Articles by René Wadlow
We found 533 results.
Democracy Education and Peace
René Wadlow - TRANSCEND Media Service,
22 Aug 2016
Democracy Education and Peace, by Surya Nath Prasad and Suman Shukha (Eds) – Democracy and Peace-Interrelated but not interdependent: “Thus it may be safely, yet regretfully, assumed that Democracy does not exclude War and therefore bears no direct relationship to Peace. The reverse is equally true − Peace may reign without any consideration of democracy (cf Pax Romana).”
→ read full articleHenry Steel Olcott (2 Aug 1832 – 17 Feb1907): The Buddhist Bridge
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Aug 2016
There is, in a period of transition, a need for individuals with the specific talents of organization and the ability to translate doctrines into social policy. Henry Steel Olcott was such an individual. It is likely that today, when contacts among different schools of Buddhist thought are more common than in 1891, the area of agreement would be greater.
→ read full article30 July: UN-designated Day for Developing Awareness of Human Trafficking
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Aug 2016
There are three sources of trafficking in persons. The first are refugees from armed conflicts. The second category are people leaving their country for economic reasons − sometimes called “economic refugees.” A third category − or a subcategory of economic migration − is the sex trade, usually of women but also children.
→ read full articleDag Hammarskjold (29 Jul 1905 – 18 Sep 1961) Crisis Manager and Longer-Range World Community Builder
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Jul 2016
Dag Hammarskjold became Secretary-General of the United Nations at a moment of crisis related to the 1950-1953 war in Korea, and he died in a plane crash in 1961 on a mission dealing with the war in the Congo.
→ read full articleJames Cousins (22 Jul 1873 – 20 Feb 1956): An Effort of Synthesis
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Jul 2016
James Cousins went to India as literary editor for New India and then was one of the organisers of the State University of Travancore, where he headed the Department of Fine Arts and English Studies. His A Study in Synthesis is a rich and complex study of the ways in which intuition, emotion, cognition and action structure human life.
→ read full articleAntoine de Saint Exupéry (29 Jun 1900 – 31 Jul 1944): Solitude and Solidarity
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Jul 2016
Saint Ex for the style was influenced by Frederic Nietzche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra which he had read. However, the spirit is much closer to Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet. There is no indication that he had read Gibran in Saint Ex’s period in New York. It is more likely that both writers shared a common outlook on life.
→ read full articleYemen Negotiations Move Ahead Slowly: Post-War Planning Needed
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Jul 2016
Thus, there is a serious need first for post-war planning to be followed by international aid for development. “Reconstruction” would be the wrong term since there was little that had been “constructed”. Rather, we need to look to a post-war socio-economic construction developed on a basic needs approach.
→ read full articleEducation for a Culture of Peace
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Jun 2016
Peace and nonviolence education is an intellectual and psychological preparation to develop the student’s critical spirit to reflect on the stages of conflicts and their nonviolent resolution. The purpose of peace and nonviolence education is to allow students to acquire knowledge, know-how and a set of behavioral and interpersonal skills so that they may cultivate peaceful, cooperative and harmonious relations with others.
→ read full articleEthiopia-Eritrea: The Cry of the Imburi
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Jun 2016
The frontier issue between the two countries was taken for arbitration to the World Court, but the Court’s findings have not been put into practice. The lands contested are of no particular economic or social importance. Intelligent leadership on both sides could make of the frontier lands a bridge rather than a wall, but intelligent leadership has been in short supply. As the African Union headquarters is in Ethiopia, the AU secretariat has been inactive on the Ethiopia-Eritrea issue for fear of displeasing Ethiopia.
→ read full articleBattle for Fallujah: Protests Needed against Violations of Humanitarian Law
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Jun 2016
ISIS had abolished in practice the frontier between Iraq and Syria, which had been created in 1916 by the agreement of Sir Mark Sykes for the UK and Francois Georges−Picot for France. Particular attention must be paid to the current battle for Fallujah and reports of mass violations of the laws of war. These grave violations by ISIS and others must be protested by as wide a coalition of concerned voices as possible. The time for action is now.
