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Burlington Forum on Coexistence - 70th Anniversary of Human Rights Declaration
Burlington Forum on Coexistence
the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Episcopal Church Cathedral Church of Saint Paul
2 Cherry Street
Burlington, VT
December 7, 2018 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
In honor of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaimed the equality, justice and human dignity for all people - we are organizing the Burlington Forum on Coexistence at the Episcopal Church Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Burlington on December 7, 2018, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. This Forum followed the spirit and rationale of the Boston Forum on Coexistence in a Democratic Society held on December 8, 2017.
During the Boston Forum, the participants agreed that we should build upon the goals and outcomes of that Forum and hold fora in other parts of the United States. Therefore, drawing upon this inaugural Forum, we propose a series called the Forum on Co-Existence in a Democratic Society. This Forum emphasized the recognition and respect of the dignity of every person, a principle underscored in the Universal Declaration. Regrettably, this fundamental right diminishes when it comes to accepting difference due inter alia of gender, race, religion or nationality.
To this end, the purpose of the Forum is to promote a platform for dignity, respect and coexistence, and a road map for addressing the continuation of a heightened hatred, anger, exclusionary outcry. We look for paths of healing and for nurturing positive discourse, with a commitment to fundamental human rights, dignity, respect, and coexistence.
On December 10, 1948, in the wake of the horrors of WWII, the International community convened to commit to respect the dignity of all humankind. We hope to revive this spirit of commitment to human rights on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights during the Burlington Forum on Coexistence.
About the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights represented a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages. Learn more at http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/.
About The Episcopal Church in Vermont
The Episcopal Church in Vermont comprises 45 congregations across the Green Mountain State that share in the mission to pray the prayer of Christ, to learn the mind of Christ, and to do the deeds of Christ. The congregations live into this mission through ministries of Formation, Liberation, Communication, Connection, and Celebration. The Episcopal Church in Vermont is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Learn more at https://diovermont.org/.
Featured Speakers
· The Rev. Nicholas Porter, co-founder, Jerusalem PeaceBuilders
· Jeff Mandell, program director, Kids4Peace - VT/NH Chapter
· Rabbi Amy Small, Ohavi Zedek Synagogue
· Yvonne Lodico, founder, Grace Initiative Global
· Syed Meesam Razvi, Executive Director, Alliance for Research and Scholastic Heritage
· The Rev. Dr. Arnold Thomas, pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Underhill, VT
· Maurice L. Harris, diocesan communications minister and co-convener of the Racial Reconciliation/Healing Network, The Episcopal Church in Vermont
· The Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, treasurer, and past President, Vermont Interfaith Action; rector, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Barre, VT
· Mark Hughes, co-founder and director, Justice For All
· Bor Yang, executive director & legal counsel, Vermont Human Rights
[1]https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg16
Workshop on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention
Healing, Empowering and Transforming
For Inclusive Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention and Sustainable Development
With the full integration of rural women in peace processes
Presented on October 26, 2018
10:30 am -12:30 pm
The Justification
The framework for the workshop and the participants’ engagement includes: UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, respectively S/RES/2282 and A/RES/70/262, which called for sustaining peace by “preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict.” Further, it integrates global agendas such as the UN GA High Level Meeting on Peacebuilding, held 24-25 April 2018, which underscored the axiom that we must work “to save peace while it lasts, not to deal with the situation once peace is lost.” Also, it adheres to the 2030 Agenda goals, especially SDGs 1, 5, 12, 15, and 16. This concept also takes into consideration US House H.R. 5273 and US Senate S 3368, to reduce global fragility and violence.
To this end, this workshop on “Circles of Trust” will focus on peacebuilding and conflict prevention, through transforming and sustaining grass roots rural communities, with a particular emphasis on integrating women into this process. Therefore, the overall discussion will emphasize and explore how sustaining peace should in practical terms include conflict prevention, and why and how this includes the full integration of rural communities and especially rural women.
