“Global Alliance” Midday Workshop at United Nations NGO/DPI Conference in NY
 
Thursday September 6, 2007
 
Peace ON Earth Must Also Be, Peace WITH Earth


The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace was recently featured at the United Nations within the NGO community during this year’s 60th annual DPI/NGO Conference held in New York from September 5-7, 2007.  The historic and timely conference theme was “Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All.”  Several members of the U.S. delegation, along with a youth delegate from Ghana (left picture: Marianne Perez, Dot Maver, Nina Meyerhof and Sammy Jacobs Abbey) presented a “standing room only” Midday Workshop to an enthusiastic audience.  It was entitled: A Solution to the Challenge of Climate Change: Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace.  
 
The Midday Workshops are an integral, enhancing part of the conference where individual NGO’s have the opportunity to share their work on related topics and in the case of this year’s theme, offer solutions.  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon made history earlier this year by stating climate change has implications for peace and security.  He said governments must provide collaborative responses for global prevention.  Because a country’s Secretary or Minister of Peace could offer strategies for non-violent resolution of security-related conflicts arising from environmental concerns (like scarcity of natural resources or global warming), this was a perfect opportunity for the Global Alliance to present a workshop at the United Nations about our exciting, rapidly evolving global movement to create infrastructure for peace.   

 
The workshop was created by Anne Creter, MSW, LSW who, because of various NGO affiliations at the United Nations headquarters in New York, was able to obtain the necessary workshop sponsor plus 5 co-sponsorships to be considered for presentation. The International Public Policy Institute was sponsor, co-sponsored by the National Service Conference of American Ethical Union, The Ribbon International, Operation Peace Through Unity, Association of World Citizen’s and the NGO Committee on UN Sports for Peace.  There were even five additional co-sponsors (Children of the Earth, Aquarian Age Community, UN Values Caucus, Brahma Kamaris World Spiritual Organization and the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns).  All these gracious sponsorships are much appreciated!
 
Anne Creter also was moderator, opening by making the sometimes dubious connection between climate change and peace as depicted in the Earth Charter.  She mentioned the 5 handouts which included: Global Alliance flyer (www.mfp-dop.org);  a small piece relating Climate Change to Departments / Ministries of Peace; a scholarly article entitled “Climate Change and Peace” written by Canadian Department of Peace Spokesperson and Chair of the Global Alliance Dr. Saul Arbess;  plus information on the NGO project to obtain a UN General Assembly Resolution encouraging departments/ministries of peace within member states, including the New Zealand draft which has gotten much acclaim there.  Also included was a relevant Quaker Earthcare Witness brochure about how Peace witness and Eco-witness are two sides of the same coin.
 
The distinguished panelists were … the brilliant Marianne Perez, MA (Youth Working Group of the Global Alliance and Youth Liaison of the U.S. Delegation) who delighted everyone with her “orange” exercise demonstrating conflict resolution …  the ever-inspiring Dorothy J. Maver, Ph.D (Global Alliance Steering Committee and Director of  the  Peace Alliance) who passionately advocated for governmental structures to support a culture of peace …and the sparkling Nina Meyerhof, Ed.D (Children of the Earth President and U.S Global Alliance Delegate) who uplifted everyone with her remarkable work teaching peace to children around the world.  Aaron Voldman (Youth Working Group of the Global Alliance and Youth Liaison of U.S. Delegation) was unable to be there at the last minute due to a back-to-college conflict.  In his place was the dynamic Sammy Jacobs Abbey who movingly shared his personal Global Alliance challenges and joys as part of the youth peace movement in his country of Ghana.   The panel perfectly fulfilled conference urgings to have young presenters, particularly from other countries.

The piece-de-resistance was special participant Chelsea-Anne Phillips a youth delegate from New Zealand who represented one of the workshop NGO co-sponsors, Operation Peace Through Unity.  She brought with her the draft UN New Zealand resolution calling for departments and ministries of peace (mentioned previously) which she presented to the group.  It was wonderful that she could meet in person with Dorothy Prunhuber (below picture – right) of The Ribbons International, (another workshop co-sponsor) who has been instrumental in planning the UN "Department/Ministry of Peace Resolution" project within the NGO community.  This vital connection turned out to be just one of many significant global networking “partnership for peace” opportunities that resulted from the workshop.  

A significant outcome of the Conference was the “Conference Declaration: Climate Change Threats – An NGO Framework for Action” document to which all NGO’s were invited to provide input.  Special cards were handed out soliciting “comments” in 25 words or less. Out of the 2,700 participants from all over the world, 60 people filled one of these cards out.  A committee pored over them all and put together the Declaration which was read and voted on by all NGO’s present in the closing session. 

Of the 60 cards submitted, one read like this:  "Obtain a Resolution in the United Nations General Assembly encouraging Departments and Ministries of Peace as (a) missing pillar in making peace WITH, thus ON earth."  Unfortunately, such specific language did not make the final cut included in the Declaration.  Yet in a generic sense, it was addressed by the many references throughout the document of the need for governments to take responsibility for solutions to climate change before it is too late.  
The good news is that, like having a Midday Workshop listed in the official UN program booklet, this was yet another opportunity for NGO officials to hear about the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace – which is still relatively unknown within some NGO circles.  Yet now because of this workshop, the Global Alliance is certainly more well-established and understood at the UN, which indeed strengthens the foundation for eventually obtaining the much desired UN Resolution!!
 
MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH