DPI/NGO- Day 3- Mexico City- Ends in inspiration!

September 11- 2009-Mexico City

September 11- a day that shocked the world so extremely 8 years ago- was commemorated in many ways at the last day of the DPI/NGO Conference. Many attendees and speakers had either been in New York or DC or Pennsylvania on that fateful day, had friends who died, or, watched the unbelievable things happen on their television. It is still shocking to know that people from 80 different countries died when airplanes became "Weapons of Mass Destruction"- beyond the imagination of anyone.

This conference day started with a vigorous debate about topics and sites for future DPI/NGO Conferences moderated by the DPI/NGO Executive Committee. Many delegates vied to get their voices heard about what we should discuss and where it should be. The likely site is Melbourne, Australia in early September of 2010 and the possible theme is World Health. The committee will make the final decision before October this year. Quite a few women made their voices heard that there needs to be greater inclusion of women's issues and perspectives in the sessions and in the planning. Women represented approximately 1/2 of the 1300 delegates that attended and were part of most of the Round Tables, Workshops and Breakout session- sadly not at the closing session.

The closing session was held in the beautiful Ex Convent of St Hipolito. Nature played great tricks on the session with crashing thunder, and pouring rain throughout the beginning, and sweet solitude at the end when a most moving and sweet presentation was given by Mayor of Hiroshima- Tadatoshi Akiba. Before we left that evening we were presented a NGO Declaration :Disarming for Peace and Development Consultation Process. We were invited to affirm this 50 point declaration. Charles Hitchcock- the Chairman of the conference said:
" We used to talk about a nuclear arsenal being the best weapon against attack. We depend on you NGOs to carry the torch of change to your communities and governments. .......if we had 10% reduction in global military spending we could provide basic fundamental needs to every human on the planet.......We might have had more significant achievements if we had more women at the table and in the discussions."

The highlight of the closing session was the CALL TO ACTION from Mayor Akiba who delighted us all with wonderful images and challenges of his dreams for a nuclear free world. He simply talked about the exquisite beauty of Hiroshima in 2009- only 60 years after being almost exterminated by a nuclear bomb in World War II. The marvelous spirit of humans to rebound and rebuild and the kindness of so many strangers has transformed this devastated shell of a city- into a warm and inviting place. His dream is to host the Summer Olympics in 2020- the year that is earmarked for a nuclear free world! Of the many things he said- I will share just two: 4 principles of change, and the Mayor's Campaign for Peace.

Mayor Akiba cited Professor West from Cornell as someone who has shared these 4 important principles of change:

1. Powerful Change Comes from within ourselves. (he used the example of Hiroshima as an example who found their inner resources to rebound)

2. The life of each person is very important. We must work toward common good.

3. Everything that we do must be for the children. ( After the war when 40% of the population of Hiroshima was killed the city committed to raise its orphans all through their young lives. They loved their cities children and made them a priority. We all must do so.)

4. We need leaders who don't recycle old frameworks that haven't worked. Draw out the best of everyone.

Mayor Akiba has a Call to Action called the Mayors of Peace Campaign. Mayor Akiba's plan is very simple and there are wonderful "kits available" for citizens to use to promote this campaign to their cities. The simple idea is for each person to approach their local mayor and ask him or her to sign on to this Campaign- the goal of the campaign is to support complete Banning of Nuclear Bombs. So far over 3005 cities have signed including the Mayor of Mexico City who signed the Campaign today representing 18 million people! To date- the city signators represent over 350 million citizens around the world. Mayor Akiba's goal is 1 billion citizens! He believes that local cities have the most direct contact with their citizens and share the burden of every tragedy that befalls them.

This Call to Action signifies the potential positive result of citizen advocacy. Can you imagine a world free of the threat of Nuclear War and even better- a world free of violence against its citizens. The action depends on the social will to reframe our view of security.
The time for citizen activism for the good of humanity has never been so near.....................


Dawn Marie Lemonds, Soroptimist International Programme Director