Peace
January 2011 Special Issue
e n i z a g a
m
featuring: women, peace, & security exclusive interviews inspiring poetry
“peace is part of our very existence”
-Ambassador Chowdhury
tableof contents 3-4 intro (anwaral k. chowdhury) 5-6 tolerance, dialogue, & participation 7 peace quotes 8 alice paul 9-10 peace, women, & security 11 three important concepts 12 commonalities 13 war on terror 14 mother 15 human security 16 Amaral Vieira 17 issues of nuclear weapons 18 fun facts
With its mission to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to securing peace, human rights, and the sanctity of life, Soka University of America has been the pioneering seat of higher learning in the world to include a course on The Culture of Peace in its curricula two years ago. It did so out of the conviction that the flourishing of the culture of peace will generate the mindset that is a prerequisite for the transition from force to reason, from conflict and violence to dialogue and peace. Today’s world and its problems are becoming increasingly more interdependent and interconnected due to globalization and advancement of science and technology. The need for the culture of peace is evident as we reflect on how our civilization has succumbed, from time to time, to the human frailties of greed, ambition, and selfishness. SUA has continued the course in 2011 recognizing the challenging realities of the present day world, focusing on the need for peace through dialogue, peace through non-violence and taking to heart the words of its founder President Daisaku Ikeda that culture of peace should be the foundation of the new global society. My students for the course and SUA students in general have given me every reason to believe that they are determined to empower themselves to be true global
citizens. To meet effectively the challenges posed by the present complexity of our time, the young of today deserve a radically different education –“one that does not glorify war but educates for peace, non-violence and international cooperation.” They need the skills and knowledge to create and nurture peace for their individual selves as well as for the world they belong to. Education for peace needs to be accepted in all parts of the world, in all societies and countries as an essential element in creating the culture of peace. As the UN-proclaimed International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) has come to an end and as the international community is calling for renewed energy for the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action on Culture of Peace of the United Nations, we should remember that the work for peace is a continuous process. Each of us can make a difference in that process. This is especially true of young people like the SUA students. Non-violence can truly flourish when the world is free of poverty, hunger, discrimination, exclusion, intolerance and hatred – when women and men can realize their highest potential and live a secure and fulfilling life. Until then, each and every one of
[introduction]
anwarul k. chowdhury
003
us would have to contribute – collectively and individually - to build peace through non-violence. “Non-violence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our very being” – as Mahatma Gandhi has said. In the same vein, President Ikeda particularly emphasizes the positive, active pursuit of peace as opposed to the absence of war that he calls “passive peace”. He very appropriately underscores that peace is not something which is distant but it is something which can be pursued through day-to-day efforts by cultivating care and consideration for others and through understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity. He has highlighted empowerment of people as a major element in building culture of peace and very eloquently emphasized the empowerment and participation of women in leading the way for that. I am confident that the SUA students will make every effort to rid themselves and their fellow men and women of the evils of intolerance and prejudice, ignorance and selfishness that compel us to repeat the cycle of violence. For that, we have to build a grand alliance amongst all, particularly with the proactive involvement and participation of young people like them. No social responsibility is greater nor task heavier than that of securing peace on our planet. As the great man of peace President Ikeda has exhorted, “Path to peace has not been and will not be easy, but never be defeated”. I wish the best of readership for the excellent initiative of my students in bringing out this magazine presenting their contribu tions on The Culture of Peace.
Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury Visiting Scholar on The Culture of Peace SUA Learning Cluster 2 February 2011
004
tolerance, dialogue and participation: ace
e P f o e r u lt u C a f o s e lu a Underlying V
A culture of peace is the future that we had pictured in mind with hope. A culture of peace is the future that we determined to realize. A culture of peace is the future that all of us, the human beings, are striving for. The United Nations Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace was adopted by consensus in 1999. Since then, it has been a torch for human beings that lights up where to aim at. There are several values which a culture of peace is based on, of which three seem very significant. First, tolerance is a mindset by which people courageously overcome the differences among others. Buddha once said, “I perceived a single, invisible arrow piercing the hearts of the people” (44). Daisaku Ikeda analyzed this quote, saying that “the arrow symbolizes a prejudicial mindset, unreasoning emphasis on individual differences” (44), and that this arrow is the fundamental cause of conflicts we have experienced till now. The arrow, the negative attachment to differences, causes fear that creates exclusive boundaries in people’s minds. Consequently, people become close-minded, and they then tend to stereotype
others. Ikeda considered this attitude a reflection of “a mental indolence” (58), exacerbates the disconnectedness among people. Because stereotypes can easily transform others into impersonal objects to be destroyed, a transition, Ikeda stated, from mental laziness to violence is very likely to happen. Thus, the clearance of the arrow from people’s minds is extremely important for achieving peace. As the Yamoussoukro Declaration on Peace in the minds of Men expresses that “peace is more than the end of armed conflict,” the removal of the arrow is neither external nor momentary. It is a continuous transformation to be open-minded and to defeat fear for differences. I think that this process can be called tolerance. With such tolerance, people can start dialogue, “the most potent weapon in the arsenal of the gradualists – the radical’s opposite” (41). Here I would like to discuss dialogue not as a means but as a concept, not how it takes place but what it is. Dialogue is not a mere exchange of words. It consists of some fundamental elements in addition to tolerance. First, words possess
KXZXXO IMXI
a tremendous power which has created causes of many historical events. However, Ikeda mentioned that the force of words can also “[subvert] into justifying an inhuman cause,” thereby letting ideologies exist above human beings (48). Thus, it is an essential aspect of dialogue to keep a “firm conviction in the fundamental equality of the all people” (59) and in absolute necessity for respect for human life. This can be tied with tolerance discussed above because it must be sprung out of sense of coexistence or realization of “dependent origination” (67) which let us respect human life as well. Second, dialogue is overcoming differences, yet it is not just about compromising between differences. As Ikeda asserted, “no matter how extensive the dialogue, nothing creative and constructive will be accomplished if we focus our attention on discovering points of compromise. On the contrary, such an approach is a betrayal of the quintessentially human desire to see the truth” (62). He also stated that “the ultimate purpose of the dialogue to search for the truth” (61). In order to achieve such purpose, people have to willingly accept
005
criticism. It is not right to think about how to respond while listening to others in that sense. Also, I believe that the truth he mentioned does not mean something philosophical and unintelligible, but humanistic and ordinary, such as irremovable existence of humanity in everyone’s mind and mutuality in belief and action. Dialogue is a process to create peace, so there should always be warm human minds. Finally, and most importantly, participation is essential for the culture of peace. When people think of peace, they tend to imagine something dramatic and huge. People are exposed to the world with glorified wars and violence toward victory, so believing in the power of gradual changes and a single individual becomes very difficult. Hence, taking distance from the realization of peace, they may say the world peace does not relate with them. They seem right, and the world seems too enormous for a single person to change. Nevertheless, by saying this, they are also helping radicals and violence because it is true that “in human affairs [people] cannot push things too far too quickly … [because] they [then] tend to neglect human beings, the most important part of the reform process” (20-22). Only by believing in an individual’s potential in the struggle for peace, people can hinder the history of tragedies from being repeated. Furthermore, it is quite natural and important for the culture of peace to be realized gradually and to have ordinary people participate in the process, for the world peace must begin with a small peace between individuals. As Ikeda keenly pointed out, “the real seeds of peace lie not in lofty ideas but in human understanding and empathy of ordinary people” (41). People do not have to perform anything extraordinary. Peace can be very small and local, for it starts from the inner transformation of an ordinary person, as I discussed above. People must think of peace with close connections. In conclusion, tolerance, dialogue and participation are crucial for the culture of peace that always originates in a human mind, no matter how big it will be. Ikeda emphasized this origin of the culture of peace, stating that “more vital are the creative efforts of individuals to develop a culture of peace, because it is on this foundation that a new global society can be built” (4). The world has become increasingly interconnected and complicated today, and problems that we face seem irresolvable. Nonetheless, we must courageously stand up with the conviction. “No time is more appropriate than now to build a culture of peace.”
