Association of Peace Messenger Cities - 25th General Assembly of the International
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25th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 1
25th General Assembly of the International
Association of Peace Messenger Cities
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia)
25-26 October 2012
Report prepared by
Mr. David Fernandez Puyana
Representative of the SSIHRL, IOHRP and IAPMC in Geneva
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 2
Index
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................3
2. Opening session............................................................................................................3
3. First session of work....................................................................................................4
4. Second session of work................................................................................................6
5. Annexs
5.1. Resolution: A Middle East Free from Nuclear Weapons and all other
Weapons of Mass Destruction..............................................................................7
5.2. Slovenj Gradec Declaration on Peace...........................................................9
5.3. Slovenj Gradec Declaration on the Human Right to Peace......................12
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 3
1. Introduction
On 25-26 October 2012, the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities
organized the 25º ordinary session of the General Assembly at the Conference Room of the
Hotel Aerodrom in Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia). The meeting was attended by
some 40 participants, among them representatives of different City Councils, as follows: New
Haven, Morphou, Plonsk, Wielun, Oswiecim, Mexico City, Abidjan, Kragujevac, Sarajevo
and Hiroshima.
2. Opening session
Mr. Andrej Cas, Mayor of Slovenj Gradec, opened the session by stating that for
several decades, the activities of his town in the fields of peace, culture, and respect for
humanistic values were recognized by the United Nations. Its then Secretary-General, Javier
Perez de Cuellar, in 1989 awarded them the honorary title of “peace messenger city”. Slovenj
Gradec is the only town in Slovenia carrying this title, which gives them a special
responsibility. He mentioned some of these activities organized by the town such as the Peace
Festival, the Congress of Humanitarian Organizations or the signature of partnerships with
twinned towns. He indicated that peace is not only the absence of war or armed conflict, but
also the enhancement of a full, safe and dignified life for everyone regardless of the social
class to which he or she belongs. He ended his statement by stating that the global crisis has
affected all the people of the world, in one or another way. According to him, the crisis causes
the violation of human rights and therefore, their duties as representatives of local
communities is to ensure those rights to people.
Following this, a message from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr.
Ban Ki-Moon, was read by a pupil from a primary school. In accordance with the Secretary
General, we are living through a period of profound turmoil, transition and transformation.
Insecurity, inequality and intolerance are spreading. Global and national institutions are being
put to the test. With so much at stake, the United Nations must keep pace across the spectrum
of its activities -peace, development, human rights, the rule of law, the empowerment of the
world's women and youth. He also stated that there has been important progress on many
fronts. Extreme poverty has been cut in half since the year 2000. Democratic transitions are
under way in many countries. He added that now is the time to raise our collective ambitions.
With the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals fast approaching, we must
intensify our efforts to reach all of these life-saving targets. We must prepare a bold and
practical post-2015 development agenda. We must continue to combat intolerance, save
people caught in conflicts and establish lasting peace. He said that the United Nations is a
peacekeeper disarming fighters, a health worker distributing medicine, a relief team aiding
refugees, a human rights expert helping to deliver justice.
Afterwards, Mr. Alfred Marder, President of the IAPMC, highlighted that cities are
in trouble, unable to provide the services for which they are organized. At the same time, 60
per cent of the world's population now live in cities and each day more and more people head
for the cities. Not only are cities and their citizens facing the economic crisis caused by the
huge military expenditures, but the very nature of war itself is centered on cities. There are no
battlefields; no armies facing armies. Modern warfare; modern killing machines are aimed at
the civilian population―at cities. It is nuclear bombs—drones—missiles that are aimed at
cities. He added that the core mandate of the IAPMC is for the total abolition of nuclear
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 4
weapons. In 1974 Iran proposed a Middle East Zone Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
This resolution has been passed by the General Assembly in every session since. In 1995, it
was proposed that a Conference be held to discuss a Middle East Free of Weapons of Mass
Destruction Zone. In 2010 at the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty Conference, it was voted
unanimously, including the United States and Israel, that Russia, United Kingdom, United
States and the United Nations would sponsor a Conference in Helsinki, Finland to discuss a
Middle East Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction Zone. That Conference would take place
in December, 2012, two months from now. He ended by indicating that a war in the Middle
East presents a danger beyond its borders and that his modest organization will continue its
efforts to prevent a war. He called upon all good people to raise their voices, to join their
efforts.
