Culture of Peace at Unesco

The preceding analysis suggests a long-term strategy for the culture of peace at UNESCO which extends beyond the previous concentration on national culture of peace programmes and initiatives elaborated with the member states. This strategy would put an equal emphasis on initiatives with non-governmental organizations and other inter-governmental organizations including those of the United Nations System.

The formulation of the culture of peace at UNESCO needs to be sufficiently broad to include all of the ends and means appropriate to the full range of non-governmental organizations working for social change, including movements for peace, women's equality and social justice. This can be done by a variety of ways, including networking by newsletters and Internet, special meetings with relevant NGO's, and follow-up with the non-governmental organizations that took part in UN summits such as the environmental groups at the Rio summit and the women's organizations at the Beijing summit.

Although the fruits may not be evident for some time, the groundwork should be laid now for culture of peace initiatives not only by UNESCO, but also by the rest of the United Nations System and other inter-governmental organizations. The decision of the UN General Assembly to request from UNESCO a report, draft declaration and draft plan of action for the culture of peace for the fall of 1997 is an important opportunity in this regard. Also, there are important opportunities for collaboration with OECD, OAU and other inter-governmental organizations.

[Note added later: it was on 17 May 1997 at Puebla, Mexico, that the proposal for the International Year for the Culture of Peace was put forward by Latin American newspaper publishers and editors, and in July, proposed by UNESCO and accepted by ECOSOC. A new era was beginning for the culture of peace.]

THE DAWNING OF PEACE

Peace is a chariot of fire.
It runs in teams
      across the troubled sky.
It gathers the youth of the world
      into a force of change.
Its heros fall only to rise again
      in the arms of others,
      holding high the torch of non-violence.
This is no lonely flight of Icarus
      into the rising sun,
      no risk of falling into the sea
      of headstrong error.
For those who would drive the team of peace
      must link arms on either side,
      harness their anger against injustice
      conquer the fears of centuries.
Those who would run the course of fire
      must run in waves
      that shift their lands
      from strife to shared endeavor.
Those who would follow in steps of heros
      must heed clearly
      the voice of the people
      and shape their dreams into visions.
For this is no journey of turning back,
      no force that can be denied.
A culture of peace is dawning
      and all will be changed in its light.

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