The “Charter for a World Without Violence” is the result of several years of work by individuals and organizations who have won the Nobel Peace Prize. The first draft was presented at the Seventh Summit of Nobel Laureates in 2006 and the final version was approved at the Eighth Summit in December 2007 in Rome. The points of view and proposals are very similar to those we see here in this March.
The 11 of November of 2009, during the Tenth World Summit held in Berlin, the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize they presented the Charter for a world without violence to the promoters of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence that will act as emissaries of the document as a part of their effort to increase global awareness about violence. Silo, founder of Universalist Humanism and an inspiration for the World March, spoke about the Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence at that moment.
Letter for a world without violence
Violence is a predictable disease.
No State or individual can be safe in an insecure world. The values of non-violence have ceased to be an alternative to become a necessity, both in intentions, as in thoughts and actions. These values are expressed in their application to the relationships between states, groups and individuals. We are convinced that adherence to the principles of non-violence will introduce a more civilized and peaceful world order, in which a more just and effective government can be realized, respectful of human dignity and the sacredness of life itself.
Our cultures, our stories and our individual lives are interconnected and our actions are interdependent. Today as never before, we believe we are facing a truth: ours is a common destiny. That destiny will be determined by our intentions, our decisions and our actions today.
We firmly believe that creating a culture of peace and nonviolence is a noble and necessary goal, even if it is a long and difficult process. Affirming the principles set forth in this Charter is a vital step in guaranteeing the survival and development of humanity and achieving a world without violence. We, people and organizations awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize,
Reaffirming our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Concerned for the need to put an end to the spread of violence at all levels of society and, above all, to threats that globally endanger the very existence of humanity;
Reaffirming that freedom of thought and expression is at the root of democracy and creativity;
Recognizing that violence manifests itself in many ways, whether as armed conflict, military occupation, poverty, economic exploitation, environmental destruction, corruption and prejudices based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation;
Repairing in which the glorification of violence, as expressed through the entertainment trade, can contribute to the acceptance of violence as a normal and admissible condition;
Convinced that the hardest hit by violence are the weakest and most vulnerable;
Taking into account that peace is not only the absence of violence but also the presence of justice and the welfare of the people;
considering that an inadequate recognition of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity by States is at the root of much of the violence that exists in the world;
Recognizing the urgency of developing an alternative approach to collective security based on a system in which no country, or group of countries, should have nuclear weapons for its own security;
Conscious that the world needs efficient global mechanisms and non-violent conflict prevention and resolution practices, and that these are most successful when adopted at the earliest possible stage;
Affirming that those with power endowments have the greatest responsibility to end violence, wherever it manifests itself, and to prevent it whenever possible;
Convinced that the principles of non-violence must succeed at all levels of society, as well as in relations between states and individuals;
We call on the international community to favor the development of the following principles:
- In an interdependent world, the prevention and cessation of armed conflicts between States and within States require collective action by the international community. The best way to guarantee the security of individual states is to advance in global human security. This requires strengthening the execution capacity of the UN system and that of regional cooperation organizations.
- To achieve a world without violence, States must always respect the rule of law and honor their legal agreements.
- It is essential to move without further delay towards the verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. States that hold such weapons must take concrete steps towards disarmament and adopt a defense system that is not based on nuclear deterrence. At the same time, States must strive to consolidate a nuclear non-proliferation regime, also strengthening multilateral verifications, protecting nuclear material and carrying out disarmament.
- To reduce violence in society, the production and sale of small arms and light weapons must be reduced and strictly controlled at the international, state, regional and local levels. In addition, there must be a total and universal application of international agreements on disarmament, such as the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, and the support of new efforts aimed at eliminating the impact of indiscriminate weapons activated by victims, such as cluster munitions.
- Terrorism can never be justified, because violence generates violence and because no act of terror against the civilian population of any country can be perpetrated in the name of any cause. The fight against terrorism cannot, however, justify the violation of human rights, international humanitarian law, civil society norms and democracy.
- Ending domestic and family violence requires unconditional respect for the equality, freedom, dignity and rights of women, men and children, on the part of all individuals and institutions of the State, religion and the civil society. Such guardianships must be incorporated into local and international laws and conventions.
- Each individual and State share the responsibility of preventing violence against children and young people, who represent our common future and our most precious asset, and promote educational opportunities, access to primary health care, personal security, social protection. and a flattering environment that strengthens non-violence as a lifestyle. Peace education, which fosters non-violence and the emphasis on compassion as an innate quality of the human being must be an essential part of educational programs at all levels.
