The “TFF”

I just came across the site of the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research , and I’m glad I did.  This is a major resource.  For one thing you can see several videos (right on the home page) of some of the giants in the field of peace and world order studies (such as Richard Falk and Johan Galtung).

OK…the basics…

“TFF is an independent think tank, a global network and a website for peace by peaceful means. It inspires a passion for peace from the grassroots to the corridors of power.
TFF is an all-volunteer global network. It promotes conflict-mitigation and reconciliation in general and in selected conflict regions through meticulous on-the-ground research, active listening, education and advocacy.”

This is from the organization’s “Mission” page, and you really have to go there to read more, because there is too much for me to summarize.  They do a wide variety of things essential to peacebuilding and peace education; including, inter alia, on the ground conflict analysis and mitigation (something Galtung has been doing for decades through Transcend); a lot of research on important subjects (both conceptual and practical); and advocacy training, including working with the media.

As I said, there is a lot here.  One important thing to remember is their dedication to “peace by peaceful means” (whatever their other political agendas, which, as always I do not necessarily endorse), a principle derived from the commitment in the U.N. Charter for countries to deal with their problems through “peaceful means”.

Finally, check out the Director’s page–Dr. Oberg is another influential figure in peace studies and peace praxis–and the organizations Publications.

Conciliation Resources

Here is another (very) engaged organization working for peace and conflict resolution.  They describe themselves as an “…independent charity working to prevent violence, promote justice and transform conflict into opportunities for development. We give practical support to people and groups working in countries affected by armed conflict.”   The “Who We Are” page explains further:

“Conciliation Resources (CR) is an international non-governmental organization registered in the UK as a charity. We work mainly in the South Caucasus, Fjii, Uganda, Sudan and West Africa in partnership with local and international civil society organizations and governments. We also publish Accord: an international review of peace initiatives and are involved in projects in Colombia and the Philippines. Our funding is through grants from governments, independent trusts and foundations.”

..and their goals are:

*   support people working at local, national and international levels to develop effective solutions to social, economic and political problems related to violent conflicts
* provide opportunities for inclusive dialogue and improved relationships within communities and across conflict divides at all social and political levels
* influence governments and other decision makers to employ conflict transformation policies that promote alternatives to violence
* improve peacemaking practice and policies by promoting learning from peace processes around the world
* challenge stereotypes and increase public awareness of human rights, conflict and peace issues in divided societies

The site is information-rich, and you will probably be impressed, as I was, with the scope of their activities.  They also publish a very nice journal (which I have used in the past) called Accord (which you can download, btw).

What more can I add…this is good stuff!

Civil Society

I am trained as a political scientist (I guess it shows from time to time ), and I try not to be too pedantic in my postings here.  However, there are some ideas from academia that are useful (really!) .  One is civil society .   The Wikster’s definition is not bad:  “Civil society refers to the arena of uncoerced collective action around shared interests, purposes and values.”  As that article goes on to point out:

“In theory, its institutional forms are distinct from those of the state, family and market, though in practice, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market are often complex, blurred and negotiated. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. Civil societies are often populated by organizations such as registered charities, development non-governmental organizations, community groups, women’s organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy groups.”

The argument is often made that the stability of real democracy depends on a certain separation and independence of civil society from the institutions of the state.  Otherwise, there may be a tendency for democracy to slide into authoritarianism (at least from time to time).  Thailand is sometimes mentioned as an example of the latter trend, though I do not know enough about that country to say whether I think this is a fair assessment.

The importance of civil society for peace, and particularly for peace agreements, is clear.  As explained on the Kroc Institute web site:

“Many peace processes involve only the main warring parties. Yet research suggests that peace is more likely to prevail when the peace process is open to a broad spectrum of civil society actors, including political parties, religious groups, and women’s groups.”

This seems very reasonable, if you think about it.  Longer term peace depends on a “culture of peace”, and from where does this culture of peace emerge and find a home?  Seems to me it has to permeate civil society if it is to take root.

