Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find here a link to the Charter for Compassion Initiative. Website http://charterforcompassion.org.
Kind regards
Brian Ward

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below the Conciliation Resources Newsbulletin: December 2009.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Conciliation Resources Newsbulletin: December 2009

Dear colleagues and friends,

Please find below recent highlights from the work of
Conciliation Resources (CR):

1. News
2. Events
3. Publications
4. Organizational news
5. Support our work

This bulletin can also be viewed on our website:
http://www.c-r.org/latest-news/bulletin_winter_09.php

1. NEWS

Conciliation Resources takes part in Mindanao peace process
The Philippines government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have
invited us to join the newly formed International Contact Group for their
peace talks. The group includes the UK, Japanese and Turkish governments
and three other international non-governmental organizations. Its role is
to monitor the Malaysian led-negotiations, which resumed on 8 December in
Kuala Lumpur. See http://www.opapp.gov.ph and http://www.luwaran.net

Georgia: understanding the past, facing the future
We recently began an EU-funded project with Saferworld, working with
Georgian, Abkhaz and South Ossetian civil society organizations. A key
aim is to improve peoples’ access to information on these conflicts and
to debate the causes and ways of resolving them. One new partner, Go
Group, has set up an interactive ‘Eyewitness Studio’ website to promote
wider public discussion and awareness of conflict-related issues, with
real life stories documented by professional and citizen journalists in
short films, photos and articles. See http://gogroupmedia.net/

New partners in West Africa
In November we started working with the Liberia Democratic Institute
(LDI) and Actions for Genuine Democratic Change (AGENDA), two established
NGOs working on governance issues. They are carrying out research and
local governance surveys in Liberia’s Grand Cape Mount and Lofa counties
to help improve government accountability in border communities.
See http://www.ldi-lbr.org/ and http://www.freeagenda.org/

2. EVENTS

Accord Somalia launch event at UK parliament
On 15 December we will launch our latest Accord publication and policy
brief on Somali peace processes at an event hosted by the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues. Speakers will include leading
academic Ken Menkhaus, British-Somali researcher Khadra Elmi and Accord
issue editors Mark Bradbury and Sally Healy. The publication includes
over 30 articles and interviews with Somali and international experts and
practitioners involved in peace processes in Somaliland, Puntland, south
central Somalia and nationally. http://bit.ly/7VK3Ih

Conference for indigenous peoples affected by conflict
In November we held a ‘Comparative Learning Conference of Indigenous
Peoples in the Philippines’, focusing on lessons learned from responding
to armed conflict. Forty-five people from more than 20 tribes attended.
Our keynote speaker was Luz Mery Vanegas, a Colombian indigenous woman
and member of the National Movement of Women Against War. She shared her
experiences of resisting conflict and armed actors in Colombia, and
highlighted the role of indigenous women in building peace.

3. PUBLICATIONS

Policy brief on improving public participation in peace processes
This updated Accord policy brief argues for more inclusive and democratic
peacemaking that goes beyond ‘elite’ pacts between governments and armed
groups. It outlines several approaches for participation and key
considerations for supporting such processes. It will also soon be
available online in French, Spanish and Russian. http://bit.ly/5WxHiO

Translated policy briefs
Our recently updated policy brief ‘Choosing to engage: armed groups in
peace processes’ is now available in Spanish and Russian.
http://bit.ly/4G6TvW

4. ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS

New funding
We would like to thank the Belgian government and the Royal Norwegian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for funding our work to support civil-society
led peacebuilding in areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army
conflict in east and central Africa. The Norwegian Ministry has also
extended its support for our work in Colombia and the Philippines to
promote learning from peace processes. We are also grateful to the
Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust for a kind donation towards the making
of a film on security challenges for border communities in West Africa.
http://www.c-r.org/about/funding.php

CR joins forces with European peacebuilders
We are now a member of the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office. EPLO is
a platform of European NGOs, networks and think tanks that share an
interest in promoting sustainable peacebuilding policies among decision
makers in the European Union. One of our first collaborations will be a
launch event in January in Brussels for our Accord publication on Somali
peace processes. http://www.eplo.org/

5. SUPPORT OUR WORK

Consider CR this festive season
A donation can contribute to local peace initiatives in many important
ways. Your help can make a real difference to people affected by armed
conflict. Please give what you can. http://www.c-r.org/support/index.php

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below the Common Ground Newsbulletin: 8-14 December 2009.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Common Ground Newsbulletin: 8-14 December 2009

Inside this edition 08 - 14 December 2009

Is the Qur’an hostile to Jews and Christians?
by Leena El-Ali
In this third article in a series on the myth that Islam is inherently violent, Leena El-Ali, Director of Partners in Humanity at Search for Common Ground, examines the frequently misunderstood verses relating to Jews and Christians in the Qur’an and sheds some light on the context.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009)

