20-11-2020For the future of the Western Balkans it is important that atrocities committed during the wars of the 90s are jointly acknowledged and remembered. Such inclusive commemorations should serve as a counter balance to the often one-sided and ethno-nationalist views and narratives created by the ruling political elite in Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the main conclusion of a report by Peace organization PAX, mapping a number of Inclusive Memory Initiatives in the Western Balkans.
Dealing with the Past, Europe08-11-2019Did we learn anything from the fall of the Berlin Wall? Thirty years later, we seem to have forgotten what can happen when ordinary people unite for human rights and democracy. They must be supported, especially those people standing up for their rights in Lebanon, Iraq and Sudan.
Dealing with the Past, Europe05-11-2019The Dutch government has donated a military truck, a so-called “four-tonner”, to the Memorial Center Srebrenica-Potocari.
Dealing with the Past, Europe03-10-2019A new generation of young people committed to peace and human rights has received the prestigious Václav Havel Prize. The prize is named after one of the founders of Charta '77 which advocated a peaceful overthrow of the communists in Czechoslovakia. The Youth Initiative for Human Rights receives the award for its outstanding work on peacebuilding and reconciliation in former Yugoslavia.
Dealing with the Past, Europe22-07-2019The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that Dutch soldiers serving as UN peacekeepers in Srebrenica should not have sent away the more than 300 men who were at their compound in July 1995. They ruled this an unlawful act.
Dealing with the Past, Europe12-02-2019PAX has become an official partner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Colombia.
Dealing with the Past, Colombia18-10-2018Mining company Prodeco is leading by example by taking concrete steps that contribute to peace in Colombia. At a recent commemoration of victims in Estados Unidos, close to Prodeco’s La Jagua mine, CEO Mark McManus clearly voiced the company’s commitment to regional peacebuilding. PAX is positive about the actions taken by Prodeco as they are key towards building trust and a reconciliation dialogue.
Dealing with the Past, Natural Resources, Conflict & Human Rights, Colombia10-07-2018More victims of the genocide which took place on 11 July 1995 in Srebrenica are identified every year, even after 23 years.
Dealing with the Past, Europe09-04-2018After years of war, former combatants in Colombia are returning to the communities they left when they went to fight. The weapons have been laid down and the wounds are slowly beginning to heal. But the reintegration of former combatants remains precarious. PAX supports the indigenous authorities in their call for community reintegration. “It is not just the individual that needs to be taken into account, but also the social context, the family and the community,” says Joris van de Sandt, programme leader at PAX.
Gender, Peace & Security, Dealing with the Past, Community Based Security and Citizens Rights, Colombia06-02-2018South Sudanese Bishop Paride Taban will receive the Freedom of Worship Award, one of the Four Freedoms Awards presented every other year in Middelburg, the Netherlands.
Dealing with the Past, Community Based Security and Citizens Rights, Africa