[DoP/MfP Newsletter] Daily from the Third Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace, Japan

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We are the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace and we
are at the beginning of the Third Global Summit for Ministries and
Departments of Peace in Kisarazu, Japan.

We have prepared a brief report about it.

You may also find it on our website www.mfp-dop.org

Sincerely,

Corina Simon
Secretary of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace



First Day - Introductions, Country and Youth Reports

Dear Friends in Peace,

Opening the Third Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace
with a Celebration Concert on the International Day of Peace at the
Akademia Park Hall, Kisarazu, Japan we mark the commitment and support for
creating and developing Ministries and Departments of Peace world-wide and
for galvanizing effort to promote the initiative in Japan coordinated by
Japan United for Ministry of Peace. We also celebrated the Peace
Constitution of Japan and the fact that it is one of 7 countries that in
60 years has not declared war.

Our first working day of the Summit began with welcoming and a harmonizing
singing exercise. It was the first rehearsal for a performance planned for
the Banquet on evening of 24 September.

Japan delegates, our  hosts from Japan United for Ministry of Peace,
introduced themselves and the fact that they were each carrying one of the
names of the people who had been refused visas as a token of
acknowledgment. These were from Ghana, Irak and Sierra Leone.

Letters were read from the Vice-President of Costa Rica and Minister of
Justice, Laura Chinchilla, conveying her support for the Summit and
acknowledging Rita Marie Johnson as her representative of Costa Rica. A
letter from U.S.A. Congressman, Denis Kucinich was also shared with the
delegates.

A detailed written report from each country attending the Summit was
contained in the pre-Summit package, Today each country had the
opportunity to elaborate on those reports and to tell interesting stories
involving their particular initiative.

 We heard from Australia, Brasil, Canada, Costa Rica, India, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Palestine, Philippines, Romania,
Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom and United States
of America.

Several candidates appeared during the day after being delayed and were
greeted with great applause, Zoughbi Zoughbi, Palestine, representing
Wi`am Centre, Eric Wong, Hong Kong, representing Operation Peace Through
Unity, New Zealand and news about the Pakistani delegate, Piara Jahangir,
representing Organization for Peace and Development receiving his visa was
announced and we expect him tomorrow.

At the conclusion of the country reports, the most active working group of
the GA representing youth updated the audience on their progress over the
last year and their plans for the year ahead.

After dinner, Rita Marie Johnson offered an overview of the Peace Army Way
translated for the Japanese volunteers.

The second day of the Summit parallel training sessions are scheduled for
the strengthening of new and existing campaigns through capacity building.

Stay tuned for more from the Third Global Summit for Ministries and
Departments of Peace.