→ read full articleAustria Elects a New Green President against the Rising Right
Rene Wadlow | Toward Freedom – TRANSCEND Media Service,
6 Jun 2016
There was a sense of relief among Europeans when it was announced that Alexander Van der Bellen won the election for President of Austria over his far right-wing opponent Norbert Hofer. Austria was split: 50.3% for Van der Bellen, leader of the Green Party and an active ecologist, and 49.7% for Hofer. The vote was also a rural-urban split that also reflected educational levels as well as a generation gap.
→ read full articleWorld Humanitarian Summit: On the Front Lines for Action
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 May 2016
The World Humanitarian Summit organized by the UN opens on 23 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. The aim of the conference is to see what should be done “to end conflict, alleviate suffering and reduce risk and vulnerability.”
→ read full articleJan Christian Smuts (24 May 1870 – 11 Sep 1950): What Rises Converges
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 May 2016
It is Smuts as an original thinker, author of Holism and Evolution and a major contributor to the structure of the League of Nations and to the Preamble of the UN Charter that I would like to highlight.
→ read full articleNew Challenges for Global Citizens
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
16 May 2016
The Global Citizenship Commission under the leadership of the former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown presented its report ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the 21st Century’ to the United Nations on 18 April 2016.
→ read full articleSecurity Council Resolution 2286 Highlights a Foundation of World Law
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 May 2016
On the recent Security Council resolution that we can use in support of humanitarian law. The protection of medical facilities and medical personnel is at the heart of the laws of war, currently more often called humanitarian law.
→ read full articleYemen: Is This War Necessary?
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Apr 2016
The title of the aggression of Saudi Arabia against Yemen changed its name from “Operation Decisive Storm” to “Operation Restoring Hope” probably on the advice of the public relations firm that advises the US Pentagon on the names of its operations. Saudi bombing from the air of cities, hospitals and refugee camps, created a storm, but the results were in no way “decisive”. It is not likely that Saudi bombing will ”Restore Hope”.
→ read full articleJean Giono (30 Mar 1895 – 8 Oct 1970) and the Energies of the Earth
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Apr 2016
Jean Giono was one of the most influential and original French advocates of nonviolence. Giono, a pantheist philosopher, novelist of rural life, and in his later days, a moviemaker, had fame with the wider public even among those who opposed his nonviolence.
→ read full articleInternational Day of Women: The Goddess of March
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Mar 2016
March 8 is the International Day of Women and is placed under the sign of the goddess of the month of March — Minerva. Minerva derives her name from the Latin mens (mind), and so she has a special relation to teachers and artists.
→ read full articleUN Calls for Summit Forum on Refugees and Migrants: Role of NGO in Its Preparation
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 Feb 2016
The role of non-governmental organizations is to remind constantly Government representatives of the seriousness of the issues and for the need for collective action. National NGOs can highlight local conditions and thus provide information to the international NGOs in consultative status with the UN who will be at the Summit in New York.
→ read full articleWorld Interfaith Harmony Week: Steps toward a Harmony Renaissance
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Feb 2016
The United Nations General Assembly on 20 October 2010 designated the first week of February of every year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs.
→ read full articleGandhi’s Assassination: In the Midst of Death, Life Persists
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Feb 2016
As has been said before, there is no guarantee that non-violent action will succeed, no more than violence is always successful. Gandhi viewed spiritual and political efforts as united through many of the people he worked with saw them as separate. For Gandhi, the spiritual and political means were interdependent and could not be separated.
→ read full articlePitirim Sorokin (21 Jan 1889 – 11 Feb 1968): The Renewal of Humanity
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Jan 2016
The two World Wars convinced him that humanity was in a period of transition, that the guideline of earlier times had broken down and had not yet been replaced by a new set of values and motivations. To bring about real renewal, one had to work at the same time on the individual personality, on cultural values, and on the social framework.
→ read full articleRobert M. Hutchins (17 Jan 1899 – 17 May 1977): Building on Earlier Foundations
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Jan 2016
Much of our current work for a more just and peaceful world builds on the thinking and efforts of earlier foundations. An important foundation is the leading role of Robert M. Hutchins, long-time President of the University of Chicago.
→ read full articleCarl Rogers (8 Jan 1902 – 4 Feb 1987): Healing the Person and the State
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Jan 2016
Carl Ransom Rogers was a US psychologist, educator and a leading figure of what is often called “the third wave of psychology. The first wave was Freud and Jung, and their views of psychoanalysis. The second wave was behaviorism symbolized by B.F. Skinner and the later behavior-modification specialists. The third wave, often called “humanist”, has Abraham Maslow, Rollo May, and Carl Rogers as its best-known figures.
