Addressing General Assembly Peace Forum, Speaker Says Achieving a Non-Violent World Means Building Inclusive Societies
Our Hearts Must Not Be Closed to Suffering, Secretary-General Stresses
Peace did not automatically result from ending conflict, but rather from building societies that embraced diversity, equality, democratic participation and access to education, senior United Nations officials and eminent peace advocates stressed today during the General Assembly’s annual High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace.
Convened since 2012, the one-day event highlights the importance of implementing the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace adopted by the Assembly 1999. Today’s discussion focused on the roles that all stakeholders — Governments, community and religious leaders, educators, the media and others — could play in creating a culture of non-violence. In the post-2015 era, many speakers agreed, the priority must be on advancing a vision for overall improved well-being for the peoples of the world.
“Peace is a distant dream without development,” said Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, speaking on behalf of Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly. “This is part of the core challenge in promoting a culture of peace and ensuring peaceful societies.” For more than seventy years, the desire for peace had driven nearly every facet of the United Nations’ work. However, new challenges such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking and climate change continued to defer that dream.
The soon-to-be-adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he pointed out, contained goals that required the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies. “The onus is upon us to ensure effective implementation,” he stressed.
For that purpose, he said, a progressive, universal strategy was needed to ensure all stakeholders promoted mutual understanding and strengthened freedom of thought, belief and expression. Further efforts were needed to eliminate discrimination, promote justice and the rule of law and make effective use of the media.
In a similar vein, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today’s meeting was about confronting the “very hard truths in our world”, where, across many war-torn regions, there were brutal violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and, even in mostly peaceful and democratic societies, minorities were attacked. “We cannot turn our eyes away from the suffering,” he stressed. “We cannot close our hearts.”
Outlining plans for a meeting on the mass migrations that had resulted from such suffering during the high-level week of the Assembly’s seventieth session, he added: “We cannot build a culture of peace without an active campaign against division and injustice.” The world was moving fast and so were the forces of division and hate.
It was time, he said, to invest in young people as peacebuilders, who could make massive contributions to lasting stability. Noting the adoption of the 2030 development agenda, he underlined the diverse endeavours of the United Nations to bring about peace over the Organization’s 70 years of existence. “While we rush to emergencies, we are also working to prevent conflicts and promote reconciliation. We need to act on all fronts. We owe this to future generations.”
He invoked the stern warning of Mahatma Ghandhi: “There will be no lasting peace on earth unless we learn not merely to tolerate but even to respect the other faiths as our own.”
Elaborating on that theme in a keynote address, Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, said his grandfather did not believe that nationalism could sustain the world, as it created the impression that one could exist without concern for others. “Our futures and destinies are interconnected,” he said. “The only way to live in stability was to create stability. That ought to be the common endeavour,” he added
His grandfather’s philosophy of non-violence was about personal transformation, he noted. “We are all part of society”, he said, “and unless we, individually, recognize non-violence and live it, we cannot have a Government that believes in peace.” Peace must begin with the individual.
To make that point, he shared a memory of throwing away a pencil as a young boy, only to have his grandfather ask him to retrieve it. People’s use of natural resources, his grandfather had explained was, in fact, violence against nature. Violence was committed by overconsuming resources and depriving others. Today, in the United States alone, he pointed out, $20 billion in food was thrown away annually, while more than 1 million people went to bed hungry.
A culture of non-violence was built through love, respect, understanding, appreciation and self-realization. “We have to respect our connection with all of creation. We are here for a purpose. We have to find and fulfil that purpose,” he stressed.
Following those opening remarks, a general debate and two round-table discussions were held. The first round table, titled “promotion of the culture of peace in the context of the post-2015 sustainable development agenda”, examined strategies for fostering a culture of peace in over the next 15 years. The second, on “the role of the media in the promotion of the culture of peace”, considered how various forms of media could be used to foster tolerance and mutual understanding.
Speaking today in the general debate were the representatives of Qatar (on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council), United States, Bangladesh, Hungary, Thailand, Iran, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Jordan, Italy, Malaysia, Iraq, Belarus, Peru, Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil, Morocco, Libya, Belgium, Cuba, Turkey, Benin, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, El Salvador, Grenada and the State of Palestine.
A representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also spoke.
