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Showing posts from June, 2011

Thoughtful Reflection on Interdependence on USA Independence Day

" We are at our best when we use our capacities freely to help one another. Freedom's purpose is to enrich the community. I move from dependency to independence to contribute to the common good, to serve others in their move out of mere dependency.  Interdependence is the path toward the shining city. " Full article at John Franklin Hay's Blog.  Bikehiker ~ Toward eupan . ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d. Posted via email from Eupan Global Initiative

The Eupan Global Initiative as an SA Partner

In several public and a few private events recently, I have been asked "What is the Eupan Global Initiative again?"  Or, as one person asked, "You're an anti-Genocide group, right?" So, this post is intended to clarify a few things. The Eupan Global Initiative is not a "membership" based group.  We don't have members - only interested, shared partners.  We do not have a mailing list - though we do have an email distribution list we have used, only on a few occasions. We do have persons who are more invested and involved than others - involving engagement with our events, or with other events where we partner in advocacy.  And, no doubt we have had shared partners over the years who have invested their efforts elsewhere, while we also get new invested partners that show up throughout each new year. We are not (at least currently) a 501(c)3 - not-for-profit charitable organization.  We have explored all the legal options toward this - but hav

John W. Burton on Violence and Peace

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John W. Burton, an early thinker in peace and conflict studies and the author of Conflict Resolution (among many texts) and a professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in Virginia and a fellow at the United States Institute for Peace, created a neologism – provention. It is a combination of engaging prevention of violence while also promoting peace.   Burton has written: conflict provention means deducing from an adequate explanation of the phenomenon of conflict, including its human dimensions, not merely the conditions that create an environment of conflict, and the structural changes required to remove it, but more importantly, the promotion of conditions that create cooperative relationships. May we be the kind of people who work for provention – the prevention of violence – and the promotion of peace. Toward eupan. ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d. Posted via email from Eupan Global Initiative

Fascinating and Provocative Speech

A fascinating and provocative speech by John Pilger on the occasion of accepting the Sydney (Australia) Peace Prize in 2009. Many Australian specific comments - but a provocative agenda on peace and "PR - Public Relations."  <p> Sydney Peace Prize 2009 from John Pilger on Vimeo .</p> Toward eupan . ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d. Posted via email from Eupan Global Initiative

In Celebration of Dialogue

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Let’s celebrate dialogue:   Dialogue is collaborative: two or more sides work together towards common understanding. Debate is oppositional: two sides oppose each other and attempt to prove each other wrong. In dialogue finding common ground is the goal. In debate winning is the goal. In dialogue one listens to the other side in order to understand, find meaning, and find agreement. In debate one listens to the other side in order to find flaws and to counter its arguments. Dialogue enlarges and possibly changes a participant’s point of view. Debate affirms a participant’s own point of view. Dialogue reveals assumptions for re- evaluation. Debate defends assumptions as truth. Dialogue causes introspection into one’s own position. Debate causes critique of the other’s position. Dialogue opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any of the original solutions. Debate defends one’s own positions as the best solution and excludes other solutions. Dialogue crea