006
“Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing b rings more happ iness. Peace is th e most basic sta rting point for the advancement of humankind.” – D aisaku Ikeda "Surely, it is time that our identity as human beings becomes the most important thing to us: that we recognize our common humanity as our first identity; that we are first and foremost men and women in the world today, born to love and be loved - we are interconnected and we need each other." -Mairead Corrigan
“Now is the starting point for everything. The here and now is the foundation and pivot, the alpha and omega, of all aspects of human activity” Daisaku Ikeda
Absence of peace takes away the opportunities to better ourselves, to prepare ourselves, and to empower ourselves to face the challenges of the world. – Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury
"If we have no peace, it is because we h ave forgotten th at we belong to e ach other." - Mo ther Theresa
peace quotes. "The first step to become a peace leader is to appreciate your mother." -Daisaku Ikeda
The only real prison "Knowing is not t is fear, and the only enough; we mus real freedom is freeapply. Willing is not enough; we dom from fear. “ e th must do."- Goe -Aung San Suu Kyi “There is no way "Peace is not some abstract concept far removed from our everyday lives. It is a questo peace, tion of how each of us plants and cultivates the peace is seeds of peace in the reality of our daily living, the way.” in the depths of our being, throughout our lives. – A.J. I am certain that herein lives the most reliable path to lasting peace." -Daisaku Ikeda Muste
007
breakthrough 008
[
]
Alice Paul by leia marasovich
A true peace leader is someone who is so passionate about a certain beneficial and just topic that they are willing to risk their own life for the betterment of others. Peace leaders look into the broader dimensions of humanity and thus act upon making long-term changes. In retrospect, I am not intending that in order to be recognized as a peace leader you must die for your cause or make a colossal change. I believe that there are many ordinary citizens who resemble the qualities of a peace leader by the simple and small things they say, write, or do. Like the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Betty Williams once said, “everyone is a peace prize laureate; I just have the label.” All it takes is one individual to have the courage to fight against something they believe in, despite all the resistance and oppression they may face. The capacity of one person has no limits; if they are self-motivated and their will is the strongest component to their mission, they are bound to achieve what would be considered the impossible. Although she may be well-known to others, I was not familiar with the impressive achievements of Alice Paul. Alice Paul was a feminist, suffragist, and political strategist. Ultimately, because of her demand on the passing of the 19th amendment, she is the reason why women have the right to vote today. Her aspiration was for men and women to have equal rights and be equal members in society. Despite the absurdity and foreignness of Alice’s goal, she did not let the flame of her burning passion fade. She took action and on the eve of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration she organized the biggest parade ever seen. The parade consisted of a wide variety of about 8,000 women who marched with banners in white suffragist outfits from the Capitol to the White House. The women received a lot of harassment from many people, as their peaceful march generated a lot more attention than Alice had expected. For the first time since 1887, women suffrage had been brought to the attention of the senate and the public. However, the process of attaining equality among men and women was a strenuous task; Alice and her fellow women were arrested after silent protests, called “silent sentinels,” in front of the White House. The women were sent to a prison in Virginia called Occoquan Work-
house. In jail the ladies were treated as subhumans; “suffragists, including frail, older women, were beaten, pushed and thrown into cold, unsanitary, and rat-infested cells (Rebecca Carol, 2)”. While in jail, Paul and other women went on hunger strikes to further show their ambition to their mission. They were forced-fed raw eggs through a plastic feeding tube The result of Alice Paul’s unabated work is the passage of the 19th Amendment; women’s right to vote. Her success has affected the life of every women living today. She first joined the National Women Suffrage Association, and later founded the National Women’s Party in 1916. In addition, Paul is the author of the Equal Rights Amendments which most states have adopted in their state constitutions. In addition, “Paul also was active in the Peace movement, stating at the outbreak of World War II that if women had helped to end World War I, the second war would not have been necessary (Jone Johnson Lewis)”. There was a great chance that Alice would not see her hard work manifest into reality. Fortunately she was able to, but I believe she would be just as passionate if she knew she would not see the fruits of her labor during her lifetime. Alice Paul did not fight for women’s rights just for herself, but for her fellow sisters and future grandchildren. Paul suffered excruciating pain, violence, and abuse from various people, yet because of her unfathomable self-motivation and altruistic passion, she was able to live through these obstacles and barriers that would have stopped most people. Alice Paul exemplifies the qualities of a true peace leader because she was willing to starve, go to jail, and die for her cause. Since women play such an essential role in structuring and sustaining peace, I believe that Alice’s work has greatly impacted the potential of this agenda. She created the strong foundation and confidence that women need in their undervalued and unrecognized contributions towards world peace, justice, and security. Alice Paul is an inspiration to me and has opened the door of opportunity to every single woman. I truly believe that women have the inner strength, vigor, and passion to break through the unjust clutches of humanity in order to form a sustainable, secure, and peaceful world.
peace.women.peace.security.women.peace.