On the U.N.A

In a post last October I put in a link to the United Nations Association of the U.S.A.  However, it occurs to me that a word should be said about UNAs in general.  In fact, if you were to Google “United Nations Association” (as I did) you will find that there are many of these:  some at the country level, some at the city level (such as the UNA of Seattle or Boston).  I also learned there was a “World Federation of United Nations Associations“.  This site’s “Who we are” page explains:

“We are a peoples’ movement in support of the United Nations.

Inspired by the opening words of the United Nations Charter “We the Peoples”, the World Federation was created in 1946 – one year after the establishment of the UN.

Today, we have become a global network of hundreds of thousands of people linked together through United Nations Associations in over 100 member states of the UN.    Our networks enable people to connect with each other on critical global issues affecting us all, from peace and human rights to the spread of democracy, equitable development, and international justice.”

Among their main activities are:

“WFUNA offers you insights into what the UN is and how it works, as well as a channel through which you can join with people to become engaged in the critical global issues affecting us all.

WFUNA links people around the world to the UN by:

Seeking to ensure that the UN is relevant to the lives of the peoples it exists to serve.

Campaigning in support of the UN particularly through our current priorities: the Millennium Development Goals, climate change,  human rights, peace and conflict resolution, and bridging the digital divide.

Educating for global citizenship through our research and publications, educational resources and organizing Model UN events.

Partnering and building alliances with other organizations whose objectives include support for the UN and its development.”

The site has lots of information about the WFUNA, and about UNAs in general.

This is an important network, or some might say a TAN: Transnational Action Network.  If there is one thing the U.N. needs it is better public information.  Maybe we can overcome the ignorance and suspicion that surrounds the organization and help people better appreciate that it exists to save future generations from the scourge of war (who can be against that, after all)

NOTE:  IGBarb says check out the “UNA of the Month” on the WFUNA site!

Parliament of the World’s Religions

Craig Selizer at The Peace and Collaborative Development Network brought this to my attention.  The next Parliament of the World’s Religions will be held next December in Melbourne, Australia.  The Parliament’s organizer, The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, is one of the major actors in trying to foster inter-religious understanding, peace and cooperation–and the Parliament itself is probably the world’s largest inter-religious gathering.  This movement goes all the way back to the 19th century (Here is an historical overview of their activities) !

Here is the Council’s “vision”

“The vision of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions is of a just, peaceful and sustainable world in which:

* Religious and spiritual communities live in harmony and contribute to a better world from their riches of wisdom and compassion
* Religious and cultural fears and hatreds are replaced with understanding and respect
* People everywhere come to know and care for their neighbors
* The richness of human and religious diversity is woven into the fabric of communal, civil, societal and global life
* The world’s most powerful and influential institutions move beyond narrow self-interest to realize common good
* The Earth and all life are cherished, protected, healed and restored
* All people commit to living out their highest values and aspirations.”

You can learn a lot about the Melbourne Parliament here .

The importance of a movement like this is obvious.  Religion has to be part of the solution in regard to peace and world order, and not part of the problem.

Thoughts on profit sharing

The general strike where I live is basically over (some companies are still dragging their feet on signing the final agreement).  However, it went on for something like 44 days and had a big impact on life here.  While most feel the strike was justified, there was a lot of disruption, hard feelings and probably lasting negative effects.  This got me thinking about what the underlying dynamics are in a situation like this.

One of the most obvious is the “us and them” effect: in this case the conflict and opposition between “capital” and “labor”, “owners” and “workers”.  The leftist tradition argues that this is inevitable, however, I don’t think this is the case.  It seems to me there are ways to overcome this division.  Consider for instance, the idea of profit sharing.

“Profit sharing refers to the process whereby companies distribute a portion of their profits to their employees. Profit-sharing plans are well established in American business. The annual U.S. Chamber of Commerce Employee Benefits Survey indicates that somewhere between 19 and 23 percent of U.S. companies have offered some form of profit sharing since 1963. Other estimates place the number of companies offering profit-sharing plans in the 1990s somewhere between one-fourth and one-third of all U.S. firms. For small businesses, profit sharing provides an important means of increasing employee loyalty and tying employee compensation to company performance. Profit sharing is a particularly attractive option for newer small businesses with uncertain profit levels, as it allows business owners to share the wealth during good times without obligating them to do so during lean years.”

