Nonkilling Arts Research Committee Letter: Vol. 3, N. 5 (Sep-Oct 2019)

Bimestrially sent from our site: Nonkilling.org.

"Nonkilling art explores the spirit and practice of how to prevent, respond to, and to improve individual, social, and global well-being beyond killing." —Glenn D. Paige

Dear NKARC members and friends,

September-October months are marked by two important peace days: the World Day of Peace (Sept. 21) and the World Day of Nonviolence (Oct.02).  Reminds me of the profound foreword that Prof. Glenn D. Paige wrote on Jean-Marie Muller’s book, The Principle of Nonviolence: A Philosophical Path:

“Philosophical reflection does not allow us to assert that nonviolence is the answer that offers the technical means to face political realities under all circumstances, but it leads to us to assert that it is the question which, in the face of political realities, allows us to look for the best answer under all circumstances.”  Nonviolent philosophy in action is not inherently passive. To end violence and injustices, it is fearlessly active.

Grateful thanks for your thoughtful contributions on the Nonkilling arts. As always, these are deep and inspirational, awakening our passion to protect and connect with life.

1. Nonkilling Poetry

Two offerings from IFLAC founder Ada Aharoni's new set of peace poems:

Mr. Prime Minister When Will the Nightmare End
Mr. Prime Minister, when will
The Gaza nightmare end?

What absolute misery -
I loathe destroying people’s homes,
I want to go home
I want to hug my love!

Instead of home's warmth
and my girlfriend’s loving arms -
anguish fills my frozen bones
?
while watching the dreadful shock of a boy
who has just discovered his dead mother’s body
under his wrecked home ...

We came back from the nightmare
with horror in our hearts
 and imploring in our eyes -
Mr. Prime Minister, we were born
for creation, for joy, for love and life –
 not for destruction!

Please, Mr. Prime Minister,
end this nightmare
that ends our hopes, our dreams,
our loves, our lives -
this horrifying nightmare
 that swallows our souls and bodies
 not only in nightmares!

An Israeli or a Palestinian Mother
You will not build a nest
dear Amir,
every night you return to me,
and your silent cries
storm my heart,
"Mother, mother, help me!"
And I cannot

I can only caress the rugged stones
over your bones,
as I used to caress your soft curls
before sleeping ...

***

On August 6 and 9 once again the victims of 1946 Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings were remembered around the globe; the humanity was reminded of  Sadako Sasaki and all Hibakusha children. In the following poem by Maureen Korp, who having lived as a child in USA during the cold war, a protective maternal instinct against a similar threat looms.

Home as a Fallout Shelter
by Maureen Korp
In almost every room
I pile books
like stone
covering game
I store
against the cold
some artifact...
these books
jammed into place
on every shelf, teeth
to chew
to ruminate
Teeth clenched shut
wear down to pulp
who would want
to look
in all these books
to see what I forgot
apparently once knew...
what demented logic
is bound
in signatures
These books bury me
they crowd all the shelves
thicken every wall
except my daughter's room
she cannot bear the dust.

( Excerpt from above poem was published in the last issue. )

***

Two probing reflections by Prof. Francisco Gomes de Matos, Brazil:

Nonkilling Defined
Nonkilling? Nonviolence prioritizes
Nonkilling? Peace humanizes
Nonkilling? Always supports LIVES!

And

A Perception of Nonkilling
Nonkilling to perceive?
In Peace you always believe
Nonkilling to perceive?
Nonviolence you achieve
Nonkilling to perceive?
The right to Life you receive
Nonkilling to perceive?
From killing, Humanity you relieve
Nonkilling to perceive?
Nonkillingly you never deceive

2. Nonkilling Architecture: Monuments

Ground Zero in NYC
Oculus:  Architect Santiago Calatrava's monumental structure “Oculus” in New York celebrates the indomitable human spirit and resilience to rebuild and recreate. Soaring high this structure crowns the new World Trade Center’s transportation hub at Ground Zero. Oculus has both its admirers and critics. One observer notes: “Stunning structure depicting a dove, the bird of peace. It is stunning inside and out. Brilliant it fits into the surrounding architecture in a most refreshing and unique way.”  Another expresses disdain: “Very, very big ego of the architect and that's all.”

