Intercontentintal Network for Peace and Solidarity

Intercontinental Network por Pax y Solidarite

Network Intercontinentale pour Paix et Solidarité

Intercontintental Network for Peace and Solidarity


First Meeting

In March 2001, a seminar, organized by 3 associations working for the defense of the Human Rights - Amnesty International, the culture of peace and non-violence : École de la Paix and education to help Tibetan refugees back to their country : Aide Enfance Tibétaine, has taken place in Grenoble (France).

The objective of this seminar was to study the opportunity to set up an international transverse network of solidarity, the particularity of which would be to regroup NGO representatives from countries sharing the following characteristics:

  • Daily experience of systematic volation of human rights.
  • Not being supported efficiently by UNO.
  • Confronting to situation of emergency and researching peace.
  • Using non-violent methods to resist, each time it is possible.

For this first meeting, Inés de Brill was designated to represent Colombia, Laurent Kantu to represent the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ugyen Tsewang, Tibet.

Each country symbolizes a precise part of the world geographically: Africa, South America, Asia, i.e. a different continent.

Origin: An acknowledgement

  • Countries in conflict suffering of systematic violation of human rights
  • Western official institutions defaulting (UNO), unable to support these countries efficiently

Project: Build an international solidarity network in order to compensate for the deficiencies. A Network:

  • Anchored in the local environment (3 associations represented in Grenoble: AI, AET, EDP)
  • Gathering 3 representatives of NGO from different countries: ADPC DR Congo, APSCP Colombia, TCHRD Tibet.
  • One NGO's representative by continent (Africa RD Congo, America Colombia, Asia Tibet)

Characteristics:

  • The horizontality encouraging the synergy of actions and the sharing between the associations within the Network
  • Absence of a prevailing associative French center (the 3 associations from Grenoble coordinate their action and ensure the durability of the Network
  • The presence of the Network on the 3 continents: token of an actual horizontality.
  • One NGO per country (each NGO is linked with other NGOs in its own country, becomes Network relay and can increase the impact and reinforce the international solidarity.
  • One coordinator by NGO and by association, ensuring the regulation of the network.
  • A charter written by the coordinators, precisely defining the ethic and the deontology of the Network.

Creation of the Network in March 2001: in 2 times

  • A meeting where each representative of NGO explained the situation of his country, the actions of his NGO and the difficulties met (allow everybody to better know each others through their differences)
  • A two-day seminar giving the opportunity to increase the exchanges, to encourage the emergence of common points, that justifies the interest for a common action of international solidarity.

At the end of the seminar, a charter was written collectively, giving its operating principles and ethic.

Objectives of the Network registered in a charter

  • Inform, exchange, share experiences capable of enriching the Network.
  • Use internet while taking care of and respecting the confidentiality of the people and their messages.
  • Support horizontally the actions of the civil society of impacted country in case of an specific request from a NGO.
  • Find fees to finance the travels of the representatives to participate to international colloquiums in order to give them the opportunity to speak and convey about what their country is experiencing without intermediary.

RESEAU INTERCONTINENTAL DE SOLIDARITE
C/o Ecole de la Paix
7, Rue Trés Clotres
3800 Grenoble
France

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