In continuation, H.E. Bozo Cerar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Eslovenia, stressed that the commemoration of the international day of peace is a
useful platform to reflect about different topics, namely: the protection of civilian in armed
conflicts, climate change, the combat against injustice and impunity, the Millenium
Development Goals or Culture of Peace. He recalled that Eslovenia entered into the United
Nations in 1992. Since then, Eslovenia has focused its priorities on international cooperation,
promotion of democracy, adoption of the Millenium Declaration, prevention of genocide and
elaboration of the concept of responsibility to protect or human security. He announced that
Eslovenia will present its candidature before the General Assembly to be a member of the HR
Council in the period of 2016-18.
3. First session of work
Following lunch, Ambassador Sylvester Rowe, former Permanent Representative of
Rwanda to the United Nations in New York, informed about the Conference on the Middle
East Zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction to be held in Helsinki
(Finland) in December 2012. Three permanent members of the Security Council and the
Secretary-General have the mandate to organize the conference. The establishment of such a
zone would eliminate the spectre of a conflagration with the use of non-conventional
weapons in the region.
In this context, Ambassador Nabil Elaraby, Secretary-General of the League of Arab
States delivered a statement before the Security Council on 26 September 2012 by which the
Arab Group stressed the importance of the participation of all concerned countries in the
Middle East at the conference to determine the follow-up steps regarding the establishment of
the zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in accordance with
the Action Plan of the final document of the 2010 (NPT) Review Conference. The
establishment of the nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East is an essential prerequisite
for the achievement of security, stability and peace.
In addition, Ambassador Mootaz Ahmadein Khalil, Permanent Representative of
Egypt to the United Nations and Chairperson of the Arab Group in the First Committee of the
General Assembly (Disarmament and International Security), stated on 8 October 2012 that
despite the current situation, Israel has positively engaged in July 2011 in the EU Seminar
convened in Brussels titled “Promoting confidence-building in support of a process aimed at
establishing a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East”. On the other
hand, Ambassador Ron Prosor, Permanent Representative of Israel to the First Committee
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 5
delivered a statement on 15 October 2012 by which he indicated that to overcome the threat
of nuclear weapons in the region, Iran proposed the establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free
Zone in the Middle East in 1974, but efforts to establish such a zone have not yet succeeded
due to the persistent refusal of the Zionist regime to join the NPT and to place its concealed
nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.
Afterwards, Mr. David Fernandez Puyana, representative of the SSIHRL, IOHRP
and the IAPMC in Geneva, used a power point presentation to discuss "the codification of the
human right to peace and civil society". He explained the origins of the private (unofficial)
codification process which led to the adoption of the Luarca Declaration on the Human Right
to Peace, approved on 30 October 2006.
He pointed out that the human right to peace is undoubtedly founded in the Charter of
the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which are
universally accepted legal documents. In particular, he mentioned the connection of the
human right to peace with the preamble, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations, and especially the obligation of member States to settle their international
controversies through peaceful means and the prohibition of the use of force or the threat
thereof.
Subsequently, he highlighted that the aims of the SSIHRL World Campaign in favour
of the Human Right to Peace were to share the Luarca Declaration on the Human Right to
Peace with experts world-wide; to introduce this right in the agenda of the UN Human Rights
Council; and to conclude the private codification of a universal declaration on the human
right to peace. He also explained that the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 14/3 on
17 June 2010, which explicitly recognized “... the important work being carried out by civil
society organizations for the promotion of the right of peoples to peace and the codification
of that right"; and “supported the need to further promote the realization of the right of
peoples to peace". It therefore requested “the Advisory Committee, in consultation with
Member States, civil society, academia and all relevant stakeholders, to prepare a draft
declaration on the right of peoples to peace”.
The HR Council adopted on 5 July 2012 resolution 20/15 by a vote of 34 votes in
favour, 12 abstentions and one against. The resolution welcomed the important work being
carried out by civil society organizations for the promotion of the right to peace and their
contribution to the development of this issue. Therefore, the HR Council established an open-
ended working group with the mandate of progressively negotiating a draft United Nations
declaration on the right to peace on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory
Committee, and without prejudging relevant past, present and future views and proposals.