13 25
Ambassador Chowdhury says “women are not just a vulnerable group, but, more importantly, there are empowering as well” (SGI Quarterly). U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 strongly declared that women are not just helpless victims, but are active agents to prevent war and to build a peaceful and harmonious society. The most essential concept of UNSCR 1325 is “to increase women’s participation at all levels of [the] decision-making processes.” It should not just be a matter of number, but to realize that every woman can equally access and participate in decision-making and peace operation processes as men do. Furthermore, UNSCR 1325 places responsibility on governments, non-state actors, and the UN because international cooperation cannot be ignored in order to realize this resolution (SGI Quarterly). In a 2010 peace proposal, “Toward a New Era of Value Creation,” Daisaku Ikeda, the founder of Soka University of America, also says, “the significance of the resolution lies above all in the fact that it was a declaration to the world at the threshold of the twenty-first century that women’s involvement is essential if lasting peace is to be realized.”
txkaxo koxaxaxhi xayxxo mxrixhxxa hxxtxmi naxxbaxi xjsdxsxs 1325 in practice women as contributers
clearly explained why women were more easily organized in Liberia than men: “One of the things that made it quite easy…was Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian woman, is a great the constant appeal to our similarities, rather example of women as contributors to peace than the things that easily divide us. What were operations. She took the initiative in the Liberian those things that were similar? One, we were women’s peace movement, which finally brought the ones watching our children die of hunger. the end to bloody conflicts among Liberian Two, we were the easiest targets of rape and citizens. The most significant action for this sexual abuse. Three, we were the ones who peace movement led by Gbowee was to unify were going out to look for food. So we were the Christian and Muslim women, two groups the ones who were out there. It became really, which were traditionally divided in Liberia. Then, really difficult for us to just not do anything.” she called for Liberian women in both religions (SGI Quarterly) to be engaged in non-violent protests together. More noteworthy was that Liberian women did not just follow their emotions such as suffering, Another example is the case of Selline Korir, a anger and hopelessness in the movement, female team leader for a women’s organization but constantly formulated the progress of their working for peace in Kenya. movement through learning about leaders of There was violent conflict involving two groups non-violence in the past such as Mahatma around the Mt. Elgon area between 2005 and Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. They also 2008. Because of the conflict, women were communicated with leaders of the religious victims of violence, including many cases of groups to ally with their movement. Gbowee rape. Instead of being a victim, Selline Korir
1.
2.empowerment of women
peace.women.peace.security.women.peace.
009
worked as a female team leader for a women’s organization working for peace in Kenya. She organized a forum for the security of women and children by using UNSCR 1325 and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women “as tools to sensitize and mobilize the participants and to call for the protection of women and children, in particular, against atrocities.” In addition to the forum, she appealed to many institutions, and other international organizations cooperated to help her group. Furthermore, she organized mediation between two groups. As a result, the conflict is moving toward “an end to the open fighting.” She concludes, International instruments such as 1325 which provide for protection of women and children in such violent situations empower women like me and my team to play an active role in peacebuilding, and every step I have been propelled by a determination to increase awareness of this resolution among leaders at the national level and at the grassroots, and to encourage them to act in the spirit of the resolution. (SGI Quarterly)
2.reform of the UN system
For the reform of the UN system, he emphasized strengthening cooperation among the governing bodies of the UN. Particularly, he stressed that authorities in the UN should take a leading role in promoting the national action plans.
3. the National Action Plan
4.cooperation with CSOs
practical action proposals in 4 areas In 2010, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury pointed out four areas for further implementation of SCR 1325 in “Doable Fast-Track Indicators for Turning the 1325 Promise into Reality.”
1.role of UN Secretary-General He strongly encouraged UNSG to play a more prominent role in promoting SCRs regarding women and peace and security. He advocated “an urgent need for the UNSG’s genuinely active, dedicated engagement in using the moral authority of the United Nations and the high office he occupies for the effective implementation of 1325.”
010
In addition to the role of the UN to promote the national action plans, he called for the effort to implement SCR 1325 in the UN member states. Indeed, out of 192 UN member states, up to the present date, only 24 countries have already developed national action plans for SCR 1325. Developing national action plans in each UN member states implies that every member state gives more priority to the empowerment of women in their own countries.
He highlighted the need for the cooperation of the UN with civil society organizations (CSOs). Chowdhury advocated that CSOs should play the role of becoming deeply involved in local communities for full implementation of SCR 1325.
conclusion
Chowdhury clearly reminded people in the world of the significance of this resolution when he said that 1325 belongs to humanity: “it is owned by us all—it is for the benefit of all—it was intended to be so since March 2000 when the conceptual breakthrough was made…I declared 1325 ‘a common heritage of humanity’ where in the global objectives of peace, equality and development are reflected in a uniquely historic, universal document of the United Nations.” (SGI Quarterly) “A common heritage of humanity” strongly emphasizes the oneness of all human beings. In that sense, SCR 1325 must be central to the advancement of peace operations for all of us in the world.
