Peace Partnership
International
935 South B Street
San Mateo CA
94401 USA
Phone/Fax:
1-650-525-1297
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Global Alliance
Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace, in which Peace Partnership International is a co-founder and active participant, is a worldwide community of individuals and organizations working to support and encourage the institutional expression of a culture of peace in governments around the world. The Global Alliance's website is
a source of valuable information on latest news, events, trainings,
publications, web links, etc., in the growing field of peacebuilding
and conflict transformation around the world.
So far, some 35 countries are in the Global Alliance community, over half of which have active campaigns for ministries or departments of peace underway. Others are in the planning stages, and still others are in the exploratory stage. And some countries, such as Nepal and the Solomon Islands, already have ministries of peace.
Within the United States, Peace Partnership International works closely with The Peace Alliance, which is spearheading the nationwide, grassroots campaign to support legislation in Congress to establish a U.S. Department of Peace.
On June 30, 2008, Peace Partnership International’s application for official status as an NGO associated the Department of Public Information of the United Nations was approved. This association provides us, among other things, access to UN facilities (including the NGO Resource Center), briefings for NGOs (which feature UN officials, Government delegates, and other experts), and observer status at open meetings of UN bodies. Importantly, it greatly enhances our global networking capacity to further our mission of forging partnerships for a culture of peace, including the campaign for a UN General Assembly resolution calling structures in government to support a culture of peace.
Costa Rica Government to Host Next Global Summit
The Government of Costa Rica has agreed to officially host the Fourth Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace, which will take place in that country in September 2009. This marks the first Summit to have such official recognition from the government of a host country.
Minister for Peace in Northern Ireland
A report from the ministry for peace campaign in the United Kingdom: The campaign to establish a Minister for Peace within the Northern Ireland Executive, as a step towards a full Ministry for Peace, was launched 21 May 2008 in the Long Gallery at Stormont, the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
African delegates to the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace in Japan in September 2007 founded the African Alliance for Peace. May 2008 provided three opportunities for Peace Partnership International to assist the African Alliance for Peace to develop its capacity to grow and thrive:
• First AAP Regional Summit
• Intensive training in nonviolent communication (NVC)
• Public outreach and training for the ministry for peace campaign in Nigeria.
Culture of Peace Program Planned for October 21 at UN
Anne Creter, Peace Partnership International's liaison to the United Nations, reports that "the Culture of Peace Working Group of the United Nation's NGO Committee
on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns (CSVGC) has been diligently
putting together an event to be held October 21 at UN Headquarters as
part of the second annual week of Spirituality, Values and Global
Concerns. Co-chairing this effort has been my focus the last few
months."
Anne Creter, liaison to the United Nations from Peace Partnership International, has been leading an effort within the UN NGO community and the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace to draft and promote a UN General Assembly resolution calling for structures in governments that support the culture of peace.
Peace Mnistries on the Table for Israel and Palestine
The Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), founded in Jerusalem in 1988, is the only joint Israeli-Palestinian public policy think-tank in the world. It is devoted to developing practical solutions for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
IPCRI co-founder Gershon Baskin, who attended the Third Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace in Japan, reports that, "We are on the road to establish Ministries of Peace in Israel and Palestine!"
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace held its Third Global Summit in Japan, September 21-October 3, 2007. The Summit was attended by 50 people from 21 countries on six continents (see photo) and included a six-day conference in Kisarazu, which opened on the International Day of Peace, followed by press conferences, public symposiums, and other public outreach events in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Okinawa.
Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio sent the following message, which was read at the Summit:
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
We are joined as family in our mutual desire to build a culture of peace on our precious and fragile planet. It was my privilege and pleasure to join you last year when you gathered in Vancouver in June for the post Summit World Peace Forum.
The importance of your work cannot be overemphasized, for it is by reaching across national borders, oceans and cultures that we begin to build the bridges of trust and understanding that will enable us to create a world blessed by peace understanding and compassion.
I wish you all the very best with your Summit and thank you for your dedication to building a better world.