apply: April 1, 2006
The Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building peace. ACT provides innovative research, training and intervention services to help transform destructive conflicts by addressing underlying needs and concerns, building sustainable relationships, and changing the conditions that foster violence. Founded in 1999 to expand the knowledge and practice of conflict transformation and peacebuilding, ACT empowers communities, organizations and governmental agencies to develop new conflict resolution capacities, reduce and prevent violence, and create relationships and institutions that foster sustainable peace. “Conflict is an inseparable part of human interaction. When addressed constructively it can lead to peaceful and positive change.” To accomplish these goals, ACT, in partnership with Nur University (Bolivia), developed the Summer Institute on Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), an intensive 3-week residential program to build the capacity of current and future professionals to make a critical difference in furthering peaceful relations in the world.
For more information please visit: http://conflicttransformation.org/Default.aspx

Education for Global Citizenship: Professional Development Seminar; Nicaragua, June 24-July 2, 2006
The Center for Global Education at Augsburg College -Minneapolis- organizes a variety of travel seminars in Latin America and Southern Africa. This professional development seminar, held in Nicaragua, is designed to help educators from a variety of disciplines explore the relationship of education to responsible global citizenship. “You will share ideas for internationalizing curricula with colleagues, and examine new strategies to empower students for active engagement in issues of global importance. You will learn about study abroad opportunities for your students, as well as how to add an international component to your own courses.”
To read the brochure, go to: http://www.augsburg.edu/global/06facdev.pdf
You might want to check the other travel-seminar opportunities at: http://www.augsburg.edu/global/triplist.html

Master Program: International Descentralized Cooperation, Peace and Development work within the UN framework; Universidad del Pais Vasco, Bilbao, Spain
The Basque Country University in Bilbao, offers a master program designed to prepare professionals of international cooperation focusing on the United Nations system. It has been established in 1997 and it is supported by various organizations/foundations and UN agencies suche as UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNDP, FAO, among others. This Master Program brings together people from divers nationalities with a majority of South/Central American (Spanish speaking countries). The curriculum includes courses on human development, conflict resolution or education, communication and information for peace and development.
The 2006-2007 bulletin hasn’t been posted yet but for more details go to: http://www.ehu.es/pazydesarrollo/

EVENTS: CONFERENCES, EXHIBITIONS AND OTHERS

“No Name-Calling” Week in Schools, USA, January 23-27, 2006
The Misfits by James Howe tells the story of five best friends trying to survive the seventh grade in the face of all-too-frequent taunts based on their weight, height, intelligence, and sexual orientation/gender expression. Motivated by the inequities they see around them, they form a new political party during student council elections and run on a platform aimed at wiping out name-calling of all kinds. Though they lose the election, they win the principal’s support for their cause and their idea to institute a “No Name-Calling Day” at school. Inspired by this story, a coalition of more than forty education, mental health, youth advocacy, and social justice organizations was formed to support a No Name-Calling Week. The project targets grades five through eight (years when the problem of name-calling is particularly acute) but can be adapted easily for other grade levels.
To learn more about creative initiatives taken: http://www.nonamecallingweek.org/cgi-bin/iowa/home.html

Impact of Global Issues on Women and Children, Dhaka, Bangladesh, February 12-16, 2006
The goal of this international conference is to explore lessons learned from initiatives taking place around the world that have been implemented to improve the quality of life of women and children. Through the evaluation and research associated with these projects and initiatives, the conference will focus on strategies that aim to increase the positive impacts of factors such as technology, and decrease the negative impact of political, economic, and psychosocial factors.
For more information go to: http://www.ic2006.info/conference.htm

Imagining Ourselves, International Museum of Women, Exhibition Launch on March 8, 2006 (still accepting submissions)
The International Museum of Women and the Imagining Ourselves Global Team invite young women in their 20's and 30's all over the world to submit their stories and art that answer the question: What Defines Your Generation of Women? The Online Exhibit will feature an interactive multilingual gallery of over 300 interpretations of young women in answer to this question. If you are a young woman with images to share, a story to tell and a voice that wants to be heard, you have every reason to be a part of this growing community of a global generation.
For more information go to: http://www.imow.org/exhibits/imagining/index.php

