Global Campaign for Peace Education, Issue #29, January 2006
Global Campaign for Peace Education, Issue #29, January 2006
The Hague Appeal for Peace is delighted that Peace Boat US is busily installed in our office. Those of you planning to be in Vancouver, BC for the World Peace Forum (June 23-28) should look out for announcements of joint HAP and PBUS activities.
We join in honoring the memory and legacy of Coretta Scott King, whose leadership in the struggle for racial and gender equality, for peace and the elimination of poverty will be a beacon for all to follow.
HAP HIGHLIGHTS & PEACE NEWS
· Congratulations for the First All Women Peacekeepers Force!
· Basket Ball Tournament Involving Jewish and Arabic Children, Playing for Peace-Middle East
· In Europe, Kofi Annan Promotes Sports for Peace and Development
· Cooperation and Reconciliation Potential After Natural Disaster, India and Pakistan
· Small Arms: United Nations Preparatory Committee No Success
· UN Supports Project Aimed at Providing Cheap Laptops to Students in Poor Countries
· African Summit on Culture and Education, Sixth Annual African Union Meeting
· Palestinian Election Reported by an International Observer
GETTING INVOLVED
· Women Say No To War, campaign launched by Codepink USA
· International Peace Bond Design Competition for Youth and Adults, Nonviolent Peaceforce
· Prepare Your Students for the Global Kids' Digital Media Essay Contest
· UNESCO Manifesto 2000 Still Open for Signatures
· Foregone Conclusions, New Online Journal Accepting Submissions on Historical Topics
· Call for Action to Save Iraq's Academics, Brussels Tribunal Initiative
COURSES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
· Short Course on Gendered Research in Health, March 6-18 (Vadodara, India)
· Gender and Peacebuilding, April 10-14 (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
· Women’s Rights: Building a Peaceful World in an Era of Globalization, May 1-June 9 (Toronto, Canada)
· Training Course on Women’s Studies in Asia, June 13-20 (Bangkok, Thailand)
· Global Peace and Security in Community Colleges and the Communities They Serve, July 11-16 (Washington DC, USA)
EVENTS
· Global Education Tour, International Women’s Development Agency, March (Australia)
· Threat and Youth: Cultural Studies Takes On Violence and Education, March 31-April 1 (USA)
· Fifth Annual Female Eye Film Festival, June 1-4 (Canada)
· Capitalism and/or Patriarchy, Conference on Gender in Post Soviet Region, June 22-24 (Lithuania)
· Weaving the Information Society: a Gender and Multicultural Perspective, August 23-26 (Mexico)
· Women, Education and Culture, September 1-3 (England)
RESOURCES, MATERIALS, PUBLICATIONS
· Resources on Gandhi and Non Violence, GandhiServe Online
· Earth and Peace Education Associates International (EPE)
· Armed Conflicts Report 2005
· UNESCO-Bangkok Advocacy Briefs on Education for Girls
· Pacific Human Rights Law Digest, Volume 1
· Gender and Sustainable Development in Drylands, FAO Report
· Getting It Right, Doing It Right: Gender and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
GRANTS, PRIZES &AWARDS
· Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life
· UN Awards Advertisers for Campaigns Spreading Humanitarian Messages
HAP HIGHLIGHTS & PEACE NEWS
Congratulations for the First All Women Peacekeepers Force!
On January 21, the Indo Asian News Service (IANS) reported: “For the first time, a company of 120 Indian women would be deputed to Liberia, West Africa, for a peace-keeping mission following a UN request to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).” The forces deployed in Liberia were facing difficulty while dealing with women and therefore UN staff requested a women's contingent. It will be sent to Liberia in two months.
