Steve Sachs
Numerous U.S. peace organizations have been mobilizing for policies that counter global warming, and protect the environment, in addition to opposing the Bush administrations occupation of Iraq and threatening to attack Iran. This includes “Global Exchange (http://www.globalexchange.org), Codepink (www.codepinkalert.org), and Care2 (http://go.care2.com/) who has been working on many environmentl issues, including saving the red knot by having it added to the endangered species list.
The same is true around the world .Avaaz: stated in June, “Our climate hangs in the balance at the 2008 G8 Summit. Rich countries need to commit now to mid term targets to cut emissions. Scientists agree these targets are critical to avoid climate catastrophe.” On Wednesday, June 18, Avaaz and other organizations delivered “a worldwide public outcry for strong G8 climate commitments to Japanese PM, Yasuo Fukuda,”. urgeing rich country leaders to take bold action on climate change. In July, These groups protested Japan, and the U.S. “blocking talks at the G8 on targets to cut climate change by 2020”. For more information go to: http://www.avaaz.org.
Al Gore’s organization, Together We Can Solve the Climate Crisis, with almost 1.5 million members, and growing, has been working on action to overcome global warming and related environmental problems. For details go to: http://wecansolveit.org. OneSky was working this “to convince every Member of Congress that America is ready for bold climate solutions. The path to a prosperous and equitable new energy economy is clear — we simply need our leaders to act.” Tor details go to: http://action.1sky.org/t/1981/signUp.jsp?key=261
Care2 (http://www.care2.com) is working to build the political will to do something about global warming, and has been running a campaign to tell the presidential candidates to be climate leaders. “After a decade of stalling, we need real leadership on climate change. To seriously address climate change and cut carbon emissions in line with the current science, we must create millions new green-collar jobs, prevent the construction of new dirty coal-fired power plants and establish a more secure, prosperous and vibrant America.” In early August, Care 2 was involved in a petition campaign urging President Bush “to take immediate action to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan and the crimes against humanity in eastern Congo and northern Uganda. While there is no magic formula to end these crimes, I believe there is a strategic one. We can stop genocide and crimes against humanity now and in the future, through the “Three P’s”: Promoting Peace, Providing Protection, and Punishing the Perpetrators. The 3 P’s for Sudan: * Promote a comprehensive peace process with high-level diplomacy. *Protect innocent civilians through the UN/AU peacekeeping force. *Provide information to the International Criminal Court and support multilateral targeted sanctions to punish the perpetrators. The 3 P’s for eastern Congo: *Establish a permanent office in eastern Congo to ensure U.S. leadership in the peace process. *Support MONUC – the UN’s peacekeeping force in Congo – in protecting the innocent civilians caught in the conflict. *Call for the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into rape as a war crime in eastern Congo to begin punishing those most responsible.”
CODEPINK (http://codepinkalert.org/) and other peace organization across Memorial Day Weekend, all across the country, demonstrated with banners, particularly on highway over-passes, honoring the troops, calling for an end to the Iraq occupation and impeachment of Bush and Cheney. These organizations put on Summer of Hope in DC ‘08 in July and August with peace activist trainings mixed with demonstrations and meetings with members of Congress against the War in Iraq and attacks on Iran, with a shift to real diplomacy and peace developing policy in the Middle East and around the world.Code Pink said, in late April: It’s time for true statesmanship and gutsy leadership that gathers strength from peacemaking, not saber-rattling. While George Bush’s war mongering has made the U.S. hated all over the world, this week former president Jimmy Carter’s courageous efforts in the Middle East could be crucial steps toward restoring peace to the region. After all, Carter negotiated the only lasting peace in the Middle East — the Egypt-Israel peace accord that has prevented an Arab-Israeli war ever since.” Many peace organizations have been working to prevent the Bush Administration from attacking Iran.