Parihaka International Peace Festival, Celebrating Leaders in Non-violence, Taranaki/Aotearoa, New Zealand, March 10-12, 2006
“In Aotearoa (New Zealand), during the land wars of the 19th century, two great indigenous leaders of non-violence shone through to the entire population of the country. Te Whiti O Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi built Parihaka Pa (community) as a refuge for those alienated from their homes and land. This place drew the disaffected together to create a community of peace and to non-violently resist further land alienation and destruction of the indigenous Maori culture and livelihood. Te Whiti and Tohu utilized creative non-violent strategies later employed by other more well-known activists such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. When English settlers, supported by the central government, tried to occupy stolen native land, Parihaka citizens pulled up the survey pegs or continued to plough the fields in defiance of the authorities. When an armed constabulary set out to invade Parihaka in 1881, Te Whiti and Tohu sent out children to greet them with flowers, women to greet them with food, and men to help them transport their supplies - bold, clever, political and humanist attempt to defuse the violent intentions of the government. The authorities responded by ransacking Parihaka and arresting many of the residents. However, the incredible publicity generated by the non-violent movement shattered the propaganda of the indigenous Maori people as ‘heathen savages’ and started a turn around in recognition of Maori rights and the development of a just and peaceful nation.”
The Parihaka International Peace Festival celebrates the vision and example of Te Whiti and Tohu, and the openness of the people of Parihaka to advocate non-violent action in the face of oppressive forces and daunting odds. This vision can help us forge a culture of peace and nonviolence throughout the world now and into the future. The Program includes music, film, comedy, Peace Forum, jamming, tree planting, among others.
For further information visit http://www.parihaka.com/ or contact peace-speak@parihaka.com

Using History Skills and Concepts to Promote an Awareness of European Citizenship , EUROCLIO Annual Conference, Malta, March 20-26, 2006
EUROCLIO (European Association of History Educators) was established in 1992 to work on “improving European history education so that it offers a constructive contribution to stability and democracy in Europe and prepares young people for society. History is an important school subject for the political and civic development of our young people. It teaches pupils about the backgrounds of today’s world. History, however, has also been a topic open to political interference, propaganda, and indoctrination. No other school subject leads to such emotional debate in society, politics and the media. In the recent past, sadly, there are many examples of how History can be misused for petty political objectives.” EUROCLIO promotes positive, balanced history teaching, in Europe and beyond, and in cooperation with UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE, national governments, and many organizations and institutions active in the field of education.
For more information please visit: http://www.eurocliohistory.org/

Challenges and Possibilities in Gender Equity Education, Hong Kong, China, June 22-24, 2006
This Second International Conference on Gender Equity Education in the Asia-Pacific Region will be held at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, from June 22-24, 2006. Scholars, educators, programme administrators, non-governmental organization representatives and students from the Asia-Pacific region will be brought together to share their thoughts, research findings and experiences on issues related to gender equity education, as well as any emerging strategies and pedagogies. Keynote speakers will be invited from the region to discuss issues concerning sexualities, femininities and masculinities, curriculum and teaching, education policy and reform, pedagogies, and citizenship.
Enquiries can be addressed to the Organizing Committee of the Gender Equity Education Conference by email: geec@ied.edu.hk or by phone: (+852) 2948-8562

World Peace Forum 2006, Vancouver, Canada, June 23-28, 2006
“The World Peace Forum 2006 is an international gathering of individuals, groups and civic governments from cities and communities to envision a culture of peace, justice and sustainability in our lifetimes.
The goal is to build networks of citizens and civic governments committed to a culture of peace and sustainability. While global militarism is increasing, resources available for human needs such as health care, education or housing are decreasing. The World Peace Forum 2006 will discuss best practices and provide tools for these networks to have a major influence on their national governments to reduce military spending and promote peaceful solutions to conflicts in the world. The program will include plenary sessions, thematic workshops, roundtable discussions and cultural shows. All these activities will be developed around the themes of global justice, women and peace, youth, First Nations, peace education, racism, sustainability and disarmament, among others.”
For more details or/and to participate, visit the website at www.worldpeaceforum.ca

