18.02.24

UNITY FOR PEACE. FORUM “UNITY FOR PEACE”. BRUXELLE. FEBRUARY 12-13, 2024.

https://globaldiplomatnews.blogspot.com/2024/02/ngo-union-of-un-peacekeepers-kharkiv_17.html 

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                                                   UNITY FOR PEACE.
 








We, people of different skin colors, representatives of different states and even continents, nationalities, religions. We are all different, but we are united by the desire for Peace.

 On February 12-13, 2024, in Brussels, at the "Youth For Human Rights" office, a series of events took place on the occasion of the International Day of Human Fraternity and the World Week of Interfaith Harmony - "Unity for Peace", organized by the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers". Kharkiv and the Bureau of International Youth Programs, Brussels, in partnership with "Youth For Human Rights", NPO "United for Human Rights", "Peacefully Connected" and the Kharkiv-Oxford Association, under the patronage of Laurent Attar-Bayrou, the President of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/ SPIA, and Albert Tybor, vice - president for Western Europe AISP/ SPIA, with the assistance of the Department of Education and the Department of International Cooperation of the Kharkiv City Council and the support of the leadership of the H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. The participants of the forum were veteran peacekeepers from Belgium, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Portugal, India, representatives of official and creative circles, the public, the press, students and teachers. The purpose of the events is to get acquainted with the work experience of Kharkiv veterans - UN peacekeepers with children and youth, and to present the activities of the Bureau of International Youth Programs, to draw the attention of the world community to the problem of educating and supporting the creative potential of the young generation, using the example of the children of Ukraine, who felt the terrible consequences of the war, but not losing their love of life and striving for their peaceful future.

                                                    

On February 12, in the office of the "Youth For Human Rights" organization, an introduction to the educational, peace-making projects, which have become international and are being implemented by the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers" in cooperation with educators - "School of Peace", "Young Peacemaker", " A travel for peace", "The world in which I want to live in!". There was also a discussion of promising projects - "Peacemaking Library", "Youth Peacekeeping Camp", the Young Peacemaker course "Fundamentals of Peacekeeping Activities" (part of the course, for students of grades 8-11, was developed by Oleksiy Telychkin, police colonel (ret.), Doctor of Law, senior UN police advisor (ret.)), partner course "Youth for Human Rights". Serhii Samoilov, Director of Youth Programs of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/SPIA, Myriam Zonneken, representative of the management of the organizations "Youth For Human Rights", NPO "United for Human Rights", "Peacefully Connected" gave a presentation and welcome speech. It is important that thanks to modern means of online communication, the representatives of Kharkiv - Svitlana Berezhna, vice-rector for scientific, innovative and international activities of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Oleksiy Zenyakin, deputy head of the international protocol and cooperation department, were able to participate in the forum. with foreign representations of the Department of International Cooperation of the Kharkiv City Council, Oleksandr Doroshenko, Chairman of the Board of the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers". Dinesh Sabnis, Secretary General of AISP/SPIA India, one of the leaders of the Ashoka Group of Schools, took part in the event, thereby expressing support and solidarity. On this important day, we were joined by Pramudit Danaja Rupasinghe, humanitarian diplomat, employee of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Africa, Asia, Europe, laureate of the Golden Aster award in the field of world literature (2020), regional expert on mental health in Eastern Europe, clinical psychologist, Sri Lanka, and Yuliya Yurevych-Rupasinghe, lawyer, teacher, employee of the Red Cross of Belgium - Flanders, member of the UN Mission in Liberia, Victoriya Vennikova, singer, Honored Artist of Ukraine, who is an ambassador of a number of the mentioned projects. Honored Artist of Ukraine Serg Demchenko addressed the audience with a musical greeting. Olesya Dyakun, President of CSC "Les Hirondelles" also congratulated those present.

Those present had the opportunity to ask questions to the organizers and join the dialogue.

As part of the presentation of the projects, "The world in which I want to live!*" - an exhibition of children's drawings was opened (a project of the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers", Kharkiv in partnership with CSC "Les Hirondelles" of Charleroi, H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University etc. under the patronage of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/SPIA), which is a component of the "Youth Peacekeeping Camp" project**. It is symbolic that we have the opportunity precisely in the office of the "Youth For Human Rights" organization to illustrate the vision of peace for all children, dynamically modeling it in bright and colorful!