→ read full articleKhalil Gibran (6 Jan 1883 – 10 Apr 1931): Spirits Rebellious
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Jan 2016
Khalil Gibran is one of the most quoted prose poets, especially his 1923 work The Prophet. The book has become bedside reading for all those who consider themselves “spiritual but not religious”.
→ read full articleBurundi : In Moments of Crisis the Wise Build Bridges
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Dec 2015
On 17 December 2015, the UN Human Rights Council held a Special Session on preventing further deterioration of the human rights situation in Burundi. A Special Session is the “highest profile” measure that the Human Rights Council has to highlight a dangerous situation and to call attention to a need for action.
→ read full articlePyotr Kropotkin (9 Dec 1842 – 8 Feb1921) Sociability as a Law of Nature
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
14 Dec 2015
In 1902, Kropotkin published his most lasting book, Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution. “We may safely say that mutual aid is as much a law of animal life as mutual struggle, but that as a factor of evolution, mutual aid most probably has a far greater importance, in as much it favors the development of such habits and character as insure the maintenance and future development of the species.”
→ read full articleLocal Engagement with Armed Groups in the Midst of Violence
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Dec 2015
It is certain that insider mediators can play a key role in informal peace processes if they have “space” for action. Local populations are not just passive actors, simply coerced by armed actors. Yet the violent tactics of armed groups can overwhelm and silence voices for peace.
→ read full articleCrossing Cultural and Linguistic Boundaries: International Volunteer Day
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Dec 2015
5 December has been selected as the International Volunteer Day by a 1985 UN General Assembly resolution. This year 5 December comes as government representatives and volunteers of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are meeting in Paris to develop a new international climate agreement, COP 21.
→ read full articleMaurice Strong (29 Apr 1929 – 28 Nov 2015) – The UN Voice for Environmental Action
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Nov 2015
Just on the eve of the Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) and the coming discussions on climate change and a sustainable world society, Maurice Strong died on 28 November 2015. Strong more than any other person in the United Nations system had been the driving force to put action on the environment on the “world agenda” for both government and non-governmental action.
→ read full article25 November: Silent Violence Against Women
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 Nov 2015
Amartya Sen defined the major challenge of human development as “broadening the limited lives into which the majority of human beings are willy-nilly imprisoned by the forces of circumstance.” On 25 November, this day for the elimination of violence against women, we need to look closely at the social, cultural and economic walls that imprison.
→ read full articleParis Attacks: Symbols and Choices
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Nov 2015
Within a short time period, the terrorist teams have destroyed a Russian plane with tourists returning from Egypt, badly damaged a Hezbollah center in Lebanon, and attacked symbolic sites in Paris on a Friday the 13th. Three symbolic sites in Paris were chosen by a well-coordinated team of some 12 active agents and an unknown number of “helpers.”
→ read full articleRené Girard: The Scapegoat and the Lamb of God
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Nov 2015
René Girard’s reflections on the role of the scapegoat, sacrifice, and the need to end violent disorder merits being read more widely. Desires are likely to keep the Wheel of Life turning for some time to come.
→ read full articleWoman as Peacemakers: A 31 October Anniversary
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 Oct 2015
Seeing with eyes that are gender aware, women tend to make connections between the oppression that is the ostensible cause of conflict (ethnic or national oppression) in the light of another crosscutting one: that of gender regime.
→ read full articleLewis Mumford (19 Oct 1895 – 26 Jan 1990)
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Oct 2015
For Mumford, the primary function of the city is to transform power into form, energy into culture, dead matter into living symbols of art, biological reproduction into social creativity. And these positive functions cannot be carried out without creating new institutions capable of controlling the immense energies at the disposal of modern man.
→ read full article10 October: The Death Penalty and Human Dignity Day
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Oct 2015
10 October is the International Day against the Death Penalty. Since the end of World War II, there has been a gradual abolition of the death penalty due to the rather obvious recognition that putting a person to death is not justice.
→ read full article26 September: UN-Led International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
René Wadlow – Iran Review,
28 Sep 2015
There are still some 16,000 nuclear weapons in the world, largely in the hands of the USA and the Russian Federation, some on “ready alert”. There are plans to “modernize” nuclear weapons, and there are at least seven other States with nuclear weapons: North Korea, Pakistan, India and China in Asia, Israel in the Middle East and France and the UK in Europe.