To read more: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/pkwatch/News/06/Indiawomen.html
Basket Ball Tournament Involving Jewish and Arabic Children, Playing for Peace-Middle East
Matt Quinn, Program Director of Playing for Peace in the Middle East, reported earlier this month: “With the political peace process frozen due to parliamentary elections in Israel and Palestine, Playing for Peace (PfP) continues its grassroots efforts to foster meaningful relationships between Jewish and Arab children. The inaugural Twin Schools Tournament that took place on January 2nd, 2006 was our latest endeavor in uniting Israeli Jewish, Israeli Arab and Palestinian youth ... Like all of our programming, each tournament team combined players from Jewish and Arab partner schools ... We were concerned about how the kids would interact in such a large and multi-ethnic setting. However, there was no time for worrying. The Gym boomed as the children uniformly slapped the floor and yelled DEFENSE during the warm up. After a constructive team building activity, each of the 10 teams played three games and one match of dribble knockout. At the opening tip off, enthusiasm overwhelmed the kids, many of whom had never played in a real game with referees before. I watched a Palestinian child from Jericho trade teams in order to play with an Israeli child from Kiryat Gat whom he met at a previous joint activity. I realized that we were making small, yet, significant progress ... On the way to the Dining Hall for dinner and the awards ceremony, a group of Jericho kids eagerly huddled together. When I approached to find out the cause, the group pointed towards the Mediterranean Sea and explained in broken English that this was the first time they had ever seen the ocean. Imagining what the expanse of water must have looked like through their eyes, I better understood the meaningful impact PfP has on our participants’ lives ... The ‘Team of the Day’ award, given to the team demonstrating the most spirit, unity, and teamwork, went to a group composed of Bet Sefafa and Bet Shemesh players. Amazingly, these were the same basketball schools that only a few weeks earlier had made racial slurs and offensive remarks to one another during their joint activity. Whether it is their first glimpse of the ocean or a fresh perspective on coexistence, these children’s outlook had been altered in a significant and positive way ... Every joint activity plays a part in the long process of forming meaningful relationships. Judging by the amount of teamwork and high fives I witnessed, the inaugural Twinned Schools Tournament successfully fulfilled its role.”
To learn more about Playing for Peace, go to: http://www.playingforpeace.org/index.htm
In Europe, Kofi Annan Promotes Sports for Peace and Development
On his way to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited major athletic organizations to continue to promote sports for peace and development. “In the past we talked of ping-pong diplomacy, today we talk of cricket diplomacy,” Mr. Annan told the press after meeting with International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in Lausanne, referring to the softening of relations between India and Pakistan through that game. “I don’t know what else you are going to give us, Mr. Rogge, but what is important is that you are putting sports in the service of peace and development,” he added. Speaking to Olympics staff, the Secretary-General said that governments have begun to take the potential of sports seriously, following the designation of 2005 as the International Year of Sports and Physical Education and other such initiatives. Mr. Annan has supported the revival of the ancient concept of the Olympic Truce and has urged all countries to observe the truce during the Winter Olympics in Turin. While visiting the International Football Federation (soccer), he observed: “I’ve seen societies that have been divided for that brief moment forget their divisions and they become one nation, one people sharing for their people and nation to do things.” Also in Davos, Mr. Annan spoke at an opening media lunch on the subject of “The Impact of Sports in the World”.
To read more about Secretary-General meeting with major Athletic organizations, go to: http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=823 and http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=824
Cooperation and Reconciliation Potential After Natural Disaster, India and Pakistan
Mona Bahn is an anthropologist specializing in South Asian Studies at Rutgers University (USA). Regarding the earthquake relief efforts on the Indo-Pak border and within borders, including Kashmir, she said, “From what I know, there are some organizations orchestrating relief efforts as well as monitoring whether or not the money/resources are reaching the intended beneficiaries. Recently, a workshop organized by Delhi Policy Group (headed by Dr. Radha Kumar) and Center for Dialogue and Reconciliation (headed by Ms. Sushma Dawe) reflected on issues surrounding the collection and distribution of aid. The conference was attended by members from both India and Pakistan, who are involved in using the disaster as a platform to further mutual cooperation and reconciliation between the two countries. May be we can come up with ideas and plans to bolster their efforts.”
The Hague Appeal for Peace has always supported the idea to use unfortunate situations such as natural disasters to establish dialogue and cooperation between conflictual parties, India/Pakistan is one example among others. Natural disasters have the potential to destroy dwellings, damage livelihoods, and spark disease epidemics. However, in some cases, common relief needs can open paths to reconciliation. Zoë Chafe and Michael Renner, researchers at Worldwatch Institute, use the term ‘post-earthquake diplomacy’ to describe the India/Pakistan current situation.
