A workshop focusing on the abolition of war through peace
constitutions such as Japan's Article 9 will be held at the 59th
Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference
in New York on 8 September. Organized by the Department of Public Information,
more than 2,500 NGO and civil society representatives from over 90 countries will
gather from 6 – 8 September, the week before the opening of the United Nations
General Assembly, to discuss ways and means for strengthening collaboration between
local communities and global institutions. The theme of this year's conference
will be Unfinished Business: Effective Partnerships for Human Security and
Sustainable Development. A major focus of the conference will be discussion regarding the implementation of the Millenium
Development Goals adopted by 189 UN Member States in the year 2000 as a road map
for tackling poverty, instability, HIV/AIDS, gender inequality and violence in
virtually all parts of the world.
Details are as follows:
To Save Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War
The UN Charter, Peace Constitutions and Civil
Society
Sponsored by Peace Boat
Co-sponsored by International Association of Lawyers Against
Nuclear Arms (IALANA), International Peace Bureau (IPB), Hague Appeal for Peace
(HAP), NGO Working Group on Disarmament, Peace and Security
Friday, 8 September 2006, 1:15-2:45 pm, Conference Room C
The United Nations was established
in 1945 with the determination "to save succeeding generations from the scourge
of war" (Preamble, the UN Charter). The UN Charter provides that Member States
“shall refrain ... from the threat or use of force” (Article 2(4))
and calls for “the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and
economic resources” (Article 26). Based on these principles, the world's
governments and civil society have made efforts to achieve the ambitious goal
of abolishing war.
In promoting this goal, the workshop will focus particularly on the roles of
peace provisions in national constitutions. Among them, the Costa Rican Peace
Constitution decided to abolish the country’s army. The abolishment has
benefited the country in promoting human development and security. Article 9 of
the Japanese Constitution renounces war and the maintenance of any war potential.
This Japanese peace provision was adopted following the end of World War Two as
a pledge to its neighbors and the world that it would never again wage war. Since
this time, Article 9 has been a foundation of collective security in the Asia-Pacific.
However, under the shadow of growing nationalism, Japan's Article 9 is now at
stake of revision that could lead to a resurgence of militarism and an arms race
in Asia.
At this critical juncture, citizens of Asia and the world's citizens are uniting
to develop the “Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War.”
This campaign is not only to protect Japan's Article 9, but also to spread Article
9-like peace provisions to national constitutions all over the world. The workshop
will explore how global civil society can utilize the UN Charter and peace constitutions
in promoting disarmament, demilitarization, peaceful conflict prevention, human
security and a culture of peace.
Moderated by: Maiko Morishita, Peace Boat US
Presenters: (tentative themes)
- Roberto Zamora, Student of Law, University of Costa Rica (video participation)
Peace Constitutions of Costa Rica and Japan- Positive Outcomes and Challenges
>>Download handout here
- Peter Weiss, Founder and Vice President, IALANA
Peace Constitutions and their Relation to International Law and the UN System
- Akira Kawasaki, Executive Committee, Peace Boat
Developing a Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War
- Haruka Katarao, Student of International Relations, Tokyo's Tsuda College
Youth Activism towards Abolishing War
For further information:contact Akira Kawasaki: kawasaki[at]peaceboat.gr.jp
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