Vancouver leads quest for peace
A report of the World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada, 23-28th of June, 2006
Vijay Mehta
In one of the largest peace gatherings over three thousand international delegates from 97 countries attended the World Peace Forum in the beautiful, green and clean city of Vancouver.
Vancouver has a history of peace making which dates from citizen actions in the 1950s and 1960s. A group of Vancouver citizens launched a boat to sail into nuclear weapons test zone in Alaska, a campaign that led to the closing of the test sight and the founding of Greenpeace, still active throughout the world.
The theme of the conference was “Cities and Communities: Working Together to End War, and Build a Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World”. The week long activities were held at the University of British Columbia.
The opening ceremonies took place at the Orpheum theatre. It included welcome songs and prayer including friends for peace choir. The keynote speakers at the opening were Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo, Mayor Sam Sullivan, Sing Australia Choir, President of Association of International Peace Cities: Alfred Marder, Chief Ed John, Mary Wynn Ashford, Dr. Salam, Peace Band, Su Zhiliang, Vancouver Chinese Choir Association, Charm Tong, Ellen Woodsworth.
The speakers in the plenary voiced anger on the invasion and conduct of illegal war on Iraq, confrontation with Iran, ugly aggression and barbaric acts of Israel against Palestine, US led hegemony and imperialism around the world.
At
the Opening Plenary of the World Peace Forum, topics included abolition of
nuclear weapons, social and environmental impacts of militarism. The speakers
included: American mayors who spoke against the ever increasing U.S. military
budget. Other speakers from around the world included mayors from other cities,
Christopher Weeramantry of Sri Lanka, Jennifer Hosterman of Pleasanton CA, and
Winstanley Johnson of Freetown Sierre Leone.
"I fear that my country, the United States of America, is failing to affect real
leadership," said Hosterman, who drew several rounds of applause when she
referred to the responsibility of mayors around the world to take action on
national and international issues that affect their communities.
The World Peace Forum provided a venue through which organizations, like Mayors for Peace and the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, coordinated and synchronized their efforts to combat world issues that impact all of our communities.
A large number of plenaries, seminars, and workshops were taking place simultaneously every day on themes of nuclear weapons, militarism, disarmament, United Nations reforms, peace education, abolition of war, migration and gender perspectives.
Among some of the well-known speakers who took part in various sessions were Hans Blix former UN weapons inspector, Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima - Japan, Former Vice President of World Court – Christopher Weeramantry Sri Lanka, Cora Weiss, President of International Peace Bureau from New York, Dennis Kucinich, US Congressman, Doug Roche- Chair, Middle Power Initiative, Vijay Mehta- President of VM Centre for Peace from the UK, and Jim Addington, Chair of Action for UN Renewal from UK.
More than 10,000 people lined the streets of downtown Vancouver on Saturday as activists from the World Peace Forum marched, chanting messages of peace and calling for an end to global conflict.
"What's happening is the corporate dollar is trying to take over from peace and natural law and that's a huge part of what is interfering with that [the peace] process," said Beverley Jacobs, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada.
Cindy Sheehan brought the crowd’s attention to the widely unpopular war in Iraq in which her son Casey Sheehan was killed. “We not only have to end this occupation in Iraq. We have to make sure it never happens again.” She said.
Two prominent American activists attending the World Peace Forum called on national governments Sunday to create departments of peace, which could promote peace initiatives at home and abroad.
“I think it’s inevitable that there’s going to be departments of peace and non-violence, and not only in the U.S.,” said Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat Congressman from Ohio.
Supporters of the concept say that peace departments would promote the values of peace just as environment departments – relatively new agencies – protect the environment.
Meanwhile, at the World Peace Forum Canadian Labour Congress President Ken Georgetti attacked the conservative government’s plan to spend $13 billion on new military hardware.
The panel on UN reforms discussed how to strengthen the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security. It examined the progress of the September 2005 UN Summit of World Leaders and report back on commitments made and actions taken to date. Some additional UN reforms, not adequately addressed through the World Summit process like Security Council reforms, abolition of veto, and enhancing the role of General Assembly were also discussed. The presenters of the panel were a) “UN Institutional Reform”. How can we make the Security Council more representative and work towards abolishing the veto? Presenter: Vijay Mehta (www.vmpeace.org) b) “The UN, Justice and the Rule of Law” Presenter: Jim Addington c) “New UN Human Rights Council and “Responsibility to Protect” Presenter: Hon. Warren Allmand d) “Peace building Commission” Presenter: Bill Pace e) “UN Peacekeeping as well as the proposal for a UN Emergency Peace Service” Presenter: Peter Langille.