Statements
ALYA AHMED SAIF AL-THANI (Qatar), speaking on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said a culture of peace was the essence of the Charter of the United Nations. Peace was not merely the absence of war but a consecration of values that promoted human dignity and rights. Despite sustained efforts by the United Nations, the world was witness to violence and atrocities, which underlined the importance of redoubling efforts towards strengthening a culture of peace.
Qatar had been actively involved in strengthening the Alliance of Civilizations as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s wider efforts to promote peace, dignity and tolerance. The region, the cradle of the world’s major religions, had been engaged in initiatives to promote dialogue and understanding. Planting a culture of peace presupposed a critical role of the media, which should be developed in line with values of tolerance. A peaceful and inclusive society could not be conceived without the active role of the youth, intelligentsia and civil society.
RICHARD ERDMAN (United States) said the post-2015 development agenda would not only guide global efforts to end poverty and promote sustainable development, but would also build accountable institutions that were central to a culture of peace. Goal 16 could help the United Nations and other actors become more involved in sustainable development. Further, the high-level independent panel on peacekeeping operations, the peace architecture review and the women, peace and security review contained recommendations that would contribute towards sustainable peace. Freedom of the press, which promoted a culture of peace, was being threatened in many parts of the world, he said, adding that cooperation among individuals of diverse backgrounds was central to building peaceful and inclusive societies.
ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh) said that if Israeli and Palestinian musicians could play together as they did at the chamber today, the day was not far off when they could live in peace and harmony under a two-State solution. Since 1997 Bangladesh was actively involved in building a culture of peace through resolutions in the Assembly and was among the leading contributors of United Nations peacekeepers. A mindset of tolerance was central to building a culture a peace, bolstering sustainability, and ensuring prosperity. A culture of peace was therefore a way of rising above divisions and conflicts and ensuring the collective well-being of humanity. “It was time to take responsibility,” he said, stressing the need for individual and collective commitments and actions for sustainable peace and stability.
KATALIN ANNAMÁRIA BOGYAY (Hungary) said the “peace of cultures” was among the most important components of the culture of peace. Education was a basic ground for human functioning, through which people had a choice for understanding and cooperation. Cultural diversity had a major role to play in sustainable development. As co-chair of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, Hungary had facilitated the inclusion of a culture of peace in the post-2015 agenda. Under the goal on education, States had agreed to ensure that all learners acquired the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. Education was critical to promoting citizenship and the values of democracy, freedom and tolerance. She supported women’s involvement in conflict resolution.
VIRACHAI PLASAI (Thailand) said durable peace and sustainable development were inter-connected. He was appalled by the increase in violence caused by the misuse of religion, faith and belief. Religious leaders must be more active in promoting respect among religions, particularly among young people. Noting that Thailand promoted moderation, he said that electronic media had been used to facilitate terrorist propaganda. He urged regulating that technology without compromising the freedom of expression. As vulnerable groups often fell victim to extremist ideas, traditional media must be used to communicate with them. “Everyone has shared responsibilities to create a culture of peace,” he said, affirming Thailand’s role in that regard.
GHOLAMALI KHOSHROO (Iran) said immature mentalities in powerful countries led them to believe that solutions to issues lay in threats, sanctions and war. Their war machines had a destructive capability, but not one to create interaction and partnership. To create a peace-seeking society, “we must abandon a reliance on weapons of mass destruction and look to the life-giving culture of peace,” he said. War mongers must realize that only by providing access to education and health, and addressing issues such as the environment, could the cause of peace be advanced. Without just development for all people, the issue of violent extremism could not be tackled.
ALMAGUL KONURBAYEVA (Kazakhstan) said a culture of peace should form a key concept of the education system at all levels everywhere. Accordingly, she said the school year in her country began with instruction on the value of peace and culture. Kazakhstan had brought religious and spiritual leaders together in an effort to enhance cooperation in tackling problems at the national, regional and international levels. As awareness campaigns would contribute to promoting inter-civilization dialogue, they were a wise investment in peace, security and development.
HAHN CHOONGHEE (Republic of Korea) said peace embodied not an absence of conflict but people enjoying lives of peace, justice and dignity. In that sense, peace was both a starting point and a goal. Through education, the world could build tolerance and help foster global citizenship, creating a cornerstone for human rights. The media could provide a positive role by conveying information in a balanced and fair way, he said, and stressed the need for an interconnected approach and partnership for comprehensive peace.