You may contact Mona Bahn at: monabhan@rci.rutgers.edu
In addition, Worldwatch Institute, an independent research for an environmentally sustainable and socially just society, opened an online forum discussion on Natural Disaster, to participate in the discussion: http://www.worldwatch.org/live/discussion/117/
Small Arms: United Nations Preparatory Committee No Success
From January 9-20 the Small Arms Preparatory Committee was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. This meeting was intended to set the agenda for the second world summit on small arms in June 2006, at which the Programme of Action (PoA) on small arms will be reviewed. After two weeks of talking, governments have achieved virtually no outcome on controlling the proliferation and misuse of small arms. In 2005, IANSA published a valuable report on the PoA, Biting the Bullets and their Control Arms campaign has now launched three new reports depicting the human cost of armed violence. Featuring interviews with survivors of armed violence, the reports describe the impact of international arms transfers to Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone.
To read IANSA’s PrepCom Review and Reports: http://www.iansa.org/un/review2006/prepcom.htm
UN Supports Project Aimed at Providing Cheap Laptops to Students in Poor Countries
A pioneering $100 laptop programme, designed to give children in poor countries access to knowledge and educational tools, came a step closer to realization this month with the signing of a partnership agreement in Davos, Switzerland, between the main United Nations development agency and the organization responsible for the initiative. "We are delighted to be part of this venture, which has the potential to break through the digital divide between rich countries and poor countries," said Mr. Dervis, UNDP Administrator. "Though the price of access to knowledge has dramatically decreased in recent years, new technologies remain out of reach for most people in developing countries, especially children, who rarely have access to the educational resources that could enhance their opportunities and lift them out of poverty," he said. It is expected that the cost of each laptop will come down over time. Manufacturing will begin when at least 5 million machines have been ordered and paid for in advance, and the preliminary target is to have units ready for shipment by early 2007.
To read UN Press Release: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17328&Cr=information&Cr1=
African Summit on Culture and Education, Sixth Annual African Union Meeting
The African Union (AU) consists of 53 states. It was founded in July 2002 as a successor to the African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). As other regional organizations, the AU eventually aims to have a single currency, and a single integrated defense force, as well as other institutions of state, but there is still a long way to go. The purpose of the federation is to help secure for Africans democracy, human rights and a sustainable economy, especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict, and creating an effective common market. African leaders gathered in Sudan for the sixth annual AU summit on the theme of culture and education. As a Sudanese Ambassador pointed out, “the only basis that could unify this continent is cultural”. Secretary-General Kofi Annan saluted this agenda and pledged the assistance of the United Nations in advancing progress on these issues: “Education is a fundamental human right and a powerful vehicle for promoting social advancement, economic well-being and political stability ... Culture, while rooted in particular histories, traditions and values, can also be a potent force for cultivating dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding among the world's people. It is crucial that these two domains be given the importance they deserve.” Among the ideas discussed, the Sudanese Minister proposed to create an African equivalent to UNESCO, an ‘African Organization on Education, Science and Culture’.
Palestinian Election Reported by an International Observer
What follows was excerpted from a report written by Mary Ann McGivern who was among the international observers during the recent election in Palestine. When Dr. Hanna Nasir, Chair of the Palestinian Central Election Commission, opened the United Nations Development Programme orientation for observers, he told them that the elections could not be viewed apart from the occupation and he encouraged them to report on the issue when returning to their home countries. Mary Ann reported “I did experience the occupation. I passed through checkpoints, was intimidated by men with guns, was threatened with confiscation of my camera for taking a picture of the observation tower at a check point ... But my nervousness is not the same as the fear of a man on the housekeeping staff at my hotel in Jerusalem. He is afraid to visit his home village because the last time, when he tried to cross back from the West Bank he was thrown into prison for three months, beaten and jailed, despite being told at his arrest that his record was clean. My nervousness is not the same as poverty. The schools where the elections were held had blackboard and chalk, but no maps on the walls or papers of best work, much less shelves of books or cabinets of paper, scissors, glue, crayons. The last classroom I was in, where I watched the ballot counting for four hours, had four broken windows ... A taxi driver said it is foolishness to pretend that either Fatah or Hamas has any power to resist the occupation and he was unwilling to participate in the charade. The Israelis only allowed voting in Jerusalem at the Post Offices, and only allowed 6300 of about 120,000 eligible voters to vote ... Palestinians with blue cards, giving them permission to live in Jerusalem, were afraid that voting would put their residence cards at risk ... Women sometimes tried to hand off their ballots but the election workers never took them. Illiterate voters brought trusted assistants with them and there too the election workers made sure it was the voter who put the ballot in the box. The voters guarded their ballot secrecy and the election workers guarded the voters. It was inspiring. It was a fair and transparent and credible election ... Meanwhile, outside the schools, on the playgrounds, the parties were campaigning ... At one school a veiled woman working for Hamas sat at a table next to the school entrance, checking off voters from a copy of the registration list. It’s what party operatives do all the time, track whether their committed members vote. Yes, this may have been intimidating to voters. It was illegal ... I had one big cultural shock. At about six o'clock in one polling station a man unrolled a prayer rug and quietly prayed for about three minutes. Then a second man used the rug, then four more ... The vote count was exciting ... In this polling station, 336 ballots were cast. It didn't take more than 20 ballots to see that in our little room one of the slates was headed for a landslide. I asked who it was and my kind interpreter whispered Hamas. The excitement was palpable. The Hamas list received 247 votes, Fatah 63 ...”