The Ad Hoc Group Against Israeli Attack on Iran, consisting of more than 100 hundred Israeli academicians and peace activists signed the following declaration, August 5: “There is no military, political or moral justification to initiate war with Iran. A constant flow of information bears witness to the fact that the Israeli government is seriously considering attacking Iran, in order to disrupt its nuclear plans. We do not disregard irresponsible actions by the Iranian government – we also oppose atomic weapons in principle and support the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction from the region. However, it is clear that the main source of the immediate danger of a new, widespread war stems from the policies of the Israeli government and the flow of threats from it, backed by provocative military maneuvers. After serious consideration, we reiterate our position that all the arguments for such an attack are without any security, political or moral justification. Israel might get caught up in an act of adventurism that could endanger our very existence, and this without any serious effort to exhaust the political and diplomatic alternatives to armed conflict. We are not certain that such an attack will occur. But the very fact that it is being weighed as a reasonable option, makes it imperative that we warn and caution against the destructive results of an offensive strike against Iran.” For more information contact Reuven Kaminer, Tel: 972 2 6414632reuven.kaminer@gmail.com.
Global exchange has joined other organizations in opposing the efforts in the U.S house to pass “Iran War Resolutions,” calling for a naval blockade of Iran, which in June were gaining co-sponsors at great speed and were expected to pass with little controversy. Global Exchange reported in early August that this activity ha caoused many Congressmen to reconsider cosponsoring. For more go to: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BUqKva0ouzh%2BAQBQl3KULNzyYQJT9Q%2F9.
Israeli peace and human rights organizations including Gush Shalom (Gush Shalom, p.o.b. 3322 Tel Aviv 61033, Israel, info@gush-shalom.org, http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en) and the Other Israel (The Other Israel, p.o.b. 2542, Holon 58125, Israel, ph/fax: +972-3-5565804, otherisr@actcom.co.il, http://otherisrael.home.igc.org/), as well as international peace organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace (JVJ: http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org) remain very active in opposing Israeli policies repressive of Palestinians, while calling for genuine peace efforts on all fronts,
In May, it was reported by ISM/JMCC in “9 activists injured as army attacks demonstrators who removed roadblock in Shufa,” “Israeli, Palestinian and international activists together with residents of Shufa village carried picks, shovels and hoes and within two hours removed a roadblock that cuts Shufa from nearby Izbit Shufa. A village tractor was needed to move some of the larger rocks. Finally, a service mini-bus was able to cross through the remnants of the roadblock, to the cheering of the waiting crowd. Soldiers watched and did not interfere, but when activists attempted to make their way to remove a further roadblock soldiers blocked them, shooting sound bombs, followed by a barrage of rubber-coated steel bullets at close range. Four Palestinians, four Israelis and one international were injured, one requiring hospitalization. For more details go to: http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=26861.
In March, a video shot by B’Tselem (The Israel Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories), a young Israeli is seen standing near a group of soldiers at a rally at the Palestinian town of Bil’in, when he is suddenly shot at close range in his thigh by an officer. According to the victim, the rubber bullet penetrated his thigh, and he is suffering from a severe wound in his leg. The complainant, 18, recalled the incident in which security forces entered the premises of Bil’in village, located near Modi’in: “I yelled ‘enough with the violence’ at them, and then a soldier turned around and fired a rubber bullet into my leg. I was evacuated to Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, where I was examined and operated on to extract the bullet. I was given pain killers and released home.” He said that despite his injury, he continues to attend the weekly rally in Bil’in. “I’m not afraid,” he said, “The village’s residents suffer more bullet hits than I have. Compared to what they are going through – my case is nothing.” B’Tselem members claim they approached the Military Advocate General’s office with the footage, and the latter responded by saying it would investigate the case. To seethe film, and for more information, go to: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3542587,00.html. In late May Palestinians in Bil’ln were under increasing pressure from incursions by settlers and the expansion of the defense wall, which they were resisting with demonstrations supported by Israeli peace and rights activists and internationals, http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=27089. Gush Shalom published the following ad in Haaretz, July 25, ““Punishing the messenger:’ The shooting at a handcuffed Palestinian is not exceptional. What is exceptional is that it was photographed. Clearly, for every act of photographed harassment there are dozens which are not photographed. It is also clear that the army will neither investigate nor punish. And that the father of the girl photographer was arrested.”
