WORLD 21 Sep 2009 United Nations marks World Peace Day with campaign
For the 2009 Day of Peace, using Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, the United Nations plans to broadcast a message about the dangers of nuclear weapons. The UN is calling for short videos on nuclear disarmament/non-proliferation for its "WMD – We Must Disarm" campaign. Millions will rally for peace around the world, and two Australians will attempt to set a Guinness Record for the world's longest handshake. The theme invites retrospectives on the Cold War and nuclear attack on Japan.
Participants sending videos for the campaign are asked to upload their films on YouTube.
At Sydney's Wayside Chapel, Lindsay Morisson and Jack Tsonis will attempt to break the Guinness World Record of 12 hours for the world's longest handshake.
Peace Day is also a Day of Ceasefire. It was established by UN resolution in 1981 to commemorate and strengthen "the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." It has grown into a major observance. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982. Aug/09
RELATED READING:
International Day of Peace
http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/
United Nations
http://www.un.org/en/
World's longest handshake web
http://www.worldslongesthandshake.com
Cairo Inspeak event web
http://www.inspeak .com and http://www.scouting4peace.org/
Hawaii parade web
http://www.peacedayparade.org
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Darfur Agreement
Four Darfur Factions Unite for Talks With Sudanese Government
By Jason McLure
Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Four Darfur rebel factions have agreed to unite following U.S. backed-talks in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Leaders from three factions of the Sudan Liberation Army and a splinter group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) agreed to unify following four days of talks as part of a broader effort to fuse Darfur’s roughly 30 rebel militias for negotiations with the Sudanese government.
“The future is truly bright for Darfur,” said Scott Gration, U.S. special envoy for Sudan, at a press conference announcing the agreement. He hailed the agreement as a “remarkable job.”
JEM did not take part in the Addis Ababa talks and has quarreled openly with Gration. Last month JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim accused Gration of “acting like a foreign minister” for Sudan President Umar al-Bashir, after the U.S. envoy called for the lifting of some sanctions on Sudan. Gration also told a Senate panel that there was “no evidence” justifying Khartoum’s inclusion on the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism.
Gration sought to clarify those positions today, saying he “never made a statement” that Sudan should be removed from the U.S. list of state terrorism sponsors.
He emphasized that the U.S. should only consider lifting sanctions hindering aid efforts for Darfur and southern Sudan, such as restrictions on unloading relief supplies through Sudanese ports on the Red Sea.
Al-Bashir is under indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged actions in Darfur, where the Sudanese government and its allies in Arab militias have battled a host of rebel groups. The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed and 3 million driven from their homes.
By Jason McLure
Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Four Darfur rebel factions have agreed to unite following U.S. backed-talks in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Leaders from three factions of the Sudan Liberation Army and a splinter group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) agreed to unify following four days of talks as part of a broader effort to fuse Darfur’s roughly 30 rebel militias for negotiations with the Sudanese government.
“The future is truly bright for Darfur,” said Scott Gration, U.S. special envoy for Sudan, at a press conference announcing the agreement. He hailed the agreement as a “remarkable job.”
JEM did not take part in the Addis Ababa talks and has quarreled openly with Gration. Last month JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim accused Gration of “acting like a foreign minister” for Sudan President Umar al-Bashir, after the U.S. envoy called for the lifting of some sanctions on Sudan. Gration also told a Senate panel that there was “no evidence” justifying Khartoum’s inclusion on the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism.
Gration sought to clarify those positions today, saying he “never made a statement” that Sudan should be removed from the U.S. list of state terrorism sponsors.
He emphasized that the U.S. should only consider lifting sanctions hindering aid efforts for Darfur and southern Sudan, such as restrictions on unloading relief supplies through Sudanese ports on the Red Sea.
Al-Bashir is under indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged actions in Darfur, where the Sudanese government and its allies in Arab militias have battled a host of rebel groups. The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed and 3 million driven from their homes.
Love Shift News
Love Shift News
Working together, we can discover how to think, live, communicate and love for the benefit of all life.
Welcome!
Working together, we can discover how to think, live, communicate and love for the benefit of all life.
Welcome!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