In continuation, Mr. Aaron Tovish, Secretary-General of the Mayors for Peace, stated
that in August 1945, atomic bombs instantaneously reduced our cities to utter ruin and took
over 200.000 precious lives. Many of those who managed to survive have since suffered the
devastating aftereffects of radiation, the never-ending horror of a nuclear weapon. Even
today, the full scope of radiation effects is unknown, and survivors still live is dread.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki have consistently followed the lead of the survivors, who arose from
the depths of despair to warn the world about nuclear weapons. He pointed out that Mayors
for Peace calls on cities around the world to work in solidarity for peace and the abolition of
nuclear weapons. No city can prepare an adequate “first response” to a nuclear attack. The
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 6
only way to protect citizens is to make sure the attack never happens. He explained that
Mayors for Peace pursues the “2020 Vision”. It is an emergency campaign to ban nuclear
weapons by 2020.
4. Second session of work
On 26 October 2012, the City Council of Slovenj Gradec organized a tree-planting
ceremony for world peace. Afterwards, the General Assembly of the IAPMC continued with
a presentation made by H. E. Andrej Logar, Permanent Representative of Eslovenia to the
United Nations in Viena. In his conference the Ambassador stressed that the UN Security
Council needs an urgent reform permitting that other States be members of this UN body. He
also spoke about the important role of the United Nations in the codification process of
international human rights law. According to him, the main interests of Eslovenia are, among
other matters, the promotion of the multilateralism and the establishment of a mechanism to
prevent genocide. He explained that Eslovenia was a member of the Security Council and
will present its candidature to the HR Council.
In the afternoon, members attending the General Assembly of the IAPMC adopted
several Resolutions and Declarations, namely: 2012 Slovenj Gradec Declaration on Peace,
resolution on the foreign occupation of the European Island of the Republic of Cyprus,
resolution on the active citizenship and youth participation in decision-making on different
levels of political and social life, resolution about the Middle East free from nuclear weapons
and all other weapons of mass destruction and finally, the Slovenj Gradec Declaration on the
Human Right to peace.
After that, several City Councils presented before the General Assembly their annual
report about activities carried out in the field of peace and human rights. The representatives
of Sarajevo reported to them about the 26th World Meeting for Peace on “Living together is
the future” held on 9-11 September 2012. The three day inter-religious meetings were aimed
at creating an atmosphere of trust and respect in the region. The world summit brought
together two hundred and fifty religious leaders and 140 representatives from the world of
politics, culture and other fields. This event was the biggest religious, cultural and political
postwar conference in Sarajevo.
The meeting was closed by Mr. Alfred Marder and Mr. Andrej Cas after having
acknowledged the organizers, the speakers and the participants.
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 7
5. Annexs
Resolution
A Middle East Free from Nuclear Weapons and all other Weapons of Mass
Destruction
The 25th General Assembly Session of the International Association of Peace
Messenger Cities;
Recalling all resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
annually and without a vote since 1980 affirming that the establishment of a
nuclear-weapon –free zone in the region of the Middle East would greatly enhance
international peace and security;
Affirming the role of the United Nations in assisting in the development of such a
zone, consistent with the principles and guidelines for establishing nuclear-
weapons-free-zones endorsed by the UN General Assembly;
Emphasizing the importance of comprehensive peace negotiations in the Middle
East as an appropriate framework for the peaceful settlement of contentious issues
and to enhance national and regional security in the region;
Welcoming the leadership of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in
advancing a Five-Point Proposal for Nuclear Disarmament including, among other
things, the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, entry-into-force of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, achievement of a treaty on fissile materials, and
negotiations for the global abolition of nuclear weapons through a nuclear weapons
convention or package of agreements;
Welcoming all initiatives relating to general and complete disarmament, including
in the region of the Middle East, and notes the importance of making progress on
the control of conventional weapons, and on the elimination of all weapons of
mass destruction and their means of delivery;
Noting the provisional confidence-building measures which support the process
for achieving a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass
destruction, including the placing of all nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards,
and full adherence to and universalization of the Chemical Weapons Convention
and Biological Weapons Convention;
Commending the efforts of Under-Secretary of State Jaakko Laajava of the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland as facilitator to conduct consultations with
the States of the region, and other stake-holders, and to undertake preparations for
the convening of the Helsinki Conference to be attended by all States ofthe Middle
East, on the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons
of mass destruction in the area of the Middle East;
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 8
Noting the initiative of the European Union to hold a seminar in Brussels from 5-6
November for what has been described as an open exchange of views related to the
establishment of a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone (WMDFZ) in the
Middle East;
Emphasizing that such initiative is not a substitute for the Helsinki conference nor
should it be used as a pretext for ignoring, boycotting or undermining the necessity
of convening the conference;
1. Expresses its full and unequivocal support for the goal of a Middle East Zone Free
of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction, and for the
convening without further delay of the Conference in Helsinki in December 2012
on the establishment of such a zone;
2. Calls on all Mayors and City Councils, in the interest of regional and international
peace, to support the establishment of the zone and to exert all necessary influence
aimed at paving the way for the convening of the conference;
3. Calls upon all the States in the region of the Middle East to declare without any
pre-conditions their willingness and decision to attend the Helsinki conference;
4. Calls upon the conveners, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, as a confidence-building measure, to
urgently and publicly re-affirm in a joint statement their commitment to convene
and attend the Helsinki Conference;
5. Decides to transmit this resolution to the conveners of the conference and the
Governments of all States in the region of the Middle East.
