Mercy Global Concern - 1999 to 2001

YEAR 2000 INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

Mercy Global Concern wishes to promote the following international campaigns for the Year 2000/Culture of Peace, as part of Mercy work in and through the United Nations. The campaigns already have active supporters and promoters in many countries, so some of the 'Mercy public' - Sisters of Mercy, associates, colleagues, friends - are likely to be involved already. The organisers of each campaign are planning events to coincide with the UN Millennium General Assembly which opens on 5th September.

1) Manifesto 2000: For a culture of peace and non-violence

This manifesto was drafted by a group of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, and focuses on six key commitments:

1) Respect all life;
2) Reject violence;
3) Share with others;
5) Listen to understand;
4) Preserve the planet;
6) Rediscover solidarity.

A campaign coordinated by UNESCO aims at gathering 100 million individual signatures for presentation to the United Nations millennium General Assembly in September 2000. Signatures can be sent on a form attached to the information brochure. The preferred way for signing on, however, is via the internet, on the UNESCO webpage devoted to the campaign: www.unesco.org/manifesto2000
The names of all signatories will appear here.

2) Women's Peace Petition - from women of the world to the governments of the world

It demands: 1) that military budgets be cut, and the funds redirected to health, education and employment programs; and

2) that war - like slavery, colonialism and apartheid - be delegitimized, and new mechanisms and institutions developed for the settlement of disputes.

This campaign originated from the World Council of Churches office at the UN in New York, and will close on 31st August. Signature sheets are available on request. Endorsement of individuals or groups can also be sent by email, and should include name, mailing address, and country.
E-mail address: wccia@undp.org

3) World March of Women

Launched by the Women's Federation of Quebec, Canada, this campaign has been gaining momentum, and will culminate in a world rally and presentation of messages outside the UN headquarters in New York on 17 October. It aims to stimulate a vast movement of grassroots women's groups all around the world, and to highlight their common concerns of poverty and violence against women.

A great variety of ways to participate in the project have been developed, and focal points for promotion and local/national action already exist in most countries. Participation in a 'Virtual March' on 17th October via the internet will also be possible. All the relevant information is available on the World March of Women website: www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/

Also announcing:

A new joint publication of the 'Women and a Culture of Peace' programme of UNESCO, and the UN Division for the Advancement of Women: Towards a Women's Agenda for a Culture of Peace.

To order contact the UN Information Centre in your country, or UNESCO Publishing, 7, Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France. Fax: +33 1 45 68 57 37.
E-mail: publishing.promotion@unesco.org