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| From our own world 2007-2009
2009 July In principle, the foundation is closed - meaning all Board members try to catch up and preparing the autumn. Oberg spends this month and August co-writing with Galtung and Wiberg a book on former Yugoslavia and preparing his four months as visitng professor in Kyoto, Japan from end of September.
June In Stockholm, Jan Oberg runs a three-day training seminar in peace journalism (June 29-July 1) for leading Turk-Cypriot journalists and editors who have come to Sweden as part of a larger program on Europeanising the media. As the Iran crisis unfolds, the Board focuses for a period on this, bringing important materials on its website, including original analyses by Associate Farhang Jahanpour. The work of the Amahoro Youth Club moves ahead, building the organisation. Jan is in constant contact with the members via e-mails, phones and Skype and will be there for 2-3 weeks in August. Also, we continue working on the revision of the TFF Iraq Peace Plan and Annette Schiffman is engaged in peace work related to Iran but also in saving the life of Troy Davis on death row. June 4-10, Jan Oberg gives a series of lectures in Belgrade, the first visit in almost 5 years. At the Political Science Faculty at Belgrade University he speaks at the new Department for Peace Studies (on Iraq, Yugoslavia and on peace research). He also gives a well-attended speech at the Centre for Political Excellence. Further, he meets with TFF Associates Radmila Nakarada and Svetozar Stojanovic and has consultations with former President Vojeslav Kostunica. The main foci is the role of the European Union, the international pressure Serbia is under to join NATO before allowed into the Union. Finally, Jan gives interviews to leading media, participates in a two-hour talk show on radio and is special guest at the Serbian Television prime time feature program. The month sees a slight increase in the visits on our website.
May Hans von Sponeck devotes his time and energy to the Kant Foundation which this year gives its prize to Jeff Halperin. TFF Associate Richard Falk is the main speaker at the event. Towards the end of the month, TFF's Board engages in the North Korea/Nuclear weapons issues. In particular, Gunnar Westberg publishes several articles based on his keen knowledge and prior visits to North Korea. On May 16, TFF Associate Jan Hjärpe, former Swedish bishop K.G. Hammar and the Indian Jesuit priest, Ignatius Jesudasan, from Chennai are key participants in a one-day seminar on the religious roots of violence. This is arranged at Orust at the Western coast of Sweden by two other TFF Associates, Erni and Ola Friholt with Jan Oberg as moderator. May 2-3 sees the formal opening of the mentioned photo studio, actually co-located with TFF at Vegagatan in Lund, Sweden. The photographic prints and the studio can be visited at Oberg PhotoGraphics. As is evident, the photos are related to Jan's work in various countries over the years. As usual TFF's Board meets over Skype the first Tuesday of every month to manage the various projects amnd activities. Board member Ina Curic moves from a UN assignment in the Domincan Republic to work in Sudan.
April The foundation engages in the the preparations and follow-up to the invitation to the Amahoro Youth Club in Burundi by the United Nations' Alliance of Civilizations' Forum in Istanbul, April 6-7. Armand Giramahoro the Club's legal representative participates as representative of the AYC and - together with many other youth - presents the goals and purposes of the Club's work at the so-called Marketplace of Ideas. Here is the Club together with other youth organisations. This important event is a very impotant recognition of the AYC and the first-ever contact with a high-level international audience. TFF continues with it various activities - former Yugoslavia, Burundi, Iraq in various ways, sometimes reflected on the foundation's homepage. Numerous articles are published there and elsewhere by Associates, among them Johan Galtung's and Jan's debate articles about the G20 meeting in London. The foundatin likewise focuses on nuclear weapons, NATO and the UN in its work, because of the NATO Summit. Co-founder Jan Oberg reduces his work with the foundation a little these months to enable him to open a studio for art photography in early May.
The foundation moves on with the themes and issues, including Yugoslavia, that have occupied it during the period December-February. Given the crisis times we live in, we increasingly find that it is not enough - if it ever were - to produce analyses and arguments; we must devote more time to spreading them, repeating them and build coalitions to move them - not the least because the general coverage of the issues that TFF work with has seen a reduction relative to entertainment and purely national news. TFF Associate Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the world's largest peace movement, publish his annual peace proposal and we post a longer interview with him, now at 81. Oberg teaches 40 students for one week at EPU, the European Peace University in Stadschlaining in Austria. While there a video is produced about the collision of two nuclear submarines in the Atlantic - that raised little international attention. He also prepares syllabi for his 4-month assignment as visiting professor from September this year at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan.
February Jan Oberg spends three weeks in Burundi with the Amahoro Youth Club - advising, teaching and training, shooting videos and taking pictures. Among other things this results in the video about the Club. Hans von Sponeck publishes a major article on the UN in the wake of the discussion about the secret UN-NATO agreement - The United Nations and NATO: Which security and for whom? Jan starts a debate about the Danish Broadcasting's coverage, or rather non-coverage, of international affairs on his blog (in Danish).