1.
3
important concepts considered relevant to the Culture of Peace
Without Respect, people cannot cherish others. They also cannot understand the value of other races, cultures, traditions, and even wisdom. It is surely difficult to respect all different others. If it had been easy to respect these others, human beings would never have experienced human tragedies, such as the war. The first essential point that enables humans to discover the solution for peacemaking and peace-building would be respect for all types of people. This respect means that humans understand that all human beings have equal human rights, dignity of life, and equality of freedom.
2. Compassion
Akxsxiro Exdx class of 2013
enables humans to share our own cultures and benefits with others and to care about people who are suffering. If humans have the respect for all human rights and values, they become compassionate for others because they already understand that all humans have the right to attain happiness and live in peace. Therefore, through becoming compassionate, humans are able to not only share their own values and benefits with others, but also accept others’ and try to help them solve their problems and suffering. David Krieger, Founder and President of Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, claims that the humans need to have compassion to build the path of peace (Voices for a Culture of Peace, 122).
3.
Courage is a name for taking an action. As seen in history, Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi took actions against violence and injustice in promoting peace. The reason why they could do this was that they just had courage. UNESCO defines courage not as the ability to be violent, but as the ability to be creative to seek people’s happiness and peace through non-violent ways. These peace leaders realized that they needed to have courage to take non-violent actions. They dedicated their lives to seeking peace; that is, they tried to connect people despite different cultures and races by non-violent means. In talking about discrimination against black people, Martin Luther King, Jr states, “Our most fruitful course is to stand firm, move forward with aggressive non-violence.” His word emphasizes the importance of courageous action to achieve peace of all humans beyond any discrimination. Their fearless actions came from their courageous minds which aimed to develop the culture of peace.
011
commonalities.
Nxxaxi Tacxikaxa
012
SUA has taught me the essence of peace: we are all human beings, before we are American, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Philipino, Russian, and Mexican. We all eat, sleep, and breathe. We all laugh when we are happy. We all cry when we are sad. We all talk about life, love, and even the most unnecessary things. We all love someone. We are all loved by someone. We all need each other. Regardless of our background, we all have a mother and a father. Before we classify ourselves by nationality, race, religion, gender, social class, or sexual preference, we all are human beings. In order to prevent and resolve conflicts, we have to emphasize our commonality as humans to overcome any differences. John F. Kennedy once stated, “So let us not be blind to our differences, but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s future and we are all mortal.” Our inherent commonalities as humans enable us to transcend external differences. Studying at SUA has fostered my sense of humanity, helping me overcome my own intolerance and expand my empathy. Perhaps this is the first step necessary on my journey to peace.
Who gets to name the terrorists? And what is the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter? It depends on your perspective To US – the Muslims are spreading the hatred To them – We came to their country invaded killed innocent people took women and raped them Of course, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and Kim Jong Il have committed brutal atrocities But US-backed dictators have killed thousands of innocent people in Latin America To me that’s hypocrisy All too often these evil leaders become the blank canvas on which we project our own insecurities and fears It’s convenient to have a scapegoat for the pains that have stirred deep inside for years But in defining others as evil, it’s clear we’ve become blinded to the scour staring back at us in the mirror Good and evil aren’t absolute entities but potentials that always exist in here Like that white whale Moby Dick a huge, blank, white canvas of obsession Ahab labeled it a monster and with rage charged in its direction to teach it a lesson but the evil he saw in the white whale was only his own reflection If we look with the eyes of hate all we will ever see is our own projection The ship of this nation is sailing to its self-destruction So open up your eyes to this fact when you point one finger you have three pointing back Open up your eyes we need to awake We’re a nation of zombies marching towards a tragic fate And what the terrorist did on September 11th was a tragedy But I wonder – how much must they have suffered as children to want to kill like that? 3000 people died that day their friends and family suffered too But imagine 3000 people dying hour after hour for 4 years straight