European identity politics in play
by Ariel Kastner
Ariel Kastner, Publications Manager and Research Analyst at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute, examines the impacts of the Swiss referendum to ban the construction of minarets not only on the identity of the Swiss but also of all Europeans.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009)

Extralegal policing criticised in Indonesia
by Novriantoni Kahar
Novriantoni Kahar, a lecturer of Islamic Studies in Paramadina University and Programme Manager at the Liberal Islam Network in Jakarta, considers how mainstream Muslim groups, and the democratically elected government, are responding to self-appointed “vice and virtue” squads in Indonesia in this fourth article in a series on the myth that Islam is inherently violent.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009)

When East meets West through music
by Mehra Rimer
While most of the news emerging from Europe focuses on the Swiss ban on constructing minarets, Mehra Rimer, a Geneva-based translator who was born in Iran, shows how the Rumi Ensemble, a group of Iranian and Scandinavian musicians who recently gave a performance on the Swiss banks of the Rhone, are demonstrating “that cultures can converge into something beautiful.”
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009)

In praise of common Americans
by S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza
S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza, a reader of Pakistan’s daily newspaper Dawn, wrote this letter to the editor, describing the misconceptions Pakistanis have of Americans, and vice versa.
(Source: Dawn.com, 7 December 2009)

Is the Qur’an hostile to Jews and Christians?
Leena El-Ali

Washington, DC - When violence is committed in the name of Islam, the perpetrators often say that Muslims were never meant to enjoy good relations with followers of other religions, specifically Jews and Christians. They invariably quote verses from the Qur’an which they argue prove that Jews and Christians are inherently hostile to Muslims. Not surprisingly, some non-Muslims often point to these quotes as evidence that Muslims are a threat to their way of life, justifying their own hostility toward Islam.

But is that what these verses really mean?

It’s often forgotten that the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over the 23-year period of his spiritual and political leadership, beginning when he was 40 and ending with his death in 632 AD. As its verses were transmitted, according to Islamic belief, by the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad, they necessarily addressed challenges facing the nascent Muslim community in addition to the theological and spiritual matters any religion seeks to expound.

Thus while nearly two-thirds of the Qur’an recounts the lives of the Hebrew prophets and of Jesus and Mary as expressions of the spiritual ideal, the remaining third sets out specific rules of conduct for the followers of the then-new Islamic religion.

Broadly speaking, these rules cover two major themes: good conduct in one’s personal, social and familial life, and specific commentary on a past or present event—including political and communal problems.

The verses deemed hostile to Jews and Christians fall into the last category. For example, while both communities are respectfully referred to as “People of the Book”—people who have been sent their own scripture by the same God who gave the Qur’an to the people of the Arabian peninsula—most such verses (about three dozen out of over 6,000) speak of Christian and Jewish tensions with the early Muslims. Muhammad’s preaching was new and therefore viewed with suspicion and considered illegitimate by most of the Jews and Christians of the time.

This is hardly surprising when one considers that it has historically been impossible for the vast majority of the followers of any religion to embrace the founder of another religion who appears in their midst.

Moreover, verses considered hostile to Jews and Christians must be read in context: at the time that some of them were recorded, for example, a Jewish tribe allied to the Muslims had betrayed them. Naturally, Muslims were warned against seeking protectors or allies among other communities.

But should instructions in the Qur’an relating to such specific incidents be generalised to apply to the relationship between Muslims, Christians and Jews today?

The Torah and Gospel are mentioned around a dozen times each in the Qur’an—always favourably–and are described as “a guidance and light” to mankind. Those among their followers who are righteous—alongside righteous Muslims, “no fear shall come upon them neither shall they grieve” (Qur’an 2:38).

Moses is mentioned in the Qur’an by name—Mussa in Arabic—no less than 136 times, through the retelling of familiar stories for the reader of the Bible: his confrontation with Pharaoh over the bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt in particular is repeated many times.

Jesus meanwhile is mentioned by name – Issa in Arabic—25 times, as well as by titles such as the Messiah, son of Mary, the Word of God, and the Spirit of God over the span of 15 chapters. Biblical stories of his life are retold in the Qur’an, including his virgin birth, healing of the blind and the leper, and raising of the dead; chapter five is in fact named after the Last Supper. Mary is mentioned 34 times by name, has a chapter named after her and is described as the highest-ranking woman in all of creation.

Muslims are even told that intermarriage with Jews and Christians is permitted under Islam, though, both because of patriarchal custom and because the relevant verse appears to be addressed to men, it has usually been difficult for a Muslim woman to enter into marriage with a Jewish or Christian man (who would be considered the head of the household).

