WHO Violence Prevention Alliance Meets in Rome

The Center for Global Nonkilling participated on June 3-4 in the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) Annual Meeting, organized in Rome by the World Health Organization. A total of 49 participants representing 26 VPA organizations and six observer organizations discussed a new Conceptual Framework for the Alliance, including a new structure and organization for the enlarged VPA, a 2011-2015 Strategy and Work Plan, and a revision and establishment of new VPA working groups.

CGNK, that was represented by its Co-Director Greg Bourne and Research Team Leader Joám Evans Pim, joined two of the new working groups. One of them is intended to set the research agenda in the field of global violence prevention and to make sure the VPA is regarded as an authoritative body on this arena. The second group CGNK will be involved in will tackle violence prevention in weak institutional settings and the grey zone between interpersonal and collective violence.

In the VPA dinner of June 3, the Italian translation of “Nonkilling Global Political Science” (“Nonuccidere: Una nueva scienza politica globale”) was presented by editor and 2009 Nonkilling Global Leadership Academy participant Prisca Giaiero and Co-Director Greg Bourne. Copies where offered to the Italian Health Ministry and the WHO European Regional Office in Rome. The book will soon be available for purchase at Editrice Missionaria Italiana.

Since it was launched in January 2004, the VPA has grown from a dozen participants to almost 50 today. The Center for Global Nonkilling joined in 2009, with another six participants, including UN organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, and UNODC.