→ read full articleDorothy Day: Prayer and Action
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Sep 2015
It has probably been some time since Dorothy Day was praised in the halls of the US Congress as she was on 24 Sep 2015 by Pope Francis who said, “In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.”
→ read full articleRefugee Mass Exodus: Need for an UN-led World Conference
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
21 Sep 2015
EU members of the UNHRC requested an “Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the human rights of migrants” which was held a month ago. However, the dialogue had not been “enhanced” by research or a longer-range perspective. Moreover, the scale of the crisis in Europe largely overshadowed other refugee flows such as those from Myanmar (Burma), which are also critical and may have long-range consequences.
→ read full articleDenis De Rougemont (1906-1985): The Future Is Within Us
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Sep 2015
A French-speaking Swiss, after his studies of literature at the University of Geneva, at 25, he moved to Paris where he quickly became part of a group of young, unorthodox thinkers who were developing a “Personalist” philosophy.
→ read full articleMaria Montessori (31 Aug 1870 – 6 May 1952)
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
31 Aug 2015
“The child is misunderstood by the adult; parents unconsciously fight against their children instead of aiding them in their divine mission. And throughout childhood, it is misunderstanding that makes a child sullen or rebellious, neurotic or stupid, for all these faults are foreign to his true nature. In our experience with children, we have seen that the child is a ‘spiritual embryo’ able to evolve by itself and to give us actual proof of the existence of a better type of humanity.”
→ read full articleEdmond Privat
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Aug 2015
17 August is the birth anniversary of Edmond Privat in 1889 − a leading world citizen of the first wave of world citizen action closely associated with the League of Nations. Privat is an important symbol of those who worked between the two World Wars for new positive attitudes and strong inter-governmental structures that would create a climate of peace.
→ read full articleCitizens of the World: Crisis and Response
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
10 Aug 2015
Whenever the structure among States was too small to deal with the socio-economic and political challenges being faced, persons have worked for larger groupings: the United States rather than the Articles of Confederation, the European Union, the African Union, the United Nations. Today, the challenges concern the whole planet.
→ read full articleYemen and World Law: Building from Current Experience
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
3 Aug 2015
The indiscriminate bombing of cities in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition highlights the need for renewal of the way that humanitarian law is observed in times of armed conflict especially in three areas:
a) the protection of women,
b) the prohibition of starvation of civilian populations as a method of warfare,
c) the protection of cultural heritage.
International Election Monitors: Agents of Free Elections
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Jul 2015
The violent presidential election in Burundi highlights the need for UN election-monitoring services. The current UN-based election-monitoring services need to be strengthened. The UNGA should mandate a study on the means by which the UN could provide a universal election-monitoring service drawing upon the rich experience of the OSCE.
→ read full articleDag Hammarskjold (29 Jul 1905 – 18 Sep 1961): Crisis Manager and Longer-Range World Community Builder
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Jul 2015
Dag Hammarskjold became an expert crisis manager, to the point that there was a common slogan in the UN- “Leave it to Dag”. He liked to work alone but had created a team of people working under him who were highly competent and totally devoted to him.
→ read full articleCarl G. Jung (26 Jul 1875 – 6 Jun 1961): The Integration of Opposites
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Jul 2015
As Jung noted, Taoist thought would play an increasingly powerful role in the transition between the Piscean Period and the Age of Aquarius. “The spirit of the East is really at our gates. Therefore it seems to me that the search for Tao, for a meaning in life, has already become a collective phenomenon among us, and to a far greater extent than is generally realized.”
→ read full articleJames Cousins (22 Jul 1873 – 20 Feb 1956): An Effort of Synthesis
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Jul 2015
His ‘A Study in Synthesis’ is a rich and complex study of the ways in which intuition, emotion, cognition and action structure human life. He places great importance on the power of intuition as the way the individual feels the push and pressure of the Cosmos.
→ read full articleUN Human Rights Council Reaffirms the Safeguards for Civilians in Times of War
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Jul 2015
“Accountability for breaches of international humanitarian law and for human rights violations, as well as respect for human rights, are not obstacles to peace, but rather the preconditions on which trust and, ultimately, a durable peace can be built.”