Not a single reference in the Qur’an to either Jesus or the Gospel, to Moses or the Torah, is anything but affirming and respectful. This is overwhelmingly reassuring to those who believe that God would not send mankind one religion and allow it to take hold of millions of souls for centuries only to then send another to “perfect” or “complete” it—as some Muslims today believe of the intended role of Islam vis-à-vis Judaism and Christianity. There is a theological difference with Christian belief: Jesus is a highly regarded prophet, rather than God’s son. Still, the overall message is of coexistence, not division.

It’s such a tragedy that some of us grasp at whatever we can to nurture a feeling of fear or hatred of what we don’t understand, projecting this fear onto our, or others’, holy books—in this case the Qur’an. If we listen to its words with an open mind, we might be reassured—if not left in awe—by its resonant and familiar message.

###

* Leena El-Ali is Director of Partners in Humanity, a programme that promotes vibrant and constructive Muslim-Western relations, at the conflict transformation organisation Search for Common Ground in Washington, DC. This article first appeared in The Bradenton Herald and was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) as part of a series on the myth that Islam is inherently violent.

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Return to top

European identity politics in play
Ariel Kastner

Washington, DC - With almost 58 per cent of Swiss voters recently delivering an electoral surprise by casting ballots in favour of a referendum to ban construction of minarets in their country, it remains to be seen whether the result of the referendum will be good for Switzerland, or even for Europe as a whole.
This may seem odd to consider since the result is not only embarrassing for the Swiss government, but may also cause international legal and economic repercussions for the country. However, the referendum’s outcome could mark the start of a beneficial process for Switzerland and Europe in coming to terms with the need to change the way they have addressed notions of culture, state identity and individual rights.

Switzerland’s vote has exposed long-festering uneasiness within Europe toward immigration and members of ethnic communities, particularly those that are Muslim. This European apprehension has not only been expressed through violence and civil unrest, including protests in Cologne, Germany against a mosque that would have overshadowed the city’s cathedral, but also through national-level legislation in some countries. The 2004 French law banning the wearing of overtly religious symbols, notably Muslim headscarves, in public schools is perhaps the most salient example of state-sanctioned restrictions on religious freedoms.

While the Swiss vote stands in contrast to the French legislation, in its grassroots rather than legislative origin, it is an extension of the same sentiment to a more pronounced and offensive end, as it specifically targets one religious group. Some have noted the vote thus speaks to the fear many Europeans, and in this case the Swiss, have of the “Islamisation” of Europe. But to view what occurred in Switzerland solely through the prism of a battle between Europe and Islam would be to overlook the deeper issue plaguing the continent.

While the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights—a document that articulates inherent rights of the individual—was adopted in France, and Geneva hosted the convention that forged protocols for protecting individual rights during times of war, there seems to be a prevailing attitude in Europe that individual rights end at the doorstep of state identity. What this means is that a citizen is welcome to be Muslim or Jewish or Buddhist in Europe, as long as this identity, or practicing this identity, does not conflict with a definition of what it means to be Swiss or French or European.

This situation has raised troubling and uncomfortable questions: What does it really mean to be Swiss or French? Is it social mores—to dress, talk or eat a certain way—or is it to hold specific values and ideals? Recent events seem to indicate that many Europeans feel more comfortable embracing the former, rather than the latter, making European identity akin to an unwritten code, where ill-defined norms are held in the highest regard.

The Swiss vote has forced Europe to consider which is more important, protecting the perceived identity of one’s state, or protecting the rights of the individuals, regardless of ethnicity or religion, who live in one’s state.

Thus far, many have felt comfortable with a murky answer to this question, but as the Swiss vote showed, more clarity is necessary as Europe continues to grow, and to the dismay of some, to change.

What is needed, then, is not only a reconciliation with and embrace of Europe’s Muslim citizens but a broader attitudinal shift that holds the ideals of enlightenment, tolerance and respect as the proud identity of Europe. Indeed, the irony of the current situation is that many inside and outside of Europe view enlightenment and liberalism as an integral part of Europe’s core identity.

If the vote makes Switzerland, and all of Europe, take pause to consider whether it wants to embrace this virtuous identity and see that allowing individuals to practice diverse religions and embrace diverse cultures bolsters this identity, it will have been for the good.

###

* Ariel Kastner is the Publications Manager and a Research Analyst at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Return to top

Extralegal policing criticised in Indonesia
Novriantoni Kahar

Jakarta - Indonesia is defined as a “free” state—essentially, a country that protects the civil and political rights of its citizens—by Freedom House’s Map of Freedom in the World 2009. Yet, according to the 2009 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom by the US Department of State, Indonesia’s track record on freedom of religion and human rights is still problematic.