6. We encourage all Middle East countries, pending the establishment of the zone, not
to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or permit the
stationing on their territories, or territories under their control, of nuclear weapons
or nuclear explosive devices;
7. We call on Mayors and City Councils to act in support of the establishment of a
zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons ofmass destruction.
Adopted unanimously by the 25th General Assembly of the IAPMC,
Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia,
26 October 2012
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 9
Slovenj Gradec Declaration on Peace
We, the representatives of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities
(IAPMC), at its 25th General Assembly session held in Slovenj Gradec, Republic of
Slovenia, from 25-26 October 2012;
Recalling our solemn pledge in the Statute of the Association to make use of various
means at the disposal of its members to contribute effectively, and in close cooperation with
the United Nations, to the building of peace throught the world;
Recalling our commitment to encourage cities to help create a culture of peace and
strengthen cooperation among peoples;
Recalling also the Slovenj Gradec Declaration adopted by the General Assembly of
the Association on 2 September 2005, in which among other things, we firmly rejected
outright the theory of the inevitable clash of cultures and civilizations;
Reaffirming our conviction expressed in that Declaration that intercultural dialogue is
a prerequisite for peace and stressing the need to respect cultural diversity, the dignity of the
individual and the common heritage of humanity;
Noting the important role played by the city of Slovenj Gradec as a partner in the
activities of the 2012 Europen Capital of Culture event and its thematic message of peace and
respect for cultural diversity;
Commending the city of Slovenj Gradec for its continued effort to contribute to the
promotion of the principles and objectives of the Association by, inter alia, hosting the
General Secretariat of the Association for the past 5 years;
Recognising the significant contribution IT has made and continues to make in
bringing people together and thus promoting peace within and across nations;
Take note with satisfaction the successful simulcast and electronic streaming through
the Internet, either under the auspices of or in cooperation with our Association, of activities
in several parts of the world in observance of International Day of Peace, on 21 September
2012;
Commending all the member cities concerned and other participants, especially the
children, for this positive manifestation of the potency of the Internet as an effective
instrument for the realisation of the principles, purposes and objectives of our Association
and the United Nations Organisation;
Renew our determination to expand the scope and upgrade the content and delivery of
the Internet streaming of future observerances of the International Day of Peace, and in this
regard request relevant organisations and agencies to extend to us all necessary technical
assistance;
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 10
Acknowledging the activities of the Slovenj Gradec amateur Radio Club, which
through Peace Messenger Cities' Contest, raises awareness of the IAPMC among thousands
of fellow amateur Radio enthusiasts around the world;
Reiterating our firm conviction that peace is a right to which all human beings are
entitled, and that primarily it is the responsibility of States to uphold, promote and protect
that right in the interest of all the peoples of the world;
Express serious concern about the perpetuation of threats as well as the emergence of
new threats and challenges to peace in various parts of the world;
Affirm unequivocally, that the possesion, production, stockpiling in any quantity,
upgrading and proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and their
means of delivery are a serious threat to peace and economic and social well being of
mankind;
Affirm also that while all State Parties, irrespective of whether or not they have
nuclear weapons, are required to implement, meet and comply with their respective
obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and other
disarmament and non-proliferation instruments , the threat or use of armed attack on
suspected nuclear installations could constitute a breach of peace and also produce disastrous
consequesces in the regions concerned and the international community at large;
Call upon all cities, in particular all Peace Messenger Cities to encourage States or
their central governments to make full use of the UN Charter provisions for the peaceful
settlement of disputes, mediation conciliation and dialogue;
Call upon States to recognise that when discussing the imposition of economic
sanctions, serious consideration should be given to the humanitarian consequences of such
measures; that is the negative impact of such measures on children, unemployed youth, the
aged, impoverished and other vulnerable population groups in the target countries;
furthermore, that prolonged sanctions could lead to social unrest, insecurity, political
instability and threats to peace;
Determine to vigorously promote awareness of the relationship between disarmament,
particularly nuclear disarmament, and economic and social development, while reaffirming
the correlation between the escalating increase in expenditures on the production, stockpiling
and upgrading of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and the current world
economic situation, including massive unemployment;
Welcome the Rio+20 Outcome Document adopted by the recent United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development , especially recognition of the challenges facing
cities and the commitment of States to promote an integrated and holistic approach to
planning and building sustainable cities through support to local authorities , efficient
transportation and communication networks, greener buildings and efficient human
settlements and service delivery system, improved air and water quality, reduced waste,
improved disaster preparedness and response , and increased climate reliance;
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 11
Pledge our own commitment to work and cooperate with States and relevant central
government authorities in realising the objectives of this Declaration;
Decide that this Declaration be transmitted to the Secretry-General of the United
Nations and the Heads of State or Governement of all Members of the United Nations.