- Preventing conflicts arising from the depletion of natural resources and, in particular, of water and energy sources, requires that States develop an active role and institute legal systems and models dedicated to environmental protection and to encourage the containment of its consumption based on the availability of resources and real human needs
- We call on the United Nations and its member states to promote significant recognition of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. The golden rule of a non-violent world is: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
- The main political instruments necessary to forge a non-violent world are effective democratic institutions and dialogue based on dignity, knowledge and commitment, conducted in respect of the balance between the parties, and, where appropriate, also keeping in mind the aspects of human society as a whole and the natural environment in which it lives.
- All states, institutions and individuals must support efforts to overcome inequalities in the distribution of economic resources and resolve large inequities that create fertile ground for violence. The disparity of living conditions inevitably leads to lack of opportunities and, in many cases, loss of hope.
- Civil society, including human rights defenders, pacifists and environmental activists, must be recognized and protected as essential for the construction of a non-violent world, just as all governments must serve their own citizens and not contrary. Conditions must be created to allow and encourage the participation of civil society, particularly women, in political processes at the global, regional, national and local levels.
- In putting into practice the principles of this Charter, we turn to all of us so that we work together for a just and murderous world, in which everyone has the right not to be killed and, at the same time, the duty not to kill to nobody.
Signatures of the Charter for a world without violence
At to remedy all forms of violence, we encourage scientific research in the fields of human interaction and dialogue, and we invite academic, scientific and religious communities to help us in the transition to a non-violent and non-murderous society. Sign the Charter for a World without Violence
Nobel prizes
- Mairead Corrigan Maguire
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Lech Walesa
- Frederik Willem De Klerk
- Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu
- Jody Williams
- Shirin Ebadi
- Mohamed ElBaradei
- John hume
- Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo
- Betty Williams
- Muhammad Yanus
- Wangari Maathai
- International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
- Red Cross
- International Atomic Energy Agency
- American Friends Service Committee
- International Peace Office
Supporters of the Charter:
Institutions:
- Basque government
- Municipality of Cagliari, Italy
- Cagliari Province, Italy
- Municipality of Villa Verde (OR), Italy
- Municipality of Grosseto, Italy
- Municipality of Lesignano de 'Bagni (PR), Italy
- Municipality of Bagno a Ripoli (FI), Italy
- Municipality of Castel Bolognese (RA), Italy
- Municipality of Cava Manara (PV), Italy
- Municipality of Faenza (RA), Italy
Organizations:
- Peace People, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Association Memory Collettiva, Association
- Hokotehi Moriori Trust, New Zealand
- World without wars and without violence
- World Center for Humanist Studies (CMEH)
- The Community (for human development), World Federation
- Convergence of Cultures, World Federation
- International Federation of Humanist Parties
- “Cádiz for Non-Violence” Association, Spain
- Women for a Change International Foundation, (United Kingdom, India, Israel, Cameroon, Nigeria)
- Institute for Peace and Secular Studies, Pakistan
- Association Assocodecha, Mozambique
- Awaz Foundation, Center for Development Services, Pakistan
- Eurafrica, Multicultural Association, France
- Peace Games UISP, Italy
- Moebius Club, Argentina
- Centro per lo sviluppo creative “Danilo Dolci”, Italy
- Centro Studi ed European Initiative, Italy
- Global Security Institute, USA
- Gruppo Emergency Alto Casertano, Italy
- Bolivian Origami Society, Bolivia
- Il sentiero del Dharma, Italy
- Gocce di fraternità, Italy
- Aguaclara Foundation, Venezuela
- Associazione Lodisolidale, Italy
- Human Rights Education and Active Conflict Prevention Collective, Spain
- ETOILE.COM (Agence Rwandaise d'Edition, de Recherche, de Presse et de Communication), Rwanda
- Human Rights Youth Organization, Italy
