The vice-president of MIR Italy and the IFOR Main Representative at the United Nations in Geneva participated in an Italian interview.

The vice-president of MIR Italy together with the IFOR Main Representative at the United Nations in Geneva participated in an Italian radio program last month. During the radio interview, the history and intent of IFOR, the meaning -and related initiatives- of nonviolence and conscientious objection were presented. 

Conscientious objection to military service was acknowledged as a right in Italy by an Act dated December 15th 1972, following a lengthy national campaign carried out by movements and organizations incl. the Movimento Internazionale della Riconciliazione and the Movimento Nonviolento. Prior to that term, objectors were tried for 'disobedience' or because 'missing at draft call'. They were sentenced to many jail months, after serving which they would again be requested to enroll; on a renewed refusal, they would be again sentenced to jail, and so forth ..., their serving obligation supposed to cease no sooner than on getting 45 years old. Yet, after a few repeated such sentences, the military establishment, to get rid of such a nuisance, would discharge the convict by stating his 'unfitness' on the grounds of some fancy ailment.

During the radio interview some local initiatives concerning peace education were also described, such as the peace trails and the website www.discoverpeace.eu; as to national campaigns it was addressed also #nuclearban in favour of the UN ban on nuclear weapons, signed in New York on July 7th 2017, with the appeal to Italy to ratify the treaty.

Link to the radio show, click here.

For additional information: segreteria@miritalia.org

IFOR and PSPD address the meeting for the 2020 Review Conference of the NPT at the UN HQ

At the 3rd Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2020 Review Conference of the NPT at the UN HQ, the civil society was given an opportunity to address the meeting. On May 1, 2019, 16 speeches were delivered to the delegates by the civil society groups.

One of them was a joint statement on Korea from the PSPD (People's Solidarity for Partipatory Democracy), a prominent NGO in South Korea, and IFOR. Here is the statement, which has been endorsed by 40 civil society groups in the world, including the U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, U.K., Bangladesh, etc

IFOR joins in messages of solidarity with those affected by the recent bombings in Sri Lanka.

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The bombings of hotels and churches on Easter Sunday in Colombo and other cities in Sri Lanka are a cause of great pain to IFOR, and we add our voice to the messages of solidarity from around the world in recent days. Churchgoing Sri Lankans cannot have expected to face any such situation on the holiest day in their calendar. Within the last six months, the three Abrahamic faiths have now suffered significant acts of violence: at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, USA, and at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. We are deeply concerned that the basic right to freedom of worship should come under attack on different continents in this fashion. IFOR sends its sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those killed, and wishes survivors a speedy physical and mental recovery. Violence in the name of God is not acceptable. We promise to continue to work for an increase in peace and for a nonviolent world in which people of all religious beliefs and none, can live in harmony.

Les attentats perpétrés contre des hôtels et des églises le dimanche de Pâques à Colombo et dans d'autres villes du Sri Lanka sont une cause de grande douleur pour l’IFOR, et nous ajoutons notre voix aux messages de solidarité du monde entier de ces derniers jours. Les chrétiens srilankais ne peuvent pas s'avoir attendu à ce qu'une telle situation se produise le jour le plus saint de leur calendrier. Au cours des six derniers mois, les trois confessions abrahamiques ont subi des actes de violence notables: dans une synagogue à Pittsburgh, aux États-Unis, et dans des mosquées à Christchurch, en Nouvelle-Zélande. Nous sommes profondément préoccupés par le fait que le droit fondamental à la liberté de culte devrait être attaqué de la sorte sur différents continents. L'IFOR adresse ses plus sincères condoléances aux familles et aux amis des personnes décédées, et souhaite aux survivants un prompt rétablissement physique et mental. La violence au nom de Dieu n'est pas acceptable. Nous promettons de continuer à œuvrer en faveur d'une paix accrue et d'un monde nonviolent dans lequel des personnes de toutes croyances religieuses et aucune, pourront vivre en harmonie.

