October 23, 2008
Lund, Sweden

Tomorrow is UN Day...

While the world's countries spend some 1300 billion dollars on their military, the budget for the UN organization is 2,1 billion, or 0,2%. Development aid amounts t about 70 billion. With such priorities, is it any wonder the world looks like it does?

We must continue to question the intellectual and moral maturity of those who are responsible for this state of affairs. If the majority of the world does not want this to be our common global priorities, how come that the so-called democracies are adamant in continuing these absurd priorities?

And have you heard any leading statesman or the US presidential candidates promise that they will work to find a better balance?

Tomorrow is also the birthday of one of the leading peace scholars of our time, Johan Galtung - TFF Associate since 1986. He turns 78 on UN Day.

To celebrate that birthday TFF proudly presents three new videos featuring Galtung -

50 Years With Peace Studies

Galtung's "True" Worlds - As Told Between Two Planes

Japan - Can it become a sovereign state? An actor for peace?

They are of course all on TFF Video Channel - that has a wealth of videos about peace

Jonathan Power's latest column is about the principle that Galtung has been true to all his life: Non-violence. It's about its contemporary relevance - and successes:
Non-violence - A dangerous idea

Finally, there is TFF's Special Section with resources on non-violence.

The reason I link the UN, Galtung and non-violence is that the UN Charter is the most important document for non-violence and it is signed by all member states.

The Charter is based on the Preamble's words that we shall save future generations from the scourge of war - meaning the abolition of war - and the principle found in Article 1 that we shall bring about peace by peaceful means.

It's just that we let those who spend 1300 billion on violence and 0,2% of that on "peace by peaceful means" violate the Charter on a daily basis and, mistakenly, praise ourselves of humanity, civilization and democracy.

The struggle, against all odds it seems, for reducing violence everywhere remains the singularly most important revolutionary endeavour. Either we win that struggle or humankind will eventually perish.

Jan Oberg

JO # 1233