Adopted unanimously
By the 25th General Assembly Session of the International Association of Peace Messenger
Cities
Slovej Gradec,
26 October 2012
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 12
Slovenj Gradec Declaration on the Human Right to Peace
Gathered on 26 October 2012 in Slovenj Gradec, Eslovenia, representatives of City
Councils (Conference Room at Hotel Aerodrom) to convene the 25º ordinary session of the
General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities;
Recalling further the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, inter alia resolution
2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970 on Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States;
resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974 on The Definition of Aggression; resolution
3348 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974, in which the Assembly endorsed the “Universal
Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition”; resolution 3384 (XXX) of 10
November 1975, entitled “Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in
the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind”; Resolution 33/73 of 15 December
1978, entitled “Declaration on the Preparation of Societies for Life in Peace”; resolution
39/11 of 12 November 1984 entitled “Declaration of the Right of Peoples to Peace”;
resolution 53/243 A of 13 September 1999 entitled “Declaration and Programme of Action on
a Culture of Peace”; resolution 55/2 of 5 September 2000 entitled “United Nations
Millennium Declaration”, reaffirmed by resolution 60/1 of 15 September 2005, entitled
“2005 World Summit Outcome”; and resolution 55/282 of 7 September 2001, by virtue of
which the 21 of September of each year shall be observed as an International Day of Peace;
Recognizing the conceptual progress made since 2005 by the Spanish civil society, as well
as the development of international instruments and institutions upon requirement of the
international civil society in its wish to move towards the necessary codification of the
human right to peace at the international level;
Recognizing the pioneering role of the Spanish Society for International Human Rights
Law (SSIHRL) crystallized in the Luarca Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, adopted
on 30 October 2006 by an independent expert drafting Committee;
Congratulating the Global Campaign on the human right to peace conducted successfully
by the SSIHRL (2007-2011), through which the Luarca Declaration has been shared and
discussed by independent experts in 42 meetings held in the five regions of theworld;
Welcoming the awareness campaign on the human right to peace carried out by the
SSIHRL and its associated CSOs since 2007 before the Human Rights Council and other
relevant United Nations bodies; recognizing in particular the importance of the twenty eight
joint written and oral statements on the content and scope of the human right to peace
endorsed by 1795 civil society organisations, NGOs and cities worldwide, which are now
part of the official documents of the UN Human Rights Council and its Advisory Committee;
Congratulating the SSIHRL for hosting the constitution in Geneva (November 2007) of
the Group of Friend States with the codification process of the human right to peace and
congratulating the 22 Member States of the Ibero-American Summit which have joined the
above-mentioned Group;
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 13
Congratulating the SSIHRL for having launched on 21 September 2008, on the occasion of
the official commemoration of the International Day of Peace at the United Nations, a solemn
call to all international actors to join the World Alliance for the Human Right to Peace;
Welcoming the regional and international contributions to the Luarca Declaration in the
regional Declarations on the Human Right to Peace adopted by experts of civil society in La
Plata, Argentina (November 2008), Yaoundé, Cameroon (February 2009), Bangkok, Thailand
(April 2009), Johannesburg, South Africa (April 2009), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
(October 2009), Alexandria, Egypt (December 2009) and Havana, Cuba (January 2010);
Recognizing the Bilbao Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, adopted on 24
February 2010 by a technical expert drafting Committee of 14 Spanish experts, in which the
Luarca Declaration was revised incorporating the inputs received from the different cultural
sensitivities of all regions of the world1;
Congratulating the SSIHRL for the organisation together with the International Catalan
Institute for Peace and UNESCO Etxea of the International Drafting Committee of ten
independent experts from the five regions of the world who revised the Bilbao Declaration
and approved on 2 June 2010 the Barcelona Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, by
which it acknowledged the international authority of both the Luarca and Bilbao
Declarations;
Acknowledging resolution 406/VIII of the Parliament of Catalonia adopted by the
Committee on Cooperation and Solidarity on 26 February 2009; the Declaration adopted by
the regional Parliament of the Principality of Asturias on 9 October 2009; the Agreement by
the Executive Commission of the Asturian Federation of City Councils on 10 July 2009; the
Agreement by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria of 26 March 2010; the Declarations adopted by