Women's Eye on Peace II, Photography Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, October 2006
Call for entries, submissions close on July 31, 2006
The International Women's Development Agency (IWDA) is a non-profit organization that creates positive change for women and their communities. IWDA invites women from across the globe to submit entries in Women's Eye on Peace 2, to be launched in Melbourne, Australia in October 2006. You don't need to be a professional photographer and the images don't need to be picture-perfect. It should illustrate how you see peace and which images resonate in your minds eye (and camera!). The inaugural Women's Eye on Peace exhibition held in October 2004 attracted hundreds of beautiful and inspiring images from across the globe. All funds raised from the event funded an IWDA peace-building forum for Afghani women that were held in Islamabad in the beginning of this year. All proceeds raised from Women's Eye on Peace II will support IWDA's work with women working towards peace.
For more information please visit: www.iwda.org.au or click here for registration form (PDF).
You can also email Kathy Proctor at kproctor@iwda.org.au or peace@iwda.org.au

RESOURCES, MATERIALS, PUBLICATIONS

Teacher Training manual: Towards a Culture of Peace Through Teacher Education, By Irma-Kaarina Ghosn (Lebanon)
This is a very simple, basic manual tailored to the local context of its author, Irma-Kaarina Ghosn, who is director of the Institute for Peace and Justice Education at the Lebanese American University. It is available both in English and Arabic, not yet on the web but hard copies are available free of charge for the cost of postage only.
You can contact Irma by e-mail: ighosn@lau.edu.lb or send your request to: Institute for Peace and Justice Education, P.O.Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon

Final Report of the Moroccan Truth Commission, Case Material for Learning Session
This official process started on January 7, 2004 with the establishment of the Commission by King Mohamed VI and officially ended on December 12, 2005. The public hearings, latest development of the Commission were organized by the Moroccan Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER: Instance Equité et Réconciliation) as part of an official truth-seeking process focusing on disappearances and arbitrary detentions perpetrated against Moroccan citizens from 1956 until 1999. The IER was the first truth commission to be established in the Middle East and North Africa region. The impact of these hearings, televised live across Morocco, could be enormous, not only in the country but throughout the region.
Public hearings have become a common feature of truth-seeking processes around the world, the most recent examples being in Ghana, Peru, Timor-Leste, and Sierra Leone. They are not trials, nor are they meant to be a substitute for prosecutions. Their aim is usually not to uncover previously unknown information, but to constitute one important step in restoring dignity to citizens who have suffered state-sponsored human rights violations and who have been forced to remain silent about their experiences for fear of reprisal or societal exclusion. Hearings are an important step in the construction of a new relationship between a state and its citizens, though they do not only affect these two sectors. Society as a whole can participate in the important debate about its own past, the violations that were committed in its name, the origins and causes of such violations, and the safeguards that must be put in place to prevent the repetition of such abuses. As Betty Reardon pointed out: “This is interesting case material for learning sessions on the reconciliation phase of the conflict process or the striving for justice phase of human rights violations”.
The Commission official website is available in Arabic, French and Spanish. You should also check the International Center for Transnational Justice (ICTJ) website for other valuable documents (press releases, statements, etc.) about the Moroccan Truth Commission, including a report published last November (English).

Educators for Social Responsibility's Online Teacher Center
ESR Online Teacher Center provides teaching resources on a range of issues related to international security, conflict resolution, peacemaking, violence prevention, and social responsibility.
Check this online Teacher Center at: http://www.esrnational.org/otc/

Encyclopedia Of Life Support Systems, a Virtual Dynamic Library Equivalent to 200 Volumes
The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) is a web-based resource that provides knowledge base in support of sustainability of all life support systems throughout the world. The UNESCO-sponsored EOLSS body of knowledge is an integrated compendium of sixteen encyclopedias. It attempts to forge pathways between disciplines in order to show their interdependence and helps foster the transdisciplinary aspects of the relationship between nature and human society. It comprehensively examines from their origins, the threats facing all the systems that support life on Earth (climate, world’s oceans, forests, water cycle, atmosphere, social systems, etc.) The contributions in the EOLSS offer step-by-step explanations on how to apply the abstract or the pure sciences such as mathematics, to assess environmental pollution or to predict food consumption patterns. However, technical solutions alone won’t resolve the current ecological crisis. EOLSS therefore covers a diverse range of social issues, from human rights and poverty to psychology and anthropology. Best efforts are being made to make the EOLSS widely accessible to the global public in order to espouse education for sustainable development. It is a virtual dynamic library with contributions from thousands of scholars from over 100 countries and edited by hundreds of subject experts-designed to be a guide and reference for a wide range of users. Thus, the EOLSS is made available free of charge to universities in the UN list of least developed countries and disadvantaged individuals worldwide. Universities from developing countries also receive an appropriate discount and it is available to others at nominal subscription rates.
For all the details, go to: http://www.eolss.net/