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.
GETTING INVOLVED
Women Say No To War, campaign launched by Codepink USA
On 5 January 2006 Codepink launched the 'Women Say No To War' campaign to bring together US women with women from countries such as Britain, Canada, Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, Jordan, Iran and especially Iraq. Their objective is to tell leaders - and the world - that women have had enough of the senseless war in Iraq and want the foreign troops to leave Iraq now. The initiators aim to get at least
100,000 women from around the world to sign this global call by March 8, 2006 (International Day of Women), when they will deliver the signatures to the White House and to US embassies around the world.
The Hague Appeal for Peace has endorsed the ‘Women Say No To War’ campaign.
To sign the call, go to: http://www.womensaynotowar.org.
International Peace Bond Design Competition for Youth and Adults, Nonviolent Peaceforce
The purpose of this contest is to promote peace and nonviolent conflict intervention around the world. All entries should be postmarked no later than midnight, February 5, 2006. Selected artwork that promotes and advocates for peace will be featured on the new 2006 Series A Peace Bonds. The winner-designers will receive international recognition and a trip to Washington, DC for an award presentation and exhibition. The International Judging Panel will include Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and Ann Bancroft, artic explorer, among others.
For complete guidelines and entry form go to: http://nvpf.org/np/english/pb/artcompetition/index.asp.html
Prepare Your Students for the Global Kids' Digital Media Essay Contest
Funded by the MacArthur Foundation, this February Global Kids will launch a Digital Media Essay Contest. They are looking for interested teachers to collaborate in preparing students to submit an entry. They offer financial support for your involvement.
To learn how you and your students can be involved, contact Barry at: bjoseph@globalkids.org
If you don’t know anything about Global Kids, check: http://www.globalkids.org/
UNESCO Manifesto 2000 Still Open for Signatures
This is a reminder for many of you, tell your friends. UNESCO initiated this Manifesto at the very beginning of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010). "The Manifesto 2000 does not appeal to a higher authority, but instead it is an individual commitment and responsibility." In sum, by signing the Manifesto 2000, you engage yourself: to respect the life, practice active non-violence, share time and material resources, defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, promote responsible consumer behavior and contribute to the development of your respective communities. It has been translated into over 40 languages and almost 76 million people worldwide have already signed on.
If you want to join this international movement for a culture of peace and non-violence, go to: http://www3.unesco.org/manifesto2000/uk/uk_manifeste.htm
Foregone Conclusions, New Online Journal Accepting Submissions on Historical Topics
The school of philosophical and historical inquiry at the University of Sydney has launched a new online journal, Foregone Conclusions. The journal will be published twice a year and they are currently accepting submissions from postgraduates and early career researchers, national and international, on historical topics from a variety of disciplines, including Ancient History, Anthropology, Classics, Gender Studies, History, Sociology.
For more information go to http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/publications/fc/
Call for Action to Save Iraq's Academics, Brussels Tribunal Initiative
Just before war in Iraq started, a petition was launched, signed by some 500 artists, writers, intellectuals and academics. It called for moral and legal action against the ‘Project for the New American Century’ and the authorities responsible for the war against Iraq. After many gatherings, a proposal to constitute a Commission of Inquiry culminating in a Tribunal on the war in Iraq was discussed. Originated in Belgium, this project has gained in scale and momentum and it is today endorsed by various international organizations.