One of the challenges that Indonesia faces in advancing its religious freedoms is the emergence of religious groups, such as the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) and the Indonesian Mujaheed Council (MMI), that use violence to promote their religious ideas, sometimes taking it upon themselves to act in place of the police or the judiciary. While the members of these organisations comprise not more than five per cent of the over 250 million Indonesians, their aggressive behaviour has been creating tension in the country.

Believing that it is incumbent upon them to “advocate righteousness and forbid evil” (Qur’an 9:71), these groups have often ransacked bars; prevented music concerts and art exhibitions from taking place through street protests; sabotaged film screenings and book launchings; and attacked churches and offices of groups whose religious beliefs they challenge.

For example, On 27 August 2008, hundreds of FPI members threatened Ahmadiyya congregants (Muslims that believe the second advent of Christ has been fulfilled) of Al Mubarak mosque in South Jakarta to cease their activities before the month of Ramadan. And on 10 August 2009, some FPI members raided a salon in Yogyakarta that they suspected of providing illegal sexual services.

These Muslims believe that they are obliged to forbid evil because the Qur’an suggests that there should be “a community … who invite[s] to what is good, advocate[s] righteousness, and forbid[s] evil” (Qur’an 3:104). The Prophet Muhammad also encouraged Muslims to take every effort to put right any wrongdoing, which some people interpret to be anything that is not compliant with Islamic teachings, such as the consumption of alcohol.

Some Muslims view these verses as suggestions that there should be a group that urges Muslims to observe religious teachings and prevents them from violating religious tenets. Some even go so far as to feel that violence is necessary to carry out this mission, which of course is problematic in a constitutional state.

In the past, repression has been used by the state to control these groups. Former President Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for more than 30 years, from 1966 to 1998, used repressive measures to control and prevent the emergence of such groups, prohibiting the establishment of any religious groups or efforts to mobilise the general public.

True, such policy can reduce the incidents of violent acts by non-government actors, however, arbitrary repression runs contrary to democratic principles and can also restrict the actions of moderate Muslims working in peaceful ways. After all, restrictions on organisation and social mobilisation also apply to moderate groups.

The current government of Indonesia has yet to identify the most effective means to respond to groups that appoint themselves as “vice and virtue” squads. However, the court’s decision on October 2008 to sentence FPI leader Rizieq Shihab to 18 months in jail for his organisation’s violent attack against the National Alliance for the Freedom of Religion and Belief, a loose network of NGO activists who staged a rally in support of the Ahmadiyya community in June 2008, has left people hopeful that the government intends to stop instances of arbitrary violence.

Such a move is important to deter any group from using violence in advocating their cause. The government should continue to uphold the rule of law in dealing with such groups, including using its constitutional authority to review shariah-based regulations (based on Islamic principles) that are passed in a number of Indonesia’s provinces, and that some violent actors use to justify their actions.

While it may be a long wait before these groups reinterpret their doctrine to fit better under the spirit of democracy and freedom of religion in Indonesia, there have been some Muslim organisations, like the Ma’arif and Wahid institutes, that observe this obligation–to advocate righteousness, and forbid evil–by encouraging harmony between religious communities, promoting good governance and the protection of human rights.

Most Indonesians have high expectations that their democratically elected government will prove that democracy does not stand for criminal behaviour or the end of civil liberties. They also expect more Muslim organisations to put their best efforts forward to support democracy, good governance, corruption and poverty eradication, interfaith dialogue and public safety.

###

* Novriantoni Kahar is a lecturer of Islamic Studies in Paramadina University and Programme Manager at the Liberal Islam Network in Jakarta. This article is part of a series on the myth that Islam is inherently violent written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Return to top

When East meets West through music
Mehra Rimer

Geneva - At a time when Switzerland’s ban on constructing minarets is making headlines, the musicians of the Rumi Ensemble are showing that cultures can converge into something beautiful.

On Thursday, 8 October, a decommissioned hydroelectric plant on the Swiss banks of the Rhone, now converted into a cultural complex, hosted 12 Iranian and Scandinavian performers. They blended Sufi chants and the strains of the santour and the tar (strings), ney (flute), daf and tombak (percussions) with the sounds of a Norwegian quintet, breathing fresh life into the pictures by Iranian photo reporter Reza Deghati, who has been roaming the world for some 30 years.

Throughout the concert, the verses of the great Persian mystical poet Rumi, speaking of love and tolerance, were chanted to the tune of the musical fusion, blending with the message of Javid Afsari Rad, the composer, santour virtuoso and founder of the group.

Resounding in the hall, the piece “Axis of Love” was composed on the day the United States launched its attack on Afghanistan to counter the prevailing terminology of the time. The piece proclaims that we all want the same for our children, that every conflict will eventually find its resolution, and that vengeance will resolve nothing.