MAHMOUD DAIFALLAH MAHMOUD HMOUD (Jordan) said the High-Level Forum was part of the international community’s collective action against intolerance and disunity. Combating terrorism and extremism required recognition of the root causes, and he added that a culture of peace could not be conceived in the Middle East in the absence of a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Jordan firmly believed that peaceful resolution of disputes based on the Charter, international law and human rights was critical to the establishment of sustainable and enduring peace. It was important to enlist the youth in fighting extremism and violence. A culture of peace was not an “intellectual luxury” but required patience and investment.
INIGO LAMBERTINI (Italy) said a realistic approach to peace was needed to realize the dream of a world without war. The 2030 Agenda had outlined that there could be no sustainable development without peace and vice versa. Italy promoted peace based on mutual understanding. Intercultural dialogue was a priority of Italy’s foreign policy in the area of human rights. His country supported the Alliance of Civilizations and would soon discuss the creation of an early warning mechanism in preventing atrocity crimes. Protecting minorities was a building block in the promotion of a peaceful world. It was crucial to include them in mediation and reconciliation processes. Italy provided health and psychological support in Iraq and Syria. Women’s involvement was critical to solving conflict.
RAMLAN BIN IBRAHIM (Malaysia), recalling his Government’s support for the 1999 Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, said his State was both multi-cultural and multi-religious. As such, he cited the “One Malaysia” initiative to create balanced development. In efforts to promote a culture of peace, dialogue and idea-exchange were among the best ways to instil understanding. “We need to share ideas and knowledge, and discover common ground to bring disparate groups together,” he said. Interaction across cultures and values would promote peace. Thailand had co-sponsored Assembly resolutions on the promotion of a culture of peace and on intercultural dialogue.
RAZAQ SALMAN MASHKOOR (Iraq) said challenges to peace required dialogue among civilizations. Peaceful coexistence could not be achieved without tolerance. That required initiatives to fill the gaps among religions and cultures. The best way to achieve tolerance was through sustainable development, the fair distribution of wealth and consideration of various social strata without discrimination. He cited the role of religious leaders in that context, explaining that some websites had given rise to ideological extremism. Indeed, terrorism challenged Governments to promote the cause of peace. For its part, Iraq was working to ensure peace through efforts to increase harmony among people.
MUHAMMAD ANSHOR (Indonesia) said that 16 years after the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, a new, more effective strategy was needed. The post-2015 agenda would provide a framework for that strategy, as it captured the links between peace and development, with the sustainable development goals underscoring the prerequisite of peace for development. He stressed the principle of national ownership in that regard, highlighting the importance of national programmes to raise awareness about tolerance and religious pluralism. Education and the media had important roles to play in such programmes, he added.
CARLOS SERGIO SOBRAL DUARTE (Brazil) said the most efficient way to build a culture of peace and prevent conflict was to support a strong multilateral system that refrained from resorting to coercive measures and military action unless absolutely necessary. He highlighted the key role of the Peacebuilding Commission in that regard. The lack of progress in realizing human rights, he maintained, was at the root of discord among different religious or cultural groups. Diversity of a population was an asset in that regard. A culture of peace required commitment to common humanity while embracing diversity. It meant bringing cultures and traditions together, goals to which Brazil was firmly committed.
ABDERRAZZAK LAASSEL (Morocco) said the promotion of democratic values and social cohesion would contribute to a climate of peace. He urged combating all forms of discrimination and called on United Nations agencies to cooperate toward that end. To combat extremist ideology, regional cooperation must address the link between religion and terrorism. For its part, Morocco had fostered dialogue to counter extremism, including a global forum of imams. He underlined the importance of cultural diversity in school curricula, ending discrimination and exclusion, ensuring that migrants were tolerated in host communities and combating hatred on the Internet.
NAGIB I. S. KAFOU (Libya) said the civilized world rejected the use of violence under the abiding belief that all religions professed peace. In today’s world, no one could turn a blind eye to the suffering and pain of another human being. The international community needed to come together to achieve the common well-being of humanity on the basis of effective programmes, he stressed, calling for the investment of the resources required to build a culture of peace. The Libyan people, despite their current difficult circumstances, were optimistic about the ultimate triumph of peace through international solidarity and cooperation.
BÉNÉDICTE FRANKINET (Belgium) said that Agenda 2030 correctly emphasized the link between peace, development and solidarity. Pointing to the growing violence and extremism gripping the world, he also underlined the key role of religious leaders in fostering tolerance and understanding. Investment in youth would go a long way in building a culture of peace and tolerance, he added, stressing the importance of the media in disseminating positive messages. Announcing that Belgium would organize an event on 1 October in New York on ways of fostering peace, tolerance and reconciliation, he stated that national programmes to build a culture of peace would be an important part of the post-2015 development agenda.