“A little known aspect of the tragedy engulfing Iraq is the systematic liquidation of the country's academics. Even according to conservative estimates, over 250 educators have been assassinated, and many hundreds more have disappeared. With thousands fleeing the country in fear for their lives, not only is Iraq undergoing a major brain drain, the secular middle class - which has refused to be co-opted by the US occupation - is being decimated, with far-reaching consequences for the future of Iraq ... According to the United Nations University, some 84 per cent of Iraq's institutions of higher education have already been burnt, looted or destroyed. Iraq's educational system used to be among the best in the region; one of the country's most important assets was its well-educated people ... With this petition we want to break the silence.”
To read the full text and find out more about the project, visit: www.brusselstribunal.org/Academics.htm
To sign the petition, go directly to: http://new.petitiononline.com/Iraqacad/petition.html
COURSES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Short Course on Gendered Research in Health, March 6-18 (Vadodara, India)
This course aims to help development workers, social science researchers in health, faculty members of academic institutions, research scholars and those working on health issues within the non-government and government sectors better understand basic gender concepts and their application in the context of research, policies and programmes related to health. It aims to empower researchers and practitioners to carry out gendered research in health by increasing the required knowledge and skills.
For more information go to: http://www.comminit.com/events_calendar/2006-events/events-4264.html
Gender and Peacebuilding, April 10-14 (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
This course will provide an introduction to gender studies, and analysis of the complex relationships between gender and social constructions and between gender, race and class privileges. Participants will explore the interdependency between gender and power, focusing on theory and practices of gender roles in different societies. It will seek to explore how understanding of gendered social constructions can help in addressing gender inequalities and promote gender equity and cultures of peace. It will also study militarism, the war system and peace - as expressions of social and gender-based constructions, using examples from the Middle East, South East Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, with emphasis on the Balkans and the US. This programme has been particularly designed for senior, middle-range staff and executive officers working in the fields of gender equity, education, social work, peace building and conflict transformation, human rights, democratization, and human development.
For more information go to: http://www.transcend.org/tpd/tp.shtml?x=421
Women’s Human Rights: Building a Peaceful World in an Era of Globalization, May 1- June 9 (Toronto, Canada)
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto) brings feminist perspectives and an activist orientation to the inextricably related issues of peace, human rights and life-sustaining development. Participants will gain an understanding of the global economic, ecological, legal, cultural and political contexts of this work, as well as how to deliver human rights education and to work for women's human rights in their own country.
For all the details, go to: http://www1.oise.utoronto.ca/cwse/springinst_06.htm or contact Pat Doherty at: springinst@oise.utoronto.ca
Training Course on Women’s Studies in Asia, June 13-20 (Bangkok, Thailand)
A Bangkok based women's rights group, WARI, is hosting an 8-day course to promote the introduction, development and institutionalization of women's studies programs in Asia. It includes historical, cultural and comparative aspects of the gender situation in Asia, explores teaching and research issues of women's studies, and discusses ways to integrate Asian and gender perspectives in existing courses. The course is suitable for young or experienced teachers, students, researchers, administrators and support organizations. Interested participants are invited to stay for an International Conference on Women's Studies in Asia that will follow (June 21-22, 2006).
For more information visit the WARI website at: http://geocities.com/wari9/womenstudies.HTM
Global Peace and Security in Community Colleges and the Communities They Serve, July 11-16 (Washington DC, USA)
The United States Institute of Peace announces a summer seminar designed for community college faculty and administrators to give them an opportunity to carefully examine the nature of international peace and security and how community colleges can relate this to their students and local communities. Presenters will include leading authorities in the study of global peace and conflict, as well as from the field of community college education. The application process is competitive and the Institute will contribute to travel, lodging, and incidental expenses (Deadline: March 25).
For all the details and to apply, go to: http://www.usip.org/ed/seminars/ccfs.html
EVENTS
Global Education Tour, International Women Development Agency, March (Australia)
IWDA will host a two-week speaking and study tour this March, for an inspirational young leader, K'nyaw Paw. K'nyaw Paw was only a child when violence and persecution forced her family to flee their home in the Karen state of Burma. They are now among the 110,000 Karen people who live in seven refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. K'nyaw Paw works with IWDA's project partner, Karen Women's Organization, on relief and development projects. The Global Education Tour is designed to coincide with IWDA's International Women's Day (March 8th) celebrations around Australia.