Tear drop: There also exists another monumental tribute to 9/11 disaster in NYC. It’s in the form of a “huge tear drop” from a Russian sculptor Zurab Tseretli. Described as an expression of grief from people of Russia to the US, the tear drop is captioned: 'To Hope - the struggle against world terrorism'.

3. Two Nonkilling Fables

“The Day Weapons Refused to Kill” by Francisco Gomes de Matos
The illustrated poster describes story of weapons shooting bananas instead of bullets and bombs!

Peace Flower: A Nuclear Space Adventure by Ada Aharoni, reviewed by Michael Holmboe (Norway): The book transports us into a world of magic in the future, where the Peace Flower blossoms. Heroic, smart, and lovable Lee and Ron, succeed, after many exciting adventures in space, to bring the exquisite Flower of Peace to our present day earth, where it is much needed.

The dangerous and destructive nuclear giant Nuki pursues Lee and Ron in their extraordinary adventures in space; they succeed in escaping from his evil designs. With the help of Muzi, the most ultra Hi-Tech spatial car, that speaks and laughs, and Petra, their magic guide, the sister of Peter Pan -- they succeed in penetrating the Future, to accomplish their mission. The two fearless youngsters succeed in overpowering Nuki, and reduce it to a toy dinosaur.

The “Peace Flower” is an exciting fun-filled story, more magical than even many Harry Potter books, and far more meaningful as it is a powerful allegory, symbolic of our own lives and times. It shows how children are our hope, now and in the future; they are the ones who can save the world from all its maladies such as war, terror, violence and famine. The book is available at amazon.com.

Thank you, Michael.

4. A Nonkilling Rumination

In the spirit of seeking harmony not hegemony,  NKARC physician-poet colleague Hugh Mann ruminates about WHAT IS PEACE?

“Illusive and elusive, peace is a paradox. It’s sought and taught, but it can’t be bought, wrought, or fought, because we polarize, politicize, weaponize, and militarize, but we don’t realize that peace is an elite retreat from conceit and deceit, not an effete defeat.”

5. Nonkilling Visual Arts

Two paintings by Indo-Canadian artist Arun Roy shown in acrylic: Mother and Child and Thirst for Light. A self-taught artist, Arun’s favourite subjects are Indian motifs rooted in folk arts of Bengal.  They are done in semi-abstract mode and painted in primary colours.

Progress of human civilization has been marked by thirst for light---search for knowledge, truth and justice---to gain freedom from the bondage of ignorance, hatred and bigotry which act as barriers to enlightenment. Snakes and sword represent cruelty, greed and hatred; books represent knowledge, sun is the ultimate source of all light in the universe and the flying birds symbolize freedom.

6. Nonkilling Doc

The Peacemaker
James Demo's doc film profiles the life of a 73-year old peace negotiator, Padraig O'Malley, a Dublin-born author and educator. Over the past four decades he has made his life's mission to help broker peace in fractious societies and violent conflicts around the world. O'Malley has had many successes, having been involved in advancing peace processes in South Africa, Kosovo and Ireland. The doc follows O'Malley as he traverses the globe offering his services to peace efforts in conflict zones.