“Palestinian farmers stop settlement expansion efforts,“ Occupation Magazine, May 26, 2008, http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=27099, reports that the combination of physically blocking the settlers` heavy machinery of intruding settlers from illegal Israeli settlement Revava, May 15, and approaching the Israeli military authorities with the papers proving their ownership of the land resulted in – at lease for the time being - stopping the settler incursion into the lands of ten families at Deir Istiya.
As of Late May, 167 Palestinain Patients from Gaza had died because they had been denied access to an Israeli hospital outside of Gaza, according to Rami Almeghari, “167th patient dies being denied access to Israeli hospital,” Occupation Magazine, May 27, 2008, http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=27093. On July 11, Gush Shalom placed the following ad in Haaretz, “Orphans and Widows:” As part of the actions against Hamas, the Olmert government is destroying orphanages, schools and charities in the West Bank. There are no other institutions to take their place. Orphans, widows and poor people will be thrown into the street. Will this isolate Hamas? On the contrary!” On July 10, Ma`an News Agency/Turkish Weekly reported that the massive Israeli army crackdown on supposed Hamas insitutions in Nablus, including announcing that on August 16 the Israeli government would cease the property of the Nablus shopping mall, which it considered a source of terrorist activity, continues to arouse protests and outrage, even from Palestinians politcally far from Hamas – particularly with PM Fayyad, often praised as “a moderate” by Israelis and Americans, issuing a call to Nablus residents to defy the Israeli closure order for the city`s shopping mall and the threat of five years` imprisonment for anyone entering it. For more go to: http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=27907. Shortly thereafter, Occupation Magazine (http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=27909) reported, in “A Letter from Nablus,” passed on to Occupation Magazine by `Jocelyn Braddell,`”for the last 3 days, the people in Nablus awoke at a great shock to discover that the Israeli army has confiscated their property in a very organised and well planned way… during the first night, and at around 12, many military vehicles accompanied by huge containers attacked a school, a clinic and a mosque…the entrance doors were broken, exploded and damaged…all the inside furniture, equipments, tools, files, and other property were carried by the soldiers into the lorries… the computers, files, cameras, the chairs and tables from the school, even the doors…. these places were left empty with a state of mess and damaged things… the school and clinic were ordered closed for 3 years... the second night a huge shopping center called Nablus mall was also attacked in the same way… this Building has over 50 stores including a bank, many shops for furniture… the property of 4 places were emptied into the lorries in the middle of the night… other shops were messed up and others were damaged… a leaflet was left and it said that the mall will be closed for 2 years, and that the property that has been taken—stolen, confiscated—now belongs to the Israeli army… anyone dares to enter will be prisoned… at the same time, 5 mosques were entered and messed up in different places in the city… finally, last night, the building of the municipality of Nablus was attacked in the same way… the computers that are used for water and electricity services were all taken, in addition to files and other stuff… some items were damaged during the attack, and night guards in all situations got beaten up… 5 big size buses that carry students and belong to a school were driven into the lorries and taken… we do not know who`s next tonight… may be our house properties, our furniture and kitchen equipment… could this be true… no one owns anything anymore… we all belong to the israeli army…. our lands, our olive trees, our bodies, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we get from the super market, our family members who are in jail, our beds and chairs….. what is left for us? our brains?” There have been protests from many voices in many places that by declaring that the ownership of the Mall will be transferred to the Israeli authorities as of the 18th of August the Israeli occupation forces are literally stealing the property right from Nablus individuals, highly defying the right of ownership guaranteed by the Universal declaration of the Human Rights (for example, see: http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=28024).