→ read full articleHenry David Thoreau: Civil Disobedience
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
6 Jul 2015
Thoreau whose birth anniversary we mark on 12 July was not a systematic writer but rather one whose thoughts came in flashes of light in response to specific events. While his book ‘Walden’ is the best known, it is his short essays that have had the most lasting impact, in particular “Civil Disobedience” and “A plea for Captain John Brown”.
→ read full articleAlexander Scriabin (7 Jan 1872 – 27 Apr 1915): Ecstasy and Light
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
22 Jun 2015
27 April 2015 marked the 100th anniversary of the death of the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin who believed that music had the power to elevate the consciousness of people and therefore to transform social conditions. Scriabin is often described as a “mystic”, but there is no direct evidence that he personally had mystic experiences.
→ read full articleLocal Engagement with Armed Groups in the Midst of Violence
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 Jun 2015
As the Syrian conflict enters its fifth year, it is important not to lose sight of the significant roles played by unarmed, non-state actors to develop structures for promoting local security and peace and to adapt to the constantly changing demands of the conflict.
→ read full articleThe Difficult but Necessary Road to Negotiations in Yemen
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
8 Jun 2015
The continued aggression of Saudi Arabia against civilians in Yemen, and the use of cluster munitions (in violation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions), highlight the crucial links between human rights, arms control, and the resolution of conflicts through good faith negotiations.
→ read full articleNon-Proliferation Treaty: Nuclear Weapons and Tension Areas
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Jun 2015
A major difficulty of moving to good-faith negotiations on a Middle East Nuclear-weapon Free Zone is the absence of a regional organization involving all States in the wider region. I believe that there is an urgent need to take steps toward creating a broad security and cooperation zone which has conflict resolution, arms control, human rights, and economic cooperation dimensions.
→ read full articleIntegrated Peacebuilding: Innovative Approaches to Transforming Conflict – A Review
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Jun 2015
Craig Zelizer of the Conflict Resolution Program of Georgetown University, Washington DC, and his colleagues have written a very useful book with extensive bibliographies and website addresses of organizations dealing with conflict resolution.
→ read full articlePalmyra, Syria: Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Periods of Armed Conflict
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 May 2015
It seems that the ISIS forces have taken control of the city and some of the area around it. Thus, the Appeal of the Association of World Citizens must be addressed to its leadership, although the AWC has no direct communication avenues to the ISIS. The protection of the cultural heritage of humanity is an important element of world law binding on States, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals.
→ read full articleLouise Diamond: ‘The Courage for Peace’
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 May 2015
24 May 2015 – From TMS editor: As a memorial to a peace worker known for her efforts at multi-track diplomacy and on the relations between inner and outer peace, we publish this review of ‘The Courage for Peace’ by Louise Diamond, who passed away this week.
→ read full article18 May: International Museum Day – The Advancement of Learning and Culture
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 May 2015
18 May has been designated by UNESCO as the International Day of Museums to highlight the role that museums play in preserving beauty, culture, and history. We have seen the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage in the museum of Mosul by ISIS factions. Today, there is deep concern for Palmyra as ISIS and government troops battle near Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
→ read full articleNew Missions for the UN and a Secretary-General to Fit
Rene Wadlow – Toward Freedom,
18 May 2015
What should be the role for the UN in dealing with the changing scene of world politics? What qualities should the Secretary-General and the leadership team around him possess? The UN system is operating in a world of much greater complexity today than when it was founded. Thus to be effective, the UN, its program and Specialized Agencies need leadership which can promote world interests without undue influence of individual states.
→ read full articleSaudi Arabia: Lost in the Sands of War
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 May 2015
The constant violation of the minimum standards of the laws of armed conflict has had some impact on the perception of the conflict with a few in the USA and Western Europe. As the weapons used by Saudi Arabia are largely of foreign production, supplier States have a responsibility − at least morally − in the way the arms are used.
→ read full articleWomen, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 May 2015
Given the many forms that violence takes as well as the many different cultures in which armed violence is now ongoing, we can learn from the experience of each peace activity. In particular, we can be encouraged by the past 100 years of peace and conflict resolution efforts.
