Region

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has renewed calls for an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip and all settlement building on the West Bank. Speaking in Ramallah on last Saturday, Ban Ki – moon said every Israeli settlement is illegal.
The next day, Ban visited the Gaza Strip, where he said the US-backed Israeli blockade has caused “unacceptable suffering.”

Global warming, global economic crisis, US-Japan alliance, nuclear proliferation, poverty – the 21st century world is now facing multiple crises requiring global solutions. With the election of a new government and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference, Japan now has the opportunity to become a world leader in dealing with the challenges of a changing world.

“The forthcoming Football World Cup in South Africa provides an opportunity both to take a fresh look at the issue of racism in sport, and to enhance sport’s tremendous potential to undermine racism, xenophobia and similar forms of intolerance in wider society”, declared Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Agriculture, rural development, reforestation key to greener, more productive future.
A significant increase in national food production, rural employment and reforestation are the keys to a greener, more productive Haiti, said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf during a four-day visit to the country to launch with the government the critical spring planting season.

Interesting relationships are developing among the residents of different Chilean cities and neighbourhoods only days after the earthquake that left many families unable to return to their homes. Squares have been turned into camping sites where people can cook together, take a bath and lead a community life that did not exist before.

On March 6, mass gatherings were held at the world’s Parks of Study and Reflection. This unprecedented new initiative hopes to contribute to the evolution of the human process. Twenty parks located in America, Europe, Asia and Africa have become the sacred places where thousands of people gathered to begin their practices for accessing the Profound.

“We work here! We live here! We’re staying here!” This film and its accompanying manifesto are calling out for the regularization of all “undocumented” workers in France. A true film featuring brave immigrants and made by filmmakers respectful of their words. A joint revolt against a type of legalised inhumanity … with papers!!

India and Pakistan are holding peace talks today for the first time since the Mumbai attacks of 2008. The Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers are meeting in the Indian capital of New Delhi. India has accused Pakistan of failing to confront militants responsible for attacks inside India territory, while both sides remain divided over competing claims to Kashmir.

In my country the state is ruled by those who have fallen into the traps of delusion and mediocrity, in a world that has reduced human rights into gruesome figures and statistics of politics and economy. The very sacredness of life and liberty has become an elusive and quite expensive concern. Human rights has become a privilege for a few at the expense of a broad humanity.

We often in the peace movement are in a reactive mode. But in order to successfully achieve our goals of ending war we have to flip the switch and become more proactive and force those in power to be reacting to us. Unless we begin to have a strategic discussion within the peace community then this will not likely happen.