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Usher's foundation seeks partners in Asia Print E-mail
Written by From UPI   
Sunday, 20 December 2009 11:35

MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Grammy award-winning American R&B singer Usher is looking to expand the work of his foundation into Asia.

Shawn Wilson, president of Usher's New Look foundation, was at the Global Peace Convention in Manila, the Philippines, last weekend looking for partners for the non-profit organization's Powered to Serve youth project.

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Usher's New Look says it plans to invest $40 million over the next 10 years in micro-grants of up to $500 to youth engaged in service projects.

Powered by Service has trained 3,500 U.S. youth in leadership and organizational skills. It also provides malaria nets for people in Africa through young Americans' fundraising efforts.

Global Peace Convention is led by Hyun Jin Moon, who also is chairman of News World Communications, owner of UPI.

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 December 2009 10:33
 
Peace beyond politics in Mindanao Print E-mail
Written by MICHAEL MARSHALL, UPI Editor in Chief   
Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:21

MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Eid Kabalu, a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, urged participants at an international peace convention Saturday in the Philippines to support the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Mindanao, the Philippines' southern island.

The conflict between the MILF and the Philippines government has lasted since the 1970s and cost an estimated 120,000 lives. The parties resumed talks last Tuesday and Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after a 16-month hiatus in what has been a 13-year peace process.

Some Muslim participants were not hopeful of the outcome.

"After four decades we decided to try a new approach to peace in Mindanao," Estrella Babano, Department of Education director for the northern Mindanao region, told the conference.

"The focus has to be on future generations."

The Mindanao Peace Initiative, launched in September 2008, was designed to address what she said was the lack of a common platform among the various religious, ethnic and social groups in Mindanao. It promotes cooperative projects among those groups across 17 social sectors, from education to sports, and religion to the armed forces.

On Monday, participants are to visit one of the education projects, a "Peace Village" in Lanao del Norte. There Muslim and Christian students share a camp experience and learn about each others traditions.

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Peace-builders to visit Mindanao Monday Print E-mail
Written by RAYMUND ANTONIO   
Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:14

More than 200 foreign delegates involved in peace-building activities around the world will visit the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao Monday to make an assessment on the real situation there and possibly be ambassadors of goodwill for the South when they go back to their respective countries.

Paul Murray, spokesperson of the Global Peace Convention, which is ongoing at the historic landmark Manila Hotel, said that they will hold a fact-finding tour in Lanao del Norte where international peace advocates would see for themselves the situation in that region.

“Whenever there is conflict, what we usually do is we look at the community level and we don't focus much on the conflict, may it be political or religious.

Our goal is really to engage the communities to talk to the government and find solutions,” Murray said.

“Instead of working from top to bottom, we would be more productive if we work from the bottom up. We can galvanize and bring the whole community together to bring change,” he added.

The Philippines was chosen as the host nation of the first four-day Global Peace Convention that started Thursday.

It has a tri-fold platform of three pillars essential to peace-building namely promoting interfaith cooperation, building a culture of service, and strengthening family.

Participants composed of foreign educators, youth leaders, members of non-government, and faith-based organizations, among others, have convened to look at best practices in these three areas.

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2,000 peace advocates assemble at Manila Hotel Print E-mail
Written by EDD K. USMAN   
Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:16

Close to 2,000 local and foreign peace advocates from 28 countries have convened starting Dec. 10 at the historic Manila Hotel for the Global Peace Convention, with Moro leader Eid Kabalu appealing to the forum delegates to support the resolution of the Mindanao conflict through peaceful means.

An American citizen of Korean descent, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, led the Global Peace Convention themed "Peacebuilding 2010: Family Interfaith Service." It ends Monday, Dec. 14.

Moon is co-chairman of the Universal Peace Foundation (UPF).

Kabalu heads the Civil-Military Affairs of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), but he hastened to add that he participated in the forum and appealed as another peace advocate to the delegates to help in the 13 years old Mindanao peace process.

"I am fortunate to be invited and took advantage to attain, not as a representative of the MILF. My participation is in my capacity as another peace advocate," said Kabalu.

"In my speech, I appealed to the close to 2,000 peace advocates from around 28 countries to support the resolution of the Mindanao conflict through negotiated settlement," the Moro peace advocate said.

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Global Peace Convention 2009 at the historic landmark Manila Hotel Print E-mail
Written by Manila Bulletin   
Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:09

The Global Peace Convention (GPC) is an annual gathering of peacebuilders from around the world. The GPC resulted out of the excitement and positive impact of the Global Peace Festivals (GPF) held throughout the world since 2007. The convention is an opportunity for peace advocates from around the world to exchange information and learn from best practices to improve the quality of all peace-building projects. It brings together key leaders in the realms of politics, civil society, and religion to discuss creative approaches to pressing global issues.

For the 2009 Global Peace Convention that is being held at the historic landmark Manila Hotel, the theme is “Peacebuilding for the 21st Century: Interfaith, Service, and Family.” The convention runs several interconnected program tracks based on the three Global Peace Festival pillars of interreligious cooperation, fostering a culture of service, and strengthening marriage and family. Woven into the schedule are a variety of educational seminars and workshops, cultural events, optional recreational activities, and a fact-finding tour in Mindanao.

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