January Work on a variety of issue such as the promotion of TFF's evolving Plan for Peace In and With Iraq, We publish a lot of materials about the war on Gaza, not the least the various media appearances of our Associate Richard Falk. We also promote the idea of a UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iraq. Three TFF Associates are nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. We mourn the death of Danish Associate Lotte Christy. We continue to spread awareness about the secret UN-NATO co-operation agreement. Jan Oberg devotes quite a lot of time on the initiative aiming to create public debate about the "stealth" association of Sweden to NATO - and then he goes to Burundi. Oberg publishes a follow-up to his articles about the rampant nationalism in Croatia - a longer interview with Croatian Serb leader Veljko Dzakula. January is otherwise a month of reporting, economic status, fund-raising and planning period.
2008 December On December 15, TFF Associate Richard Falk, UN Human Rights Rapporteur, is expelled from Israel upon his arrival. On December 11, a new video is launched by the Transcend Media Service with Jan Oberg in which he explains why nuclear possession is the real problem - rather than nuclear proliferation - and shows by a mini-lecture at the white board how the Ballistic Missile Defence is anything but defensive. (10 minutes). On December 3, TFF's Board publishes the secret UN-NATO Co-Operation Agreement signed by the respective Secretaries-General on September 23. We state our concerns and ask 9 questions about its compatibility with the UN Charter and possible future consequences. Roaring silence in the mainstream media across the world. On the first day of the month, the initiative by Al Burke and Jan Oberg to launch a proposal, signed by over 60 Swedish personalities, concerning the "Stealth Association of Sweden to NATO" is launched in Svenska Dagbladet. It argues for the establishment of a Citizens Commission to investigate the "tyranny of small steps" that have led to Sweden almost being a full member without much public debate. We also launch a special homepage for it "Stoppa smyganslutningen till NATO" - in the first week the newspaper article yields more than 250 comments and the website more than 6.000 visit. A good beginning...but how to make it a permanent debate? Like all the other months, TFF's Board members coordinate, discuss and make decisions over Skype, every first Tuesday or Wednesday of every month.
November TFF Associate Richard Falk's pathbreaking analysis of human righs in Palestine is published and we feature it prominently. Like in the preceding months, TFF continues to help build the Amahoro Youth Club, AYC, in Burundi. There is more information on that on AYC's blog. We are also looking for funds. Around the election of Barack Obama, TFF Associates publish a series of analyses and views as well as advice on the future presidency. International networking with similar initiatives about TFF's Plan for Peace in and With Iraq continues. We are hopeful that an international meeting can take place in 2009.
October On October 15, founder Christina Spännar with co-project director Vibeke Bing arrange a conference as part of the endning of their project, Frozen Feet, about integration of immigrants into the municipalities of Eslöv and Malmö. The conference attracted 80 participants with backgrounds in many countries as well as officers in charge from the mentioned municipalities. Here are the photos from that conference. The Frozen Feet project shall be terminated by October 31. TFF Assocites write a series of articles about the global financial crisis. On October 10 when it was announced that Mr. Martti Ahtisaari was awarded Nobel's Peace Prize, we published a strong criticism within a good hour after the announcement, having also established a section in support of Fredrik Heffermehl's book about Nobel's will. Gunnar Westberg who has been an Associate over several years, joins TFF's Board.
September Johan Galtung and Jan Oberg publish their respective views on the very serious economic crisis, on "Black Bailout Monday", September 29. Production of three videos for TFF Video Channel with Johan Galtung. TFF engages in a Swedish initiative to promote debate about the relationship between Sweden and NATO. (More about that when the project has been launched). Articles about Crotia and Bosnia emerge, the first two about Croatia's still rampant nationalism. Board member Ina Curic moves to the Dominican Republic to work with INSTRAW.
August TFF Associate Vibeke Vindeløv and Jan Oberg participate in the huge conference in Aarhus, Denmark on "Understanding Conflicts"; Oberg is a plenary speaker and they both particopate in a panel on Danish politics and the lessons learned about the Mohammed charicatures. TFF Associates participate in the international debate about the war in Georgia/South Ossetia with a series of articles (see Treasures/Associates Write section). As a preparation for the writing of the Galtung-Oberg-Wiberg book on "Yugoslavia: What Should Have Been Done?", Jan Oberg travels around Croatia and Bosnia between August 5 and 17, visiting the historic places and people in the TFF network since 1991.
July While many are on holiday we continue to put important articles on the homepage - albeit also enjoying the extremely hot summer in Sweden. Over its 22 years, TFF has never been closed. New videos with TFF Associates Jake Lynch and David Krieger appear on TFF Video Channel. The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict of which Lester Kurtz is the main editor and Oberg one of the Associate editors and in which several TFF Associate have contributed is published. We are proud to be associated with this flagship of theory and knowledge in our profession. Oberg is in Burundi the first half of the month; board member Ina Curic ends her mission as project coordinator in Burundi on July 1, having served for 15 months there. See their diary notes on the Burundi section here. Hans von Sponeck is again in the United States to coordinate work on peace plans for and with Iraq.
