Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 30. Juni 2004 / Time Line June 30, 2004
Version 3.006/30/2004
World Peace Forum Call for ProposalsWorld Peace Forum
2006
Vancouver, Canada
Bulletin #1, June 30, 2004
Call for Proposals
You've heard of the World Social Forum?
How about a World Peace Forum? In Vancouver in 2006!
For the past year, peace and justice activists in Vancouver have
been organizing and lobbying for a World Peace Forum to be held in
Vancouver. This proposal has gained widespread support. In May,
Vancouver City Council formally endorsed the idea that a World
Peace Forum be held in Vancouver in June 2006. City council has
asked for a concrete proposal to be presented by November this
year.
We are now looking for community input (local/global) to develop a
vision and program for the World Peace Forum. If you are interested
in making World Peace Forum 2006 a reality, here's what you can
do:
- Read this leaflet carefully-for further background information
download the City Peace and Justice discussion paper available
at
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/committees/peacejustice/
- Discuss the idea of World Peace Forum 2006 with your network or
community group
- Pass a motion endorsing the World Peace Forum and send it to
us
- If you or your affinity group have an idea or project that you
would like to work on as part of the World Peace Forum, write up an
initial proposal (to the extent possible include project goal,
activities, sponsors, budget, site size necessary, and so forth)
and send it to us as soon as possible (first deadline--September
30, 2004). The World Peace Forum will at a minimum provide
infrastructure support (site, promotion).
Background
Why a world peace forum? Global militarism threatens our planet. A
world-wide peace movement re-emerged in opposition to the invasion
of Iraq. The movement is diverse, encompassing the more senior
anti-nuclear movement on the one hand, the newer anti-war movement
on the other, and a host of others. City governments also played an
important role in this renewal and city peace networks exist in
many countries. There are important regional dynamics, both in
terms of peace movements, and in terms of the impact of militarism.
Today, the Middle East is the focus, tomorrow it may be East or
South Asia. A World Peace Forum and, just as importantly the
process leading up to that forum, will have as its goal to help
consolidate the capacity necessary for communication, coordination
and action on a global scale to stop war and end global militarism.
Local governments and social movements working together could
create the critical mass to turn the dream of a world of peace and
justice into a reality.
Why in Vancouver? Vancouver City Council has become active again in
the anti-war movement. It formally opposed the invasion of Iraq,
re-established a peace and justice committee, and is working with
other cities to stop the weaponization of space. It is also
participating in the World Conference of Mayors for Peace emergency
campaign to abolish nuclear weapons (2020 Vision). The anti-war
movement in Vancouver has a long history and has gained new vigour
through the efforts of StopWar.ca and others. Social justice
advocates are active everywhere and the progressive arts and
cultural life is dynamic. And Vancouver is one of the most
cosmopolitan cities on earth with the capacity to help build the
bridges to make a World Peace Forum a reality.
When would it take place? In June 2006. This will give us the time
necessary to organize. We hope to dovetail our work with the World
Urban Forum, which will also be held in Vancouver that month.
What will the World Peace Forum look like? One overarching theme of
this World Peace Forum is the global implications of the invasion
and occupation of Iraq. Another is that local governments and
social action groups can work together to defeat global militarism
and build a world of peace and justice. The World Peace Forum will
be broad in scope, an umbrella under which dialogues for action can
constructively take place. It will allow city representatives,
indigenous peoples, faith groups, women, youth, labour, gays and
lesbians, peoples of colour, seniors, professionals and others to
come together, network and demonstrate to the world the thirst for
peace and justice. It will allow for a major arts and cultural
component, and maximize citizen involvement from the start. It will
be an international event guided in its key decisions through an
ongoing dialogue among the key stakeholders, locally, pan-Canadian
and internationally. It will be multi-layered, including diverse
sessions: research and analysis; delegated meetings for peace
movements; a cities session; women's and anti-racist sessions;
varied workshops and activities (bicycling for peace?), specific
times allotted to regional peace calls (Americas, Middle East,
Asia, Africa, etc), major cultural events, space for
self-organizing, as well as a final day of activities including a
major event that would bring together peace activists at the forum
with the citizens of greater Vancouver, including Victoria. Many of
these events could be simulcast over the Web or shared by other
electronic means.
Who would be invited? Everyone! Based on past experiences, the main
participants will probably be local folk, peace-loving people from
the Americas including the U.S., and a good number of international
participants. In order to ensure a global perspective, special
efforts to provide representative meetings will be essential and we
will work to ensure peace activists from the South (including
developing countries and indigenous peoples) can afford to come.
Those that can't come should be given the chance to participate
from afar via the Web.
Who's organizing the forum?: Two groups are currently leading this
initiative--Vancouver City's Peace and Justice Committee,
and a recently-formed World Peace Forum Society, a group of
individual peace and justice activists who are dedicated to making
this dream a reality. They will be sponsoring a preparatory meeting
of the World Peace Forum on November 26/27 in Vancouver.
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