Dagupan City, Philippines - A memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the implementation of skills and technology education for Mindanao fisherfolks – the Harvest of Hope Project was signed last July 31, 2009 between the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) and the Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF). NFRDI was represented by its Interim Executive Director Dr. Westly R. Rosario and GPFF by its Executive Director Mr. Aya Goto.

We are pleased to announce the convening of the 1st Global Peace Convention in Manila, Philippines, on December 10-14, 2009.
Date:         December 10-14, 2009
Location:    Manila, Philippines
Theme:      “Peacebuilding for the 21st Century: Interfaith, Service and Family”
Register at:     www.globalpeaceconvention.org.

REGISTER now to receive a special early registration discount*.

*The deadline of the early registration is Oct 10, 2009. Registration is not valid without payment.

Dagupan City, Philippines - The Asian Fisheries Academy (AFA) is a training facility of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) which was formally inaugurated in February 2008. The facility covers a 24-hectare site at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) center in Bonuan Binloc.

Former Speaker of the House, Jose de Venecia Jr., made possible the construction of the 45-million peso facility to support the aquaculture industry in the country, giving 30 million pesos from his Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) to the project.

Following a sequence of Global Peace Festivals in over 10 cities in the Philippines since last year, yet another festival was held in the city of Ozamiz on July 15, 2009.

The event was hosted by the local government of Ozamiz led by Hon. Mayor Ronaldo O. Parojinog, Sr., Department of Tourism, Department of Education Region 10, Universal Peace Federation and Bagong Ozamiznon. A crowd estimated around 4,000 gathered in the plaza in front of the historical Fort Santiago.

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - No one's too young to be a peacemaker. Through collecting donations of 10 sen (a Malaysian coin), Malaysian children have proven that! Within two months, a total of RM 143,730.10 (US$ 40,700) was collected by the united effort of about 500,000 children in this southeast Asian nation.

There are many touching stories behind this campaign. Two young sisters from Muar in southern Malaysia, Amalina (age 14) and Nurul (age 11), went all out to raise donations every day from house to house in their neighborhood. They raised RM130 (US$30) within two weeks. Their mother said: “The Power of 10 Sen campaign provides my daughters a chance to learn and feel empathy for others.”