and that’s how many causalities there were in World War Two The roots of violence are deep this tree of hatred is tall And watching the towers fall I realized that this policy coming from the Top Down Isn’t working out after all The US military budget is 1 trillion dollars a year Even 1% could save the lives of many children Having no food is terrible Having no clean drinking water is terrible Having no education is terrible Fighting these enemies would be a true War on Terror And as much as I want to blame leaders and politicians a large responsibility lies on the people’s backs You can hate Bush but on the public polls a majority of Americans voted to go to Iraq If you disagree, its cool talk to me and I’ll talk to you at least that way we’ll have more than one hegemonic view because that’s all you get on the news let us speak so diverse ideas and opinions can fuse And as a community, let’s make a culture of peace from this culture of war The power lies within so never forget the world is yours
war on
terror
Rxnx Hxyaxhi
013
mother: Dxjux Maxxukxra
When I think of peace, the image of a mother and a child always comes to my mind. I believe that when people see a mother softly holding her child, everyone feels that no one can let them live miserably. Mothers are the greatest proponents of peace and security. However peaceful our society could become, if a mother and her child were suffering, we cannot say that we achieved peace. In our Learning Cluster, we studied the Culture of Peace and eight action areas for the Culture of Peace adopted by the UN. Because our teacher, Ambassador Chowdhury is the primary advocate of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the concept, of ”Women, Peace and Security,” I read some articles and essays about women and mothers. Then, I was deeply touched by Dr. Ikeda’s story about his mother. Thus, I would like to talk about the greatness of mothers here. Dr. Ikeda has written some essays about his mother. Living during the time of the Pacific War and World War II, life for Japanese women was painfully difficult because their sons in their prime were taken by the military government and sent to the front. As a result, many mothers had to work hard to make a living on top of their daily chores. In such a hard environment, however,
014
the greatest advocate of you
Dr. Ikeda’s mother raised 10 children and, although losing her four sons and house, she was never spiritually defeated. Whatever happened, she always stayed cheerful. However poor her family was, she called her children “the champions of poverty” and never complaining. Even when she sent her sons to foreign lands, she did not shed a tear, and instead smiled. At that time, Dr. Ikeda wondered how she felt in her heart. Through her simple but strong way of living, Dr. Ikeda learned the strength and greatness of a mother’s love. Dr. Ikeda states, “Whatever I was going through, her presence gave me great hope and courage.” I think that because of his memories with his mother and great appreciation and respect for her, Dr. Ikeda resolutely opposes any war and has kept taking actions to bring about peace and security for people of the world. In the beginning of this year, I got an opportunity to ask myself: who is the person always thinking about me and staying by my side whatever happens? Who is my most powerful supporter? My mother usually does not express her worry and anxiety to me. Although she is really worried about me, she always says a few words like “do your best” or “hang in there.” She is very optimistic. When I had
an accident, got injured and was carried to a hospital by an ambulance, she immediately came to see me, smiling, and said “your shirt is stained with your blood.” Because she has never showed her anxiety to me, for better or worse, I also became a person who does not care about small things. In any case, my mother always believes in me. Thus, I am sure that whatever happens to me, my mother will support me. And I believe you have the same feeling. When we appreciate how deeply we are protected by our own mothers, I believe, we cannot help aiming for peace and security in our society. I usually do not think about how much I am protected by my mother. I cannot imagine the time that I can no longer meet my mother again. I often take the existence of my mother and her consideration to me for granted. But because of that, now I want to thank my mother again. And when you finish reading this, I want you to think about your mother, including good memories and bad memories with her, and renew your appreciation to your mother. From appreciating our own mother, I believe, we can start our peace building. Appreciation for one’s mother is the first step to become a peace leader.
In January 6, 1941, when another world war ravaged the countries, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed four essential human freedoms in his State of the Union Address.
h u m a n
Yoxmxn Kxnx
freedom of speech & expression freedom of worship freedom of want freedom from fear
These freedoms were originally intended to provide a strong moral support on the cause of Great Britain and its allies in World War II. However interestingly, Lady Eleanor Roosevelt took this concept as her personal mission and later on, the concept became an integral component of an international organization known today as United Nations. After World War II, the world witnessed the global insecurity as violence, poverty, diseases, and hunger desecrated the lives of many people around the world. To find the solution for this problem, the need for multidisciplinary understanding of security became apparent and the number of research on various disciplines, which included development studies, international relations, strategic studies and human rights were conducted. In 1994, the United Nations presented its United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report, which argued that “freedom
GRAMEEN
global non-profit organization dedicated to end poverty by helping poor people, especially women, to develop self-sustaining finance through providing access to microfinance and technology.
