Standing for Democracy
José Ramos-Horta, Chairman of The Community’s Advisory Board, is a founding father of our millennium’s first new democracy, Timor-Leste. A freedom fighter whose work was integral to lifting a 24-year occupation of his nation, he was awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for his work. He then served as Prime Minister and President of the new nation.
At the end of his term he was asked by the UN Secretary General to service as Special Representative of the Secretary General to Guinea Bissau, where he helped to sherpherd the nation from a military coup through democratic elections and the reimplentation of democracy. He co-chaired the UN High Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations.
Serving and aiding his people as one his nation’s valued “elders,” Ramos-Horta continues to use his international recognition and wisdom to support democracies under threat around our world. Some highlights of his recent work:
Global Leaders to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: Stop the Atrocities in Tigray
Seven highly respected international leaders in conflict resolutions, including José Ramos-Horta, former President of Timor-Leste and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, have issued a call to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for immediate action to bring a halt to the atrocities being committed in the Tigray region of his nation.
More from Ramos-Horta:
Human Security as a Pathway to a Peaceful Myanmar
by Tarja Halonen and José Ramos-HortaOriginally published in Newsweek Magazine. Link below. There are solutions for the crisis in Myanmar. They depend on the Tatmadaw, the country's military forces, moving into the 21st century and realizing that security can no...
Myanmar: What Now?
Originally published in Wall Street International Magazine (link below) On 3rd March 2021, wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the message “everything will be okay”, 19 year old dancer Ma Kyal Sin participated in a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Mandalay. The...
A World Adrift: Challenges and Leadership
Originally published on Wall Street International Magazine. Link below. Sheltered in this tranquil, magic Far East land, I follow developments across the globe, in particular the Covid-19 onslaught, and now with new mutations and variations. And whenever I shared...
News from the Nobel laureates and world leaders.
Ramos-Horta in Dialogue on Francesco Film
Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta in dialogue with Kerry Kennedy, filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky, Jesuit social justice leader Father James Martin, on the critical impact of Pope Francis on peace making and social issues, as portrayed in the important new...
Dalai Lama and 100 other Nobel Prize laureates call for fossil fuels to be phased out
(CNN) As the world's most powerful leaders prepare to come together for the President Joe Biden's virtual climate summit, the Dalai Lama and 100 other Nobel Prize winners have a clear message for them: Keep fossil fuels in the ground. The 101 Nobel laureates have...
Dalai Lama Receives COVID Vaccine, Encourages Others
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, left his home on Saturday to receive his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and promote vaccination against the coronavirus, in what was his first public appearance in over a year. The 85-year-old scrapped plans to...
Human Security as a Pathway to a Peaceful Myanmar
by Tarja Halonen and José Ramos-HortaOriginally published in Newsweek Magazine. Link below. There are solutions for the crisis in Myanmar. They depend on the Tatmadaw, the country's military forces, moving into the 21st century and realizing that security can no...
Desmond Tutu on Covid-19 vaccines: we can, and must, do more
Statement from the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation on March 5, 2021: More must be done, immediately, to ensure lower-income countries have faster access to Covid-19 vaccines, diagnostic tools and treatments. By mid-January, more than seven billion Covid-19...
Putin, Biden Should Aim For More Arms Curbs: Gorbachev
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Saturday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin and new US President Joe Biden to push for deeper restrictions on nuclear weapons. Tensions soared between the two nations under previous US leader Donald Trump, fuelled by...
Myanmar: What Now?
Originally published in Wall Street International Magazine (link below) On 3rd March 2021, wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the message “everything will be okay”, 19 year old dancer Ma Kyal Sin participated in a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Mandalay. The...
Myanmar’s neighbors press for Suu Kyi’s release, restoration of democracy
Myanmar's neighbors pressed its ruling military on Tuesday to release ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cease what Singapore called the disastrous use of lethal force against opponents of their Feb. 1 coupand work out a solution to the crisis. The calls from fellow...
329 Candidates for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize
The Norwegian Nobel Committee says there are 329 candidates, including 234 individuals and 95 organizations, that were nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize by the Feb. 1 deadline. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (AP) — The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Monday that there are...
Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, marks 90th birthday on Zoom
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, was set to throw a Zoom party in quarantine to celebrate his 90th birthday on Tuesday, as President Vladimir Putin hailed him as an “outstanding statesman” who influenced the course of history. Gorbachev,...
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Every girl has the right to write her own story, and thrive.
#EndChildMarriage #DayOfTheGirl
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I am alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being broken.
I strongly appeal to the Taliban to keep their promises to women and girls and their obligations under international human rights law. https://t.co/QBmGmVE3jj
Just Announced: @GlobalFund has awarded US$4 BILLION (Mar 2020 - Oct 2021) to fight #COVID19 in over 100 low- & mid-income countries. Working together we’re protecting front-line workers and adapting HIV, TB and malaria programs to #LeaveNoOneBehind.
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Every day must be considered the Girl Child day. Because our daughters and sisters experience discrimination, patriarchy, insecurity & various social taboos every single day.
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La France appelle à mettre immédiatement un terme à la répression en Birmanie, à libérer les personnes détenues et à respecter le choix démocratique du peuple birman exprimé lors des dernières élections. Nous sommes à vos côtés.
“Let us raise our voices together and say: No to violence, yes to peace, no to slavery, yes to freedom, no to racial discrimination, yes to equality and to human rights for all.”
- @NadiaMuradBasee, awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.
#ZeroDiscriminationDay https://t.co/PYjukIoyms
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