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CPNN (Culture of Peace News Network) bulletin of November 1, 2017

CAN WE ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS ?

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), one of the civil society coalitions that supported the development of the United Nations Treaty to ban nuclear weapons. To quote the Nobel Committee, “Nuclear weapons pose a constant threat to humanity and all life on earth. Through binding international agreements, the international community has previously adopted prohibitions against land mines, cluster munitions and biological and chemical weapons. Nuclear weapons are even more destructive, but have not yet been made the object of a similar international legal prohibition.”

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Fight against Violence: 60 young people trained in the culture of peace and democratic citizenship

The fight against the recrudescence of violence in the region of Marahoué is a major concern for all populations. In schools, it is acutely that remedies are considered in order to circumscribe the specter of violence and the incitious acts that are gaining momentum. It is in this context that a training and capacity-building workshop was organized for students from Zuénoula at the Foyer des jeunes, on October 20 and 21, 2017. It is an initiative of the Youth Parliament of Côte d'Ivoire (PJCI) Zuénoula section, in partnership with the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research.

For two days, these young people from various communities in the department were trained in citizenship and peace with a view to contributing to the establishment of a lasting peace and a harmonious living together in this area of the Côte Ivory. Better, it was to get them to engage in the process of reconciliation, peacebuilding and preservation of social cohesion.

The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Research Foundation, which provided training and workshops, was represented by KOFFI Yao Ernest, TIE Bi Zaouli Lucien and YA Kouakou Jérôme. As such, four themes were discussed during these days of peace education.

The themes "Introduction to the Culture of Peace" and "Initiation to Human Rights" were presented by the first named. The theme "Initiation to Conflict Management" was moderated by Mr. TIE Bi. And to Mr. YA Jérôme to animate the module entitled "Techniques of non-violent communication".

In view of the action plan developed for monitoring and recommendations, and in view of the relevance of the topics discussed, the city authorities, through their spokesperson, in this case the 3rd Deputy Mayor of the city of Zuénoula, wished that the other social classes, allusion made to the traditional chiefs, to the elected officials and managers, and to the teachers can benefit from the same workshop. It was through the graduation ceremony that this workshop ended.

Call for Contribution for the “Dialogue et Paix” Academic Journal of the Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny for Peace Research

Africa is today the most conflict-ridden region in the world, due to the persistence and multiplication of armed conflicts, recurrent crises for the conquest of power and exploitation of resources, the development of terrorism and the religious extremism, maritime piracy, cross-border crime, threats due to global warming.

Faced with this endemic situation of insecurity and violence, it is necessary to carry out a scientific reflection in order to grasp the causes, the stakes and the challenges.

Foreign researchers have a certain priority in this field by the multiplicity of their scientific writings and the valuation of their expertise. However, security issues are a growing field of interest for African researchers. Studies and research are being initiated, and fora, such as the Forum on Peace and Security in Africa, allow exchanges between actors, decision-makers and researchers.

Essential aspects of these phenomena are still little studied, such as the relationship with political and economic situations, the organizational strategies and modalities of political violence, the situation of youth, the theoretical and strategic tools for the definition of a policy of security.

Faced with this observation, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research, in partnership with the Institut Afrique Monde, intends to make "Security Challenges in Africa", the central theme of a special issue of its academic journal " Dialogue and Peace ". To this end, it is launching a call for contributions to all researchers and intellectuals interested in this theme.

The proposed articles can be organized around three thematic axes:

Thematic section 1: "State-of-the-art African research on security issues and challenges"

The articles will focus on the state of research at the theoretical and methodological level, on empirical analyzes, on research directions.

Thematic section 2: "The security challenges"

The main security challenges will be addressed in this section:

Armed conflicts, community conflicts, political conflicts (elections, conflicts of leadership, political instability), terrorism and religious fundamentalism, maritime piracy, cross-border crime (arms trafficking, trafficking in illegal drugs and human beings), cybercrime, exploitation of resources, global warming.

The articles will be able to address these issues in a synthetic way or through case studies.

Thematic Section 3: "Responses to Security Challenges and Challenges"

Conflict prevention, analysis of different military interventions, security policies implemented at the continental and regional level, social development (the situation of youth, education and training, employment) will be given priority. Strategic and forward-looking thinking can be another way of addressing this issue.

Proposals for articles (3000-6000 words maximum (12 to 24 pages), spaces, bibliography and notes included on paper or entered in software, Word format) must be sent no later than July 31, 2016 to Jean-Noël Loucou , director of the journal "Dialogue et Paix" (refereed journal).

Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation for Peace Research

Box 1818 Yamoussoukro (Côte d’Ivoire)

01 Box 3941 Abidjan (Côte  d’Ivoire)

E-mail : loucou_noel@hotmail.com

             publications@fondation-fhb.org

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.

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