ICAP
international organization of artists dedicated to bringing about peaceful society through actively promoting dialogue and creative power of arts to instill ideals of humanism and nonviolence in youth.
from want” and “freedom from fear” for all persons is the best path to tackle the problem of global insecurity. This report challenged the traditional notion of national security and the idea of individual, people-centered view of security emerged as a solution necessary for providing security around the world. In 2001, the independent Commission on Human Security defined human security in its 2003 report entitled Human Security Now: Protecting and Empowering People: Human security means “to protect the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms and human fulfillment. Human security means protecting fundamental freedomsfreedoms that are the essence of life. It means protecting people from critical (severe) and pervasive (widespread) threats and situations. It means using processes that build on people’s strengths and aspirations. It means creating political, social, environmental, economic, military and cultural systems that together give people the building blocks of survival livelihood and dignity.” Now, State governments and various Non-Governmental Organizations are working tirelessly to improve the quality of lives of people around the world. Some of them include:
Japan for Sustainability (JFS) Nobel Women’s Initiative Doctors without Borders Free the Children Save the Children Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Oxfam Peace People Peace Pledge advocacy NGO International striving to defending Chinese Education and protecting Association for International Exchange human rights. Soka Gakkai HRW gives voices International (SGI) to victims and Peace Boat hold aggressors accountable for their Club of Rome Earth Charter crimes. Smile Foundation
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
s e c u r i t y 015
Composer, pianist, pedagogue, and musicologist, Jose Carlos Amaral Vieira was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1952. Known as Amaral Vieira, he is one of the most influential figures in the musical life of Brazil. A Child prodigy, he has been performing in solo recitals since the age of eight, and has steadily built a concert career marked by large-scale and highly successful projects. From 1965 to 1976, Viera studied abroad with many renowed musicians and composers, as a result of several grants awarded by the governments of France, Germany, and England. In 1977 he returned to Brazil, where since then he has continued to play a major role in all areas of musical activity. In 1991, Vieira was introduced to MinOn Concert Association and its founder, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda. Since then, he has become familiar with Ikeda’s writings, and is impressed by his humanistic philosophy of culture and peace. Over the years, Vieira has dedicated a number of large-scale compositions to Ikeda and became an exclusive artist of Min-On. Since he first met Ikeda, Vieira has promoted eight Tour Presentations in Japan, surpassing 250 performances in more than 200 cities throughout the country. In his most recent Tour in 2010, a response to enthusiastic calls for encore performances, Vieira returned to the Min-On’s stages, and also visited the neighborhood nation of Taiwan, and made a glorious first-time performance in the Republic of China. Peace Leader In an interview given to Terceira Civilização, a monthly magazine published by the Brazil-SGI, in October 2010, Vieira says that since his early childhood, he aimed for the emergence of a mentor in his life, and as a realization of this dream, he met Daisaku Ikeda, the founder of Soka University of America. In their first meeting, Ikeda affirmed that he would become the “ambassador of peace through music.” As many think, Vieira is not a SGI member, but he considers himself a Buddhist and Ikeda as his mentor because of his humanistic philosophy of culture and peace, and his vast visions regarding global issues. Vieira says that because he was able to meet Ikeda, he would incorporate the humanistic principles in music, and consequently promote peace throughout the world. In a portion of the interview,
Vieira shares that when Ikeda asked him to become the “ambassador of peace through music,” he was also told that he would be a musician who performs in many countries in the world, transmitting a humanistic message, hope, and joy, which only music can do. Viera further affirms, “The music goes straight to people’s hearts. It touches and humanizes the spot in which humans are unique. There is no need to understand and no need of music experience. It is like two walls opening for a fraction of minute. The individual sees the other side through the opening of the walls, seeing the good. The walls might perhaps close again, but if people were able see what’s on the other side, they began to believe it and become willing to repeat the same experience.” With this spirit, Vieira has contributed to the music life in Brazil and in other countries, and spread the ideas of peace through his Tour Presentations entitled “Peace Tour.” Vieira even composed a piece for peace entitled “Dawn of the Century of Humanity.” He says, ”My first composition was inspired by an Ikeda text was 'Dawn of the Century for Humanity', which I wrote in 1991 for the inaugural recital on the Yamaha piano that had been donated by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum to the Museu de Arte de São Paulo. The work was originally conceived as a piano solo and adapted, the same year, for piano and orchestra. In the symphonic version the musicians represent, symbolically, the different nations on Earth working together in the spirit of fraternity, each contributing with his or her specific sonority to the Great Discourse of Peace. “The piano solist and the orchestral instruments combine harmoniously to present and develop the many musical themes in the composition”
