This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the International Peace Bureau (IPB). Since its founding in 1891, in Switzerland, 13 IPB leaders have been awarded this honorable medal \u2013 the most of any organization. To mark this special occasion, the IPB hosted an exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, its home-base, as a tribute to the people who \u201cdevote their time, energy, and resources to the cause of peace.\u201d This event, Making Peace, brought together world renowned artists, musicians, international organizations and elected officials to provide a platform for making the peace movement visible again. Since its inception, the IPB has witnessed two World Wars and many bloody conflicts. Despite these setbacks, it has also experienced the ending of the Cold War and the apartheid regime, as well as playing a major role in drafting a treaty ultimately banning the use of anti-personnel landmines (1996) and helping create the International Criminal Court. While today\u2019s issues may be different, the aim of the organization remains the same: \u201cworking together for a world without war.\u201d
\nIn order to create the political and social atmosphere needed to adopt specific peacemaking policies, the IPB has grown to include 320 member organizations in over 70 countries. Its influence within this field has resulted in receiving consultative status with the United Nations and it continues to bring numerous organizations together in an effort to promote peace. According to Colin Archer, the IPB\u2019s Secretary General, the IPB is \u201ca bridge between the grassroots activists and the respectable governments, diplomats, and people in Geneva [the United Nations].\u201d Constantly working on a tight budget, these peacemaking communities and grassroots organizations have to fight against corporate interests and government strength. According to this year\u2019s report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, an authoritative and independent account of current military endeavors, the world spent a record $1,531 billion on the military alone last year.
\n\u201cThe Cold War is all over, spending was supposed to have gone down; but, of course, it has gone up again \u2013 especially after 2001,\u201d added Mr. Archer. \u201cWe have to get back to international law, back to the United Nations.\u201d
\nIn order to bring greater awareness to this issue, the IPB set up a one month photo-exhibit on the shores of Lake Geneva. This exhibit includes over 120 panels related to war and peace. \u201cThe aim of the exhibition is really to get people to understand that there are ongoing problems, there are organizations who are working on these different elements: the environment, sustainable development, economic and social justice, disarmament, democracy and human rights,\u201d stated Ashley Woods, Project Manager and Curator for Making Peace. While most of the images contain contemporary subject matter, there are flashbacks to Vietnam, the Great Depression, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Gandhi, reminding the viewer that things have not completely changed.
\nIn an effort to promote peace education, all of the panels from the exhibit are free to download on the internet at schools worldwide. While photojournalists tend to oppose the use of their pictures without consent, this practice was allowed within schools given its tendency to encourage discussion on such issues.
\nTo help launch this exhibit, and commemorate the centenary of its Nobel Peace Prize, the IPB hosted a one-day festival on June 6 in Geneva. Stands, exhibitions and films were on display all day with representatives from numerous international organizations (governmental and nongovernmental). Likewise, discussions were held with local specialists regarding issues such as the role of the environment, women and disarmament in peace. By the end of the day, there were hundreds of people lounging on the lawns surrounding the photo-exhibit discussing what they had seen. The event was culminated by an outdoor performance at sunset given by Mich Gerber, a local double bass sensation.
\nAmong the guests present was celebrated National Geographic photojournalist and humanitarian, Reza Deghati. Reza (as he is known) is the founder of Aina (The Mirror), an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and empowerment of children and women through the use of media and communication. In recognition of his efforts as being the self-proclaimed \u201cmost ardent pacifist in the world,\u201d Reza has been awarded the Chevalier de l\u2019Ordre National du M\u00e9rite, France\u2019s highest civilian honor, Prince of Asturias Humanitarian Medal (Spain), and is a senior fellow of the Ashoka Foundation.
\n\u201cI have seen the real brutality of war. And once you have seen it the main goal for all of your life is peace, and peace education,\u201d he declared. \u201cSo, coming here and being part of it [Making Peace] is what I\u2019m doing all over the world. I am moving for them [pointing to a picture of a child]. I am their voice.\u201d Despite all of the advances made in the past 100 years, the IPB still faces many challenges. When asked about some of the main challenges regarding peace, Mr. Archer came up with a rather interesting response: climate change.
\nWhile not as immediately threatening as a nuclear bomb, climate change has the ability to wreak far worse havoc. Take, for instance, Bangladesh. When the coastal areas of this country go under water and experiences hydrologic shock due to rising sea levels, where is this population of over 100 million people going to turn? Population shifts like this will continually threaten peace throughout the world. Thus, the IPB is holding a centenary conference this September in Oslo, Norway entitled, \u201cA Climate for Peace.\u201d With a goal of attaining greater budgeting for \u201cgreen\u201d investments, the IPB and its partners hope to cut into some of the military budgets around the world \u2013 military planes are some of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses worldwide. \u201cIt\u2019s a big dream, but we\u2019re always doing dreams in the peace movement,\u201d acknowledged Mr. Archer. \u201cIf there\u2019s no dream then no change takes place. So we keep on dreaming.\u201d
\nTylor Nelson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the International Peace Bureau (IPB). Since its founding in 1891, in Switzerland, 13 IPB leaders have been awarded this honorable medal \u2013 the most of any organization. To mark this special occasion, the IPB hosted an exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, its
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