At the exhibition, which will be held from February 13 to 21, 2024, visitors can see the drawings of children from Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region aged 6 to 17. Children who have felt the hellish breath of war, in their creativity and artistic techniques reveal the potential of the creator of their future, feeling responsible for building a peaceful society. Children draw the World in which they want to live. Participants of the event and visitors of the Exhibition could leave their comments in the guest book, support the Project on the psychological rehabilitation of children "Youth peacekeeping camp" (which also includes the opportunity to visit Belgium as finalists of the Contest), by making a charitable contribution and receiving a table calendar with reproductions of the works of the Contest participants, Exhibitions as a gift.

This exchange provides an opportunity to see reality as it is without any distortions, inspires creativity, supports and encourages young artists and creates international connections, thus once again talking about peace, security and peaceful coexistence! Together we can do more!

 On February 13, 2024, with the assistance of the Department of International Cooperation and the Department of Education of the Kharkiv City Council, a panel discussion (online) was held, moderated by Olexiy Zenyakin, President of the Kharkiv-Oxford Association, Deputy Head of the Department of International Protocol and Cooperation with Foreign Representations of the Department of International Cooperation Kharkiv City Council. Those present were greeted by Myriam Zonneken, representative of the leadership of the organizations "Youth For Human Rights", NPO "United for Human Rights", "Peacefully Connected", Serhii Samoilov Director of Youth Programs of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/SPIA, Oleksandr Doroshenko, Chairman of the Board of the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers". A video address to the participants was sent by Laurent Attar-Bairou, President of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/SPIA. Svitlana Berezhna, vice-rector for scientific, innovative and international activities of the H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, congratulated the participants on behalf of the educators, Paulo Gonçalves, Military Advisor UN, Public Relations & Protocol Officer "NATO Joint Analysis Lessons Learned Centre - JALLC", Portugal joined in the speeches. Serhiі Samoilov also expressed his gratitude to all the consultants and advisers of the UN Peacekeepers Association NGO, especially for mentoring, support of our projects and cooperation, to Oleksiy Telychkin, police colonel (ret.), doctor of law, senior adviser to the UN police (ret.).

The participants were offered the following topics and directions for discussion:

1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a system of views, a projection of peace. 2. History and evolution of human rights.

 3. The role of public veteran structures in educational activities. Exchange of experience.

4. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a component of the "Fundamentals of Peacekeeping" course for children and youth.

The dialogue was attended by representatives of general secondary education institutions in Kharkiv, teachers, teachers of higher education institutions in the security and defense sector, management, members and trainees of the International Association of UN Peacekeepers "Soldiers of Peace" AISP/SPIA, NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers", Kharkiv, Ukraine. Yulia Zagumenna, PhD, sciences of law, associate professor, professor of the Department of Theory and History of the State and Law, of the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, supported the organizers as a consultant.

In their reports, the young peacemakers revealed the topic of views on human rights through the prism of world history and the history of Ukraine, traced the evolutionary development of human rights and their implementation in state legislation, highlighted problems related to the realization of rights and freedoms in modern society. The "Fundamentals of Peacekeeping Activity Course" was presented (a course for the 5th grade developed by Ukrainian and French teacher Нalina Yermolaeva, together with advisers - consultants of the NGO "Union of UN Peacekeepers") and which is a component of the international projects "Peace School", "Young Peacemaker ". Young peacekeepers presented the Kyivsky, Saltivsky, Novobavarsky districts of Kharkiv.

The working languages of the discussion were English and French.

During the events, we had the opportunity to unite like-minded people, introduce the participants to the educational activities of Ukrainian UN peacekeepers and representatives of the organization "Youth for Human Rights" and their partners, intensify our joint efforts in actions aimed at establishing and maintaining peace around the world.

The organizers thank everyone who took part in the events and supported those who continue to actively act, because Peace on Earth does not come by itself. We must work to create conditions for peace and security in our world. To achieve this, it is necessary to develop the economic and social direction, fight corruption and crime, respect human rights and international law. After all, peace on Earth depends on each of us. We can do more to create a peaceful and secure world for future generations. On behalf of the participants of the forum, an appeal is being prepared, which will be sent to the UN, the European Commission, the European Parliament, etc., in which it will be emphasized the need to pay attention to the situation of children in the war zone, first of all for us it is Ukraine, but we remember that children all over the world must have the right to PEACE! This is a question about the possibility of conducting children's peace camps, and of course, this is the main thing - to work on the establishment of PEACE!


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https://school55.klasna.com/uk/news-2193-234/

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http://school124.edu.kh.ua/novini_shkoli/id/2497/vn/Участь-у-Міжнародній-конференції-“Єдність-заради-м/

http://gymnasium39.edu.kh.ua/novini_gmnaz/id/3553/vn/Наші-лідерки-учнівського-самоврядування-стали-учасницями/

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