We, the participants in the I International Conference on a Culture of Peace,
Convinced that the transition from a culture dominated by violence towards a Culture of Peace, requires the mobilisation of society as a whole, at both the national and the international levels, in order that we all, individually and collectively, may become aware of the great challenges of the 21st century;
Inspired by the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 September 1999, which summarises the essential principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitution of the UNESCO and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Also Motivated by the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations of 19 November 1998 proclaiming the period 2000-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World", which was adopted by the General Assembly on November 20th, 2000.
Taking into account the Resolution of the United Nations of 16 November 1998 proclaiming the year 2001 as "International United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilisations", as a corollary and follow-up to the year 2000's "International Year for the Culture of Peace";
Further taking into account the Resolution unanimously adopted by the Commission on Human Rights in its session of 26 April 2000, whereby the High Commissioner was charged with organizing and coordinating a Forum on a Culture of Peace for the study and consideration of promoting, protecting and implementing all human rights which would enable the development of a culture of peace;
Encouraged by the support of tens of thousands of signatories who have subscribed the principles and attitudes proclaimed by the Manifesto 2000.
Recalling the special relevance of the Hague Appeal for Peace, issued in May, 1999 and the Delphi Declaration on Children and Peace of June, 2000;
Aware of the need -as underscored by the General Assembly when solemnly proclaiming its Declaration on a Culture of Peace- for the participation of governments, international organizations, civil society and the media in promoting and strengthening a Culture of Peace in the new millennium;
Further aware that a Culture of Peace is based on "adhering to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations" (A, art.1, I) and that "progress in the fuller development of a culture of peace comes about through values, attitudes, modes of behaviour and ways of life conducive to the promotion of peace among individuals, groups and nations" (A, art.2);
Desiring to contribute to the implementation of the Program of Action on a Culture of Peace , with particular emphasis on the following points:
a) Education: education
for all throughout life and at all levels is one of the principal means to
build a culture of peace (A, art. 4); reinvigorate national and international
co-operation to promote the goals of education for all (D, art. 9, a); ensure
that children from an early age, be protected and benefit from education values,
attitudes, modes of behaviour and ways of life (E, art 9, b); foster artistic,
creative and sports education and expand initiatives undertaken by institutions
of higher education (B, art 9, h).
b) Sustainable social and economic development: eradicate poverty through
national and international activities (B, art. 10, a) that can reinforce the
endogenous capacity to reduce economic and social inequalities (B, art. 10,
b); promote effective, fair and lasting solutions aimed at development related
to external debt (B, art. 10, c); and ensure that the development process
is participatory and complete (B, art. 10, e).
c) Human rights and democracy: fully implement the Vienna Declaration and
Program of Action (B, art. 11, a); encourage the development of national plans
of action for the promotion and protection of all human rights (B, art. 11,
b); and disseminate and promote the Universal Declaration of Human rights
at all levels (B, art. 11, f).
d) Gender perspective: promote measures that guarantee equality between men
and women by adopting economic, social and political solutions (B, art. 12,
d) and foster all necessary measures to eradicate all forms of violence against
women.
e) Democratic governance at national and international levels: implement measures
intended to promote democratic principles and practices at all levels of formal,
internal and non-formal education (B, art. 13, b), as well as among public
officials (B, art.13, c),
f) Behaviour: contribute to the implementation of the Follow-up Plan of Action
for the United Nations Year of Tolerance (1995) (B, art. 14, a); support the
attainment of the goals of the International Decade for the World's Indigenous
Peoples (B, art. 14, e); promote tolerance and solidarity with refugees and
displaced persons (B, art. 14, f)) as well as migrants (B, art. 14, g); and
promote understanding, tolerance and cooperation among all peoples through
the appropriate use of new technologies and dissemination of information (B,
art.14, h),
g) Free flow of information and knowledge: ensure freedom of the press (B,
art. 15, d); assist in resolving the problem of violence in the media (B,
art. 15, e); support the work of the media in promoting a culture of peace
(B, art.15, a) and increase efforts to promote sharing of information on new
technologies, including the Internet (B, art. 15, f),
h) Institutions: encourage and strengthen partnerships among the various actors
for a worldwide movement for a culture of peace (B/A, art. 6), facilitating
the sharing of information among them (B/A, art. 7),
i) Combat terrorism, organised crime, corruption as well as the production,
trafficking and consumption of drugs (B, art.13 e).
We undertake to do everything within our power -within the framework of our institutions, our personal activities and through an ever-growing interactive network- to promote the aforesaid actions;
We unanimously agree that it is imperative to find new means for establishing a lasting and global peace through actions to prevent conflicts, tackling their very roots in order to overcome the causes from which they arise;
As underscored in the "United Nations Millennium Assembly" held at the United Nations, we declare the necessity of promoting a global plan of endogenous development, based on four "new contracts" that have been discussed during this Conference: a new social contract that recognises people as the protagonists and beneficiaries of economic growth; a new natural or environmental contract, which includes a long-term view and the urgent adoption of measures to protect the world's ecosystem; a new cultural contract, to prevent cultural uniformity and the loss of the infinite diversity and creativity which are mankind's common heritage; and a new moral or ethical contract, to ensure the full implementation of values and principles which comprise the foundation of our individual and collective code of conduct. In summary, we seek to promote global endogenous development, based on internal knowledge and capacities.
We consider the fight to eradicate poverty as an ethical commitment that guides development towards the globalisation of human dignity.
We manifest our conviction that only through measures implemented on a global scale, strengthening the United Nations as the world's democratic framework, can present trends be reversed; by means of new codes of ethics and conduct and the corresponding mechanisms for their implementation;
We warn of the need for urgency in adopting these measures; and
We resolve to work tirelessly
for the transition from a culture of power and force to a culture of peace
and non-violence, of dialogue and tolerance, which is the best contribution
mankind can make to the future of new generations.