Our Focus
This workshop focuses on integrating holistic goals for peacebuilding, conflict prevention and sustainable development. It concentrates on transformation of lives in rural areas and the impact on women and girls. To this end, we will examine the possibilities for integrating the goals of community healing, of governance through peaceful discourse, and rural sustainable development through community supported agriculture and value-added crops, for nutrition, sustenance and income generation. This includes transformation of causes of conflict, promotion of peace and the prevention of conflict through healing, empowering and transforming lives[1]of rural women, including internally displaced. Rural women endure victimization from: conflict; forced displacement[2]; domestic violence; lack of nutrition and employment.[3]
Agenda:
Ms. Yvonne Lodico:
Founder, Grace Initiative Global
Introduction to Program Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention: Healing, Empowering and Transforming – for Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace
H. E. Virachai Plasai:
Ambassador of Kingdom of Thailand to the United States
Insight to Community Agriculture: Thailand’s Experience in implementing the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) to support rural community development as well as empowering women in rural areas
Dr. Massimo Tommasoli
Permanent Observer to the United Nations, International IDEA
Fostering civic engagement and governance in rural areas for holistic and sustainable peace.
Mr. Robert Terry
Director, Merck Forest and Farmland
Training for Engagement, Efficient La Tra Training of Trainers for Rural Development, Efficient Land Resource Management
Application for Rural Peacebuilding - Colombia
Mr. Gabriel Laizer, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Peace and Food Security: Investing in Resilience to Sustain Rural Livelihoods Amid Conflict in Colombia.
Diego García-Devis,
Senior Program Officer – Global Drug Policy, Open Society, Soros Foundation
Land management and active rural women participation in drug cultivation areas. The role of women in decision-making processes path to sustain programs aimed at reducing illicit crop production.
Ms. Juliana Valderrama
National Secretariat of Pastoral Social - Cáritas Colombiana
Mr. Mario Pineda
Kroc Institute, Cáritas Colombiana
Explanation of Current Peacebuilding in Rural Areas of Colombian
Insight to application of Circles of Trust with Rural
Women in Colombia, and reflection on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in Choco
Commentary on Monitoring Localized Peacebuilding in Colombia
[1]https://www.usaid.gov/colombia/results/transforming-lives
[2]http://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/colombia
[3]https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201614
Celebration of the 100th Anniversary Birthday of Nelson Mandela
Ambassador Isaac Chabala provided an historical overview of President Mandela.
Harvard Retreat on Empathy, Story Telling and the New Humanistic Psychology
On May 11-14 2018, Harvard Program on Refugee Trauma and William James College organized a retreat in Manchester, VT, with support from Grace Initiative. The retreat brought experts world wide for sharing ideas on empathy and story telling. During the retreat, Dr. Richard Mollica launched the New Humanistic Psychology.
United Nations Commission on Status of Women
The Permanent Mission of Iraq, the Grace Initiative, the Yale Alum Non-profit Alliance (YANA) New England
United Nations Commission on Status of Women
March 22, 2018
12:30pm -2:00 pm
United Nations Church Center
777 UN Plaza, New York, NY
Restorative Rural Agricultural Development
for Empowering Women and Girls and Advancing Peacebuilding
UNCSW focuses on an Alternative Approach for Empowering Women and Girls in Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention through innovative community agricultural practices. Our approach is called a Restorative Rural Agricultural Development (RRAD). The programme focuses on women and girls’ leadership for rebuilding communities through healing and engagement combined with agricultural practices that comprise a purpose of fostering sustainable and resilient communities for an enduring peace.
Restorative rural agricultural development builds from the necessity for healing and for rebuilding of relationships, communities and societies after conflict, violence and extreme poverty. Its goals are transformational with objectives of community reconciliation, sustainability, and resilience.
Agenda
Ms. Sahar Alsahlani, Al-Khoei Foundation Welcome
Ms. Yvonne Lodico, Founder, Grace Initiative Welcome
Ms. Jessica Scott, UN SDG Academy Moderator
Ambassador Isaiah Chabala, Visionary Empowerment for Zambia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Ms. Zaytoon Faraj,
Iraqi Delegation UN CSW Iraq’s Strategy for rural women and girls
Ms. Rita Reddy, UN DPKO Adviser Discussion on Women in Timor-Leste
Former, Gender Adviser, UNMIT
Former, Director of Civil Affairs,
UNAMID
Yvonne Lodico Introduction to Vermont goals for women (YANA VT) and rural development
Representative Amy Sheldon Legislative initiatives for inclusive,
Middlebury/Addison sustainable development.
Ms. Heidi Lynch Community Supported Agriculture (CSA),
Vermont Farmers as a provider of health care
Ms. Amy Frost CSA and Social Justice
Circle Mountain Farm
Ms. Sahar Alshlani Conclusion