Synergy between sustainable development goals (SDGs) and eight action areas of the UN Programme of Action on Culture of Peace

CONF 164/16
United Nations
Headquarters, New York
September 2016
United Nations V High Level Forum on a Culture of Peace

Panel I

Synergy between sustainable development goals (SDGs) and eight action areas of the UN Programme of Action on Culture of Peace.

First of all I wish to express my deepest recognition to the large number of representatives of the United Nations member States, because they are the main actors of the transition from a culture of war to a culture of peace.

Many thanks to the President of the 70th Session of the General Assembly who convent this V High Level Forum.

Many thanks as well to the Secretary General of the United Nations for his tirelessly efforts in favor of the culture of peace and non violence.

I wish to emphasize the presence and the messages delivered by Mrs. Ouided Bouchamaoui, member of the “Quartet of Dialogue” of Tunis, awarded as Nobel Peace Laureates in 2015. Encounter, dialogue and women participation are essential for the historical transition from force to word in order to transform radically the present trends.

I wish to pay tribute to Anwarul Chowdhury, a giant of international cooperation, for what he did in favor of peace and non violence, and what he is doing at present, particularly through the “Global Mouvement for the Culture of Peace”.

And last but not least, I wish to warmly thank Ingeborg Breines, co-President of the International Peace Bureau (IPB), the institution awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910, that this year of 2016 promotes the campaign on “Disarmament for Development”… Thanks for being here, thanks for participating in Panel II, thanks for your clear cut statement: there were no founds for the Millennium Development Goals… There is no money at present neither for the Sustainable Development Goals… nor for the climate change agreements… There is no money to insure an appropriate intergenerational legacy, while billions of dollars are invested every day in armament and military expenditures! Yes! Disarmament for development!

Ladies and gentlemen, a short document on “Disarmament for Development” is at your disposal both fiscally and in the following digital link: https://disarmfordevelopment.wordpress.com/ . Some extracts are:

“It is morally unacceptable that every day over 20,000 people die of hunger while close to 5 billion dollars are invested in military expenditures and armament. A judicious reduction of these enormous and disproportionate figures would be enough to quickly and substantially increase endogenous, sustainable and human development worldwide; to take care of the environmental intergenerational legacy, ensuring that the irreversible deterioration of the habitability of Earth does not take place; to promote international cooperation in order to implement the major priorities of the United Nations (food, water, health, ecology, education, peace), and therefore make the “new beginning” advocated by the Earth Charter possible.

It is time for action, because points of no return can be reached. We have multiple diagnoses, and now it is time to implement, without delay, appropriate and timely treatments. The “democratic principles”-that with such accuracy and vision are defined by the Constitution of UNESCO “to guide humanity”- must be embodied, as a personal and collective essential reference for every day behavior and political frameworks.

With only 10% reduction per year and country of the funds at present invested in defence and the armament sector, the security worldwide will remain unaffected, while the main UN priorities could be implemented right now, before is too late as we are dealing with processes that could become irreversible. It must be emphasized that such development strategy would also likely result in a general improvement of economy on a global scale, contributing to deal with the severe migration and social problems that we currently face.

As the Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon has declared, “the world is overarmed and peace is under-funded…We believe the transformation of society can only be achieved when handling conflict differently and reallocating military expenditure”.

Disarmament for development: that simple. The solutions exist. Immediate action is required to comply with our intergenerational responsibilities. The re-foundation of the United Nations is urgently needed.

We must follow the International Peace Bureau on the “Disarmament for development” initiative and raise countless voices for justice and peace both in person and digitally. A colossal mobilization could enlight the present somber horizons.

In such a way, “We, the peoples…” will, at last, take the reins of the common destiny in our hands”!”. This document is co-signed by Ingeborg Breines of the International Peace Bureau and Anwarul Chowdhury of the Global Mouvement for the Culture of Peace. There are many relevant persons in the forefront of peace building that have subscribed it (https://disarmfordevelopment.wordpress.com/signatories/ ).

It is extremely urgent to adopt a new concept of security, under the careful supervision and direct involvement of the United Nations. Only in the last months, the great fires in Spain and California…, the earthquakes in Italy and Myanmar… the shameful reaction of the European Union and most developed countries to the refugees and emigrants forces to leave their countries because of extreme poverty…

A very brief summary of this approach and proposal is available in this hall and as well in the following digital link:
http://federicomayor-eng.blogspot.fr/2016/08/urgent-new-concept-of-security.html

The current major powers continue believing that military force is the only expression and reference of 'security'. Serious error, very expensive error that focuses exclusively on military aspects and leaves completely unassisted other multiple aspects of the 'human' security, that is, in any case, what really matters.

The current major powers continue believing that military force is the only expression and reference of 'security'. Serious error, very expensive error that focuses exclusively on military aspects and leaves completely unassisted other multiple aspects of the 'human' security, that is, in any case, what really matters. When we overlook the dramatic difference between the resources dedicated to potential clashes and these available for facing recurrent natural disasters (fire, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis,...) we note, with bemusement, that the concept of "security" that the producers of armament continue promoting is not only anachronistic but highly harmful for the whole humanity, and that is urgent the adoption of a new concept of "security".

Food, access to safe water, health services, rapid, coordinated and effective action in emergency situations... - this and not other is the kind of security that "We, the peoples..." dream and deserve. There are, precisely the objectives of the Programme of Action for a Culture of Peace that we commemorate today here in this V High Level Forum. The synergy between sustainable development goals and the eight action areas of the UN Programme of action for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence is, as could be expected, very high.

What is needed before is too late is action. And this resolve, including disarmament for development, depends on the support of the UN member States.

Federico Mayor
Former DG of UNESCO.
President of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace.
Institute of Human Rights, Democracy and
Culture of Peace and Non Violence,
Autonomus University of Madrid, Spain.