→ read full articleYemen Peace Plan Deserves Strong Support and Speedy Action
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Apr 2015
The Yemen Peace Plan in its four steps is similar to an earlier Appeal of the Association of World Citizens (AWC). However, it is unlikely that Iran was influenced by the AWC Appeal; rather independent and objective analysis of the armed conflict leads to the same approach.
→ read full articleThe Active Defense of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Apr 2015
There are periods in the history of humanity when some great new ideas are introduced, beneficial for all. Such ideas mark the beginning of a new era with far-reaching effects, creating new conditions for cooperation. The Roerich Pact for the protection of the cultural heritage of humanity signed by 21 States in a Pan-American Union ceremony is such a sign of a new era which transcends all obstacles, prejudices and intolerances.
→ read full articleIran Accord and Momentum-Building
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Apr 2015
A steady, systematic momentum is needed in everything. Now, motion is needed to develop a broad security and cooperation system for the Middle East, somewhat on the lines of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
→ read full articleDangerous Disintegration of Yemen
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Mar 2015
The Somalia “solution” may not be a model desired for Yemen. There have been calls for “negotiations” and “political solutions” in the Yemeni conflict, though it is unclear what there is to negotiate or what political solutions mean. The further disintegration of an already highly fractured Yemen is dangerous.
→ read full articleThe Cultural Heritage of Iraq and Syria: “Destroyed by Human Ignorance − Rebuilt by Human Hope”
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Mar 2015
There have been iconoclastic movements in the past, especially among Muslims and early Protestants holding that the spiritual world cannot (and thus should not) be represented in forms. The iconoclastic reasoning can be defended, but not the destruction of objects which represented other philosophies, cultures and levels of understanding.
→ read full articleSyria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
2 Mar 2015
“Syrians Speak” would be a more accurate title for this valuable collection of essays, poems, drawings, posters, and photos by intellectuals and artists. The artistic response to the Syrian uprising is far more than a litany of turmoil; it illustrates the accelerated experiences of a people, many of whom have been fighting for their survival.
→ read full articleA Pre-History of Boko Haram: The Long Shadow of Usman dan Fodio
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 Feb 2015
There has been growing concern with the activities of Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and its spillover into northern Cameroon, Niger, and in the Lake Chad area.
→ read full articleNuclear-Weapon Free Zones: Delegitimizing Nuclear Weapons at a Regional Level
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
16 Feb 2015
It is an unfortunate aspect of world politics that constructive, institution-building action is usually undertaken only because of a crisis. The Treaty of Tlatelolco is a fine example of the necessary team work between political advocacy and expert knowledge.
→ read full articleNouvelles Affaires Africaines
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Feb 2015
Pierre Péan has written a lively book on palace intrigue in Gabon. Péan is considered an “investigative journalist” and has published some 34 books on African and French politics. «Pierre Péan, Nouvelles Affaires Africaines (Paris: Fayard, 2014, 254 pp.)»
→ read full article11 January: UN-designated Day for Developing Awareness of Human Trafficking
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Jan 2015
The recent interception by the Italian Navy of two ships filled with refugees from Syria and other migrants has highlighted in a dramatic way the ever-growing trade in persons. On both ships, the captain and crew had abandoned the ships which were heading toward a rocky shore when the ships were boarded by the Italian Navy.
→ read full articleBetting on Famine: Why the World Still Goes Hungry
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Nov 2014
Ziegler also stresses relatively new dangers to a just world food system. In many developing countries, the urban elite have been buying farm land as an investment, not necessarily to increase agricultural production with improved techniques, but to resell later when prices go up.
→ read full articleBreaking the Rules: Working for the UN can be fun. And it can also do some good provided one is ready to lie, fib, obfuscate and break all the rules
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
10 Nov 2014
Alexander Casella has written a lively account of his years first as a journalist for the Journal de Genève covering events in Vietnam and China and then as a staff member of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
→ read full articleCowardly Lions: Missed Opportunities to Prevent Deadly Conflict and State Collapse
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
3 Nov 2014
There are always warning signs before the outbreak of a crisis. But one must be able to read the signs — thus the need for courage, intelligence and heart. In light of the continuing crisis and disintegration of State structures in the Central African Republic, in Libya and elsewhere, this analysis of State collapse remains of value.
→ read full articlePrison Writings: The Roots of Civilization
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Oct 2014
Abdullah Ocalan is a Marxist in the tradition of Antonio Gramsci. For him, ideology is the basis of change. Technology and the means of production come to fill the spaces first opened by ideas. Thus his prison writings are a history of the Middle East as ideology. The next steps in history must come through a new ideological construction.