Where did the idea of the Rumi Ensemble come from? Rad’s music is a reflection of his life experiences. He studied the santour and traditional Iranian music with the most renowned masters in Iran. During the first Gulf War between Iran and Iraq, he went into exile in Norway as a young student and studied musicology at Oslo University, after which he embraced a brilliant musical career.

In Norway, his first priority was to preserve his roots and cultural heritage. He turned down several offers to play in mixed ensembles with musicians from other countries. “One intends to integrate into the host country, but at the same time, there is a strong urge to safeguard one’s identity,” he says. “Out of purism, initially, I only wanted to play authentic Persian music”.

However, in Norway his thirst for culture and his love of music drove him to attend numerous concerts. As he discovered other types of music, he realised that the music of his own country—dating back over 2,000 years—also grew over time thanks to foreign contributions. Rad became aware that engaging with other cultures and other types of music could be musically and spiritually enriching.

As he played with musicians from other countries, he understood that he could, in his own way, contribute to the evolution of Iranian music and change the image of Iran in the West by disclosing a more appealing facet of his country.

He then went on to play with musicians from Brazil, India, China and even Africa in 2000—with the production of Combonations, an album that ten musicians from ten different countries contributed to.

In 2007 and 2008, Rad won the “Artist of the Year” award in Norway. And in 2007, for the 800th anniversary of the birth of Rumi, he was asked to put to music the verses of the Sufi poet and prepare a tour with Scandinavian and Iranian musicians, which was the beginning of the Rumi Ensemble. It has now been touring Europe for several weeks. The Ensemble celebrates love and togetherness, as well as Rumi himself, the great mystical Persian philosopher and poet who founded the Order of the Whirling Dervishes.

Although the convergence with the Deghati photo show was initially unintended, Rad is thrilled with the coincidence because he believes his music and Deghati’s photographs are truly in harmony. All the profits of the evening went to a charity for Afghan children.

In Rad’s vision of the present time, it is vital to promote a message of peace. Now is the time to draw a lesson from the words of Rumi, whose songs of love and tolerance should serve as an example for us, now more than ever.

###

* Mehra Rimer is a Geneva-based translator born in Iran. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 8 December 2009, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Return to top

In praise of common Americans
S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza

Karachi, Pakistan - Greg Mortenson is an American and, like our philanthropist Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi, likes to spend his time with the underprivileged and poor without discrimination, according to the Dawn article by Safia Siddiqui on 22 November.

He represents the common man in America who is humble, kind, generous and good at heart.

He came to Pakistan to scale K2, the second highest mountain in the world, but had to abandon the climb near the top to rescue his friend below. He lost his way during the descent and wandered to a remote village, where the villagers nursed him back to health.

His hosts told him that the first cup of tea is offered to strangers, the second cup is offered to friends and those who are offered a third cup become family. For family, he was told, Pakistanis would lay down their lives.

Moved by their hospitality, he decided to open a girls’ school in that small village. He wrote 580 letters to celebrities in the United States but only received $100.

However, shortly after, he received $623 in pennies from school children in Wisconsin, inspiring him to go ahead with his plan.

Today, he has more than 120 schools to his name in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan where he has been captured by the Taliban and investigated by the United States government, both wanting to know why he is educating people in Pakistan.

I had the opportunity to spend about three months in the United States in 2007. I had the chance to interact with common people at the plant where I worked, in workshops that I visited, in offices, stores and on the streets.

Most were polite, courteous, understanding, hospitable and open. Many times while travelling, I would say prayers at busy airports and malls without being stared at.

Common Americans know very little about things outside their country; some don’t even want to know what exists outside their city. For example, we wanted to take a 60-year-old specialist from Baton Rouge to Philadelphia for a business meeting. To our surprise, we discovered that he had never been on an airplane or gone outside Baton Rouge. He had not even seen New Orleans, which was just 70 miles away.

And the wife of a friend once asked me at the dinner table one evening: “Do you have coke in Pakistan?”

Similarly, while travelling with me from London, a charming, retired schoolteacher from Houston was astonished when she heard that my daughter often talks about Oprah Winfrey. She was shocked that Pakistanis know about Oprah, especially female students.

One event that left a great impression on me happened at a gas station. We were having our car filled when a smartly dressed middle-aged man approached me and asked for a dollar. He confessed that he had just come out of jail and wanted to call his friend.

I had a five-dollar bill that I gave him. When he saw us pulling out of the gas station, he came running after the car, shouting that he wanted to return the balance, four dollars. Such were the ethics of this ex-convict in the United States.

I made many friends there, one of whom is Ken Jafferson, a source for useful engineering tips. I call him whenever I am stuck on a project. During one of my calls, I happened to catch him while he was attending a funeral.