Other Voice is a grassroots group, with no political aspirations, composed of citizens of the Israeli Sderot region and the Gaza region. “We are interested in finding creative ways of hearing a new voice from the region and for promoting hope and non-violent actions for the benefit of the locals who live here in Sderot and in the Gaza Strip.” “For 8 years, citizens of the Sderot region have lived a reality of ongoing Qassam rockets attacks, endless (useless) visits of politicians and army officers, and constant physical and psychological threat. The people of the area are unprotected, have lost hope for the future, and are tired of the many empty promises they have been given. This has led many to fear that there may be no solution to this unbearable situation. Up until now we have cried, called, demonstrated, and asked our leaders to do something about this insane reality in which we live. The leaders have tried every possible idea that involves violence and military force – with no success at all. We shoot at them and they shoot at us. We retaliate and they strike back. This is an endless and vicious cycle. Today we say: ENOUGH! It is our turn to take our destiny into our own hands and to ACT to stop the cycle of bloodshed.” “We invite all people of the region to join us in voicing their own personal call and our joint “other-voice”.” For more information contact Other Voices at: info@othervoice.org supportus@othervioce.org.
Many activities remain on going to bring Palestinians and Israelis, and Muslims, Christians and Jews together in the Middle East. On March 25 the Jerusalem Peacemakers and Emun-TRUST organized an evening of study and discussion about religious perspectives on “Non – Violence” in Judaism and Islam in light of recent violence in Jerusalem and the region. “There was some skepticism and resistance within both communities to our event– Israeli Jews saying that this was not the right time to meet because of anger about the massacre at the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem and Palestinians saying they couldn’t meet with Israelis because of anger about on-going killings and closure in Gaza. Fifty Palestinian and Israeli residents from East and West Jerusalem, as well as from Ramallah, Hebron, and Bethlehem joined us to hear the teachings from Rabbi Daniel Landes, the Director and Rosh Yeshiva of Pardes Institute, and Sheikh Izhak Taha, the Deputy Mufti of Jerusalem. The meeting took place in Abu Tor, a mixed neighborhood on the seam between East and West Jerusalem. Joining us were Ultra- Orthodox Jews in black hats sitting with secular Jews and Muslims in hijab and modern dress, from all age groups. After an opportunity for people to introduce themselves to each other in one on one encounters, the invisible walls and barriers in the room disappeared.” After presentations about coming to peace in their traditions by Rabbi Landes and Sheikh Izhak Taha, “participants shared in small group listening circles about their pain, fears, frustration, as well as positive memories of a shared past and hopes for a better future. Both Israelis and Palestinians spoke of frustration and despair about the extreme attitudes in each society and the reluctance of the majority to work together non-violently to find solutions. Both spoke of the need to hear the other side acknowledge their own violence and express regret. Possible ways to do this were discussed.” “The evening ended with a circle of spontaneous prayers for peace. People were reluctant to leave the warmth of our oasis of trust that had been created. We are planning more such gatherings in the near future.”
Jerusalem Peacemakers undertook its annual ‘Big Hug of Jerusalem’, June 24th, with thousands of Israelis, Palestinians and internationals gathering for a prayer pf peace and unity around the walls of the Old City. The Face 2 Face Project has been undertaken for over a year by two French Jewish artists, JR and Marco, photographing Israelis and Palestinians, in pairs, from the same professions, making funny faces, and then posting the images in unavoidable public places. One of the central posters was a collage of three religious figures from the Holy Land, a Muslim sheikh, a Christian priest and a religious Jew. Some of these images have been posted on large billboard size posters in central public locations around Europe, including in Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and most recently in Geneva. During a major posting of many pictures in Geneva, the posters met with high school students at the International High School in Geneva, where children of many UN diplomats from all over the world, based in Geneva, attend school together at the International high school. The issue of Israel and Palestine is such a sensitive issue that the school had not previously been able to hold a public event or discussion on the issue. “When we came, with a perspective bringing humor, and our shared humanity to help serve as a bridge between our peoples, the teachers and students opened up in a beautiful way. Before we knew it, the teachers and students were jumping in to make funny faces with us. This project helps to highlight the common humanity of the Israelis and Palestinians. Our issue is a very serious one, sometimes a little humor could also help…. Perhaps if we can help take down the walls of fear between our peoples, who are really one people, the family of Abraham, this will lead to a shift in policies among the governments in the Holy Land.” For more information about Jerusalem Peacemakers cotnact Eliyahu McLean, co-director, Jerusalem Peacemakers, PO Box 31894, Jerusalem, 91316 Israel, www.jerusalempeacemakers.org, or Center for Religious Tolerance, 520 Ralph St. Sarasota, FL 34242, USA or Jerusalem Peacemakers UK, 35 The Dene, SEVENOAKS, Kent TN13 1P.