UNESCO Report on Cultural Trade: Developing Countries Lag Far Behind
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (based in Montreal) just published a report entitled: International Flows of Selected Cultural Goods and Services 1994-2003, Defining and capturing the flows of global cultural trade. This report reveals that three countries - the United Kingdom ($8.5 billion), United States ($7.6 billion) and China ($5.2 billion) - produced 40 per cent of the world’s cultural trade products in 2002, such as books, compact disks, videogames and sculptures, while Latin America and Africa together accounted for less than 4 per cent. Between 1994 and 2002, international trade in cultural goods increased from $38 billion to $60 billion. But “while globalization offers great potential for countries to share their cultures and creative talents, it is clear that not all nations are able to take advantage of this opportunity,” UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura noted. “Without support to help these countries participate in this trade, their cultural voices will remain marginalized and isolated.” According to the report Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for only 3 per cent of the total trade of cultural goods in 2002, one point more than in 1992, though far behind other world regions. Oceania and Africa have not shown any progress, with a combined share of less than 1 per cent in 2002. It analyzes cross-border trade data from about 120 countries and presents new methodology to better reflect cultural trade flows, contributing to UNESCO’s effort to collect and analyze data that clearly illustrate the central role of culture in economic, social and human development.
You can read this interesting report at: http://www.uis.unesco.org/template/pdf/cscl/IntlFlows_EN.pdf

Gender, Health and development in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2005
Through this publication, PAHO, UNFPA and UNIFEM seek to provide government, civil society, academia, and other cooperation agencies with a set of basic statistical indicators that illustrate the differences between women and men in terms of health status and its socio-economic determinants. It is hoped that the evidence of gender inequality presented in this publication will facilitate an understanding of such disparities, the identification of information gaps, the formulation of initiatives aimed at eliminating inequities, and the creation of conditions that guarantee all people the exercise of their right to health.
To download and read this report (available in English or Spanish) go to: http://www.unifem.org/resources/item_detail.php?ProductID=54

Cycles of Violence: Gender Relations and Armed Conflict
This book describes ACORD's research "Gender-sensitive design and planning in conflict-affected situations", carried out during 2000 and 2001 in five communities living in the shadow of violent conflict in Juba (Sudan), Gulu (Uganda), Luanda (Angola), Timbukta (Mali) and the Lower Shabelle region (Somalia). It also includes analysis of data collected in Eritrea and Rwanda and addresses the challenges in methodologies and tools for research in turbulent environments.
To read this book: http://www.acord.org.uk/cycles_of_violence.pdf or visit: http://www.acord.org.uk/newbook.htm

Neolibs, Neocons and Gender Justice: lessons from global negotiations
This paper (2005) was written by G. Sen and produced by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). It reflects the context within which the struggle for gender justice is played out in the global environment. It provides an analytical frame to explain the core of the tensions between gender justice and other elements of social/economic justice, and the strategic implications of the multiple sites in which gender relations operate. It concludes that the feminist voice has altered the global discourse in the last two decades. The space provided by the United Nations, for all its limitations and weaknesses, has been invaluable. The author emphasizes that to protect the gains made and to promote progressive change, the lessons of the two decades need to be integrated, assimilated and consolidated, and the space created by the UN for the feminist agenda must be protected and strengthened.
It is only available in English for now but French and Spanish versions are expected. To read this paper: http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(LookupAllDocumentsByUNID)/15E6EA635E8A955BC12570B500357029?OpenDocument&language=en

GRANTS, AWARDS AND JOBS OPORTUNITIES

Teachers College Columbia University Seeks Faculty Member in Peace Studies
Application Deadline February 15 for Appointment September 1, 2006
The programs in International Educational Development (IED)/Comparative and International Education (CIE) in the Department of International and Transcultural Studies seek a faculty member to provide leadership through teaching and scholarship in peace studies in education. In addition to research, teaching and advising responsibilities, the new appointee is expected to network well with academic communities (including Columbia University) and international organizations devoted to the study of peace and education. The applicant should have earned a doctorate in peace studies, education, international affairs, political science, or a related social science field, with a record of peer-reviewed publications in peace studies broadly defined. In addition, applicants should show evidence of a strong research agenda and demonstrate a record of exemplary teaching and advisement.
If you are interested please contact Professor Ofelia García at: ogarcia@tc.columbia.edu

