Nonviolence News #65

Back to previous issue	UN Calls For Decade Of Peace And Nonviolence The first decade of the 21st century, 2001 - 2010, has been proclaimed 'The Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World'. The proclamation invites each member state to teach the principles of nonviolence at every level of society; UN bodies, NGOs, educational institutions, religious leaders, the media, performing artists and all aspects of civil society are invited to support the decade for the benefit of the children of the world. This has from an initiative by 23 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates (Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland has been prominent in her involvement) with much of the behind the scenes work done by Pierre Marchand, director of the Appeal of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates for the Children of the World. The move has been strongly backed by IFOR, the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. Twenty countries spoke in favour of the proposal at the United Nations General Assembly. Of course by itself this declaration achieves nothing; what it does do, however, is provide an opportunity for groups supporting peace and nonviolence, and others, to work together under this banner and to challenge states and organisations to provide space and resources to assist this work… and, indeed, to challenge aspects of these selfsame states. INNATE hopes to help organise consultations during 1999 to explore co-operation between groups working on this decade theme; these could happen in a variety of local cities or areas (if interested, contact INNATE at 16 Ravensdene Park, Belfast BT6 0DA, Tel./Fax. 01232-647106, or simply DIY). For information you can visit IFOR's web site at http://www.gn.apc.org/ifor/ Or contact the Nobel Laureate's Committee directly which brought forward this proposal; Fax. +33-3-4486-3907. To contact Mairead Maguire; Peace People, 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GE, Tel. 01232-663 465, Fax. 01232-683-947, E-mail peacepeople@gn.apc.org	INCORE There is a new Policy and Evaluation Unit based at INCORE (the Initiative on Conflict Resolution and Ethnicity) with Sue Williams as director; part of its aim is to ensure that conflict related research is structured, focused and disseminated in such a way that it impacts upon policy and programme makers. One of the pieces of work which Sue Williams will be doing is to follow up the Art of Mediation project, developing work in the mediation/ marshalling/ monitoring fields in Northern Ireland; if interested contact Sue at 01504 - 375525, Email sue@incore.ulst.ac.uk One new publication just out is Past Imperfect - Dealing with the Past in Northern Ireland and Societies in Transition, ed. Brandon Hamber, priced at GBP5; this is the proceedings from the 'Dealing with the Past' conference plus some additional material (the original conference papers are on INCORE's web site, the whole book will be in due course). INCORE's annual report is also just out and available on request, also a new issue of the Ethnic Studies Network Bulletin. Next March there will be a 3-day conference on 'Researching Violent Societies', some of which will be open to interested outsiders. INCORE, Aberfoyle House, Northland Road, Londonderry BT48 7JA. Tel. 01504 - 375500, Fax. 375510, Email Incore@incore.ulst.ac.uk Web http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk	Forward to next issue
	Avoiding The Veto The Belfast Agreement aims to ensure all 'key' decisions enjoy the support of both nationalist and unionist Assembly members - but this could mean 'key' proposals being vetoed, and 'parity of veto'. To explore ways of assisting the Assembly and Civic Forum to find those policies which will enjoy parallel consent and which will not fall victim to veto, the Ulster People's College and the deBorda Institute are hosting a 1-day seminar on 'Avoiding the veto', Friday 11th December from 9.30am-4.00pm in the Ulster People's College. Creche available. All welcome (queries to UPC at 01232-665161). You can contact deBorda at 01232-711795.	Mediation Network NI The Mediation Network's Executive Officer, Lea Turkington, leaves for England in January; she is being replaced by Andrew McCracken, formerly assistant director with the AIDS Helpline. The next Transforming Conflict course, beginning in January, is full, but enquiries can be made about the one beginning in October 1999; this course lasts six days. A sixteen day course in local mediation development begins in January and there are a number of seminars in conflict and mediation for clergy and church activists; details on request. The Mediation Network's Annual Report was recently published, copies also available on request or, alternatively, on the Network's web site http://www.mediation-network.org.uk Address; MNNI, 128A Great Victoria Street, Belfast BT2 7BG. Tel. 01232 - 438 614, Fax. 314430. E-mail info@mediation-network.org.uk Irish CND The address of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (formerly in Cork) is now; PO Box 6327, Dublin 6. Tel. 087-2364312, Fax. 01-4977043, E-mail; bmmcgrat@indigo.ie