He came out, listened to me patiently, asked couple of questions and then gave me a great solution. Only later did he tell me that he was attending a funeral.

These are real and common Americans.

Greg Mortenson is one of them. He does not share the agenda of the US government. He came as a mountaineer to conquer K2 but ended up conquering our hearts. He has won many awards, including the Sitara-i-Pakistan, the third-highest honour awarded by the Pakistani government. May he also win the Nobel Peace Prize that he has been nominated for.

###

* S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza is a reader of Dawn in Pakistan and wrote this letter to the editor. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) with permission from Dawn.com.

Source: Dawn.com, 7 December 2009, www.dawn.com
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below a call for papers for the CRONEM 6th Annual Conference.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

CRONEM 6th ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2010

Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM)

University of Surrey / Roehampton University

Joint international conference with the Runnymede Trust (http://www.runnymedetrust.org)

Living Together

Civic, Political and Cultural Engagement Among Migrants, Minorities and National Populations:

Multidisciplinary Perspectives
29 – 30 June 2010
University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

CALL FOR PAPERS

(Deadline 15 February 2010)

This conference will range across different academic disciplines and explore links between academic knowledge, policy, practice and the media. The format will consist of keynote addresses, parallel paper sessions, convened symposia, a poster session and a panel debate organised by the Runnymede Trust.

Speakers already confirmed:

Benjamin R. Barber, President (CivWorld at Demos) and Walt Whitman Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, USA
Constance Flanagan, Professor of Youth Civic Development, Penn State University, USA Y
Yvonne Galligan, Director, Centre for the Advancement of Women in Politics, Queen’s University Belfast
Jørgen S. Nielsen, Director, Centre for European Islamic Thought, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Westminster, UK
Antje Wiener, Professor of Politics, University of Hamburg, Germany
Despite the recent ‘Obama effect’, conventional forms of political participation have declined in many countries in recent years, with growing levels of political apathy, disengagement from formal democratic processes and increasing distrust of, or lack of confidence in, political institutions. However, research suggests that issues, which might have mobilised individuals into taking political action in the past, are now being tackled in many cases via voluntary, community or charitable activities, protest movements or consumer activism instead. Hence, current trends in political participation, especially among younger people, may be indicative not of public disengagement per se but of a shift to a different kind of public activism.

Gendered perspectives on cultural, civic and political engagement, which explore the conditions governing women’s participation, as well as perspectives which examine engagement and participation among migrant or minority groups, can be especially illuminating here. Women, migrants and minorities play vital roles in any society, contributing through their skills, labour, taxes, community participation and cultural activities. Yet, when restrictive criteria, practices or policies prevent members of these groups from participating fully in the political, civic and cultural life of the country in which they live, members of these groups often develop novel forms of engagement in order to circumvent the obstacles.

Policy can have a crucial impact on levels of participation, either by creating impediments and barriers to participation by specific groups, or by minimising these impediments. However, policy issues can be complex to tackle, with the policies which exist at different levels (e.g., at community, regional, national and supranational levels) often being incongruent with each other, and with discrepancies frequently existing between intended policy, the content of policy texts, policy implementation, and the interpretation of policy by citizens.

This conference aims to take stock of the different forms of civic, political and cultural engagement which currently exist, and investigate the factors and processes which are driving them. A special feature of the conference this year will be an event organised by the Runnymede Trust, which will consider where Britain stands 10 years after the Parekh Report (http://www.runnymedetrust.org/projects/meb/report.html) on the future of multi-ethnic Britain and 25 years after the Swann Report.

We would like to encourage the submission of papers which address the following themes:

Active engagement, interaction, expression and dissension at civic, political or cultural levels
The participation of young people, women, migrants and minorities
Different forms of engagement among adult national majority populations
The role of public policy in civic, political or cultural participation
As this is an international conference, papers reporting on contexts other than the UK are especially welcome.

For more information about the Call for Papers, abstract submission forms and registration, please visit http://www.surrey.ac.uk/Arts/CRONEM/index.htm

For any conference queries, please contact Ms Melek Muderrisgil (Melek.Muderrisgil@surrey.ac.uk)

Mirela Dumic
Centre Administrator
Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM)
Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
21 AC 05
Post Box I4
University of Surrey
Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH

Tel: +44 (0) 1483 682365
www.surrey.ac.uk/arts/cronem

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below a call for papers for a conference: Investing in Peace: Uncovering the Practicality of Peacebuilding.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Call for Papers For the Notre Dame Student Peace Conference

“Investing in Peace: Uncovering the Practicality of Peacebuilding”

March 26-28

Deadline for proposals: February 12, 2010

The Peace Conference Committee invites papers, panel proposals, performances, audiovisual presentations, interactive sessions or workshops and other programs broadly exploring the role of dialogue and understanding in the progress towards peace. The presentations may be completed research, research in progress, or case studies. Generally, the presentations will consist of a panel of three or four presenters with similar topics.

