Hague Appeal for Peace – Canada
Science for Peace is affiliated with the International Peace Bureau, which is one of the four international networks of NGOs that are cosponsoring the Hague Appeal for Peace (HAP) 1999, a major end-of century campaign and conference dedicated to the de-legitimization of war and the creation of a culture of peace. The conference will be held in The Hague, Netherlands, from May 11 to 15, 1999. May 1999 marks the 100th anniversary of the First Hague Peace Conference, convened for state leaders. It laid the foundations for the International Court of Justice as well as the League of Nations. Peace and justice seeking organizations in every region of the world are organizing events and conferences to encourage concerned people to take up the important issue of peace. Science for Peace is planning activities in Toronto in March 1999.
The Hague Appeal is built around four strands:
Disarmament, including nuclear weapons abolition
Strengthening international humanitarian law and institutions;
Conflict prevention, resolution and transformation;
Addressing the root causes of war and building a culture of peace.
An Action Plan for the 21st Century:
NGOs are now drafting the Hague Agenda for Peace & Justice, an action plan for the 21st century, which will be debated, finalized and adopted at the 1999 Conference.
This NGO Agenda will be presented to the “Friends of 99” meetings, a parallel intergovernmental process, commemorating the Hague Conference Centennial, convened by the Netherlands and the Russian Federation, The Agenda will also be presented to the 1999 international meetings of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Responding in large part to the civil society conference, governments plan to introduce a resolution at the 52nd General Assembly of the United Nations outlining a program of action for peace dedicated to the commemoration of the Centennial. An intensive follow-up program is anticipated.
What is happening in Canada?
The World Federalists of Canada (WFC) serve as the ‘administrative hub’ of the Canadian Preparatory Process and Network. The objectives of the preparatory process are to stimulate discussion, share information, encourage participation at the Hague Conference and coordinate a Canadian contribution to the document an ‘Agenda for Action’ and to encourage follow-up campaigns in Canada.
To help further these objectives, WFC will maintain a mailing list and web site: www.web.net/-wfcnat/hapcan
For more information, please contact : HAP-Canada, c/o WFC, 207-145 Spruce St., Ottawa K1R 6P1, tel 613-232-0647, fax 613-563-0017, email wfcnat@web.net
The International Campaign for the Innu and the Earth (ICIE) is fundraising to send two representatives of the Innu people of Nitassinan, whose land continues to be overflown by military fighter jets, to The Hague Conference. To help, please send a donation to ICIE (or sell the raffle tickets), 148 Kerr St. Oakville, ON L6K 3A7.
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