The Network of Spiritual Progressives, a project of the Tikkun Institute, follows four basic tenants in everything it does: Foster a New Bottom Line of love, generosity & ecological sensitivity in our economy, education, media, & government; Foster a new global consciousness and solidarity; Promote awe, radical amazement, gratitude & developing an inner spiritual life; Challenge the misuse of God & religion by the Religious Right and religio-phobia on the Left. Projects of the network include, the campaign for generosity and the Global Marshall Plan, Spiritual Activism Training, and education in Nonviolent Communication. The network is calling for an Interdependence Day Celebration July 4th, “Faced with July 4th celebrations that are focused on militarism, ultra-nationalism, and “bombs bursting in air,” many American families who do not share those values turn July 4th into another summer holiday focused on picnics, sports and fireworks while doing their best to avoid the dominant rhetoric and bombast. This year that kind of celebration is particularly difficult when many of us are in mourning because of the war in Iraq and the continual undermining of our human rights by the Bush Administration and its flouting of the law of the land. We in the Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP) believe that avoiding July 4 or turning it into nothing more than a picnic with friends is a mistake for progressives. There is much worth celebrating in American history that deserves attention on July 4th, despite the current depravity of those who lead this country, though the celebration-worthy aspects of our society are rarely the focus of the public events. We also acknowledge that in the 21st century there is a pressing need to develop a new kind of consciousness, a recognition of the interdependence of everyone on the planet. A new revolution is necessary, one in which our actions reflects a realization that our well-being depends on the well-being of everyone else on the planet and of the planet itself.” The network has designed a material as a possible guide for individual families or for public celebrations that share the values it holds. For more information contact the Network of Spiritual Progressives, 2342 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 1200, Berkeley, CA 94704 (510)644-1200, info@spiritualprogressives.org, http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/.
The Regional Summer Academy in 2007 brought together young people from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Kuwait and Yemen to help youth in the Middle East work towards peace and a brighter future for their societies, giving them culturally appropriate tools to become a significant force of positive change in their communities and, collectively, across the region. For more information go to: http://www.tc.edu/peaceed/portal/reports.
The Colombia Peace Presence is an accompaniment project that started in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, “one of several rural communities in Colombia that has taken an extraordinary stand against war by refusing to support any armed group. We also have a team in Bogota to support other Colombian peace initiatives. Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) has been training volunteers for these projects in the U.S., and runs “Building Justice Across Borders” journeys to the communities involved. For more information go to: (510)763-1403, forcolombia@igc.org, www.forcolombia.org.
The Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) held a meeting for the opposition movements on key humanitarian issues in Darfur, July 10-11. Dennis McNamara, Humanitarian Adviser at HD Centre, said that the two-day session was very successful, with an energetic discussion amongst participants and sincere efforts on all sides to take active steps to improve the humanitarian situation. The meeting begins a process of dialogues on humanitarian issues that will continue to engage the Sudanese Government, opposition movements, and other actors in the near future. As a result of these two intensive discussion days, opposition movements committed on a variety of ways to contribute to improving the humanitarian situation. The statement by the opposition movements is attached to this note. This first meeting brought together the opposition movements and representatives from UNMIS, ICRC, OHCHR, UNHCR, UNHABITAT, UNDP, UNICEF, OHCHR, JMST, IOM and UNDP. OCHA gave its full support to the meeting and co-hosted it with HD Centre. The series of dialogues is independent from, but supported by, the AU-UN Darfur mediation. For more information please contact: Ms. Anne Thoma Tel: +41 (0)22 908 09 04 Mob:+41 (0)79 3760042 Email: thoma@hdcentre.org, www.hdcentre.org.