One of the main goals of our conference is to provide a more tangible grasp on peacebuilding by specifically highlighting the effect of implementable policies on peace and the role that scholar practitioners can play in promoting peace around the world.

Sub-themes could focus on but are not limited to:

Breaking the cycle of debt and poverty

Impact of globalization on peace

Economics and structural violence

Developmental and environmental sustainability

The role of NGOS in peacebuilding

The impact of conflict on women and children

Microfinance and economic empowerment

The conflict minerals supply chain

Business and commercial practices that promote peace

Empowerment of women as a tool for peacebuilding

Global healthcare and justice initiatives

Human development studies

The global impact of corporate citizenship

The role of sanctions in diplomacy

Proposals may be submitted via email attachment to peacecon[@]nd.edu. The deadline for proposals is Friday, February 12, 2010. There is no length requirement. Submissions will be acknowledged within seven days of being received. Notifications of acceptance of proposals will be sent as soon as the reviewing process is completed, no later than March 1, 2010.

_________________________________

Hal Culbertson
Executive Director
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

574-631-8832 (direct)

574-631-6973 (fax)

culbertson.1[@]nd.edu

Find Kroc on Facebook

Visit our website at http://kroc.nd.edu

112 Hesburgh Center
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on the final showcase event of the Diasporas Migration and Identities Programme.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Diasporas Migration & Identities FINAL SHOWCASE EVENT

TATE BRITAIN – Clore Entrance

10 FEBRUARY 2010 – 10.00 am till 6.45 pm

As the Diasporas Migration and Identities programme draws to a close, hear more about its findings and achievements with presentations before lunch by the Director, Professor Kim Knott,and some of the programme’s research investigators.

In the afternoon the focus will be on the collaboration between stakeholders and academics,and the wider impact of the research, ending with a round table on the role of diasporas research in future UK policy: What will be the key diasporas and migration policy issues over the next ten years, and what contribution can academic research make to tackling these?

Over lunch there will be time to talk to researchers, and an opportunity to view the exhibition and hear music associated with the programme. The day will draw to a close with a wine reception.

Speakers include

Rick Rylance, Chief Executive, Arts and Humanities Research Council
Nigel Llewellyn, Head of Research, Tate Britain
Margarette Lincoln, Director of Research and Planning, National Maritime Museum
Keith Best, Chief Executive, Immigration Advisory Service
Francois Matarasso, Arts policy and development consultant
Rob Berkeley, Director, Runnymede Trust
Victoria Walsh, Head of Adult Programmes, Tate Britain
David Feldman, Chair of the Programme Steering Committee
And members of the Programme

For more information or to register for the Event,

contact Katie Roche:

k.a.roche[@]leeds.ac.uk

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below an invitation to a discussion on moving forward from Copenhagen.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

UNA-USA: Discussion on Moving Forward From Copenhagen

UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations
invites you to:

Moving Forward from Copenhagen
A town hall-style discussion

Thursday January 14, 2010
1:15-2:45 PM
Location:
UNA-USA Offices
801 Second Avenue, 2nd Floor
(between 42nd and 43rd Streets)
New York, NY 10017

***Please note, this venue is different from our regular venue,
due to construction at the Church Center.***

RSVP to jhartl[@]unausa.org or 202-462-3446 x12.

Moderated by Aaron Etra, Treasurer, NGO Committee on Sustainable Development

Background

Join UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations for a town hall event about the outcomes of the Copenhagen conference on climate change, including take aways for those of us in the NGO community, and how we move forward from here. We encourage all those who attended the Copenhagen conference to come and air your views and impressions, in a facilitated discussion led by a panel drawn from the UN and NGO communities. Those who did not attend Copenhagen are also encouraged to attend in order to actively question those who did.

The Council of Organizations is a division of the United Nations Association of the USA and consists of more than 100 non-governmental organizations that share the common goals of promoting greater public awareness about global issues and strengthening the United States-United Nations relationship.

United Nations Association of the United States of America
Washington Office
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 610
Washington, DC 20036

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on a workshop on practices for conflict resolution.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Emergent Futures Consulting Workshop Announcement

Practices for Conflict Resolution
Online Workshop: January 18, 25,
February 1 & 8, 2010

Conflict represents the presence of diverse viewpoints and is a normal part of life. Yet conflict can be a big energy leak that prevents teams and organizations from realizing their goals. How do you create an environment where struggle with conflict and reconciliation can spark creativity, nourish growth, jump-start productivity, and strengthen relationships? If you are looking for strategies for both preventing and reducing the health and productivity costs of unresolved conflict, this workshop is for you.