7. Nonkilling Reflection

On the World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, two short contributions:

(a) From Killing to Nonkilling:
An insightful reflection from NKARC colleague and clinical psychologist Adiba Khanam from Bangladesh, she writes: “I wanted to talk about chronic suicidality and how draining it is to always have constant nagging thoughts that life would be better if you were dead. Fact is there would be no life. I understand the pain and the torment of waking up in the morning everyday and cursing oneself for not having passed away in night. Cursing fate for letting you see the light of another day. I have been there myself and still go to those dark and grey moments myself. After years of practicing mindfulness and doing behaviour coaching I have come to a place where I don’t give in to my urges anymore. The suicide ideation is always there but I don’t act on them anymore like I used to. The thoughts are always there like a cloud, a burden that I carry with me. But the key is to treat them just as they are - thoughts, not facts, not the reality. They WILL pass if you let them pass. Replace them with other thoughts, replace them with activities, replace them with goals. Set life goals for yourself, it can be anything like learning a new skill, or aspiring to be something. For me it was dedicating my life to those who suffer from suicidality and emotional dysregulation just as me and pursue a career in clinical psychology so that I can help those that have suffered just like me.

If you find yourself not being able to hold down a job that’s okay, you can still be productive with your time. Exercise can be daunting and seem like a mammoth task, I get it, but just allow yourself to get up, stretch, do 10 exercises for 10 minutes daily. If 10 minutes seem too much start with just 5 minutes daily of any self care activity like meditating, paced breathing, journaling, or exercise. Start small and then see how you feel. Connect with yourself. Set small attainable day goals. Do task setting and goal setting every morning when you wake up or do it the night before. Applaud yourself for getting out of the bed and facing the world; congratulate yourself for making the bed or taking a shower or making something to eat. Celebrate yourself for doing these tasks which may seem very tiny but I know what a battle this can be when your mental resources are depleted. And remember in the end it’s our struggles that define our strength.

Note:
#depression #anxiety #positivity #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthblogger #selflove #selflovequotes#selfreminder #behappy #anxietyrelief #suicideprevention #selfcare #depressionsupport #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #endthestigma #suicideawareness #keepswimming

(b) The Pledge for Life campaign
The civil society group Unify with its partner organizations is introducing on this Suicide Prevention Day a ‘Pledge for Life’ campaign:

THE PLEDGE FOR LIFE is a vow we make with those we love that no matter what, we will take the time to say goodbye before one of us ends our life. It’s a promise that we make with our closest family or friends that makes it safe to talk about suicide and all that’s connected to it. Sometimes when the pain of existence is too much to bear we can lose sight of the impact our actions have on those we love. Sometimes just taking the time be in the presence of someone who loves us is enough to weather out the storm. It’s simple, it all starts with friendship!

• Pledge for Life Website

• Share the video and your own personal stories using the hashtag #pledgeforlife

8. CGNK Updates

(i) A Busy Month for CGNK at the UN Human Rights Council:
It is when we value life that life improves. And when we improve life through the United Nations’ work, we do so for all humanity. CGNK Director Joam Evans Pim reports on the work of CGNK’s Main UN Rep Christophe Barbey at the UN’s Human Rights Council. In order to promote and protect Human Rights worldwide, there are two types of work covered at the HRC: thematic and country focused work.

(ii) Nonkilling Featured at Prague Impact Summit:
CGNK’s UN Gender Focal Point Elina Viitasaari was invited to participate at the opening ceremony of the The Second Impact Summit held in Prague, Czech Republic, from 7th to 9th of June 2019 at the Yugra Alliance Congress Center. Elina offered a speech on how violence and discrimination against women is a global, everyday problem, affecting each and every one of us either directly or indirectly. The focus of the conference this year was on the 5th Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality, selected by the Impact Foundation.

(iii) Nonkilling main theme of 10th International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action:
The 10th edition of the International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action organized by Anuvrat Vishva Bharati (ANUVIBHA) will be held on December 17-20, 2019 in New Delhi, India under the theme “Educating and Training Children in Nonviolence and Nonkilling”.

9. Nonkilling Journalism

(i) Fighting Climate Change Means Ending War by Robert C. Koehler
Koehler writes: "... And a serious part of this new consciousness must be addressing what it means to live as part of one global community that is in peril from the consequences of exploitative human behavior. This is not a mere moral abstraction, something to do because it’s right and good. We will disappear as a species if we don’t — no matter how much money we have.