Vijay Mehta gave talks on a) UN reforms, b) The Danger of Arms Trade in the Global Economy and Building Civil Society, and c) Ending War and Building a Just, Peaceful and Sustainable World. He gave a TV interview to Think Peace Documentary.
Among other topics discussed were: Indigenous and Aboriginal values/ culture of peace, Racism and casteism, Peace army of Costa Rica, Peace music, dances and mural arts, healing from war, interfaith dialogue, nuclear abolition, Africa peace day, Asia regional conference, Peace walk and festival, Peace culture at the arts and recreation centre, Choral and Film festival.
There was so much going on from Latin America Plenary to Healing our Planet that people who are hyperactive were finding it difficult to cope. A great networking opportunity with peace organisations from Canada, US, Latin America and other countries around the world to inform, inspire and involve upholding the great tradition of culture of peace.
Vijay Mehta is an author, peace and development activist. His
latest book, The United Nations and Its Future in the 21st Century, discuss
ideas about the UN’s central role in contributing to international peace and
security. He is president of VM Centre for Peace and Chair of Arms Reduction
Coalition, and World Disarmament Campaign. He is also a founder member of the
New School of Athens. He is a member of the National Council of Campaign for
Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
The full version of the report can be
downloaded from:
Additional reporting of:
Some Comments from other participants
of the World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada
By Ivan Bulic
Close to 10,000
Vancouverites marched under a scorching summer sun to mark the opening of the
2006 World Peace Forum.
The steady stream of marchers carrying signs and banners from peace and church
groups, community organizations, labour unions and professional associations
wound their way through the streets of downtown Vancouver to the sound of bands,
cheers, songs and even a troop of Brazilian samba dancers.
By Patrick Checknita
"A rallying point for
all government" is how Johnathan Dean, member of Global Action to Prevent War
Coalition, described the Dr Hans Blix's new report "Weapons of Terror: Freeing
the world of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Arms."
The major recommendations of the report were discussed at a World Peace Forum
seminar sponsored by the Simons Foundation at SFU's Wosk Centre. Dr Hans Blix,
Chair of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC), gave a brief over
view of the 60 recommendations in his report. Thirty of the recommendations deal
specifically with nuclear weapons. The rest with chemical, biological and space
weapons.
By Marco Procaccini
If you want peace, then stand up for social justice, human rights and
sustainable prosperous economies. That was the general conclusion of World Peace
Forum session at the University of BC.
Entitled Toward a World with Peace and Justice: Where do we go from here, the
session featured a seven-member international panel and an inclusive audience
participation strategy plenary.
Ed Garcia, veteran human rights activist from the Philippines, set the tone for
the three-hour forum outlining his experiences around the globe showing that the
campaign for peace can't be effective unless it is tied to struggles for freedom
and social justice, ecological heath and prosperous democratic economies.
By Tine Cruickshank
The World Peace Forum is about more than just ending wars. It's also about ending racism and ending the violence in our communities. The biggest problem has been that the Peace Forum isn't long enough. Activists from around the world are wishing for more time to meet with each other and discuss the similar issues that affect their communities. One such activist is Florence Naziel, a B.C. Wet'suwet'en elder, who organized the Highway of Tears Awareness Walk last March.
By Kitty Cresswell-Riol
Canada's involvement in Afghanistan is a paramount issue so it's no surprise
the discussion about the war and Canada's involvement at the World Peace Forum
soon developed into an energetic and lengthy debate.
A panel including Steven Staples from Polaris Institute, Alexa McDonough, NDP MP
for Halifax, and Michael Byers, academic director of the Lui Institute at UBC
directed the discussion.
By Kristen Thompson
"It's in sharing a dream that you keep it."
Those were the words of Mona Polacca, a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribe and one of a handful of women who spoke as part of the World Peace Forum.
Polacca, a Hopi elder who has worked on Native American alcoholism, domestic violence and mental health-related issues and is working on her PhD at the Interdisciplinary Justice Studies department of Arizona State University, was at Peace Forum on behalf of The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, a group of women, representing indigenous cultures from around the world, who are concerned with the destruction of the earth and indigenous ways of life.
Delegates at past conventions of the Canadian Labour Congress have adopted policy statements and resolutions repeatedly reaffirming the conviction that Peace is an integral part of the labour movement's ongoing struggle for social and economic justice.
Reflecting the fundamental values of Canadian working people and Canadians in general, we have clearly established our repugnance for all acts of terrorism and aggression. At the same time, we have consistently maintained that our efforts towards establishing sustainable peace everywhere must take place within the broad multilateral framework of the United Nations.