Avaaz.org, concerned that “Rocketing prices threaten to starve millions and make us all less secure,” began a petition campaign, in April, for action to stop the world food crisis. In early August, Avaaz launched the Dalai Lama Handshake campaign, stating, “With the Olympics about to begin, the Chinese government still has not agreed to meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama. In fact, the situation in Tibet has worsened since we watched the Olympic torch tour the globe. The worldwide protests produced resistance from Chinese officials. But a massive global display of honest friendship to China might succeed where other methods have failed. The Dalai Lama himself began this demonstration, when he shook one Avaaz member’s hand and thousands of us carried it, from person to person, direct to the Chinese embassy in London. Now this handshake has gone global, and is traveling around the world online to arrive in China before the Olympic closing ceremony, as you can see on our 3D virtual handshake globe. Become the next person to receive the Dalai Lama’s handshake, then pass the handshake along to friends and family. The Olympics should be a time of unity and celebration, and it can be — if we all ask each other to live up to the Olympic spirit of humanity and excellence. China’s leaders aren’t far from starting a real dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and have already met with his representatives. Now, our global community could help unblock these stalled communications. Together, let’s make this Olympics one that China, and all of us, can be proud of.” For information conact Avaaz.org, avaaz@avaaz.org, http://www.avaaz.org/en/world_food_crisis/9.php.
Global Peace Hut “is a Canadian NGO that runs conflict resolution and peacemaking programs in Uganda, East Africa. through their local indigenous affiliate NGO Global Peace Hut-Uganda. GPH-U has a team of Ugandan peacemaking trainers who as young adults, work with students, teachers, schools, families and communities. They teach the ways of being a peacemaker in local language through folk stories, and storytelling, through puppetry, drama, games, art and music, activities, as well as circle sharings. Africa has a strong heritage of traditional wisdom around peacemaking and conflict resolution. They access the wisdom and spirit of Africa through connecting to these traditional ways and talking about them in the current context.” “Our Vision is living peace. Our Mission is to provide people with the tools to live in peace, connected to each other in community and globally. We foster learning of the ways of peacemaking and peacebuilding in children, families, schools and communities through education and skill development. We create simple spaces and places, virtual or structural, where conversations contributing to living in peace can be held; where all voices can be heard and everyone is welcome.” For more go to: http://www.globalpeacehut.org/.
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) has been providing group trips for individual investors to promote stabilizing development, for several years. In June, SFCG Hosted a Trip to Nepal for Individual Investors from Europe an the Unites States. The next investor trip will be in February 2009 to Sierra Leone. For more information about this trip, visit http://www.sfcg.org/help/help_sl_2009.html. To learn more about the work of Search for Common Ground in Nepal, visit http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/Nepal/programmes_Nepal.html.
The National Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD) is involved in a new collaborative effort to raise awareness about the central role people can and are playing in decision-making and problem-solving. A group of leaders in public engagement (including AmericaSpeaks, the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, Everyday Democracy, the Kettering Foundation, NCDD, Public Agenda, and others) recently launched the Democracy Communications Network in an attempt to: coordinate PR efforts (op-eds, blogging, articles, etc.) in response to current events. He effort seeks to develop simple, compelling language to describe public engagement work; make widely available helpful tools for writing compelling op-eds, working with newspapers, writing for blogs, etc.; keep track of the blog posts and op-eds that are written, so that others can be inspired by those examples; and raise the visibility of this work. NCDD finds. “There are dramatic changes happening in our democracy, but for the most part, these developments are flying under the national radar. A new kind of politics is emerging, one where citizens play a more central role in decision-making and problem-solving. These stories are compelling and complicated, and they deserve our attention and analysis – but the major news sources don’t seem to have noticed. With DCN, we’re combining forces in an attempt to change this fact.” For more information go to: http://www.thataway.org/?page_id=1350.