IRASET BROOKS MORENO (Cuba) called for greater efforts towards promoting life, ending violence, foreswearing non-interference in internal affairs and protecting the environment, in order to build a genuine culture of peace. Respect for the right of a people to choose their political system was central to building respect and tolerance among nations, she said, highlighting the role of education and the media in that regard. As a member of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Cuba was working with other countries of the region to build peace, tolerance and solidarity in a way that ensured collective well-being, she affirmed.
LEVENT ELER (Turkey) said that as a co-sponsor of the Alliance of Civilizations, his Government had always promoted intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Those efforts had become more important amid the refugee crisis, he added, calling for all members of the international community to address the issue, guided by a principle of burden sharing. “We have a moral obligation to address inequality,” he stressed, supporting the universal nature of the 2030 Agenda. Media was critical for promoting mutual understanding and countering ideas that led to misconceptions and stereotyping. Freedom of speech and expression was essential for disseminating such information, though such freedoms must be complemented by a sense of responsibility.
THOMAS ADOUMASSE (Benin) said there could not be sustainable development without peace and vice versa. For that purpose, the 1999 Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace must be implemented. Benin was committed to building the rule of law to enable pluralism, freedom and democracy. The country was known, as a result, for the stability of its institutions, which in turn had fostered socioeconomic progress. Tolerance among peoples and cultures must be built, he added, as a security-based solution to conflict could not alone guarantee peace. In May, for that reason, Benin organized a symposium on education, peace and interreligious and cultural dialogue.
Mr. BUDHU (Trinidad and Tobago) said that building a culture of peace was linked to poverty eradication and the reduction of inequality. A global culture of peace could be created by fostering common values based on respect for life, ending violence and promoting non-violence through education. Peace and security were jeopardized by a lack of sustainable development, which itself could be achieved only by building inclusive, just societies that were founded on the rule of law and accountable institutions. As the trade in small arms and light weapons threatened the viability of such societies, Trinidad and Tobago had been engaged in the negotiations for the Arms Trade Treaty. In the interest of peace consolidation, it was also a member of the Peacebuilding Commission.
MARY ELIZABETH FLORES (Honduras) affirmed her country’s commitment to efforts by the United Nations to promote tolerance and build opportunities for the most vulnerable people. When countries in her region faced instability, forcing children to flee their homes, leaders came together for collective action. Through international solidarity and support, the region hoped to tide over its difficulties. That was an example of the power of a culture of peace.
CARLA ESPERANZA RIVERA SÁNCHEZ (El Salvador) said fostering a culture of peace within the framework of the post-2015 agenda required the strong involvement of the State as well as civil society. In keeping with its national experience, her country had created social policies that focused on the most vulnerable and historically excluded segments of the population. Efforts were being made to enlist and empower women and the youth in fostering peace and tolerance through a participatory process.
DENIS G. ANTOINE (Grenada) said the world spoke of peace so tentatively, as if there was no peace in the world. In fact, within the United Nations, there were 193 paradigms of peace. However, a common definition of peace needed to be evolved which ensured the rights, dignity and well-being of all the people of the world.
NADYA RIFAAT RASHEED (State of Palestine) said her Government had adopted an approach of compromise decades ago in the quest to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land that began in 1967. That remained the case today. Her Government’s commitment to using peaceful and legal means to end conflict had been recently seen in its accession to the Rome Statute and human rights instruments. Blockades and walls would not guarantee sustainable peace. Such measures did not negate the rights enshrined in international law, nor could they enforce peace and security. A just peace was the only remedy to violence. The State of Palestine had a peace-loving nature and sought pacific relations with the international community, she affirmed.
ANNE CHRISTENSEN, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), noting that thousands of people around the world were leaving their homes each day seeking protection from violence, said that such journeys were made more dangerous by current immigration and border control policies. In that context, she announced, IFRC would soon launch a global campaign to guarantee the safety of all migrants, regardless of their legal status. It was working to ensure that social inclusion was promoted its own structure and plans. In December, she added, the Federation would kick off an initiative to address the plight of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in post-emergency situations.