the City Councils of Telde and St. Lucia on April and May 2010; the Lanzarote Declaration
on the Human Right to Peace on 29 October 2010; the Declaration by the Basque
municipalities gathered in Berriz on 12 November 2010 and the Declaration on the Human
Right to Peace by the City Council of Gijón on 21 December 2010, by which they adhered to
the Luarca Declaration and decided to request the State authorities to support the official
codification of the human right to peace at the international level;
Welcoming that the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights has convened the
workshop on the right of peoples to peace held on 15-16 December 2009 in Geneva; and the
workshop’s recommendation that the Human Rights Council should establish an open-ended
working group with the task of initiating the official codification of the human right to
peace2;
Welcoming the Human Rights Council resolution 14/3, adopted on 17 June 2010, which
explicitly recognized “... the important work being carried out by civil society organizations
for the promotion of the right of peoples to peace and the codification of that right"; and
1
Vid. VILLÁN DURÁN (C.) y FALEH PÉREZ (C.) (editores), Contribuciones regionales para una
declaración universal del derecho humano a la paz. Luarca, AEDIDH, Julio de 2010, p. 640.
2
A/HRC/14/38, de 17 de Marzo de 2010, p. 16: “Informe de la Oficina del Alto Comisionado sobre los
resultados del taller de personas expertas sobre el derecho de los pueblos a la paz”.
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 14
which “supported the need to further promote the realization of the right of peoples to peace";
it therefore requested “the Advisory Committee, in consultation with Member States, civil
society, academia and all relevant stakeholders, to prepare a draft declaration on the right of
peoples to peace, and to report on the progress thereon to the HR Council at its seventeenth
session”;
Welcoming the Advisory Committee recommendation 5/2, adopted on 6 August 2010, by
which it established the drafting group of four members to prepare by January 2011 a first
draft Declaration on the right of peoples to peace;
Welcoming the Declaration by the Ombudsmen Assembly of Argentina of 11 August 2010,
by which it joined the World Alliance for the Human Right to Peace; urged other similar
Associations of the Continent to show their solidarity and commitment to this valuable and
necessary initiative carried out by the international civil society; and requested the
Government of Argentina to join the Group of Friends States supporting the international
codification process of the human right to peace;
Welcoming also the Morphou Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, adopted on 7
October 2010 by the Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities
gathered in Limassol (Cyprus), by which the Assembly expressed its full support for the
Luarca, Bilbao and Barcelona Declarations on the Human Right to Peace; called upon all
international stakeholders to adhere to the Global Alliance on the human right to peace, and
invited all member cities to send their representatives to the International Congress on the
Human Right to Peace, held in Santiago de Compostela on 9 and 10 December 2010;
Welcoming also the Caracas Declaration on the Human Right to Peace of 18 November
2010, in which many Venezuelan universities and civil society organizations congratulated
the SSIHRL and its associated CSOs for leading the World Campaign on the right to Peace;
urged the government of Venezuela to declare its territory as an International Zone of Peace
and invited the government to support the codification process on the human right to peace
initiated in the United Nations;
Welcoming the SSIHRL and associated CSOs for submitting the Barcelona Declaration to
the International Congress on the Human Right to Peace, held on 9-10 December 2010 in
Santiago de Compostela (Spain), at the World Social Forum on Education for Peace ("Forum
2010"); the adoption on 10 December 2010 of the Santiago Declaration on the Human Right
to Peace and the Statutes of the International Observatory on the Human Right to Peace,
which is closely working within the SSIHRL to ensure the promotion and implementation of
the Santiago Declaration;
Noting that the Santiago Declaration on the Human Right to Peace was submitted by the
SSIHRL and associated CSOs to the Human Rights Council and its Advisory Committee in
2011, urging Member States and experts to continue the official codification of the human
right to peace, as initiated on 17 June 2010 with the adoption of HR Council resolution 14/3;
Welcoming also the Advisory Committee recommendation 6/3, adopted on 21 January
2011, by which it took note of the progress report; increased to six the members of the
drafting group; and requested it to prepare a questionnaire to be distributed among all
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 15
stakeholders. In the light of the comments to be received, a first draft Declaration was
submitted in August 2011 and a second draft Declaration will be submitted in February 2012
to the Advisory Committee;
Noting that the Advisory Committee had before it at its 7th session (August 2011) the
progress report on the right of peoples to peace prepared by its drafting group, which
included a first draft Declaration on the right of peoples to peace (A/HRC/AC/7/3).
