Welcome to the ministry for peace website

 

ministry for peace is an organisation working for the creation of structures within government, e.g. a Ministry for Peace, to transcend violent conflict,  together with an independent civil society body working alongside it.

To work for peace is to work to transcend violence. The fundamental aim of a Ministry for Peace is to reduce violence, both in the UK and internationally.

We believe that peace is a subject like others, with theories and practices - somewhat like medicine.   This is indicated, for instance, by the fact that there are now 800+ peace research institutes, 15,000 researchers and 450 academic peace studies programmes worldwide. 

 
 

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE CUTS

We have produced two short films to-date, offering alternatives:

1. Imagining how money saved from the cancellation of the Trident nuclear missile system could be used  instead to increase the basic State Pension: 
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkQRallXspk

2. Arguing that money raised from tax avoidance and evasion could be spent on ending
   child poverty in the UK .                     
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbYU2TiQq

 

 

TRANSCEND MEDIA SERVICE  - Solutions-Oriented Peace Journalism

Read Johan Galtung (the father of peace studies) and other Transcend thinkers on

http://www.transcend.org

Galtung's New Year peace wishes for the world

http://www.transcend.org/tms/2011/01/wikiwishes-for-wikipromises-for-2011/

 

Working in Parliament - the APPGCI

After many months of quiet effort, three years ago ministry for peace secured enough support in Parliament to set up an official All-Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues. The purpose of the APPGCI formally stated in the Parliamentary Register, is 'To encourage dialogue, on the basis of expert information and opinion from across the political spectrum, on issues relating to conflict; especially on the practical means to prevent, transform and resolve violent conflict.'


Establishing this group, a major step forward for ministry for peace, generated a lot of interest across government and amongst those who work in the field of conflict management. The APPG provides a forum where Parliamentarians, government officials, NGOs, academics and others come together on a regular basis to share ideas and thoughts about the challenges of non-violent approaches to managing conflict.

A first in Parliament

An historic debate on conflict prevention - the first ever -  was held in Parliament on February 9, 2010.   All three of the Co-Chairs spoke, Simon Hughes,MP, John McDonnell MP, (Co-Founder of ministry for peace) and Gary Streeter MP.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2010-02-09a.213.0

Following the General Election the APPG on Conflict Issues has been re-started with the same three co-chairs.

To follow the activities of the APPG please go to: http://www.conflictissues.org.uk/.