For further information: http://www.iwda.org.au/ or contact Kalene Caffarella at: kcaffarella@iwda.org.au
Threat and Youth: Cultural Studies Takes On Violence and Education, March 31-April 1 (USA)
As part of the ongoing effort to create and promote cultural studies work at Teachers College, Columbia University (New York), TC Students for a Cultural Studies Initiative (TCSCSI) is sponsoring a Graduate Student Conference entitled “Threat-n-Youth: Cultural Studies Responds to Violence and Education.” The goal is to bring together an international group of faculty and graduate students, along with K-12 educators and their students in an effort to address various issues of violence and education. You may submit papers that address the ongoing, general debate about how Cultural Studies can contribute to and transform education, with a special interest in visual culture, popular culture, new media, media pedagogy, race and gender studies, branding, youth culture, techno-culture, film & television, urban studies, and disability studies. Selected projects will be presented over the course of the two days.
For papers submissions, contact Ms. Jessica Lee at: threatnyouth@gmail.com
For further information and registration, go to: http://www.subjectmatters.org/threatnyouth.htm
Fifth Annual Female Eye Film Festival, June 1-4 (Canada)
FEFF was established in 2001 in Ontario, Canada. Two of the objectives listed under their mission statement are, offer a perspective of the world through the female eye and open the doors for women directors. The festival will showcase feature, short, documentary, experimental and animated films all directed by women. Note that the Script Development Program welcomes screenplays by male writers with the provision that their story features a female protagonist. All the different deadlines and guidelines for film and screenplay submissions are available online.
For more details, visit: http://www.femaleeyefilmfestival.com/ or e-mail: info@femaleeyefilmfestival.com
Capitalism and Patriarchy, Conference on Gender in Post Soviet Region, June 22-24 (Lithuania)
The Centre for Gender Studies at European Humanities University International invites panel and paper proposals for the Capitalism and/or Patriarchy conference that is aimed at exploring issues of gender in the post-Soviet region. The demise of state socialism, some scholars maintain, resulted in the reconfiguration of gender relations and the rise of a systemic privilege of men over women in countries in transition. The conference will be held next June in Vilnius, Lithuania.
For submissions please contact Elena Gapova at e.gapova@worldnet.att.net or for more information on the conference go to: http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=149157
Weaving the Information Society: a Gender and Multicultural Perspective, August 23-26 (Mexico)
This conference is hosted by Programa Universitario de Estudios de Género (PUEG), in Mexico. The goal is to increase the availability, accessibility and visibility of information relevant to advancing the position of women and girls throughout the world, and to share documentary efforts, strategies and tactics. PUEG distinguishes four main objectives: to establish strategies for the development of the work of gender/ women's libraries, centres and networks; to generate specific policies to attend to the information needs of indigenous and rural women; to narrow the digital gap for women and information; and to construct the Latin American Network of Information Centres and Libraries on Women's and Gender Studies.
For more information on this conference go to: http://www.iiav.nl/eng/ic/knowhow/knowhow_mexico.html
Women, Education and Culture, September 1-3, 2006 (England)
The 15th annual conference of the women's history network will take place on 1-3 September 2006 at the University of Durham, England. Conference organizers are currently calling for papers on the themes of Women and education, Women, the humanities and cultural representation, Women's intellectual contribution to the social sciences, Women and scientific endeavor, Thinking women: past representations.
You may submit a 200-word synopsis (including type of session proposed) by March 1st or June 1st to: whn.conference@durham.ac.uk. For details go to: http://www.womenshistorynetwork.org/
RESOURCES, MATERIALS, PUBLICATIONS
Resources on Gandhi and Non Violence, GandhiServe Online
GandhiServe is a charitable foundation registered in Germany, which aims to spread the ethics of nonviolence by disseminating information about and popularizing Mahatma Gandhi’s life and works. It is one of the most complete online resources on Gandhi and non-violence. You will find all kinds of materials, from audio tracks (50 hours of Gandhi’s voice) to photographs (over 10,000), including video films (110 hours) and footage (10 hours), as well as different types of visuals (paintings, cartoons, etc.) and multilingual bibliographical sources (over 8,800 books listed). The GandhiServe also issues a valuable quarterly newsletter. The website is available in English, Russian, Chinese, Esperanto, and German.