According to paragraph 6 of the report “…the draft declaration refers to the right of peoples
to peace, but subsequently uses the language of the “human right to peace”, which was found
to be more appropriate”;
Welcoming the progress report prepared by the drafting group, which also recognized the
important contribution of civil society in the codification process of the human right to peace
within the United Nations and paid tribute to the global campaign on the human right to
peace led by the SSIHRL with the support of 1790 CSOs;
Noting that the HR Council (resolution 17/16 of 17 June 2011) requested again for the
Advisory Committee to draft a Declaration on the right of peoples to peace and to report on
progress thereon to the Council at its twentieth session (June 2012);
Welcoming the resolution in support of the human right to peace as adopted by the Foreign
Affairs Commission of the Parliament of Spain on 14 September 2011, by which it urged the
Government of Spain to support the official codification process of the right to peace at the
United Nations, in order to include the right of individuals and peoples to peace; join the
Group of Friend States with the codification process on the human right to peace; and
transmit this resolution to all institutions and International Organizations to which Spain is a
State party;
Congratulating the SSIHRL and the Peace without Borders Foundation for having
launched on 21 September 2011 a campaign to collect signatures in support of the World
Alliance for the Human Right to Peace and its international codification process, the results
of which will be presented to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly of the
United Nations;
Considering that on 21 September 2011 Costa Rica and Spain, in coordination with the
SSIHRL, Peace without Borders Foundation and the NGO Liaison Unit of the United Nations
Office in Geneva celebrated the International Day of Peace at Palais des Nations coinciding
with the 30th anniversary of the adoption of resolution 36/67 (1981) and the 10th anniversary
of resolution 55/282 (2001) on the International Day of Peace, both sponsored by Costa Rica
and subsequently approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Congratulating that Costa Rica and Spain announced on 21 September 2011 their
incorporation to the Group of Friend States with the international codification of the human
right to peace;
Welcoming the Resolution on the Right to Peace adopted on 29 October 2011 by the XXI
Ibero-American Summit held in Asunción (Paraguay) at the initiative of Costa Rica, which
recalled the foundation of this right in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 16
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments
signed by the Member States of the Ibero-American Community; reaffirmed the commitment
of the 22 Member States to adhere to the full exercise of democracy, respect for the
sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of States; respect and promotion of
human rights, strengthening of multilateralism and respect for the principles of international
law; the peaceful settlement of disputes, rejection of the use of force or threat of use of force
at the international level, and the rejection of unilateral coercive measures contrary to
international law; and urged the 22 Member States to support the codification of the right to
peace, as initiated at the UN Human Rights Council, paving the way to its progressive
development; they also recognized the important contribution of civil society organizations to
promote the right to peace;
Welcoming the Opinion concerning the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace
adopted by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations on 15 November 2011 and transmitted
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 December 2011, by which the 52 Bar Associations
considered that a Declaration of the Right of Peoples and Individuals to peace should include
the prohibition of discrimination on the ground of, inter alia, race, colour, gender, language,
religion, political or other opinion, nationality, ethnicity or social origin, birth or other status;
that this Declaration should be consistent with the human rights standards universally
recognized, and should not be interpreted to restrict the exercise of any human right
recognized in time of public emergency; and that all States should develop the possibilities of
judicial remedies in order to realize the right to peace.
