Building a Culture of Peace

The Culture of Peace Initiative

On September 13, 1999 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted by consensus the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace (A/RES/53/243). 

Eight action areas are defined in the Program of Action on a Culture of Peace:

(1) Fostering a culture of peace through education,
(2) Promoting sustainable economic and social development, 
(3) Promoting respect for all human rights, 
(4) Ensuring equality between women and men, 
(5) Fostering democratic participation, 
(6) Advancing understanding, tolerance and solidarity, 
(7) Supporting participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge and 
(8) Promoting international peace and security.

In response, the VOV commitment to nonviolent activism entered the global arena by adopting the cause of raising awareness of the United Nations 1999 Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace as a core component of the VOV initiative.

In this regard, VOV strives to foster global perspectives that view violence as a worldwide illness and identify and connect the root causes of violence underlying conflicts from the personal-level to the local-, national- and international-levels based on the eight action areas of the U.N. Culture of Peace initiative. 

Click on the Culture of Peace Lectures, Exhibitions, Television, Blog and Eight Action Areas links to find videos and other multimedia tools and information about the Culture of Peace initiative to help you and your friends learn how to apply the Culture of Peace eight action areas to your daily lives and achieve Victory Over Violence.

Please feel free to use these Culture of Peace materials as part of your local VOV events and activities and post a description and photos of your events in the My.VOV.com online social networking community. 

Education for Sustainable Development

Education for sustainable development initiatives such as the Earth Charter are helping to build a global culture of peace. The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace. In March of 2000, a consensus was reached on the Earth Charter Initiative by the Earth Charter Commission at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and later officially launched at the Peace Palace in The Hague. 

In response, the VOV initiative adopted the cause of raising awareness of the Earth Charter as another vehicle to identify and connect the root causes of violence underlying conflicts from the personal-level to the local-, national- and international-levels. 

Click on The Earth Charter Initiative to watch Earth Charter-related videos on Earth Charter Television.

You will also find interesting information and materials about the Earth Charter to help you and your friends learn how to apply Earth Charter principles to your daily lives and achieve Victory Over Violence.

Please feel free to use these Earth Charter materials as part of your local VOV events and activities and post a description and photos of your events in the My.VOV.com online social networking community. 

Building Global Solidarity Toward Nuclear Abolition

The abolition of nuclear weapons is a critical step toward the realization of a global culture of peace. VOV supporter Daisaku Ikeda has been a vocal opponent of nuclear weapons for more than 50 years. On September 8, 2009, he issued a five-point plan titled Building Global Solidarity Toward Nuclear Abolition which outlined oncrete steps toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.  His proposal stressed that we now have a unique opportunity to build grassroots solidarity, propel political processes and break out of the stagnation which has dogged nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation efforts.

In response, the VOV initiative adopted the cause of promoting nuclear abolition by helping the world's people clearly manifest their will for the outlawing of nuclear weapons and to help people establish a cognitive connection between the polticial threat of nuclear weapons and the authoritarian tendency within human nature that desires to forcibly bend others to one's will in daily life. 

Click on 2010 Nuclear Abolition Video Challenge to submit or watch videos from around the world that complete the sentence, "Nuclear abolition is..."


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To make a difference...I look to the sun for inspiration...I keep hoping, spreading a message of inner and world peace...every day is an opportunity to change the world for the better...I start with changing myself...and vow to continue growing everyday of my life.
Rasheedah aka Rahsh | 29 Years Old
also hope peace of the world
Tai | 30 Years Old
I have been a member of the SGI for 26 years and am so very proud of the youth for standing up against violence and helping others do the same Looks like a wonderful future with SGI youth in the lead
Patty | 21 Years Old
Thank you. I will bring the VOV exhibit to my area and make the best of this entire movement as I possibly can every day.
Jason | 25 Years Old
Victory over violence begins with my determination and action in daily life. I could not have found a more peacful seed to plant in every day life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for letting me know I am not alone and giving me the best tools. Living and promoting victory over violence is my life's mission.
Jason S. | 25 Years Old
I will become the best person,teacher, leader, wife, grand mother. Most of all be true to myself for myself and others.
Deborah | 47 Years Old
i think it was very sensible and i pledge my life to it.
monti | 11 Years Old
Domestic violence is quickly becoming the number one problem in Panama ahead of job and health related issues. Single or no parents’ homes, divorce, TV violence, unsupervised children, gang and street violence are all killing our hope for a brighter future. We have to take a stand now, tomorrow will be too late.
Jeannine Carrasco | 35 Years Old
i was picked on my whole life for my weight..so i understand where some of the kids are coming from.this violence needs 2 stop!!
nicole | 18 Years Old
Violence has never solved an issue. It only adds to it.
Bill | 50 Years Old


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