By Abigail Sanchez
- New Transnational Caribbean Task Force for peace announced in conjunction with HWPL and representatives from six Caribbean Nations.
- Main Objectives:
- Encourage multinational communication on social issues, both local and regional
- Collect best practices for peace education initiatives
- Foster a shared culture of peace
- HWPL is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. HWPL affiliates include: The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG).
WASHINGTON, USA – A landmark transnational Caribbean Task Force for peace was announced November 30, 2020. This task force is spearheaded by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) and aims to normalize cross-regional discussions about peace education and peace legislation. Founded in hopes of fostering multinational communication and collaboration for peace, this task force provides a unique platform upon which to build a shared plan and purpose for substantive peacemaking.
At the inaugural task force meeting on November 30, HWPL representatives were joined by influential parties such as LoDawn Jones, acting director/ coordinator for women’s department, (Belize); Melanius Alphonse, Management and Development Consultant (St Lucia); Andrea Titus, senior youth commissioner (Barbados); Jose Urbina, chief executive officer, minister of youth, sports, and e-governance (Belize); Kevin Cadle, director of youth development (Belize); Sophia Zacharia, coordinator ministry of social transformation and the blue economy (Antigua and Barbuda) and Keisha Tomlinson, president of Jamaica’s Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers, and associations (Jamaica).
Members were excited for work to begin and shared many issues that they planned to help solve through the efforts of this new task force. One resounding issue that all parties agreed would be a priority was the issue of peace education for youth.
Jose Urbina, of the minister of youth, sports, and e-governance in Belize stated that “[…] we have to get in there with these young people to break the cycle […] that is where we are focusing our efforts, I’m really sure that within the f years we have to begin our project we will be very successful and will make a generational change. But we need to make it as a group, we need to make it as a team for the benefit of the youth.”
All were hopeful that through collaboration, innovative resolutions will be implemented that can facilitate lasting peace in the Caribbean.
– Abigail Sanchez, Director of Communications
HWPL is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization advocates for the cessation of war and conflict worldwide. HWPL carries out its peace initiatives in the Caribbean by working with its affiliate partners, the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG).
HWPL also developed the Declaration of War Cessation for Peace (DPCW), which is a legal framework for spreading a culture of peace on all levels of society. The DPCW, which serves as the solution for worldwide peace and a framework for conflict resolution, has already been enacted as a National Declaration in several countries worldwide, including Antigua and Barbuda, Seychelles, and Eswatini.