	VOICE of Irish Concern for the Environment VOICE has been working on a variety of campaigns including the promotion of waste reduction, lobbying for strict marine protection and contributing to the debate on genetic engineering. Recently launched is a Forestry Biodiversity Campaign, including Sitka Spruce postcards to send to Minister Michael Woods of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, calling for a target of 60% native broadleaf forest by the year 2035 (when the plan is for 17% of the Republic to be forested, it is currently 8%). There is an accompanying 'The Scandal of Irish forestry' leaflet. VOICE, 14 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2. Tel. 01-6618123, Fax. 6618114, Email: avoice@iol.ie Web http://www.iol.ie/~avoice/	Responding To Conflict - Jobs The Responding to Conflict (RTC) programme in Birmingham, England works with local and international agencies worldwide to support initiatives for conflict prevention and peace-building. After a review, they are expanding and creating 3 new posts - deputy director (c. GBP25k), training and learning coordinator (c. GBP22k), and core fundraiser & communications coordinator (3 days a week, c. GBP13k). Closing date 31 December 1998. For details and application forms; RTC, 1046 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6LJ. Tel. +44-(0)121-4155641, Fax.415 4119, E-mail enquiries@respond.org
	Nonviolence In The Context Of War Or Armed Conflict 3 - 18 July 1999 sees another international training for nonviolence on this topic at KURVE Wustrow in Germany. The training is particularly intended for peace & human rights activists, those engaged in nonviolent third-party intervention, those working on education in crisis areas, and persons working with refugees. Full fees DM1200 but some reductions may be available. Trainers include Zoughbi Zoughbi, Jill Sternberg, Stella Tamang and Hagen Berndt. Copy of info available from INNATE or contact directly; Bildungs- und Begegnungsstatte fur gewaltfreie Aktion e.V., KURVE Wustrow, Kirchstr. 14, D-29462 Wustrow, Germany (apply by 1/3/99).	Hague Appeal For Peace 11 - 15 May 1999 brings a major conference in The Hague, Netherlands. The aim is to gather civil society, governments and international organisations to review peace and justice initiatives this century, diagnose successes and failures, and look, in partnership, to the next steps in the 21st century. The 4 strands involved are: Strengthening international humanitarian & human rights laws and institutions Advancing the prevention, peaceful resolution and transformation of violent conflict Developing and linking disarmament efforts, including nuclear abolition Identifying the root causes of war and developing as culture of peace. A detailed background booklet is now available. You can contact Hague Appeal for Peace Offices in The Hague, Geneva or New York though registrations go to Nijmegan in the Netherlands. The Hague Appeal for Peace office in The Hague is; c/o IALANA, Anna Paulownastraat 103, 2518 BC The Hague, Netherlands. Fax. +31 70 345 5951, Email ialana@antenna.nl
	CAJ Publications Recent publications from the CAJ/Committee on the Administration of Justice include their Annual Report for 1997-98 (44 pages A4) giving a detailed account of work in the last year (GBP2 donation welcome if requesting). Their Guide to Prisoners' Rights and Prison Law in Northern Ireland, a ground-breaking prisoners' rights handbook, is available at GBP5 + p&p. CAJ, 45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2FG. Tel. 01232- 232 394, Fax. 246 706.	Enniskillen Together Enniskillen Together continues to be involved in a wide variety of activities. A community mediation service is now offered for Co Fermanagh. A "Safe Spaces" programme has been started for people who have been traumatised by the Troubles. Various visiting groups have been welcomed and involved in interacting locally. Contact: Enniskillen Together, 38A Darling street, Enniskillen BT74 7EW. Tel. 01365 - 327158.
	No Can Do! Comhlamh campaign Comhlamh Action Network is currently working to 'Stop Europe destroying South Africa's canned fruit trade!" because of tariffs and supports to the industry within the EU; South Africa's important and efficient growing and canning industries have been badly affected. Comhlamh is lobbying Joe Walsh, Minister for Agriculture and Food, and EU Commissioner Franz Fischler. Details; Comhlamh Action Network, 55 Grand Parade, Cork.	INNATE Date For Your Diary Saturday 6th March 1999 will see an INNATE seminar in Belfast looking back on the Troubles and looking forward from here. Further details later but put it in your diary now!

Nonviolent News is produced ten or eleven times a year by INNATE, an Irish Network for Nonviolent Action Training and Education,
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