Panel I
The panel discussion on “promotion of the culture of peace in the context of the post-2015 sustainable development agenda” was chaired by Anwarul K. Chowdhury, former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations. The panellists included Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania; Maria Emma Mejia, Permanent Representative of Colombia; Amina Mohammed, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning; Federico Mayor, former Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and Barbara Adams, Adviser at the Global Policy Forum and Social Watch. In addition, Elizabeth Shuman, representing the Executive Committee of the Department of Public Information’s programme for non-governmental organizations (DPI/NGO), acted as the designated discussant.
Opening the discussion, Mr. CHOUDHURY said that the international community must work to eliminate the structural violence embedded in society, stressing that in the absence of peace it would be impossible to achieve the goals of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Mr. CONSTANTINESCU stated that recent popular movements in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria had drawn attention to the absence of a dialogue and efficient diplomacy. Preventing conflict required a comprehensive, balanced vision, which took into consideration the interests of various ethnic and religious communities and the rights and obligations of independent States’ citizens. Not understanding the motivation of “the other” had led to many wrong decisions in history, triggering many conflicts and wars. At the moment, he said, the international community was looking for the lowest common denominator for solidarity, but to achieve real peace, “we must focus on identifying the highest common denominator,” or the highest aspirations that all cultures shared.
Ms. MEJÍA VÉLEZ stated that the current conference was taking place at a very unique time in the history of international efforts to promote a culture of peace. It was also a worrying time because peace was still a far-fetched idea. Her country was committed to bringing sustainability into the agenda and was involved in various cross-cutting efforts to implement a culture of peace involving civil society and academia. The United Nations system must re-adapt to this new agenda, especially because the financial situation of the world was very different now. It was also necessary to engage rural areas that did not have access to services in discussions of peace. Colombia was working together with agrarian forums to integrate rural areas into the wider society.
Ms. MOHAMED stated that the discussion about the post-2015 sustainable development agenda had been one of the toughest in the history of the United Nations. Commending delegates for holding a transparent and open dialogue that involved civil society, she said, “We want people to look at the outcome document and see themselves in it.” Societies coming out of conflict needed investment and global partnerships were important for unlocking the resources they needed. While the financing agreement in Addis Ababa had done a huge amount for bringing about the means of implementation, the accountability part of the agenda was a work in progress. It was also necessary to integrate the sustainable development agenda into national visions. When she went back to Nigeria at the end of the year, she was not just going back to Lagos, but also to areas threatened by Boko Haram, where people were looking at the future with hope, against all odds.
Mr. MAYOR stated that in the last 25 years, there had been many excellent plans and agendas and programmes of action that had been “completely useless”. Commitments had been made, but there had been no action. The reality was that children were dying of hunger everyday while countries invested in military spending. Sustainability was already at risk because there were potentially irreversible processes at work in the environment. The present generation had an immense responsibility to reverse this situation because the international community was on the verge of the point of no return. “I am sure that the measures that are going to be adopted here in a few weeks will be very good. But we have wonderful documents already. Afterwards nothing happened,” he said, warning that tomorrow could be too late.
Ms. ADAMS said that the sustainable development goals were universal and inclusive and represented an integrated agenda for people and planets. She described poverty as economic violence that posed enormous challenges for the implementation of the agenda. It was necessary to acknowledge that there were interest groups invested in the status quo who wanted change to take place elsewhere, not at home. Partnerships could bring in more players from the private sector and civil society, but the rules in place for governing partnerships were “inadequate” and would add to fragmentation and opportunism. Those who had benefited the most from the past and current economic models were the ones who needed to change the most. Large numbers of people were fleeing violence right now, but thousands of ordinary people had demonstrated, “not through charity, but through solidarity,” that they understood the culture of peace.
Ms. SHUMAN stated that the formulation of the sustainable development goals was a very inclusive process that gave a lot of space to the civil society. Using surveys around the world, the process had taken into account the concerns and hopes of people in all corners of the globe and in all walks of life. “A good education” was one of the most common aspirations in the survey. Stressing that education was far more than ABCs, she maintained that it also included the topics of peace, diplomacy and knowledge about sustainable development itself, which must be disseminated widely. Transformative and people-centred, each goal should be a powerful component for building a culture of peace. Civil society would continue to be a passionate and committed partner in that effort.
Following brief comments from the floor, Mr. CHOWDHURY said that the focus on the human spirit was a very valuable aspect of the panel discussion. The sustainable development agenda was an investment in people. He called on all individuals to contribute to an intellectual and moral solidarity that could build a culture of peace.
