Report from the Third Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace
Prepared by Saul Arbess and Penny Joy Delivered on the International Day of Nonviolence and Gandhi’s birthday, Oct. 2, 2007. This day is also designated the Department of Peace Day in Canada.
The Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada, is making a speech today in Edmonton calling for a Department of Peace in Canada. “A ministry of peace could be a place where peace-building activities could be consolidated and…[where] we could develop techniques for reconciliation,” he said. Dr. Axworthy was also to have inaugurated our 9th and first bilingual chapter in Montréal on Sept. 27, with the Mayor of Montréal, but had to cancel due to a undisclosed threat at the U. of Winnipeg, where is President and Vice-chancellor. The inauguration was postponed to a later date, but the chapter is vigorously proceeding with its work.
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace, the sponsor of the Summit, is calling for structures in all governments and civil society that support a culture of peace, within and between countries, through conflict transformation by peaceful means. At present, the Solomon Islands and Nepal have Ministers of Peace with Costa Rica expected to declare this year. The US has a Bill before Congress to create a Department of Peace and Nonviolence.
This Summit was held in Japan to lend the support of the Global Alliance for the retention of Article 9 in the Japanese Constitution, which renounces war as a sovereign right and the threat of the use of force in settling international disputes. Article 9 is now under threat by conservative forces in the DIET(Japanese Parliament).
21 country delegations, representing all 5 continents, were in attendance, with Canada having the third largest delegation, after Japan and the US. Several delegations, mostly from Africa and Iraq, despite full subsidies, were refused visas and could not attend. Saul served as Chair of the Global Alliance, through this Summit.
Over the initial five days of the Summit, held in Kiserazu, in Chiba Prefecture, the Summit heard reports from each country and carried out a series of intensive workshops towards the formation of departments of peace (DoP). Penny and Saul presented a workshop on the proposed responsibilities of a DoP and how it would function in relation to other existing departments. A model of a DoP was developed and circulated to the delegates. At the end of the 5 days, the Alliance issued a communiqué. The Summit then moved to various cities. In Tokyo we convened a Press Conference at the DIET, attended by seven DIET members, who made statements of support for a DoP in Japan. A public meeting was held in Central Tokyo with a large attendance.
In Kyoto, we convened a meeting at the Ritsumeikan University there and the students agreed to work with our Japanese counterpart for a Ministry of Peace. We also met with Ikuro Anzai, the Director of the Kyoto Museum for World Peace, and toured this impressive museum.
In Hiroshima, now a city of peace, we heard the most inspiring talk by an 89 year old Hibakusha (an A-Bomb survivor), Toshie Une, who spared us no detail of that experience of hell, but ended on an note of peace and reconciliation, and the wish that nuclear weapons never again be used, noting with astonishment that nuclear arsenals still represented a great danger for the annihilation of life. We danced with her and celebrated her indomitable spirit. We paid our respects at the Peace Park, the Memorial Museum and the Hall of Remembrance and were overwhelmed by the exhibits showing the build-up to the bombing and its horrific aftermath.
We participated in a meeting with Hiroshima peace organizations and heard an address from Mayor Akiba, the head of Mayors for Peace calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons in their campaign, Abolition Now.
We return with a renewed sense of commitment and a greater sense of urgency to achieve success in the creation of a DoP in Canada that will have real power in government and adequate resources to meet the challenge of creating a culture of peace at home and abroad.
Submitted by Saul Arbess and Penny Joy of the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative. In addition to ourselves, Prema Raddagolda, of our Ottawa Chapter, and Tara Yip-Bannicq, representing Canadian youth, comprised the Canadian delegation.