July, 2023 Update

July, 2023
Latest News from Cities of Peace around the globe

First Tuesday in July Liaison/Mentor Zoom!
Considering establishing a City of Peace? You are invited too!

ACTION! Meet Towhid Islam, who is creating an ICP Training Course on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques. We will discuss your needs and ideas.

IDEAS! Are Cities of Peace living Peace Museums?  Update on the International Network of Museums for Peace and September’s Uppsala, Sweden Conference by ICP Board Member Lonnie Franks.

INSPIRATION! Meet Malika, the Afghan peacemaker who is now safe after spending two years as a refugee in Pakistan. Congratulations, Malika!

Come to this month’s Zoom and help build the Global Beloved Community of International Cities of Peace!

July 4th, 2023; 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (New York time)
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84035322915?pwd=ZzRKUE9KUTlKa0ZBZmRyZ1ZDSXYyUT09

Meeting ID: 840 3532 2915; Passcode: 823816
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbFwVktLfJ
Check your time zone difference: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Hosted by Inés Palomeque, Member, Board of Directors of Cities of Peace.
Tema: Zoom meeting invitation – Reunión de Zoom de ICPamerica
Hora: 11 jul 2023 07:00 p. m. Buenos Aires, Georgetown
Unirse a la reunión Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83750734830?pwd=bVJjMHdRNU5ibis2OTdiYXlkNzV6QT09
ID de reunión: 837 5073 4830

Encuentre su número local: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcFb8rN6vi

Greetings peacemakers!  As one of your representatives at the United Nations, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the important work that you are doing.   Within all your cities, you are cultivating a culture of peace and I believe that the UN community could benefit from your insight and experience.

To share your expertise, it would be helpful if you could email me brief answers to the following questions:

2. What are 2 or 3 local actions that can be taken to promote a culture of peace?

At your earliest convenience, please email your responses to patchoguepeaceproject@gmail.com . Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me so I can share it with others.  You will be offering much needed hope and inspiration to the world!

As stated in the following article, Ashland, OR is refocusing on what it means to be an International City of Peace post-Covid.  A Step to Action – Ashland, Six years as a ‘City of Peace, https://us14.campaign-archive.com/?u=c23cd1b33b7d9b2923ad31205&id=f06aa8631d

Please join us virtually on Friday, July 14 at 5:00 pm PDT and meet with members of the Ashland community, and young people to further discuss what it means to be an International City of Peace. Please use this Zoom link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85232331142?pwd=K1JqSzlWc0FCMHdIZFdneGJxcmZ2QT09
Meeting ID: 852 3233 1142; Passcode: 971040

In a watershed moment for the history of peace, Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland — where the Troubles in 1972 reached its nadir in Bloody Sunday — has launched an initiative to establish their City this September as an International City of Peace. The transition from town of violence to a City of Peace is evident everywhere, especially in the dreams of the next generation that will be the focal point of September’s worldwide event. More to come!

The Visioneer International Network, based in Vancouver, Canada emphasizes the need for a “change in worldview or collective mindset that human beings will have to make in order to secure a peaceful and sustainable future on Earth.” Episode 8 features the Founding Director of International Cities of Peace telling the story of the “ancient wisdom of beginning with peace in the hearts and minds of individuals and working upwards from there to establish peace among neighbors and from there to create peaceful cities.”

This story is to thank the many, many people around the globe who have been deeply concerned for a young , dynamic woman who worked with International Cities of Peace in Herat. Malika was only 19 when she began teaching English to rural girls in the Afghanistan countryside who were not able to go to school. Through the ICP network, we were able to get her a flight out of Afghanistan in December 2021. Since then, she has been at great risk as an illegal refugee in the chaos and corruption of Pakistan, each moment in danger of being arrested and sent back to what would be certain death.

But now the danger is over. In addition to those who supported Malika over these difficult two years, a Humanitarian Angel in Spain began to moved heaven and earth and, last week, Malika got a Visa to Spain and an Exit Visa from Pakistan. She wasted no time in boarding that plane! Now, life begins with loving new family and — amazingly — a full scholarship to a four-year university with emphasis on international studies! Wow. The Power of Peace! Congratulations, Malika!

Congratulations to Mr. Mubalama Rhukengemungu and Ms. Nicole Salima Ntabirub of Kabazana in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda who write, “…the poor management of the city, the absence of community democracy, the violation of fundamentals of the person, nepotism and an ever generalized and deep misery. These negative factors explain the cyclical return of political and technical violence, the almost permanent instability from which the refugee communities suffer.” They have plans to contribute immediately to the alleviation of those conditions!

The yearning for peace is greatest where the greatest need exists. The Liaison in this new City of Peace is Nato Job, who comments: “Through conducting peace meetings, youth meetings, sustainable projects and acting as an example to the fellow youth among others.” The Peace Team in Kangulumira intends, “To create peace through spreading the golden rule as the foundation to solve our community peace challenges of poverty, poor social services, high crime rate and high levels of illiteracy.” We are with them!

Diavy KUBUYA,is one of the founders of the nonprofit called JIWE LANGU, or “my stone”, a metaphor used when a builder brings a special store to a building site. Their first initiative is to gather the young of their village with the question: ”How can youths fight against hate speech?”. The community lives in the shadow of Mount Nyiragongo as well as in the violence of war and conflict. Now they rise together to create an Action Plan and work for greater peace.

I’d like to thank all of the volunteers: Board members, Facilitators, Mentors, Liaisons, Peace Teams and Donors — for contributing to our progress toward global peace, community by community. This month, Towhid Islam, a dynamic and determined individual from Bangladesh with a passion for knowledge and personal growth, has volunteered as an intern for ICP. In coordination with ICP Facilitator for Programs, Dr. Katherine Li, Mr. Towhid Islam will research Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods and develop an ICP Classroom Course as part of the ICP website Peacemaker Superhighway. Towhid graduated From North South University in 2019 and completed his MBA in 2023. The ADR Course is greatly needed by Liaisons and peacemakers around the globe to prevent, manage, resolve, and transform local and regional conflicts before they grow into global wars. Thank you, Towhid!

Two other free courses in the ICP Classroom are currently available:
https://www.internationalcitiesofpeace.org/courses/

J. Fred Arment

Chair, Lead Facilitator
International Cities of Peace
arment@internationalcitiesofpeace.og