→ read full articlePathways to Reconciliation: Between Theory and Practice
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Oct 2014
Reconciliation is a process that requires spiritual understanding beyond the pragmatism that rests in the calculation of causes and consequences. It needs to be seen not only as reconciliation between two persons or groups, but for something. It is not merely the repair of the past, but a bridge to the future.
→ read full articleWhither China’s Democracy? Democratization in China since the Tiananmen Incident
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Oct 2014
This review of an in-depth look at democratization in China was written before the recent protests in Hong Kong that highlight shifting attitudes toward governing practices. Democratization is a bumpy but ongoing process.
→ read full articleRevolutionaries of the Soul: Reflections on Magicians, Philosophers, and Occultists
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
6 Oct 2014
The development of a deeper or higher consciousness has often been compared to a journey toward an ultimate goal with steps along the way and with entries into an inner dimension of the person, called by some ‘the Spirit’, by others ‘the Soul.’
→ read full articleEnduring Territorial Disputes
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
29 Sep 2014
The book is about evenly divided between a general analysis of enduring territorial disputes followed by useful case studies including the ongoing law-of-the-sea delimitation disputes among China, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam, the border disputes among Israel, Syria and Lebanon concerning the Golan Heights, and the now quieter Sino-Soviet/Russian border dispute.
→ read full articleIraq: Yazidis’ Genocide?
René Wadlow, UN Geneva Association of Word Citizens – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 Sep 2014
With the incomplete evidence at hand, I would maintain that the ISIS policy is genocide and not just a control of territory. Although the UN “track record” of dealing with genocide is very mixed, the first immediate step is for a State to raise the issue within the UN.
→ read full articleLeo Tolstoy: The Law of Love
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 Sep 2014
9 September marks the birth of the multi-dimensional Count Leo Tolstoy, an aristocratic land owner, a young military officer, a distinguished author of War and Peace, a spiritual-moral philosopher, and a champion of non-violent action. It is this last aspect and the link with Mahatma Gandhi that I would like to stress.
→ read full articleUN Human Rights Protection: Small Steps but No Turning Back
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
8 Sep 2014
The effectiveness of United Nations action to promote human rights and prevent massive violations grows by small steps. However, the steps, once taken, serve as precedents and can be cited in future cases. Once the steps taken, it is difficult to refuse such action later.
→ read full articleCivil Resistance and Conflict Transformation: Transition from armed to nonviolent struggle
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Sep 2014
What if the original armed violence does not produce results? Can groups move from armed violence to other techniques? Should one modify if armed violence is blocked? TRANSCEND member Manish Thapa is one of the authors featured on this ‘Routledge Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.’
→ read full articleConversations with Ban Ki-moon: What the United Nations is Really Like – The View from the Top
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Aug 2014
Ban Ki-moon comes from a Confucian tradition kept alive in certain Korean milieu: a leader leads by example in the hope that others will follow his example of hard work, honesty, concern for others. Can such a management style work in an organization such as the United Nations with people from many different cultures?
→ read full articleGenocide in Iraq? A Political History of the Yazidis and Mandaeans
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Aug 2014
As an NGO representative to the United Nations, Geneva, and active on human rights issues, I had already raised the issues of two major religious minorities in Iraq at the UN Commission on Human Rights: the Yazidis and the Mandaeans.
→ read full articleViolence and Mediation Opportunities in the Wider Middle East
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Aug 2014
Sue and Steve Williams have written a very useful study on mediation efforts in politically violent situations by drawing on the experiences of Quaker mediators usually working under the direction of Quaker Peace and Service (UK) or the American Friends Service Committee (USA).
→ read full articleShadow Boxing or Filling an Empty Diplomatic Space? Track II and Security in the Middle East
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Jul 2014
The term “Track II” was coined in 1981 by Joseph Montville in an article “Foreign Policy according to Freud” as being “unofficial, informal interaction among members of adversarial groups or nations with the goals of developing strategies, influencing public opinion, and organizing human and material resources in ways that might help resolve the conflict.”
→ read full articleCould the Use of Rockets Be Banned in the Middle East?
