Il Servizio Civile di Pace nella politica della UE: rafforzare le opzioni non militari

The European Network for Civil Peace Services (EN.CPS)is a loose network of organizations for Civil Peace Services (CPS) in many European countries. These organizations were founded by individual peace workers or peace groups, who felt the need for civil peace building or civilian (non-military) intervention in conflicts.
Peace teams were trained and sent out to conflict areas, publicity campaigns and lobby work started to raise public and political awareness of the importance of nonviolentconflict resolution.
Studies on peace and conflict gave more knowledge of sophisticated peace services and conflict resolution work.
The EN.CPS has no policy of its own, but is a service for the individual groups, who are not members, but participants. For cooperation in joint projects the groups don’t yet have the time and money.
The Network’s internal service tasks will meet the needs of the participating groups:- The need and the chances to learn from each other. Since in the several
European countries the Civil Peace Services are developing in differentways, they build up experiences from which others can benefit. There are
many possibilities to support each other, formally and informally.- A group might need a letter of support for a project proposal.
- A group might need a volunteer or another expert for a presentation.- Some groups can offer trainings.
- Advice on how to raise the awareness of citizens for the importance ofpeace services.
- For many groups, who are struggling for recognition and financial support,a backing from European colleagues can be very important.
- The civil peace work is focused on world wide action, the groups needcontacts. Their credibility depends partly of the contacts they have.
External developments are asking for a strong Network with a clear voice.
The expertise in the individual groups and the synergy of the Europeancooperation will make the EN.CPS into a strong European expert organisation
in civil conflict transformation and peace building. Such external developments are:
- European armies are cooperating together in the NATO. It is very importantto have a strong, independent and impartial European alternative of
nonviolent conflict transformation.- In the European Community the discussion is growing about European
conflict prevention and crisis management, among which the founding of aEuropean Civilian Peace Corps. A European counterpart in this discussion is
necessary for cooperation with nongovernmental organisations (NGO’s).- A European Platform for Conflict Prevention and Transformation has started
to be active. This Platform is working on the ”high” diplomatic andscientific level; while CPS are operating at grass roots and medium level.
Both Platform and Network need each other to cover the full scale ofnonviolent conflict resolution activities.
- The United Nations declared the Decade 2001 - 2010 as the InternationalDecade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence. Strengthening the European
cooperation of civil peace services is a concrete contribution to this UNDecade.
The challenge for the EN.CPS is to have the idea and practice of civil peaceservices spread all over Europe, as the real nonviolent alternative in the
resolution of conflicts.
PROGRAMMA
Friday, April 19th, 2002
15.00 Arrival of participants
15.30 Welcome and opening. Getting to know each other 16.00 Short review of last year’s meeting in Hölstein
Country reports by the participants from all over Europe:- 2 Highlights
- 2 Lessons Learned in how to strenghten non-military options - Open Questions and inputs on political strategy to strenghten non-military options.
17.30 Coffee break17.45 Political discussion: strategies to Strengthening Non-Military Options in EU Politics.
19.30 Dinner20.30 Presentation of the chances for a first multinational EN.CPS project in Cyprus.
Saturday, April 20th, 2002
8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Presentation of the Nonviolent Peace Force9.30 Introduction of Working groups
10.00 Working groups, possibly on- Our political position and actions towards official foreign and military politics (possible statement)
- General critera and guidelines of our practical work (code of conduct for CPS?)- Chances, conditions and necessary steps in preparing a first multinational EN.CPS project in Cyprus.
coffee break available 12.00 Working groups reports and discussion.
13.00 Lunch 14.00 (optional, for those interested):
Basic information on EU Politics(in preparation of the contribution of Heike Schneider; Head of EPLO office)
- EU institutions – a short overview; - Main instruments of EU Conflict Prevention;
- The Laeken Process: Discussing a European Constitution. 15.00 EU Conflict Prevention – Words and deeds
The Contribution of EPLOBy Heike Schneider, EPLO, Brussels.
16.00 Coffeebreak16.15 Discussion on Heike's communication
18.00 Public meeting and press conference: "Strengthening Non-Military Options in Europe and in Italy".
Speakers: Heike Schneider (EPLO, Brussels); Representant of Nonviolent Peace Force; Janne Poort-van Eeden (EN.CPS); Prof. Francesco Tullio (Centro Studi Difesa Civile, editor of "White Helmets Project", F.Angeli edizioni).
20.30 Dinner and Milano by night
Sunday, April 21st, 2002
8.00 Breakfast 9.00 Presentation of Italian peace groups
coordinated by Alessandro Rossi (Associazione per la Pace - Centro Studi Difesa Civile)
10.30 Strengthening Non-Military Options in EU Politics: Findings, Proposals, Agreements by EN.CPS and its participants on:
- A first multinational EN.CPS project in Cyprus- Further co-operation within the EN.CPS
- Further EU-contacts and cooperation with nonviolent peaceforce- Mutual support
- Representation/participation- Next meetings
Coffee available without coffee break.13.00 Evaluation of the meeting:
How it was, how we feel, what we take with us.
13.30 Lunch (who can stay).
TO GET THERE
Metro line 3, the yellow one, stop Corvetto, then 10 min walking or bus 95 direction "Lotto" (3 stops).
INFOAssociazione per la Pace
e-mail: info@assopace.org