By Jane Turner
Over three days at the World Peace Forum at UBC, teachers, students and peace
activists had a heady assortment of plenary sessions and workshops to choose
from as they engaged in the challenge of learning how to educate a generation to
create a culture of peace. While one could provide a litany of descriptions
outlining the amazing array of workshops, international presenters and delegates
from various walks of life, I will tell one story that moved an audience of 200
to tears. I choose to relate this story because it sums up why so many of us
would opt to spend three glorious summer days cooped up in classrooms at UBC
learning about and discussing the nuances of peace education.
By Tine Cruickshank
A noon hour rally filled the small UBC classroom, in which the War Resisters Plenary of the World Peace Forum began. A panel of eager veterans and their allies discussed common issues. The sixth and youngest to speak, 22 year-old Kyle Snyder, said that while serving in Iraq, he didn't believe he would live to see his next birthday.
By Annabelle Lucero
"Spending $15 billion on Canada's military rather than funding programs that promote human security,sustainable development, regional democracy and disarmament will only increase hostility in war torn nations, " said Murray Thomson, a delegate to the Vancouver World Peace Forum and former Driector of Peacefund Canada. Thomson was speaking on the Bill Good Show on CKNW 980 Radio where he was debating military spending with McGill University's Desmond Morton.
By Patrick Checknita
The World Peace Forum Film Festival hosted the world premiere of "Greenpeace: Making a Stand." The festival delivered 15 films that examine the impact of war and the struggle for peace from seven countries. Topics were as varied as the filmmakers who produced them, each one inviting the viewers to re-evaluate what they know about war and peace.
By Kitty
Cresswell-Riol
In a session of the
International Peace Education Conference at the World Peace Forum, Nurit
Peled-Elhanan warned of racism embedded within educational textbooks distributed
in Israeli schools.
Nurit, an Israeli lecturer in language and education at Hebrew University, was
awarded the 2001 Sakharov Prize for Human Rights by the European Parliament.
But foremost, she is a mother of a 13-year-old daughter killed by a Palestinian
suicide bomber. She has also become an outspoken peace activist and member of
the Families Forum, a group committed to stopping the war in the Middle East.
Nurit sees education as the channel through which a culture of peace can be
created.
By Derrick O'Keefe
A noon hour rally in support of a new high profile US war resister drew over 50 delegates to the World Peace Forum. The rally, organized by Code Pink and the local chapter of the Canadian War Resisters Support Campaign, was held in conjunction with rallies in over 30 cities where supporteers turned out to back Lt. Ehren Watada refusal last Thursday to ship out with his unit from Fort Lewis, WA.
Watada explained his opposition to the Iraq war saying "the wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited accountability is not only a terrible injustice, but a contradiction to the Army's own Law of Land Warfare. My participation would make me a party to war crimes.
By Derrick O'Keefe
Close to 500 people packed an emotional forum on the Middle East at the World Peace Forum. Organized by the Middle East Working Group of the WPF, the event at St Andrew's-Wesley featured Palestinian activist Myriam Rashid, Israeli educator Nurit Peled-Elhanan, and Cindy Corrie, mother of US activist Rachel Corrie, who was crushed by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza in 2003.
Rashid spoke about living in the occupied territories, and the daily brutality and abuses suffered by the civilian population. She described a worsening human rights situation for the Palestinian people, including arbitrary arrests, curfews, shootings, and torture.
By Robyn Stubbs,
Get out of Guantanamo
Bay, and every other military base on international soil. That was the message
to U.S. President George W. Bush sent by Cuban delegates speaking at the World
Peace Forum in Vancouver.
"The Bush administration is a totally outlaw government ... and takes no
consideration of the world opinion, or the opinion of the American nation," said
Alfredo Alvarez, president of the Cuban Movement for Peace, which also marked
the UN's Torture Victim Recognition Day.
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By Tine Cruickshank
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By Tine Cruickshank
"Wouldn't it be great to turn the 2010 Olympic Games into sport for peace?
"Silken Laumann asks. Three time Olympic medalist in women's rowing, Laumann
arrived at the World Peace Forum today to talk to school children about her
global work for kids, sports, and peace. Within the context of the Olympics, the
connection between sports and peace is obvious, or is it? "I don't think that
the Olympics as an entity does that enough," says Laumann, while asking the
children to imagine what it would be like if all famous athletes used their fame
to speak about the work that they can do for children in impoverished and
war-torn countries.
By Tine Cruickshank