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) has Launched the Common Ground News Blog and the SFCG YouTube Channel. “The Common Ground News Blog was created out of the recognition that the news media plays a powerful role in shaping public opinion, attitudes and beliefs. We believe stories focusing on cooperation and on finding solutions are needed now more than ever, as we approach the Presidential election. The Blog features current U.S. and international solution-oriented stories promoting understanding and providing opportunities for dialogue. By scanning traditional news and the blogosphere and compiling stories of cooperation, the Blog will be a source of inspiration and hope, and a “go to” source of information often neglected by mainstream media. Readers from around the world can comment directly on the stories in the Blog, sharing their personal views and experiences. The Blog is an open forum and a platform for the type of frank conversation about conflict that Search for Common Ground endorses, and is a means to spread the common ground approach to the on-line community.” “To take advantage of the unprecedented popularity and accessibility of YouTube, SFCG launched its own YouTube Channel. The site allows visitors to watch Common Ground Productions’ clips – from the Middle East, Angola, Burundi, Nigeria, Nepal, Macedonia – including original peace songs, PSA announcements, TV drama series, and videos about our work.” To read and discuss stories that explore our differences and focus on our commonalities, visit the Common Ground News Blog at http://www.commongroundnewsblog.com. To see clips of some of Search for Common Ground’s endeavors around the world, visit the SFCG YouTube Channel athttp://youtube.com/user/sfcg. For more information, contact Susan Koscis, SFCG Director of Communications, (202) 777-2215, skoscis@sfcg.org, www.sfcg.org.
Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May has joined with Green Party delegates from around the world to pass a resolution calling for “the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly” to reduce the “international democratic deficit,” at the second Global Greens Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil, attended by representatives of green parties and movements from over 80, May said, “Governments mainly care about advancing their national interests. By contrast, a UN Parliamentary Assembly could help to promote the global common interest. The resolution adopted by the congress underlines that the green movement is convinced that a dialogue is needed on the notion of a bi-cameral system at the UN.” The Global Greens are the third major international party network to endorse the proposal for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, following the Liberal International and the Socialist International. This is part of an international campaign for the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly, launched in April 2007. The campaign is backed by more than 450 members of parliament and over 100 nongovernmental organizations from around the world. The Committee for a Democratic U.N., an NGO based in Berlin, Germany, acts as the UNPA campaign’s international secretariat. The World Federalist Movement-Canada (WFM-C) is the Canadian affiliate. For more information contact Elizabeth May, Leader, Green Party of Canada (613)240-8921, debra@greenparty.ca, Fergus Watt, WFM-C Executive Director (613)232-0647, wfcnat@web.ca, or Andreas Bummel, Executive Chairman, Committee for a Democratic U.N., Phone +27 827 610 979, bummel@kdun.org, or go to 2nd Global Greens Congress:://www.globalgreens.org.br/, Committee for a Democratic UN:://www.kdun.org/, or Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly: http://www.unpacampaign.org/.
The Peace and Collaborative Development Network is an online initiative to bring together professionals, academics and students involved in Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, International Development, Democratization, Social Entrepreneurship and related fields. The network fosters interaction between individuals and organizations around the world and currently has over 3100 members. The site is a terrific networking tool where you can find local and international partners and practitioners, events, share resources (including extensive information on scholarships in the field), guides to careers, scholarships and internships, funding, IT resources, and exchange best practices. Discussion topics and personal blogs can be posted. The site also has a video section where members can access and view videos related to the field. For further information contact, Dr. Craig Zelizer, Associate Director, Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution, Department of Government, Georgetown University, 3240 Prospect Street,Washington, DC 20007, cz52@georgetown.edu, http://internationalpeaceandconflict.org.
Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) has a new website http://www.psysr.org.
Sociologists without Borders has crated a “live” cyber-space for human rights discussions, called, “The Think Tan,. That may be accessed through: http://www.sociologistswithoutborders.org/ or directly via http://www.ssfthinktank.org/.
Global Family for Love and Peace (GFLP) encompasses, in its work, interfaith dialogue. This includes cooperating in putting on an annual week of Global Interfaith Dialogue, coinciding with the UN International Day of Peace, each September. For information contact Laurence Singer (718)3537397, laurence@gflp.org, www.glfp.org.
In Lahore, Pakistan the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) has recently launched a peace education program, last spring, designed to address the rising intolerance, violence and extremism in the country which needs harmony. To read more about this please visit: http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12172&geo=2&size=A.
Education and Training Center/International has begun offering a Certificate Course in Interfaith Conflict Resolution. For information go to: http://www.usip.org/training/online/interfaith.html.
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