June Oberg works in Burundi from June 18 to July 17, all kinds of activities to help build the Amahoro Youth Club with 20+ young people, more about the project here. Our major grant proposal for the next 18 month is turned down by the Bernadotte Academy in Sweden. We support our TFF Associate Ashis Nandy as a criminal case is filed against him by a local government in India in order to silence this leading scholar's criticism of policies. Oberg teaches at the European Peace University, EPU, in Schlaining - Austria. Hans von Sponeck continues work to join forces with individuals and institutions that work with long-term peace plans for Iraq.
May Work on more videos from Burundi and three videos with Johan Galtung - and more. Intensive planning of Jan Oberg's month long stay in Burundi June-July. TFF signs a memorandum of understanding with the Amahoro (peace) Youth Club in Burundi that will regulate our future co-operation. The foundation engaged in the huge international Iraq Compact conference in Stockholm on May 29 which emerges as a PR conference for "the new Iraq" where everything is soon fine. TFF's Board publishes an Open Letter to Iraq's and Sweden's prime ministers, to UNSG Ban Ki-moon and to Sweden's Foreign Minister in which we state our concerns about the format and purpose of the conference. We receive no answers from any of them. Further, TFF's Yusra Moshtat and Jan Oberg write articles in leading Swedish newspapers - Aftonbladet, Göteborgs-Posten and Sydsvenska Dagbladet - criticizing the conference and presenting the TFF 10-Point Plan for peace in and with Iraq. Oberg is interviewed twice by Radio Netherlands. Oberg participates in various panel discussion in Sweden about the emerging security political agenda: Sweden's outdated defence, economic so-called crisis and future membership of NATO. Various TFF Associates develop their presence on the online community Peace and Collaborative Development.
April The Board of the foundation continues its efforts to network and gain support for its 10-Point Peace Plan for Peace in and with Iraq. TFF Associate Aleksandar Mitic produces a DVD on the Kosovo Compromise. Three videos are published at the TFF Video Channel on YouTube, interviews with Burundi's foreign minister, Mme Antoinette Batumubwira; one about foreign policy and the peace process, one about the role of women and one about media and how difficult it is to get a good story out of Africa. Submitting a comprehensive grant proposal to the Bernadotte Academy in Sweden concerning future activities in Burundi with basically two partners: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Amahoro Youth Club, AYC. We support our Associate professor emeritus, Richard Falk, who - as an envoy for the United Nations, is denied visa to Israel becaue of particularly one article published by TFF here.
March Mission to Burundi from March 15 to April 1. Journalist Gunilla Ivarsson and Jan Oberg give a training seminar on how to create an International Communication Strategy for the country; participants are from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidency and Parliament. They develop a draft strategy which is submitted to the Minister, Antoinette Batumubwira. Ina Curic and Jan Oberg train 13 founding members of the new Amahoro Youth Club, AYC, to develop a mission statement and secure common understanding of the future work and organization. The AYC later develop a project proposal, for inclusion in TFF's larger grant proposal to the Bernadotte Academy, to be submitted in April. Furthermore, we shoot several hours of video material for a series on TFF Video Channel - Burundi's beautfiul nature, citizens, interviews with lots of very different people from different parts of the country. Ina Curic joins the Board of TFF. Since May 2007 she has served as our project coordinator in Burundi with remarkable results, including the creation of the Amahoro Youth Club. She has been an Associate since 2006. TFF gets a presence on the English Wikipedia as well as the Danish Wikipedia. From the 7th to the 9th Board members Annette Schiffmann and Hans von Sponeck are involved in an important international conference on Iraq's future in Berlin. Schiffmann has been a co-convenor, von Sponeck is main speaker. TFF is happy to be a sponsor and supporter of this constructive, ahrad-looking conference. Again a higher-than-usual number of analyses and debate articles are posted - including a special section on the conflict-management capacity of the European Union vs-a-vis its decision to take on Kosovo with the new status. Amon the published works is an MA thesis by Francsco Marelli, whose supervisor has been TFF's Biljana Vankovska and Jan Oberg, on the possible establishment of a peace commissariat in the EU.
February Board member Annabel McGoldrick decides to resign from TFF's Board because of too many very demanding tasks and commitments in her new life in Australia. Annabel remains a TFF Associate, of course. Preparations for mission to Burundi in March - for a course at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for shooting a video for TFF Video Channel and for training and consultations with the newly built Amahoro Youth Club - spun off from the the old Coalition that discontinued its work last year. On February 17, Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia. This sparks off a series of articles, analyses and media work for various TFF Associates. All of it can be found at the TFF Home Ex-Yugoslavia section. Of special important is Aleksandar Mitic's Kosovo Compromise homepage with a new online CD.
January On the 26th, a new TFF Video is posted on TFF Video Channel - Jan Oberg's presentation of the foundation's 10 Point Iraq Peace Plan in Tokyo. Two days later we publish a revised version of that plan on TFF's homepage. January sees the expansion of playlists on TFF Video Channel on YouTube. We also launch TFF on the Peace and Collaborative Networking homepage which is an online community for students, researchers and activists with special interests in peace and development in a broad sense- This is also the month with annual economic reporting, Annual activity report-making and other organizational maintenance.
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