From the Department of Peace - Australia

Dear Friends of Peace

The enclosed statement is from the Peoples Initiative for Departments of Peace. This is the current world body of the Dept. of Peace initiatives from thus far, 12 countries- Australia, Canada, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Palestine, Romania, Spain, USA, UK- who like us here in Australia are working to lobby Federal Governments to put in place a cabinet level Dept of Peace having equal status with the Department of Defence.

The tensions between USA UK IRAN RUSSIA CHINA FRANCE GERMANY and the UNITED NATIONS are escalating and in this statement which has been sent out by all 12 countires to Governments, Media , Religious Leaders and the general public, we are calling on Governments to approach this situation with a cool head, a loving heart and an understanding that they need not be deprived of good advice on how to resolve this peaceably as we have the men and women experienced in successfully facilitating the non-violent resolution of conflict between nations and states.

You will help the cause of peace greatly, if you pass this onto your friends and those on your email lists.

In the spirit of Peace
Biannca Pace
Chairperson Dept of Peace - Australia
www.departmentofpeace-australia.org


2 March 2006
A FRESH APPROACH TO RESOLVING INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT

The International People's Initiative for Departments of Peace calls urgently for the non-violent resolution of the growing conflict involving China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States of America.

As Earth's climate warms up at an alarming rate, threatening widespread global devastation, humanity faces the biggest challenge to its survival in history.

For our children, our children's children and the planet, we must now avoid wasting our precious resources engaging in costly, destructive wars and instead employ well-tried, non-violent methods of resolving conflicts around the world.

We can then focus our energy, creativity, wisdom, and prudence on providing for a sustainable, and thus safe and secure, future.

While recognising the efforts of all parties to resolve this dispute through negotiation, we are also aware that frustration at the lack of agreement can lead to increasing polarisation, harsh language and even the extreme violence of military action.

As with past conflicts, this is likely to produce a similar result – war, chaos and suffering. It is therefore time for all of us – private citizens, civil society organisations, and governments – to call for a change in the manner in which conflict is dealt with so as to meet the fundamental needs of all humanity for security, mutual respect and justice.

The good news: non-violent conflict resolution is possible and already happening. Indeed, we have within the human family many men and women experienced in successfully facilitating the non-violent resolution of conflict within and between nations and states.

We call on all governments involved to seek immediately their input and action.

We can all help bring about this change and we encourage everyone to take action now. Please talk with your friends, family and community members, and encourage everyone to call on political leaders to settle for nothing less than a non-violent resolution to this conflict.

Suggestions as to specific actions you can take are listed at www.peoplesinitiativefordepartmentsofpeace.org.

It is time to create a world in which we all pursue the non-violent resolution of conflict. The stakes are too high for any other course of action.

For further information, please contact info@peoplesinitiativefordepartmentsofpeace.org

The International People's Initiative is working towards the formation of ministries and departments of peace in all governments so that national ministers of peace may meet on a regular basis, especially during crises, with a mandate to seek and maintain an ongoing focus on reaching peace by peaceful means.