under cover:
Amaral Vieira
016
Lexxarxo Saxto
When I was in high school, I belonged to the Peace Studies Association, in which I learned about problems of nuclear weapons. Through the activities of this club, I recognized that Japanese people had a responsibility to tell the facts of nuclear weapons because Japan is the only country to experience the threats of these weapons. With this history, I would like to tell about issues of nuclear weapons and activities for nuclear abolition and discuss the solution of nuclear issues. Nuclear weapons were created by the United States through the Manhattan Project, which was implemented during World War 2 to develop the first atomic bomb. In 1945, atomic bombs were exploded by the United States in Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the first time. About 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 74,000 people in Nagasaki died of the bomb’s blast, flying debris, and fire. Also, the bombs generated clouds of radiation that contaminated air and water. Even after the explosion, a huge number of people died of the harmful environment created by the bombs. The world was frightened at the destructiveness of nuclear weapons. A famous scientist, Albert Einstein, who contributed to the Manhattan project, deeply regretted his collaboration with the project. He said, “Since the completion of the first atomic bomb nothing has been accomplished to make the world more safe from the war, while much has been done to increase the destructiveness of war.” Even though the first atomic bombs showed their destructive power, America and the Soviet Union increased the number of nuclear weapons during the Cold
War. In 1985, the total number of nuclear weapons produced by these countries was more than 75,000, which were enough to destroy the world. Following these two states, many other states started implementing nuclear experiments. In order to prevent the world from using and producing atomic bombs, treaties and activities were implemented. The United Nations advocated the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty in 1970. The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and Russia came to power from 1982. Currently, in 2008, President Obama gave a speech on nuclear weapons in Prague. These treaties and activities encouraged many leaders of nuclear powers to reduce nuclear weapons. As a result, today the number of atomic bombs has decreased to around 22,000. However, the risk of the use of nuclear weapons is increasing. In fact, countries which suffer from economic problems keep developing nuclear weapons because nuclear weapons are materials for them, and the skills to make them are sold at a high prices. Because nuclear weapons are profitable for poor countries, it is difficult to stop them from developing nuclear weapons. In addition, since each country has a fear that others may use nuclear weapons, it is difficult for the world to eliminate all nuclear weapons. Nuclear abolition seems unrealistic to achieve. However, the founder of SUA, Dr. Ikeda doubted the potential of using nuclear weapons and the value of them in his proposal in 2009, “Building Global Solidarity toward Nuclear Abolition.” He maintains, “For 64 years since the unimaginable suffering unleashed
issues of nuclear weapons Naxto Taxxhaxhi by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no political leader of any country has been able to bring him- or herself to actually use nuclear weapons. To me, this indicates that the threshold against the use of nuclear weapons, comprising moral and other considerations, is quite high.” According to Dr. Ikeda, world leaders are recognizing that nuclear weapons are too powerful and destructive to use, and thus, unnecessary to keep. This idea could convince many countries to abolish nuclear weapons. Dr. Ikeda also claims in his proposal, “The only way to accurately grasp the other’s intention is to conduct open and frank dialogue; and, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, dialogue can lead to a breakthrough.” If leaders understand the reason why poor countries develop nuclear weapons through discussion, they will realize that there are solutions such as the provision of economic aids. They will also realize that all countries have fears, and that it is possible to abolish nuclear weapons cooperatively. No matter how difficult the problems are, we can start solving them through dialogue.
017
fun a c t s
did you know?
check out some facts you should know and some not-so fun facts
Haiti is the least developed country in the western hemisphere out of 50 of the poorest today children by countries, 34 are in Africa the age of 10 witness 33,000 epiin Rwanda half a million sodes of violence in women were raped during the media 1994 genocide
Budapesh is the capital of Hungary GNI=growth national income
every 5th person in the world is Chinese
March 8th is the U.N.’s entire 1.2 billion underInternational budget is only 1.8% nourished people Women’s Day of the world’s mili(in 2009) tary expenditure Monrovia is the 4% is the standard capital of Liberia inflation rate in 2009 U.S. Nigeria is Africa’s in 2009 the world spent $712 billeading oil country military expenditure lion on defense reached an estimated there are current$1.5 trillion dollars ly 20,000-25,000 nuclear weapons world population: 6.5 billion on the planet
018
!
thank you
mr. chowdhury [for teaching us so much]
we love you! -learning cluster “culture of peace” class of 2011 Soka University
writers: “the excellent 12” ryan.nanami.takako.yoomin.akishiro.leia. hitomi.daiju.leonardo.kayoko.kazuhiko.naoto design&layout by leia marasovich
peace out.