1st People's Summit for Ministries & Departments of Peace

The first international People’s Summit for Departments of Peace was held in London, UK, on October 18-19, 2005. The two-day Summit was preceded by two days of training (October 16-17) in the latest developments on the expanding frontier of knowledge and practice in peacebuilding and conflict transformation around the world.

Forty people from twelve countries took time from their busy lives and invested their energy and resources to attend. The countries represented included Australia, Canada, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Palestine, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States of America. In addition, written support was received from political leaders in Australia, Nepal, Nigeria, Japan, and Uganda, including:

  • Senator Lyn Allison, Leader of the Australian Democrats
  • Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for the Australian Democrats
  • Hon. Dr. Arthur Chesterfield-Evans MP, MLC State Leader of the Australian Democrats
  • Hon. Oryem Henry Okello, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs/International Affairs of Uganda
  • Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor, City of Hiroshima, Japan
  • Homrajdahal, former MP and President, Center for Conflict Resolution, Peace, and Development, Nepal

At the time olf the First Summit, five of these countries had working groups conducting campaigns for Departments of Peace or Ministries for Peace: Australia, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Throughout the four days it was evident that ‘we the people’ are ready, willing, and able to be together and communicate with one another in ways that demonstrate the change we wish to see.

On the final day of the Summit, the participants launched an on-going partnership for global action, now called the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace. The London Summit then concluded with a public meeting in the Grand Committee Room in the Houses of Parliament, hosted by John McDonnell MP and emceed by Diana Basterfield, co-founder of UK ministry for peace. The event opened with video greetings from Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Marianne Williamson, and Dot Maver spoke on behalf of The Peace Alliance. Canada's representative, Saul Arbess, shared the Canadian working group's perspective. John McDonnell MP then articulated clearly the urgent need for departments and ministries of peace in order to provide a governmental infrastructure -- an institutional space -- for dialogue on peaceful resolution of conflict to take place