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
21 Jul 2014
The use of rockets by Islamic groups from Gaza toward Israel and the more deadly use of rockets and bombs by Israeli forces toward Gaza have raised in a dramatic way the possibility of banning rocket use in the Middle East. Arms control in the ME has always been difficult as there is no equivalent of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe there.
→ read full articleNon-State Actors in International Relations
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Jul 2014
There is a growing interest in the role of non-governmental organizations in the making and the implementation of policies at the international level. A group of international relations scholars from the Netherlands looks at the increasing role of NGOs in day-to-day politics at the United Nations and the European Union.
→ read full articleUkraine: The Dogs of the Cold War Are Awakened
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Jun 2014
Without a well-organized movement of pan-European peace-green-human rights movements, “Europe from Below” has been unable to act in the Ukraine crisis. Individual governments, in particular Russia and the USA, have taken a highly visible role. The media in both countries dusted off the Cold War vocabulary and political analysis.
→ read full articleZulfiya Tursunova: Women’s Lives and Livelihoods in Post-Soviet Uzbekistan–Ceremonies of Empowerment and Peacebuilding
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Jun 2014
Zulfiya Tursunova, a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment, on the basis of extensive field research, has written an important book highlighting the ways in which women deal with socio-economic change in post-USSR Uzbekistan.
→ read full articleThe Heavens Declare: Astrological Ages and the Evolution of Consciousness
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Jun 2014
There are a number of currents of thought which hold that humanity is coming to the end of an historical cycle and has entered into a new age with the start of the new millennium. Alice Howell, influenced by the work of C.G. Jung and astrological analysis has written a useful guide to the start of the New Age.
→ read full articleSetting the Agenda for Global Peace: Conflict and Consensus Building
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
2 Jun 2014
Currently the UN and its Specialized Agencies are involved in a Beijing Plus 20 evaluation of the progress and setbacks in the status of women in advance of the 20th anniversary of the 1995 women’s conference held in Beijing. Much of the planning for the conference had been done by NGO representatives at the UN in Geneva. This book is a good reminder of the process.
→ read full articleSyria: Back to Square One for Good-Faith Negotiations
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 May 2014
I am not sure that anyone in Syria has an overall policy framework, but lacking face-to-face negotiations, we might see if graduated reciprocation might work.
→ read full articleFault Lines, The Sixties, The Culture Wars, and The Return of the Divine Feminine
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 May 2014
The 1960s was the period when the shift to the New Age — the Age of Aquarius — became more obvious to many and manifested in social and political movements. The 1960s was one of the “Great Awakenings” — a period of enhanced social and spiritual concern and increased personal spiritual experience.
→ read full articleConUNdrum: The Limits of the United Nations and the Search for Alternatives
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 May 2014
The book is worth reading for a better understanding of a strong, if misguided, current in U.S. politics. These criticisms need to be taken seriously, but, I believe, that reforms must be taken within the U.N. and not in alternative —as yet uncreated— institutions.
→ read full articleConflict Assessment and Peacebuilding Planning: Toward a Participatory Approach to Human Security
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 May 2014
Lisa Schirch sets out clearly the aim of this handbook: “Strategic peacebuilding requires long-term actions at all levels, from local to global, by multiple actors coordinating an approach that is led locally and based on explicit decision making informed by a systems approach.
→ read full articleGeorge Hewitt – Discordant Neighbours: A Reassessment of the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-South-Ossetian Conflicts
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
5 May 2014
Hewitt’s book is a solid, detailed analysis of the events and will be essential reading for those who follow the Caucasus and federal structures.
→ read full articleRachel Brett – Snakes and Ladders: A Personal Exploration of Quaker Work on Human Rights at the United Nations
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Apr 2014
Hodgkin started organizing British Quakers for peace and reconciliation work and in 1915 went to the US to start the Fellowship of Reconciliation, drawing especially on his Quaker contacts. While Quakers have always been active in FOR, they have also created specifically Quaker institutions working for peace such as the two Quaker UN Offices.
→ read full articleDavid Cortright – Peace: A History of Movements and Ideas
Rene Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service,
21 Apr 2014
David Cortright, Director of Policy Studies at Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and an activist especially on nuclear arms issues, has set out a clear and up-to-date history of the ideas and movements that make up the colors on the peace pallet. While the book has been out for some time, I review it now as a first rate overview of peace efforts and ideologies.
→ read full article