The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace – 2007-10-20 23:03:48
Calling for A Fresh Approach
These documents are based on the principles outlined in the Fresh Approach Principles. In particular, we call urgently for the non-violent resolution of the growing conflict involving China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States of America.
A FRESH APPROACH TO RESOLVING INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT
The International People’s Initiative for Departments of Peace calls urgently for the non-violent resolution of the growing conflict involving China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States of America.
As Earth’s climate warms up at an alarming rate, threatening widespread global devastation, humanity faces the biggest challenge to its survival in history. For our children, our children’s children and the planet, we must now avoid wasting our precious resources engaging in costly, destructive wars and instead employ well-tried, non-violent methods of resolving conflicts around the world. We can then focus our energy, creativity, wisdom, and prudence on providing for a sustainable, and thus safe and secure, future.
While recognising the efforts of all parties to resolve this dispute through negotiation, we are also aware that frustration at the lack of agreement can lead to increasing polarisation, harsh language and even the extreme violence of military action. As with past conflicts, this is likely to produce a similar result – war, chaos and suffering. It is therefore time for all of us – private citizens, civil society organisations, and governments – to call for a change in the manner in which conflict is dealt with so as to meet the fundamental needs of all humanity for security, mutual respect and justice.
The good news: non-violent conflict resolution is possible and already happening. Indeed, we have within the human family many men and women experienced in successfully facilitating the non-violent resolution of conflict within and between nations and states. We call on all governments involved to seek immediately their input and action.
We can all help bring about this change and we encourage everyone to take action now. Please talk with your friends, family and community members, and encourage everyone to call on political leaders to settle for nothing less than a non-violent resolution to this conflict.
Suggestions as to specific actions you can take are listed at www.peoplesinitiativefordepartmentsofpeace.org. It is time to create a world in which we all pursue the non-violent resolution of conflict. The stakes are too high for any other course of action.
• For further information, please contact info@peoplesinitiativefordepartmentsofpeace.org.
The International People’s Initiative is working towards the formation of ministries and departments of peace in all governments so that national ministers of peace may meet on a regular basis, especially during crises, with a mandate to seek and maintain an ongoing focus on reaching peace by peaceful means.
Act Now for a Nonviolence Resolution to Conflict
We can all help bring about a change for peace and nonviolent resolution of conflict, and we encourage everyone to take action now:
* Inform yourself about the issue * Sign a petition at http://www.negotiate-peace.org/ to support this call for nonviolent resolution in this situation * Contact political leaders * Talk with others and take other action steps for peace * Know who are the professionals in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in various countries around the world. For a starting list see Resources->Networking
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace welcomes the proposal by President Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran for “new solutions for getting out of international problems and the current fragile situation of the world” – the first letter from an Iranian head of state to an American president in 27 years. Read the STATEMENT ON THE LETTER OF PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD OF IRAN AND PROPOSALS FOR THE US, EU, RUSSIAN, CHINESE, AND IRANIAN GOVERNMENTS FOR THE RESOLUTION OF THE CURRENT SITUATION
Note: The documents were issued during the period when the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments for Peace was named International People’s Initiative for Departments of Peace. This does not impede their use. Responding to the growing distress with respect to the current situation in the Middle East, the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace calls for a Fresh Approach.
The Global Alliance’s Fresh Approach to International Conflict Resolution: Fresh Approach Principles
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace was launched at the First People’s Summit for Departments of Peace, held in London, October 18-19, 2005, with the intention of supporting national-level campaigns to establish ministries and departments of peace in governments throughout the world. The Second Summit was held in June 2006 in Victoria, Canada. See www.pidopeace.org.
In March 2006, the group issued a statement calling for a fresh approach to resolving international conflict, specifically in regards to the growing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and other countries. The Fresh Approach initiative grew out of the desire to demonstrate what is possible when ministers and secretaries of peace will work together to dialogue and utilize peacebuilding technologies in the resolution of conflict.
The March statement says in part: “While recognising the efforts of all parties to resolve this dispute through negotiation, we are also aware that frustration at the lack of agreement can lead to increasing polarisation, harsh language and even the extreme violence of military action. As with past conflicts, this is likely to produce a similar result – war, chaos and suffering. It is therefore time for all of us – private citizens, civil society organisations, and governments – to call for a change in the manner in which conflict is dealt with so as to meet the fundamental needs of all humanity for security, mutual respect and justice.” But, what kind of change would that be? The Fresh Approach can be defined by some basic principles of conflict transformation by peaceful means:
• Bottom-Up. Peacebuilding from below to develop a new architecture of peace based upon the aspirations of civil societies.
• Partnership. Civil society working in partnership with governments to reveal possibilities for dialogue and conflict transformation in a given situation – domestic as well as international.
• Inclusion. Engaging and empowering all stakeholders in a given conflict transformation.
• Listening. needs of all parties.
• Root Causes. Responding to the most fundamental human needs of sustenance, identity, security, and recognition.
• Creativity. Opening space for the emergence of various possible outcomes to a given conflict and their potential for transformation.
• Healing. Recognizing mutual healing as a key to conflict transformation.
• Modeling. In our attitudes, behaviours, life, and work, modeling the peace we seek in the world and taking responsibility for peaceful outcomes.
These principles draw heavily from the work of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy and TRANSCEND, whom we thank for their inspiration.