While this is, no doubt, a fairly complex and technical subject, the basic point is clear:  if workers become part owners, then the “divide” between them and owners is no longer so clear, and the motivation of workers changes since they are no longer just working for wages, but for the overall progress of the firm.

Of course, the longer term solution is for everybody concerned to see only “us” in a given firm, and for the organizations of both workers and owners (and the government) to see only “us” in the economy; but that depends on all involved feeling they are being treated fairly, and that in turns depends on those with power eschewing short term profits over longer term profitablity.  So, once again, it comes down to values (doesn’t it always).

The U.N. D.P.A.

I was looking around the U.N. website (always a good place to learn something interesting), and I clicked on the Peace & Security link near the top of the home page.  The Peace and Seucrity page has links to many important aspects of the U.N.’s work, but I was particularly attracted to the link Peacemaking and Preventive Action , which, in fact brings you to the page of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA).

The site explains the raison d’etre of the DPA as follows:

“Through peacemaking, preventive diplomacy and a host of other means, the United Nations works to prevent and resolve deadly conflict around the globe and to promote lasting peace in societies emerging from wars.

The Department of Political Affairs plays a central role in these efforts: monitoring and assessing global political developments; advising the U.N. Secretary-General on actions that could advance the cause of peace; providing support and guidance to U.N. peace envoys and political missions in the field; and serving Member States directly through electoral assistance and through the support of DPA staff to the work of the Security Council and other U.N. bodies.

In carrying out these and other core functions, DPA contributes to U.N. efforts worldwide that span the spectrum from conflict prevention to peacemaking to post-conflict peace building.”

IMHO, this is a very important element in promoting peace internationally.  In a sense, this is where the “smart money” is in regard to peacebuilding.  A “fireman” approach to conflict resolution–putting out fires that break out–is not enough, since we know that violence breeds violence, and that as long as the underlying issues are not resolved, conflict comes back, again and again, in various forms.  So, it stands to reason that you need to be proactive, to monitor indicators of potential violence (like human rights violations) and to try to intervene before a situation becomes critical.

G-20, the continuing story

I’ve written a couple of times about the impact of the economic crisis on global governance, and specifically about what might or might not happen among the so-called G-20 countries when they meet next month.  Well, we are on the final countdown toward the summit, and it is clear that there are forces pulling in all sorts of directions–both positive and negative.  I just came across this story from the New York Times.

On the one hand the finance ministers who just had their preparatory meeting for the Summit “…committed to take “whatever action is necessary” to revive consumer demand and regulate global markets.”

Also they:

“…did agree on Saturday to commit more money to help developing countries and the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, where the downturn has spilled into street protests. They also pledged to step up efforts to revive bank lending and regulate hedge funds.”

but, on the other hand:

“…the vagueness of the commitment meant that it will be up to President Obama — and the leaders of China, Russia and European nations, among others — to convince the markets that they have a coordinated strategy as they prepare to meet in London on April 2.”

I would encourage you to read the whole article, since it succinctly explains the “push me/pull you” nature of all efforts by so many diverse countries to come to an adequate collective response.  Again, the challenges, vested interests and inertia should not be underestimated.

The article also mentions that President Obama is taking into consideration the national security concerns associated with the crisis.

The plot thickens!

A bit of Jackson Browne

I thought I would share the lyrics of one of my very, very favorite Jackson Browne songs (hope he needs no introduction, but if you don’t know this singer songwriter click here ).  The track is called “Lawless Avenues”.

