International conference on non-violence

by: Mel Duncan

Worldwide: Nonviolent Peaceforce will be leading a series of workshops at the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict conference (GPPAC) between 19-21 July 2005, held at the United Nations, and are highlighting a forthcoming international conference on Non-violence that is to be held in Palestine in December 2005.

Some of the questions to be discussed at the UN conference will be: why wouldn't a gunman shoot civilians if unarmed civilian interveners are present? Can intervention protect the human rights of civilians committed to maintaining the non-violent nature of a conflict? Can early warning or early response mechanisms interface with unarmed civilian intervention to prevent or interrupt armed conflicts?

The workshop entitled "Civilian Deployment, Non-violent Civilian Peacekeeping, and Nonviolent Peaceforce" will feature presentations from their co-chair Claudia Samayoa and other organizations that are working with civilian deployment.

During the past year, Nonviolent Peaceforce IGC members, staff, and Member Organizations from all over the world have been active in the development of Regional Action Agendas for the prevention of armed conflict. Several will participate in the conference, which will focus on developing specific plans to implement the Global Action Agenda (as developed from the 15 Regional Agendas). They are one of just a few NGOs specifically referenced in the Global Action Agenda, which includes many recommendations supporting the Nonviolent Peaceforce mission and calls for concrete political, financial and structural mechanisms to support such work.

The international non-violence conference will be held December 27 to 30 2005. It will take place at Bethlehem University in Palestine. The conference will address four issues: firstly, theory and practice of non-violence; secondly, Palestinian non-violent Movements; thirdly, non-violence past, present and future; and finally, religion and non-violence. If you would like more information, please visit www.nonviolenceinternational.net.

Source: Nonviolent Peace Force