Los ataques a hoteles e iglesias el domingo de Pascua en Colombo y otras ciudades de Sri Lanka son una causa de gran dolor para el IFOR, y sumamos nuestra voz a los mensajes de solidaridad surgidos de todo el mundo en los últimos días. Los cristianos de Sri Lanka no pueden haber esperado que tal situación ocurriera en el día más sagrado de su calendario. En los últimos seis meses, las tres denominaciones abrahámicas han sufrido un acto de violencia significativo: en una sinagoga en Pittsburgh, Estados Unidos, y en mezquitas en Christchurch, Nueva Zelanda. Estamos profundamente preocupados de que el derecho fundamental a la libertad de culto deba ser atacado de esta manera en diferentes continentes. El IFOR hace llegar su más sincero pésame a las familias y los amigos de los fallecidos, y desea a los sobrevivientes una pronta recuperación física y mental. La violencia en nombre de Dios no es aceptable. Nos comprometemos a continuar trabajando por una mayor paz y un mundo noviolento en el que las personas de todas las religiones y de ninguna, puedan vivir en armonía.

Youth Empowerment Initiative: A project of the Fellowship of Reconciliation Zimbabwe

Youth Empowerment Initiative

A project of the Fellowship of Reconciliation Zimbabwe

The economic and political environment in Zimbabwe has created a generation of unemployed youths many of whom even though qualified have no hope of ever finding employment. These youths are frustrated and some resort to drug and alcohol abuse and criminal activities.

This has led them to be taken advantage of and used as readily available tools of political and social violence.

The Fellowship of Reconciliation Zimbabwe through its Youth Empowerment Initiative project is set to empower 20 youths from 5 Youths Peace Clubs. (FOR-Zimbabwe runs Youths Peace Clubs as hubs for raising a young generation which believes in nonviolence as a way of life and a means of transformation)

The youths will be trained in specialized trades (garment making, carpentry, iron fabrication, chicken and fish farming) and will be empowered with skills in Active Nonviolence, Nonviolent Conflict Prevention, Nonviolent Conflict Resolution and Nonviolent Conflict Management over a period of 6 months.

Each Youths Peace Club has an average of 15 youths therefore close to 100 youths will directly benefit.
On full completion of the 6 months training, the youths will set up income generation projects in their respective Youths Peace Clubs and continue  Peer Nonviolence Education within their communities and within their Peace Clubs.

The project will launch in the next few weeks, if you wish to contact for further information you can do so to Makios Phiri at makiosphiri@gmail.com.

We wish to thank FoR England-Scotland for their support through their International Peacemakers’ Fund. Should you wish to support other projects like ours, please follow this link to donate to support us:

On The Move: A conversation about migration

Clicca qui per la versione in Italiano.

November 2 & 3, 2018, IFOR will be hosting a conference about migration in Catania Sicily. “On The Move” will be a conversation about migration, its causes, the journey and strategies of welcome.

The conference is supported by the City of Catania and will be hosted at

Palazzo della Cultura, Via Vittorio Emanuele 121.

The conversation will be global in scope, featuring both local contributors and special guests from around the world. We will address the impact that war, climate change and global economic forces have had on people’s choices to leave their communities to seek safety and opportunity. We are prioritizing conversations led by people who have themselves migrated and who are participating in finding the solutions to the challenges migrants face.

The following organizations are contributing to the conversation:

Un Ponte Per, SOS Mediterranée, Sant'Egidio, Rete Recosol, Christian PeaceMaker Teams, BASTOB Bangladesh, members of the Sanctuary Movement in the U.S. and many others.

“On The Move” will begin Friday morning, November 2, 2018 at 10:30 and it will end in the evening of Saturday, November 3, 2018 with a musical event by

Jhonny’s Family Project and Ciauda.

To see a draft program for the conference click here

The conference precedes IFOR’s quadrennial international council that will be held from November 4-11 in Zafferana Etnea. IFOR has invited its members from 40 different countries and all delegates to the international council are invited to attend and participate in the conversation.

To Register Click Here

Conference participants are encouraged to find their own accommodation in Downtown Catania. The conference is free to the public but we do ask that those who are able consider making a contribution to support this effort.

Donate

the illustration was provided to IFOR by Anonima Fumetti