During this four-part highly experiential online workshop, “Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution”, you will learn a simple and highly effective method for working with people in conflict situations who wish to resolve their problem. The workshop focuses on the readiness of the facilitator to work with situations of conflict, providing skills and frameworks for conflict resolution in groups based on universal cross-cultural practices for conflict resolution.

This workshop will interest anyone who wants to take steps to resolve conflicts to benefit people, productivity and the bottom line: leaders, managers, consultants, or members of any group or community. Workshops draw participants from all sectors – from corporate to health care and nonprofit to education and the arts – and this mix adds to the richness of your learning experience.

Register today to start your journey to creating a healthy and life nurturing environment. Please click here to learn more about this workshop including an overview of the materials covered in each workshop component.

Our Facilitation Team

Michelle Cooper of Integral Visions Consulting Inc (ON), Donna Clark of Emergent Futures Consulting Inc (NS), and Marquis Bureau of MBureau International Inc (QC) make up our facilitation team. They are authorized Genuine Contact™ Trainers and Co-Owners who have been working with the Program for a number of years. This partnership, incorporated as Courage Group International, offers participants the opportunity to learn from Genuine Contact Professionals working across Canada and internationally in a variety of sectors. It also allows us to offer the Genuine Contact workshops both in English and French, providing participants with a unique and customized learning experience.

Workshop
Details<http://emergentfutures.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3aa4cb870e0eb6caa22dcdaba&id=bbbfda6d66&e=5e50c92bd9

Dates: Jan 18, 25 &
Feb 1, 8, 2010
Time: 12-3pm EST
Cost: $500
Location: Online via Microsoft Live
Meeting<http://emergentfutures.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3aa4c
b870e0eb6caa22dcdaba&id=7215a09b46&e=5e50c92bd9

Taken a previous workshop with us? Note your past workshop participation on your registration form and save an additional 10% on your total registration through our repeat participant discount!

Tuition includes:

* Workbook
* All Workshop Materials

All fees subject to applicable taxes.

Register
today!<http://emergentfutures.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3aa4cb
870e0eb6caa22dcdaba&id=021f5ff886&e=5e50c92bd9

Technical Requirements

In order to fully participate in this online workshop, you will need access to either a computer with Windows XP or higher operating system or any other computer that has internet access.

Additional technical requirments for Windows based computer systems:

* 500-megahertz (MHz) or higher processor, Intel Pentium-compatible
* Minimum 256 MB RAM 512 (recommended for optimal performance)
* 56kbps bandwith
Additional technical requirements for all other operating systems:

* 64 MB RAM
* 56 Kbps or faster modem, cable or DSL connection
* Adobe Flash Player version 9 or higher
An invitation will be sent for the January 18 session approximately 1 week prior that will include instructions for downloading the Microsoft Live Meeting Client or alternately accessing via web browser.

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below an invitation to a Special Breakfast Meeting at John Jay College.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

ACRGNY and CUNY Special Breakfast Meeting

The Association for Conflict Resolution of Greater New York and The CUNY Dispute Resolution Consortium at John Jay College invite everyone to a Special Breakfast Focusing On:

Dispute Resolvers and the Upcoming Trial of the 9/11 Suspects in NYC

Thursday, January 21, 2010
8:00 - 10:00 AM
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
899 Tenth Avenue
Room 630

At the December ROUNDTABLE Breakfast, participants suggested that a separate session be convened to informally discuss the upcoming historic trial in NYC of the five suspects accused of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Given the strong emotions leading up to the trial and the anticipated emotions during the trial, what are the questions, challenges, concerns, and potential responses for those involved in dispute resolution related work?

It was the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks that brought ADR practitioners and scholars in NYC together for the first of our monthly ROUNDTABLES, now in their ninth year. The upcoming session will provide an opportunity to address concerns in anticipation of the trial and to identify any constructive roles for dispute resolvers.

Please RSVP to acrgnyinfo[@]aol.com

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below an invitation to the screening: Fighting For Justice: New York Voices of the Civil Rights Movement at the Apollo Theatre.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Apollo Theatre: Fighting For Justice: New York Voices of the Civil Rights Movement

The NYC Commission on Human Rights and NYC Media in collaboration with the
Apollo Theater Education Program will present:

Fighting For Justice: New York Voices of the Civil Rights Movement

Thursday, January 14, 2010
6:00 p.m.
The Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street in Harlem

The free screening and panel discussion - open to the public - celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and includes a special performance by the C3 Youth Choir from the Christian Cultural Center (Rev. A. R. Bernard, Pastor).

RSVP is required by Tuesday, January 12th to events[@]tv.nyc.gov or 212.531.5363. For more info, go to: http://www.nyc.gov/html/cchr/html/fighting_for_justice.html