Panel II
The panel discussion on “role of the media in the promotion of the culture of peace” was chaired and moderated by Marjon V. Kamara, Permanent Representative of Liberia. The panellists included Abulkalam Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh; Cristina Gallach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communication and Public Information; Michael Nagler, President, Metta Centre for Nonviolence; and Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, Founder-Director, FemLINKPACIFIC, Fiji.
Opening the panel, Ms. KAMARA said the media, a powerful driver of change through the free and participatory exchange of information, had a crucial role in advancing a culture of peace.
Mr. MOMEN, speaking from personal experience, said the media wielded enormous political power and was a vital agent of social change if mobilized properly. The media had transcended its traditional existence to encompass online social platforms that informed and educated people in an unprecedented way. The saying that “the pen is mightier than the sword” underscored the urgency of efforts to encourage the media towards positive change. Specifically, the media needed to end hatred and intolerance and create a mindset of mutual respect.
In the context of the sustainable development goals, the media could mobilize political and public attention towards raising funds and other resources required for such an ambitious undertaking. Bangladesh had a vibrant print and broadcast media which, in collaboration with social media, blocked the release of an individual imprisoned for a heinous crime. With such power at its disposal, the media could do much to promote a culture of peace.
Next, Ms. GALLACH, contrasting the tenor of newspaper headlines printed a few weeks ago and in recent days on the migrant and refugee flows in Europe, said news coverage of important angles during the intervening period had changed the overall mindset. The media needed to be encouraged to play a positive role in advancing a culture of peace. Freedom of the press must go hand in hand with a positive media culture in an effort to promote dialogue in the context of the post-2015 agenda.
Focus should be placed on building the capacity of media in countries lacking to do so themselves, she said, and emphasized the need to promote gender diversity in newsrooms. Narratives and imagery that promoted extremism needed to be countered and the media should speak up on the shared values of humanity. Everyone had an obligation to promote thriving and transparent media outlets.
Mr. NAGLER recalled that the atomic age and the era of mass communication had begun on the same day at the very end of the nineteenth century. Similarly, the world marked the fifth anniversary of the 9/ll attacks on the 100th anniversary of the birth of non-violence in South Africa. On the same day the world averted a mass attack on a train in Europe in August, two men prevented mass killings in South Sudan. The difference in all three cases was that media coverage made one story known while the lack thereof left the other story in oblivion.
Non-violent methods, pursued outside the glare of the media, possessed the ability to foster change without affecting an individual’s inner humanity. The world was in the throes of a paradigm shift from a “thing-oriented” to “person-oriented” civilization, which was central to the survival of the planet and people. The media, however, were conducting their affairs as if that shift was not happening. He urged the media to lead by learning what non-violence meant and reporting on developments accordingly. Social media had the power to break the corporate stranglehold on the media, but only through responsible action. He said the United Nations could consider establishing a ratings system on violence and vulgarity and produce briefing papers for journalists, while individuals could reorient themselves towards non-violence.
Rounding out the panel, Ms. BHAGWAN-ROLLS said community media had the ability to transform the notion of security based on Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). Unless there was an express role for the community media beyond traditional public relations, its role in the post-2015 agenda would be limited. Content should be able to reflect progress or lack thereof in terms of achieving goals while ensuring that women were able to define peace, security and development.
Who made the news and why should not be based on patriarchal patterns of power, she said, emphasizing that Member States should be responsive to the views of local communities. A legislative and regulatory environment was needed to ensure diversity and decentralization of power in an effort advance sustainable peace and development.
When the floor was opened for questions and comments, a representative of civil society lauded the focus placed on changing mindset, adding that the public was also responsible for the stories the media covered. The people therefore should demand more coverage of a culture of peace.
Another representative of civil society stressed the role of music in changing mindsets at the individual level, including by bringing together people from opposing countries.
Noting that the messages of the mainstream media became the fabric of culture, another civil society representative recommended an international media ceasefire on the International Day of Peace on 21 September. Another civil society representative emphasized the need to find more effective ways of unleashing the power of media to advance social change.
Ms. KAMARA said a common thread throughout the discussion was the need to encourage non-violence in the media — an ally in the advancement of a culture of peace — which deserved the support of all stakeholders. The discussions today provided valuable inputs in fostering a positive partnership.