We have to start revering the whole planet, indeed, thinking as one planet, and valuing the people on both sides of the border. All of us are equal. At some point, even the war profiteers and the politicians they presume to own must wake up to this."

Robert Koehler is an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist.

(ii) Ending Korean War by Gloria Steinem, Christine Ahn, Abigail Disney, Suzy Kim and Jody Williams  
The authors write: "Believe us, we know that the continuing saga between the United States and North Korea is confusing and complicated. We understand the temptation to get caught up in — and be skeptical of — the theatrics. But in our work as activists and academics, we’ve all been to the Demilitarized Zone, met North Korean women and immersed ourselves deeply in this issue. And, at this critical moment, we implore you all to remember that what happens next is bigger than either Trump or Kim."

(iii) Thoughts on the 74th anniversary of the Hiroshima Nagasaki attacks by Tariq Rauf: 
Tariq Rauf is a Vienna-based nuclear arms control specialist, who was IAEA’s Head of Verification and Security Policy Coordination Office.  Rauf writes: "The existing nuclear arms control mechanisms, such as the Conference on Disarmament and the NPT review process are stalemated because of irreconcilable differences, lack of vision, leadership and political will...Nearly 15,000 nuclear warheads in nine nuclear-armed States are deployed at more than 100 locations in 14 States, and the dangers of nuclear weapon use are increasing."

(iv) Evolutionary view of Nuclear Weapons - a review article by Michel Duguay
Michel Duguay, a physicist, reviews the current humanist literature through a Genome lens, he writes: “What is true of the aviation industry is also true of most sectors of the world economy and of social activities. If billions of people worldwide can peacefully work together to assure the life and well-being of human beings almost everywhere, where is the argument that the same peaceful and collaborative philosophy of life cannot be applied to the nine nuclear weapons establishments? The evidence from genomics is that the human genome, i.e. the set of all genes in a population, is close to 100% the same in all countries, including the nine nuclear powers. The fundamental ability to collaborate in order to achieve international security without nuclear weapons is therefore present...” 

(v) Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison - Obituary
Toni Morrison (Chloe Anthony Wofford), writer, born 18 Feb 1931; died 5 Aug 2019. Nobel prizewinner and author whose stories have a strong historical and cultural base and a style, structure and tone that is specifically African American.
"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives." From Toni Morrison’s  Nobel Prize acceptance speech.

• Excerpts from her Nobel acceptance speech, see "Toni Morrison on the Power of Language: Her Spectacular Nobel Acceptance Speech after Becoming the First African American Woman Awarded the Accolade" By Maria Popova | Brain Pickings – TRANSCEND Media Service.

• Obituary in the Guardian.

Last Word

On humility
by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Humility? A much-needed human quality.

An inspiring condition of modesty.

The ability to show how to be meek.

Being humble is not being weak . . .

Humility? A dignifying quality to seek;

A character blessing to Humanity?

Humility!


NKARC colleague Anoop Swarup echoes Francisco’s call:

The silent humanity, be never taken as weak
By no stretch of imagination are they meek
Indeed they are modest, more than we worth
It is our future humanity, who inherit the earth
And it is the nonkilling paradigm, that we seek
For our destiny, let humility and dignity peak
                                                            — Anoop Swarup

My deep gratitude to all who contributed and pointed to the material for
the Letter.

Looking forward to your inspirations and comments as always.

Nonkillling regards,
Bill

Bill (Balwant) Bhaneja
Coordinator
NonKilling Arts Research Committee (NKARC)
Center for Global Nonkilling (CGNK)
www.nonkilling.org

"Nonkilling Culture crosses all the lines." —Glenn D. Paige

Nonkilling is THE measure of Human progress

[THIS IS AN INTERNAL NEWSLETTER OF THE NKARC. COPYRIGHT FOR ALL MATERIAL IN THE NEWSLETTER REMAINS PROPERTY OF THE SOURCES/WRITERS/ART CREATORS.]

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