| The Global Symposium of Peaceful Nations
The Global Symposium of Peaceful Nations,
held on November 1-3, 2009 in Washington, DC, marked the first time in
history that countries were honored for being peaceful. The J. William
& Harriet Fulbright Center and the Alliance for Peacebuilding hosted representatives of the most peaceful countries from nine regions of the world, based on the 2009 Global Peace Index, for three days of intense discussion and learning.
| | The Honorable Helen Clark, delivering the keynote address to the attendees. Photo by Dakota Fine |
Over
two hundred people attended the gala banquet and presentation of awards
on November 1st, commencing this successful and enriching event. The
Honorable Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and current
Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, set the tone
for the rest of the event with a keynote address. In her speech, Helen
Clark emphasized the strong correlation between peace and human
development remarking, "If stakeholders in development can work together
effectively, we can help promote virtuous circles whereby peace
contributes to development, and development supports the advancement of
peace and stability. The more seeds of peace which can be sown today,
the more we will be able to jointly tackle the problems of the future.”
The full text of Helen Clark's speech is available [here].
 | Harriet Fulbright and Chic Dambach honoring Mr. Pham Van Chuong and Mr. Hong Quang Nguyen of Vietnam. Photo by Dakota Fine |
During
the following two days, delegates identified factors that made their
countries peaceful and discussed methods for sustaining domestic and
international peace. Delegates were also encouraged to craft
recommendations for their own country and region, and reflect on their
roles as leaders for peace. The conversation inspired commitment to
focusing on and celebrating achievements in peace through research and
practice. Some issues stressed by delegates as important for creating
and maintaining peace were economic development, respect for human
rights, gender equality and good governance.On the second evening of the Symposium, delegates and organizers gathered for an informal dinner, during which Mr. Steve Killelea, founder of the Global Peace Index,
announced the winner of "Peace Is Breaking Out,” a peace logo
competition organized by Bebo Inc., Vision of Humanity, and the Soldiers
of Peace Movie. Mr. David Duffy of Ireland won the best design for his
logo that represents inter-generational and intercultural peace, and the
legacy he hopes to leave for future generations.
 | David Duffy's winning logo for the "Peace is Breaking Out" competition. Photo by Dakota Fine
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Throughout
the symposium, delegates and representatives met and participated in
all-day workshops to examine the nature of peacefulness. The results of
these workshops sowed seeds of hope for international communication
around peace building. The Symposium concluded with a letter from
President Jimmy Carter, commending the historic initiative. The final
report, which includes detailed analysis of each of the 18 countries and
the lessons learned, was written by a team from the Institute for
Conflict Analysis and Resolution led by Susan Allen Nan. You can read the report [here].
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