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World Congress on Transdisciplinarity 2020

The organizers of the 3rd World Congress on Transdisciplinarity invite the Network of Foundations and Research Institutions for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace in Africa (REFICA) to participate in a two-phase global event;

  • a virtual first, from October 30, 2020 to September 3, 2021, and
  • one second face-to-face from November 2 to 6, 2021 in Mexico City.

The virtual congress will run for 10 months, for 40 weeks with activities on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Africa region has four (4) weeks (one theme per week) to develop the following themes:

  • Peace
  • African culture
  • Inter-religious dialogue
  • Africa and the coronavirus pandemic: scientific and cultural approach.

These themes will be discussed in the following forms:

  • a lecture (1 hour)
  • a round table (2 hours) on Wednesday,
  • a symposium (3 hours) on Friday.

Please indicate what contributions you can make to the development and presentation of these themes.

For the face-to-face congress, we ask you to make proposals for papers according to the 8 thematic axes selected (and which have already been sent to you. Please remind them if possible). Each paper proposal must include an 800-character abstract.

An exhibition space is planned to present African culture around the art of dress. Any other suggestion on your part would be welcome.

Concerning the practical modalities, you must register at the latest in August 2020, for both the virtual and the face-to-face congress.

A videoconference (by Zoom) with the members of the Network will be held on Monday, July 27, 2020, at 4:00 PM GMT to take stock of our participation.

 

The Permanent Secretary of the Network
Pr Jean-Noël LOUCOU

Training Seminar for the Members of Renabec – Videos

The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research is organizing in partnership with the National Network for the Well-being of Drivers (RENABEC) and the O.S.E.R (Road Safety Office) a training seminar for road transport professionals from July 22 to 24, 2020 in Yamoussoukro. This seminar will focus on the theme: "The commitment of road transport professionals in favour of security, peace and the respect of barrier measures related to the covid-19 pandemic, for a peaceful electoral environment in Côte d’Ivoire".

As a peace institution, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research is resolutely committed to accompanying the road transport world in the search for solutions to the many problems that shake it to the point of causing permanent conflicts between customers, transporters, trade unions and other actors on whom the efficiency of the Ivorian road transport system depends.

Since March 2020, Côte d’Ivoire, like other countries, has been facing an unprecedented health and security crisis linked to the covid-19 pandemic. From this crisis situation have emerged barrier measures imposed on the population to cut the chain of spread of the coronavirus, plunging the entire country into precariousness. However, the year 2020 is marked by general elections in Côte d’Ivoire. It is therefore a matter of extending development prospects, taking into account the pandemic, which must be brought under control in a peaceful electoral environment. This approach aims at enabling road transport professionals to assume active roles at the local, regional and even global level.

It is important to promote among road transport professionals skills, competencies, values of peace and attitudes and behaviours that will contribute to the civic engagement of all on the basis of respect for democratic principles, diversity, solidarity and living together. But such perspectives take into account the current situation of the pandemic.

This seminar aims to effectively support road transport professionals to enable them to become proactive field agents contributing to the advent of more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, responsible and creative societies in the face of hazards and pandemics.

CPNN (Culture of Peace News Network) bulletin of July 1, 2020

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RACISM

This was a month of the reactivated struggle against racism.

It started in the United States with an uprising described as a “collective gasp for life” by the Poor People’s Campaign which continues the struggle for justice led by Martin Luther KIng, Jr. Their phrase refers to the last words of George Floyd, choked and killed by a white police officer “viscerally reminiscent of the lynching photographs that were used to terrorize African-Americans for decades in this nation.”

Excessive force by the police, condemned by fundamental international human rights law and standards, is commonplace in the United States according to a recent study.

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CPNN (Culture of Peace News Network) bulletin of June 1, 2020

LINK GLOBAL, EAT LOCAL

As we have seen in this bulletin in recent months, the global health and economic crisis has inspired many to envisage and prepare for radical change believing that “another world is possible.”

This month we feature two aspects of this movement: 1) towards local food production and consumption, known as food sovereignty; and 2) global rlinkage of activists via webinars and online courses and conferences. Hence a new variation on the old slogan that we should “Think global, act local.”

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Welcoming Remarks

You are welcome to visit the website of the Network of Foundations and Research Institutions for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace in Africa.

The Network was created at the end of the Addis Ababa meeting on September 20 and 21, 2013 with a view to "creating a continental and sustainable peace movement capable of mobilizing African States, the private sector, African artists and leaders, international organizations and regional development actors as well as NGOs and grassroots associations". It is currently composed of 44 African and non-African organizations listed here.

You will find on our website articles, publications, photos and videos concerning the promotion of the Culture of Peace on the African continent. We also keep you informed about upcoming events.

African Union

UNESCO