Welcoming the Nagoya Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, adopted by civil
society on 3 December 2011, and the Tokyo Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, also
adopted by civil society on 10 December 2011;
Welcoming also that on 13 February 2012, representatives of civil society adopted the
Declaration of San Jose de Costa Rica on the Human Right to Peace, which summarized the
main aspirations of Costa Rican and Latin American civil society in the codification process
of the human right to peace at the UN
Welcoming also that on 19 February 2012, the SSIHRL/IOHRP and other civil society
organisations organized in Geneva the Second Consultation of members of the Advisory
Committee with civil society experts on the human right to peace;
Noting that the Advisory Committee had before it at its 8th session (February 2012) the
Drafting Group's Declaration on the Right to Peace (A/HRC/AC/8/2). Paragraph 6 of the
report states that the Advisory Committee proposes the term “right to peace”, which was
found “to be more appropriate and includes both the individual and collective dimensions”;
Welcoming the Advisory Committee recommendation 8/4, of 24 February 2012, which
took note of the second draft Declaration on the right to peace and requested its drafting
group to finish it by incorporating new standards;
Welcoming also that in preparation for the 20th session of the HR Council, the Permanent
Mission of the European Union (EU) in Geneva invited on 7 May 2012 the Permanent
Mission of Costa Rica and the SSIHRL/IOHRP, to brief the EU Member States on the on-
going codification process of the right to peace at the UN. Other meetings were organized by
the SSIHRL/IOHRP on 6 and 25 June 2012;
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 17
Noting also that at its 20th session (June 2012) the HR Council had before it the
(third) draft declaration on the right to peace submitted by the Advisory Committee (doc.
A/HRC/20/31, 16 Abril de 2012, annex). The paragraph 7 of the report indicates that the
Declaration focuses on standards relating to international peace and security as core standards
(elements of negative peace, absence of violence), and includes standards in the areas of
peace education, development, the environment, and victims and vulnerable groups as
elements of a positive peace;
Welcoming that the Advisory Committee's draft Declaration has included 85% of the
legal standards proposed by civil society in the Santiago Declaration on the Human Right to
Peace of 2010;
Decide:
1. To congratulate the SSIHRL, the IOHRP and the 1,790 associated civil society
organizations for their successful World Campaign on the human right to peace, whose most
prominent landmarks have been the Luarca Declaration of 30 October 2006, the Bilbao
Declaration of 24 February 2010, the Barcelona Declaration of 2 June 2010 and the
Santiago Declaration of 10 December 2010.
2. To invite public institutions, civil society organizations and people of good will to
continue to adhere to the Global Alliance on the human right to peace (www.aedidh.org),
showing their solidarity and commitment to this valuable and necessary international
legislative initiative carried out by the Spanish civil society.
3. To congratulate the Human Rights Council by adopting on 5 July 2012 the resolution
20/15, by which constitutes an Open Ended Working Group with the mandate to draft an UN
Declaration on the right to peace on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory
Committee.
4. To urge the ... City Councils members of the International Association of Peace
Messenger Cities to support, together with Governments and civil society organisations, the
SSIHRL participation in the first session of the new Human Rights Council Working Group
to be held in Geneva in February 2013.
5. To urge City Councils:
a) To participate actively before the new Human Rights Council Working Group by
supporting the initiatives of international civil society in favour of the ongoing codification
process of the human right to peace.
b) To urge the new Human Rights Council Working Group to take note of the efforts made
by international civil society, and to take duly into consideration the Santiago Declaration on
the Human Right to Peace, adopted on 10 December 2010, and therefore include in its draft
Declaration the right of individuals, groups, minorities, peoples and humankind to peace;
determine the duties to be undertaken by all international stakeholders in the realization of
this right; and suggest that the General Assembly establish a Working Group on the human
right to peace which will oversee the future implementation of the Declaration.
Slovenj Gradec (Republic of Eslovenia), 25-26 October 201225th General Assembly of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities 18
c) To request that the Human Rights Council completes its codification work at the earliest
convenience and to transmit to the General Assembly a draft Universal Declaration of the
Human Right to Peace which should be adopted no later than 2015.
6. To invite the City Councils to adopt a resolution supporting the international
codification of the human right to peace; to develop legislatively the constitutional value of
peace, so that this right can be fully invoked by the persons concerned before the public
institutions and courts of justice; and to request the City Councils that this right be fully
incorporated into its area of activities.
7. To invite universities and human rights centers to incorporate into their curriculums the
teaching, training and research on the human right to peace, in the light of the Santiago
Declaration on the Human Right to Peace of 10 December 2010 and its preparatory work,
which can be consulted at www.aedidh.org.
8. To transmit this Declaration to the UN Secretary General and the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, requesting to them that this organization actively support
and progressively develop the official codification of the human right to peace in the light of
the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Slovenj Gradec (Eslovenia), 26 October 2012.
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