Papa hit him, mama kissed him
Made him go to catechism
With the sisters in their black and white
And all the time those city streets
Were teaching him another kind of wisdom
When to run and when to fight
Up at the playground after school
Listening to tales of the prison system
And those lawless avenues

Down on a half darkened street
A child’s footsteps repeat
And something there turns them
Down those lawless avenues

Silent joe went down so bad
He was the strongest fighter the avenues had
Stabbed in the chest–he went down swinging
Someone from some other part of town
No one even seen it coming down
And you dont hear no church bells ringing
And in the violent night the police light
Sweeps across the lots and the yards
Following those lawless avenues

Down on a half darkened street
Armies advance and retreat
And struggle to take control
From those lawless avenues

Manuelito’s sister Rosa
Ran away with a surfer from Hermosa
Manuelito, cuida a Rosa,
Hay mira como estan las cosas!
(Manuelito take care of rosa
–look at how things are)

But who could blame her after she saw
Every boy die who could have gotten close to her
Rosa es joven y solo quiere
Ver la belleza del mundo
(Rosa is young and only wants
To see the beauty of the world)

Manuel said–
You gotta fight for what you want in this life
Just before they shipped him overseas to nam
Otra guerra sin razon
Otra guerra sin fin, sin honor
(another war without reason,
Another war without end, without honor)

And she was fighting to understand
When they shipped Manuelito’s body home
All she heard was one more shot
Echoing down lawless avenues

Hoy amigo, tal igual como ayer,
La lucha en el barrio no cambia
Nuestros hijos son los que han de crecer
Por ley de la calle, viviendo entre abrazos
Y chingazos
(today my friend, just like yesterday,
The struggle in the barrio doesnt change.
Our children are the ones to grow up
By the law of the street
Living between hugs and blows)

Down on a half darkened street
Fathers and sons lives repeat
And something there turns them
Down those lawless avenues

En el calor de la calle
(in the heat of the street)
Buscan valor en la calle
(looking for valor in the street)
Hasta final de la calle
(till the end of the street)

There is so much in this text (and you have to hear the track to get the full impact, of course).  What always strikes me is the link between domestic (in both senses of the word) violence (both direct and structural) and international violence (“Papa hit him…” ,”Armies advance and retreat  And struggle to take control From those lawless avenues”); how in the end it is all just more violence (“All she heard was one more shot”, “Otra guerra sin razon Otra guerra sin fin, sin honor”); and that it is always the children and youth who suffer most (“Nuestros hijos son los que han de crecer Por ley de la calle, viviendo entre abrazos Y chingazos”).  I also really like the clever reference to “the sisters in the their black and white”–in case anybody doesn’t get this, a “black and white” is another term for a police car.

There is much more here.

Quilts for Peace

I received two comments recently which, among other things, informed me about making quilts for peace.  I Googled a bit, and came across the “Boise Peace Quilt Project” (please let me know about others).  The thinking behind the project is summarized like this:

“Ours could be described as the most problematic era in human history. It also offers unprecedented opportunities for creative change.

Horrific weapons, grinding poverty, overpopulation and environmental degradation threaten our children’s future. As the tide of awareness and concern rises in ordinary people like ourselves, we realize that we must act.

We stitched our first Peace Quilt in 1981. A “friendship quilt” for people of the former Soviet Union, it linked people of rival nations–affirming our common humanity and taking a tangible step toward understanding and cooperation.

Since then we have presented dozens of quilts to people who have made remarkable contributions to peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.”

As the site explains further:

“Some of our quilts transform “enemies” into friends; some honor people who are blazing trails to a better future for our global family; some of our quilts focus attention on social issues of vital concern.”

Here are a few links to images of some of the quilts the project has produced so far:

Hiroshima Peace Quilt: May, 1983

Worldwatch/Lester Brown Peace Quilt: December, 1993

National Peace Quilt November, 1984

…and many more.

It is not clear from the site if the project is ongoing, but if it isn’t, somebody should start it up again.

This is a great initiative:  really linking the “local” and the “global” in pursuit of peace.  I think it would be wonderful to snuggle under a peace quilt on a cold night and, as one drifted off to sleep, think about the work of those dedicated to this noble cause.