SCOTT ATRAN AND JEREMY GINGES: ISRAEL, PALESTINE, AND THE POWER OF APOLOGY
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deeply rooted in history and politics, and will not be resolved without profound changes in attitudes and policies. As Scott Atran and Jeremy Ginges show, however, a lot can be accomplished with a simple apology. The article examines attitudes of Israelis and Palestinians towards a variety of political issues including refugees, supporters of Hamas and Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Initially solutions proposed by the authors were rejected, but they soon learned that the actors did not want money or peace for sacred land, but that their enemies make symbolic but difficult gestures.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think apologies are possible between the Palestinians and Israelis? What types of exercises would be necessary for each side to commit to these symbolic gestures? Will addressing these demands open the doors to discovering common ground between the Palestinians and Israelis?
UN: 2009 WILL BE THE YEAR OF RECONCILIATION
On November 20, 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations decided to proclaim 2009 as the International Year of Reconciliation. It expressed its steadfast determination to pursue reconciliation processes in those societies affected or divided by conflicts, describing such processes as necessary for the establishment of firm and lasting peace.
The Assembly invited concerned governments and international and non-governmental organizations to support reconciliation processes among such societies. It also invited them to implement adequate cultural, educational and social programmes to promote the concept of reconciliation, including the holding of conferences and seminars, and the dissemination of information on the subject.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think reconciliation efforts by the UN will increase this year? What are the advantages and disadvantages to using the UN to encourage people to embrace their commonalities? Do you think the UN has been successful in the past at promoting reconciliation? What other organizations (international organizations, NGOs, private individuals) to you think are equally or more successful at promoting peace? Why do you think the UN declared 2009 the Year of Reconciliation in 2006?
US CENTER FOR CITIZEN DIPLOMACY: OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SHOULD SUPPORT CITIZEN DIPLOMACY OVERSEAS
In a letter to President Obama released last week, the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy asked for his administration’s support in a nation-wide initiative they launched to dramatically increase the number of Americans of all ages who are actively engaged in efforts to strengthen America’s international relationships. The Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy, which was formally launched at a National Press Club event on February 5, recommends expansion of existing citizen diplomacy efforts and includes a “Call to Action” for all Americans to become more globally engaged through education and study abroad programs, commercial enterprise, international volunteer service, development assistance, community-based initiatives, and exchanges in the arts and humanities, as well as through sports and tourism.
Question to the Blogosphere: What can the Obama administration do to encourage Americans to engage in efforts to strengthen America’s international relationships? Should public high schools in the United States be provided with funds to send young people to different parts of the world? What types of development assistance and community-based initiatives would be most useful in promoting international understanding? What can be done to involve the older generations in the United States in citizen diplomacy?
On February 3, 2009, USIP in conjunction with Independent Television Service (ITVS) held a conference moderated by Ted Koppel bringing together many of the top thinkers in U.S. public diplomacy and strategic communication with independent film and media producers. They met to discuss and identify innovative paths forward in the increasingly important effort to improve mutual understanding between the US and other countries through communication and media.
Speakers at the event included Kathy Bushkin Calvin of the United Nations Foundation, Ambassador Edward Djerejian of the Baker Institute, Abderrahim Foukara of Al Jazeera International, former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman, Andrew McLaughlin of Google, James Zogby of the Arab American Institute, Carol Giacomo of The New York Times and others.
FYI: Links to transcripts, twittering, YouTube, and agenda resources from the event are linked in this post.
Question to the Blogosphere: What media tools do you think will be most useful to the world in developing mutual understanding between nations? Do these media tools bring people together or highlight differences, in your opinion? How can the peacemakers of the world take media tools used by terrorists, like YouTube, and use them for promoting peace and understanding? What is the role of print media in efforts to search for common ground, if any? How does the fact that in many countries people are too poor to own computers or televisions inhibit eff orts to increase mutual understanding between nations? What can be done to change this?
THE BALLINA SHIRE ADVOCATE: A STEP FORWARD FOR RECONCILIATION FOR AUSTRALIA’S “STOLEN GENERATION”
Nancy Walke, from Ballina, officially opened the In Living Memory exhibition at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery in Ballina last Thursday. The exhibition features about 1000 historical photographs from the records of the former NSW Aborigines Welfare Board, 1919-1966 of the aboriginal “stolen generation”. While tomorrow, February 13, marks the first anniversary of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generation, Nancy said the exhibition provided a way to move forward in the reconciliation process.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do projects like the “In Living Memory” exhibition in Australia help people get past historical grievances or do they merely reopen old wounds and cause victims to dwell on their victimhood? In other words, to these events promote reconciliation in reality?
THE HUFFINGTON POST: DOES MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEED A TRUE AND RECONCILLIATION COMMISSION?
Roger Abrams looks at the lies and betrayals surrounding the investigation into performance-enhancing drug use in Major League Baseball. He believes that Baseball should create a Truth and Reconciliation Commission modeled after the one created in South Africa. It would be a joint effort of the owners and the players union. Each side would have representatives on the commission, and they would select a neutral chair. The federal government should supply the Commission with the list of those who tested positive so the Commission can accomplish its goal — to end once and for all baseball’s latest infamy.
Question to the Blogosphere: Can you think of other scenarios in which Truth and Reconciliation Commission might serve as a useful tool? What mutual interests do you think the owners and the players union have? Do you think this is an appropriate tactic to use in this case? What outside actors might influence the players and the owners to come together?
