The need to develop strategies and means which could really represent an alternative to the use of violence on conflict management, is nowadays more and more felt as urgent all over the world. The United Nations General Assembly too has contributed to make clear this need with two different resolutions. With the first one (No. 53/25, 1998), has proclaimed the period 2001-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World", with the latter (No. 53/243, 1999) has established a "Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace" recognising that "peace not only is the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process where dialogue is encouraged and conflict are solved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation".

However it is important to point out that the first International Peace Research Institute (P.R.I.O., Peace Research Institute Oslo) financed by public institutions, has been founded in Norway back in 1959. In the following decades many other European countries have followed this example establishing similar institutes by using funds coming from public resources.

An institution with the same characteristics could provide even in Italy a range of useful interdisciplinary notions aimed to spread the peace culture and moreover to promote a process of constructive attitude achievement in the field of the conflict management to be able to intervene in every degree of the public life, from the local and intercultural problems to international peace missions.

All the political, social and cultural forces to work together to create even in Italy an International Institute of Peace Research and Conflict Resolution by means of a proper law.

This institute, even if financed by public money, should be characterised by a legal status and organisational structure as to guarantee to itself full intellectual and operational autonomy, a condition which is the main requirement to carry out a serious scientific work.

This institute should be characterised also by:

• a lasting international connection which should promote a large and effective collaboration with analogue foreign institutions;
• a clear opening to the Italian civil society and its different members to develop common projects of research, diffusion and formation.

 

To adhere to the above call, please send a declaration via fax or e-mail to the campaign technical secretariat c/o: Centro Studi Difesa Civile, Via Salaria 89, 00198 Roma, fax : +39068841749, e-mail: pacedifesa-roma@mediazioni.org