- Athenaeum of Petare, Venezuela
- Ethical Association of CÉGEP of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Federation of Private Institutions for Child, Youth and Family Care (FIPAN), Venezuela
- Center Communautaire Jeunesse Unie de Parc Extension, Québec, Canada
- Physicians for Global Survival, Canada
- UMOVE (United Mothers Opposing Violence Everywhere), Canada
- Raging Grannies, Canada
- Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, Canada
- Transformative Learning Center, University of Toronto, Canada
- Promoters of Peace and Nonviolence, Spain
- ACLI (Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani), Italy
- Legautonomie Veneto, Italy
- Istituto Buddista Italiano Soka Gakkai, Italy
- UISP Lega Nazionale Attività Subacquee, Italy
- Commissione Giustizia e Pace di CGP-CIMI, Italy
Notable:
- Mr. Walter Veltroni, Former Mayor of Rome, Italy
- Mr. Tadatoshi Akiba, President of Mayors for Peace and Mayor of Hiroshima
- Mr. Agazio Loiero, Governor of the Calabria Region, Italy
- Prof. MS Swaminathan, Former President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, Nobel Peace Prize Organization
- David T. Ives, Albert Schweitzer Institute
- Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute
- George Clooney, actor
- Don Cheadle, actor
- Bob Geldof, singer
- Tomás Hirsch, Humanism spokesperson for Latin America
- Michel Ussene, Humanism spokesperson for Africa
- Giorgio Schultze, Humanism spokesperson for Europe
- Chris Wells, Speaker of Humanism for North America
- Sudhir Gandotra, Humanism spokesperson for the Asia-Pacific Region
- Maria Luisa Chiofalo, Advisor to the Municipality of Pisa, Italy
- Silvia Amodeo, President of the Meridion Foundation, Argentina
- Miloud Rezzouki, President of the ACODEC Association, Morocco
- Angela Fioroni, Regional Secretary of Legautonomie Lombardia, Italy
- Luis Gutiérrez Esparza, President of the Latin American Circle of International Studies (LACIS), Mexico
- Vittorio Agnoletto, former member of the European Parliament, Italy
- Lorenzo Guzzeloni, Mayor of Novate Milanese (MI), Italy
- Mohammad Zia-ur-Rehman, National Coordinator of GCAP-Pakistan
- Raffaele Cortesi, Mayor of Lugo (RA), Italy
- Rodrigo Carazo, Former President of Costa Rica
- Lucia Bursi, Mayor of Maranello (MO), Italy
- Miloslav Vlček, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic
- Simone Gamberini, Mayor of Casalecchio di Reno (BO), Italy
- Lella Costa, Actress, Italy
- Luisa Morgantini, former Vice-President of the European Parliament, Italy
- Birgitta Jónsdóttir, member of the Icelandic Parliament, President of Friends of Tibet in Iceland
- Italo Cardoso, Gabriel Chalita, José Olímpio, Jamil Murad, Quito Formiga, Agnaldo
- Timóteo, João Antonio, Juliana Cardoso Alfredinho Penna (“Parliamentary Front of Accompanying the World March for Peace and No Violence in São Paulo”), Brazil
- Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Iceland
- Loredana Ferrara, Advisor of the Province of Prato, Italy
- Ali Abu Awwad, Peace activist through nonviolence, Palestine
- Giovanni Giuliari, Advisor to the Municipality of Vicenza, Italy
- Rémy Pagani, Mayor of Geneva, Switzerland
- Paolo Cecconi, Mayor of Vernio (PO), Italy
- Viviana Pozzebon, singer, Argentina
- Max Delupi, journalist and driver, Argentina
- Páva Zsolt, Mayor of Pécs, Hungary
- György Gemesi, Mayor of Gödöllő, President of Local Authorities, Hungary
- Agust Einarsson, rector of the University of Bifröst University, Iceland
- Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Environment, Iceland
- Sigmundur Ernir Rúnarsson, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Margrét Tryggvadóttir, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Vigdís Hauksdóttir, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Anna Pála Sverrisdóttir, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Thráinn Bertelsson, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson, Member of Parliament, Iceland
- Omar Mar Jonsson, Mayor of Sudavikurhreppur, Iceland
- Raul Sanchez, Secretary of Human Rights of the Province of Cordoba, Argentina
- Emiliano Zerbini, Musician, Argentina
- Amalia Maffeis, Servas - Cordoba, Argentina
- Almut Schmidt, Director Goethe Institut, Cordoba, Argentina
- Asmundur Fridriksson, Mayor of Gardur, Iceland
- Ingibjorg Eyfells, School Director, Geislabaugur, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Audur Hrolfsdottir, School Director, Engidalsskoli, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
- Andrea Olivero, National President of Acli, Italy
- Dennis J. Kucinich, Member of Congress, USA