1325 Award: Women, Peace and Security
Last October 27 marked the fifth anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. To underscore the importance of activities in this field, the Netherlands has announced the establishment of the 1325 Award, a money prize of 15,000 euros and a specially designed art work. The award will be presented in March, on or around International Women's Day, to an individual or civil society organization making an inspirational contribution to implementing Resolution 1325.
From today, organizations operating in the field of development cooperation may nominate individuals or organizations for the award on the following website: http://www.1325award.nl/

Australian Federation of University Women
South Australia Inc. Trust Fund AFUW works for the advancement and equality of opportunity of women worldwide through initiatives in education, friendship and peace. AFUW places priority on providing financial assistance for women to undertake university studies in Australia and overseas.
For more information on how to apply go to: http://www.afuw-sa-bursaries.mx.com.au/

Canada Research Chair in Human Rights, Diversity and Identity
Two years of funding is available to support a graduate student interested in studying critical geography or issues of spatial justice as part of an inter-disciplinary MA program offered by faculty members in Community, Culture and Global Studies at the University of British Columbia. The specific research topic will be decided in consultation with the student. However there is an interest in students studying issues related to the Politics of Identity and Cultural Economies of Neoliberalism.
For further information, please contact, Lawrence D. Berg, D.Phil. at: Lawrence.Berg@ubc.ca and check the following: www.chrdi.org/ldb/index.htm

2006 Human Rights Advocates Program Columbia University, USA
Deadline for applications: February 28, 2006
The application for the 2006 session of the annual Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia University is now available. This Program is exclusively for activists working on problems that result from the impacts of the global economic system. The Program encourages applications from groups and individual human rights leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. It features a four-month residency at Columbia University in New York City with a structured curriculum of advocacy, networking, skills-building, and academic coursework. The current focus seeks to cover key impacts of the global economy, particularly on the following issues: Labour rights, Migration, Health, Environmental justice, Corporate social accountability, International financial institutions. Activists working in the above areas from a gender perspective are strongly encouraged to apply.
For further information or/and to apply please visit: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights/training/adv/hradv_pgm.htm

Founded in 1999, the Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education (GCPE), is an international organized network which promotes peace education among schools, families and communities to transform the culture of violence into a culture of peace. Over 140 organizations worldwide have endorsed it.

Peace education is a holistic, participatory process that includes teaching for and about human rights, international law, nonviolent responses to conflict, social and economic justice, gender equity, environmental sustainability, disarmament, traditional peace practices and human security. The methodology of peace education encourages reflection, critical thinking, cooperation, and responsible action. It promotes multiculturalism, and is based on values of dignity, equality and respect. Peace education is intended to prepare students for democratic participation in schools and society.

The Global Campaign for Peace Education has two goals:
- To see peace education integrated into all curricula, community and family education worldwide
- To promote the education of all teachers to teach for peace

The Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education Worldwide Activities Brief e-newsletter highlights how and where the GCPE network is active and growing. Submissions are encouraged! Please contribute how you are working for peace education including dates, locations, a brief description, and a website and/ or contact information and send it to helene@haguepeace.org For more information on the Hague Appeal for Peace and to become an endorser of the GCPE visit www.haguepeace.org.

Special Thanks

The Hague Appeal for Peace is grateful to the following for their generous support:

The Ford Foundation, Robert and Fran Boehm, The Arsenault Family Foundation, Olof Palme Minnesfond, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, Compton Foundation, Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust, Samuel Rubin Foundation, The Simons Foundation, Norwottock Foundation, CarEth Foundation, Loretto Community, Rissho Kosei Kai, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church, Tides Canada Foundation Exchange Fund of Tides Foundation, Wade Greene and several anonymous donors, Robin Lloyd, Steven Grand-Jean, Ruthie Ristich

Helene Leneveu
Program Associate
Hague Appeal for Peace
777 UN Plaza, Third Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: (+1) 212-687-2623
Fax: (+1) 212-661-2704
Website: www.haguepeace.org

"A culture of peace will be achieved when citizens of the world understand global problems; have the skills to resolve conflict constructively; know and live by international standards of human rights, gender and racial equality; appreciate cultural diversity; and respect the integrity of the Earth. Such learning can not be achieved without intentional, sustained and systematic education for peace." Global Campaign for Peace Education

Posted by Evelin at January 5, 2006 11:48 PM