News and Events

National Peace Academy

The National Peace Academy supports, advances and nurtures cultures of peace by conducting research and facilitating learning toward the development of peace systems – local to global – and the development of the full spectrum of the peacebuilder – inner and outer, personal and professional. Go to: National Peace Academy for more information.

Read an article about Peace Academy Participants

The general purpose of peace education is to promote the development of authentic planetary consciousness that will enable us to function as global citizens and to transform the present human condition by changing social structures and the patterns of thought that have created it. This transformational imperative must...be at the center of peace education. Betty Reardon. Read more in our Projects section.

CSVGC-NY

The 4th Annual Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, and Spirit of the UN Award Ceremony entitled, "Spirit of the UN” - Universal Harmony through Rapprochement", continues to honor and bring value to those who embody this Spirit, in their work at the United Nations. This year’s Week of Spirituality, will be 24-29 October, and the Spirit of the UN Award Ceremony is tentatively scheduled on the 25th of October 2010. Ms. Kay Dundorf, NES representative at the UN, was elected to the 2010-12 Executive Council.Go to "From the UN" tab in this web-site to read the overview of the Week of Spirituality 2009.

• Learn about the impacts of globalization and the causes of immigration directly from the voices of subsistence farmers and their families.
• See first-hand how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), transnational penetration, and US taxpayer subsidies affect local people.
• Visit marginalized villages near the town of Cuquio, Jalisco, participating in piñata parties, donations to poor families, and village service projects.
• Experience the rich biodiversity and emerald beauty of Mexico’s high mountains as farmers show their farming techniques and village children lead hikes.

• Stay in a Guadalajara “Green” hotel, meet leaders of Mexico’s new green movement, visit the famous Tonatlin Market, and take part in cultural events.
• On August 8, a week after the trip, visit California farm worker family members who have immigrated from the villages to a migrant labor camp in Watsonville

Dates: Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 30, 2010. A pre-trip meeting will also be held.

Cost: $1200, includes air travel, hotels based on double occupancy, main meal each day, all daily ground travel in Mexico, cultural events, administrative fees, and incidental expenses. $600 due by June 10th to reserve space. Remainder of $600 due on July 10th. Space limited. Send $600 check (not refundable) payable to “Human Agenda” to Human Agenda Treasury, 3845 Wellington Square, San Jose, CA 95136.

Tour Leaders: Professor Ann Lopez, Ph.D., Author, The Farmworkers’ Journey, UC-Berkeley Press Richard Hobbs, Esq., Immigration Attorney & Executive Director, Human Agenda.

Earth Charter Initiative:
10 Years At A Glance

You are invited to flip through this overview of events and activities that have taken place since the Earth Charter was launched in 2000. This is a beautiful photo album and short video capturing some of the key moments of the evolving Earth Charter Initiative in the past 10 years. A new book features the Earth Charter The new book "Sustainable Economy: Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility" (2010) edited by Raymond W Y Kao (published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd). features the Earth Charter. This book brings together an impressive list of international experts, who contribute to the discussion on feasible solutions towards a sustainable future. Go to EarthCharter.org for more information.

The Universal Ethics Working Group founded by Martha Gallahue of the National Ethical Service sponsors Storybowl to fight hunger

I often say "I’m starving!" My stomach is rumbling and maybe I have trouble thinking and know I have to grab a bite. Recently I’ve learned what would happen if I were truly starving. Your skin becomes stiff, pale and cold. Your hair becomes dry and sparse and falls out. It takes two or three months to starve to death.

Every week this year there will be four million new urgently hungry people worldwide. Most of the world’s hungry aren’t about to starve. Every day they eat just enough to live. Every night they go to sleep not knowing whether they will have food tomorrow. Their hunger makes it hard to function--work or move much. Underfed or undernourished children have trouble playing.

If a friend visiting your home said she was hungry, you’d immediately offer food. Feeding each other is human nature. We can build on that impulse to create a world where no one goes hungry. To awaken compassion for the world’s hungry, storytellers around the world have launched Storybowl, a series of events to benefit hunger-relief organizations, led by Bob Reiser, a story-teller and writer who has coauthored two books with Pete Seeger. The project launch took place in the Nigerian Mission, featuring story-teller Laura Simms. The event was sponsored by the Universal Ethics Working Group founded by Martha Gallahue of The National Ethical Service of the American Ethical Union.

Temma Ehrenfeld

See a video from the World Food Programme at the United Nations
Learn about the United Nations efforts to prevent famine
Take a quiz