Conference: Ireland’s role in international affairs - from making war to promoting peace

by Coilín Sat Oct 14, 2006 20:38

It's quite a scoop for the Peace Society to have a former Assistant Secretary General of the UN participating at their conference. Hans von Sponeck has been one of the most prominent and outspoken critics of the economic sanctions and the invasion of Iraq, and he is deeply concerned at the use of Shannon and now also Leipzig airports to transport US troops to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Please read the press release here:
Hans von Sponeck speaks at University of Limerick on 11 November
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79041

by Robyn Wood Sat Oct 14, 2006 21:22 peacefulwarriorprincess at yahoo dot com dot au

This conference sounds fabulous. I await more information with interest. Keep up the great work.
I hope I can perhaps get a chance to attend!

Kind regards,

Robyn Wood
Australia
From November 1: Dublin

by Coilín Thu Oct 26, 2006 22:00

International Peace Conference with the Irish Peace Society:
"Ireland’s Role in International Affairs - from supporting war to promoting peace"

University of Limerick, Saturday 11 November 2006

Why now?
· 11 November is Remembrance Day (War to end all wars? Genocide never again?)
· 655,000 killed in Iraq since 20 March 2003.
· One million (1,000,000) US troops through Shannon Airport since Oct 2001.
· The UN and the international community failed to prevent the killing fields of Cambodia, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Congo and Darfur, and many more.
· Is the UN beyond reform as Ban Ki-moon takes over from Kofi Annan?

Purpose of the conference:
· To help peace activists continue their quest for peace and justice by sharing skills and experiences, and by reviewing strategy.
· Examine Ireland’s complicity in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon/Palestine.
· Commemorate all those unlawfully killed in recent wars, including attacks on USA.

Speakers:
· Hans von Sponeck, former Assistant Secretary General of United Nations and head of the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq (1998-2000)
· Professor Gernot Biehler, Professor of international law at Trinity College Dublin
· Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan

Schedule:

09.30 Registration, coffee, informal networking
10.00 Hans von Sponeck: Global confrontation, human security and the imperative of UN reform - followed by questions and discussion
11.00 Gernot Biehler: Ireland's responsibilities under international law in view of unlawful wars - followed by questions and discussion

11.45 Coffee

12.00-12.45 Workshops:
Workshop 1: Legal support for peace activists – practicalities. Preventing conflict and creating peace by peaceful means.
With Mark Price
Workshop 2: Airport neighbourhood watch – practical issues for monitoring crime and militarisation of your local airport
With Tim Hourigan, Conor Cregan, and others

12.45-13.15 Book launch:
A Different Kind of War: The UN Sanction Regime in Iraq
by H. C. von Sponeck

13.15-14.00 Lunch

14.00-15.30 Workshops:
Workshop 3 Strategic planning – towards a diversity of strategies for the demilitarisation of Shannon airport
With Kieran Clifford
Workshop 4 The role of the individual in UNCIVIL society
Upholding and enhancing the rule of law: practical, peaceful and legal approaches
With Edward Horgan

15.30 Coffee

16.00-16.30 Craig Murray: Why torture is counter-productive
16.30-17.30 Closing Session – Expert Panel
Hans von Sponeck, Gernot Biehler, Craig Murray
Feedback from participants

Admission: FREE

Bookings and enquiries:
Edward Horgan – edward.horgan at ul dot ie, 085-1026631
Fraser Gray – fraser.gray at ul dot ie, 087-4167849
Coilín ÓhAiseadha – aatchoo at gmail dot com, 086-0603818

by Edward Horgan - Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance Sun Nov 05, 2006 20:40 edward.horgan at ul dot ie 085-1026631

The following are the updated International Peace Conference Details. Craig Murray is now unlikely to be able to attend. However, Hans Von Sponeck and Professor Gernot Biehler are both confirmed and Senator David Norris will also attend. Equally important is that we expect a good attendence of peace and conflict researchers and peace activists, so the workshops will be a very important part of the conference. There is a good train service from Dublin to Limerck on Saturdays. {Dublin Heuston 0700, Limerick 0915}

The following are the updated conference details:

International Peace Conference with the Irish Peace Society:
Ireland’s Role in International Affairs - from supporting war to promoting peace
University of Limerick, John Holland Theatre D1050, Saturday 11 November 2006
Why now?
11 November is Remembrance Day (War to end all wars? Genocide never again?)
655,000 killed in Iraq since 20 March 2003.
One million (1,000,000) US troops through Shannon Airport since Oct 2001.
The UN and the international community failed to prevent the killing fields of Cambodia, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Congo and Darfur, and many more.
Is the UN beyond reform as Ban Ki-moon takes over from Kofi Annan?

Purpose of the conference:
·To help peace activists continue their quest for peace and justice by sharing skills and experiences, and by reviewing strategy.
·Examine Ireland’s complicity in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon/Palestine.
·Commemorate all those unlawfully killed in recent wars, including attacks on USA.

Keynote speakers:
Hans von Sponeck, former Assistant Secretary General of United Nations and head of the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq (1998-2000)
Professor Gernot Biehler, Professor of international law at Trinity College Dublin

09.30 Registration, coffee, informal networking, book-signing
10.00 Hans von Sponeck: Global confrontation, human security and the imperative of UN reform - followed by questions and discussion

11.00 Minute's silence to mark the Armistice signing 1918 and all dead in wars since 1918
11.01 Gernot Biehler: "Ireland's responsibilities under international law in view of unlawful wars"- followed by questions and discussion
11.45 Coffee
1200 - 1245 Workshops:
Workshop 1: Legal support for peace activists – preventing conflict and creating peace by peaceful means. Facilitated by Mark Price.
Workshop 2: Airport neighbourhood watch – monitoring crime and militarisation of your local airport - Facilitated by international team of Peace Activists from Airports at Shannon, Leipzig and Prestwick
12.45-13.15 Book launch: A Different Kind of War: The UN Sanction Regime in Iraq by H. C. von Sponeck
13.15-14.00 Lunch
14.00-15.30 Workshops:
Workshop 3 Strategic planning – towards a diversity of strategies for the demilitarisation of Shannon airport
Facilitated by Kieran Clifford.
Workshop 4 The role of the individual in UNCIVIL society?
Upholding and enhancing the rule of law: practical, peaceful and legal approaches. Facilitated by Edward Horgan.
15.30 Coffee
16.00 Senator David Norris: “The role of legislators in national and international law and in the prevention of crimes against humanity”
16.30 Closing Session: Expert panel including:
Hans von Sponeck, Gernot Biehler, David Norris

Bookings and enquiries: {Admission Free}
Edward Horgan – edward.horgan@ul.ie, 085-1026631
Fraser Gray – fraser.gray@ul.ie, 087-4167849
Coilín ÓhAiseadha – aatchoo@gmail.com, 086-0603818
Updates: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79061

by Margaret Wed Nov 15, 2006 00:13

Participant reports and follow-up suggestions can be found in a newswire article here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79640