To check these materials: http://www.gandhiserve.org/
Earth and Peace Education Associates International (EPE)
Founded in 1992, EPE is a global network of educators who aim to promote the recognition of the reciprocal relationship between ecological degradation and the violation of human rights on a local, national and global level. In their own words, this relationship is defined by the organizing principle underlying EPE’s educational approach: contextual sustainability. Thus, it assumes that the earth is the primary context and essential foundation of all social activity and that ecological sustainability is key to achieving a culture of peace. In return, respect for human rights characterizes the social context essential to ecological sustainability. This month EPE launched Transitions, a monthly E-Newsletter which welcomes contributions.
To learn more about EPE, go to: http://www.globalepe.org/services.html
To submit your contributions, you should contact the editor, Anita L. Wenden at: wldyc@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Armed Conflicts Report 2005
Project Ploughshares, Canada, has reported annually on armed conflicts since 1987. Project Ploughshares' Armed Conflicts Report thoroughly details the state of wars around the world. Going beyond the wars on the evening news, the report describes lesser-known conflicts, as well as the issues that surround current and recently ended conflicts. It also includes maps depicting causes and consequences of armed conflict.
If you are interested: http://www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/ACRText/ACR-TitlePageRev.htm#Preface
UNESCO-Bangkok Advocacy Briefs on Education for Girls
Providing Education to Girls from Remote and Rural Areas discusses how boarding schools have been used to ensure access to education for children who might otherwise be deprived of it. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of this strategy, particularly for education of girls from rural or remote areas. The brief also provides useful hints for maximizing the effectiveness of the boarding school approach.
To read this briefing paper: http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/jahia/Jahia/pid/2582
Mother Tongue-Based Teaching and Education for Girls
argues that children who have an opportunity to learn through their mother tongue have the best chance of understanding what is taught, making the connection between the spoken and written word and participating in their own learning. It examines the issues surrounding marginalization, language and girls by exploring obstacles to girls’ education and strategies to address them. The conclusion states that the use of the mother tongue does not in itself equalize opportunities for female learners, but there are clear indications that it improves conditions for all learners.
To read this briefing paper: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001420/142079e.pdf
Pacific Human Rights Law Digest, Volume 1
Pacific Human Rights Law Digest was launched in Fiji last December. This new collection features recent analysis of human rights case law that can be used in the courts as precedents and as tools for policy initiatives.
For details contact the RRRT at: registry@rrrt.org.fj or visit their website at http://www.rrrt.org/
Gender and Sustainable Development in Drylands, FAO Report
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has analyzed field experience to demonstrate that gender has a significant impact on patterns of land use. This report examines the implications of gender in dryland areas and includes case studies from Africa, India and China.
To read it: http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/jahia/Jahia/pid/2573
Getting It Right, Doing It Right: Gender and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
This UNIFEM handbook is aimed at those planning and executing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). It contains reflections and lessons learned, case studies from Liberia and Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, and practical guidance in the form of a model standard operating procedure.
This Report is available in English, French and Arabic.
GRANTS, PRIZES, AWARDS
Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life
Awarded since 1994 by the Women's World Summit Foundation (WWSF) - an international NGO for the empowerment of women and children - the Prize ($500 each) honors every two years women and women's groups exhibiting exceptional creativity, courage and commitment in improving the quality of life in rural communities. The Prize aims to draw international attention to the laureates' contributions to sustainable development, household food security and peace, thus generating more recognition and support for their projects. The goal of WWSF is to participate in addressing the eradication of extreme poverty and help arrest the drift to urban areas.
For nomination procedures go to: http://www.woman.ch/women/1-guidelines.asp
UN Awards Advertisers for Campaigns Spreading Humanitarian Messages
International advertising companies whose campaigns have raised awareness of humanitarian or development issues have been honored by the United Nations for public service advertising that best expresses the ideals and goals of the UN. The awards, jointly sponsored by the UN Department of Public Information (UNDPI) and The New York Festivals, were presented by Raymond Sommereyns, DPI’s Director of the Outreach Division, who touched on the breadth of issues the world body is involved in before naming the winners at a formal ceremony last week. This year’s Gold UNDPI award went to Leo Burnett Publicidade Ltda (Brazil) for ‘Favela’, a print advertisement to raise awareness about poverty. The Silver went to Leo Burnett Paris (France) for a campaign for ‘Enfance et Partage’, a non-governmental organization (NGO) working to prevent child abuse. And the Bronze went to DDB Jakarta (Indonesia) for ‘Supermarket Baby’, a television campaign about the trafficking of infants for adoption.
To read UN Press Release: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17326&Cr=xxx&Cr1=
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, 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 become a part of life
- 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.
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
