Sydney Peace Foundation Annual Report 2009
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ANNUAL REPORT 2009 2 THE SYDNEY PEACE FOUNDATION service, community between business, The SydneyPeace media, public a partnership and academic Foundation is interests CONTENTS 5 Sydney Peace Foundation Profile 5 Committee Members and Staff 6 Chairman’s Report 7 Outgoing Chairman’s Report 8 Director’s Report 14 Sydney Peace Prize 16 Sydney Peace Prize Events 2009 17 Breaking The Silence – Cabramatta High School 18 Schools Peace Initiative 22 2009 Financial statements 24 Acknowledgements John Pilger, 2009 Sydney Peace Prize Recipient ON I T DA OUN F E AC PE Y NE SYD E H T 3 4 THE SYDNEY PEACE FOUNDATION foundations ofacivilsociety way ofthinkingandacting which promotesnon problems andprovidesthe Peace withjusticeisa solutions toeveryday - violent The Foundation COMMITTEE • awards the Sydney Peace Prize • develops corporate sector and community MEMBERS understanding of the value of peace with justice Chair • supports the work of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Ms Mary Kostakidis • Encourages and recognises significant contributions to peace by young people Director through the Schools Peace Initiative Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees AM Why is Peace with Justice Executive Committee Important? Associate Prof. Tim Fitzpatrick • provides for the security of children Mr David Hirsch • envisages an end to the violence of poverty Ms Beth Jackson • paints a vision of individual and community Ms Shauna Jarrett fulfilment through the creation of rewarding Associate Professor Jake Lynch opportunities in education and employment Dr Ken Macnab The Sydney Peace Foundation is a privately Ms Karen Reid endowed Foundation established in 1998 Ms Clare Petre within the University of Sydney. Mr Abraham Quadan Sydney Peace Foundation Mr Kuranda Seyit Box 54 Holme Building University of Sydney NSW 2006 Mr Alastair Walton T + 61 2 9351 4468 Mr Paul Wand F + 61 2 9660 0862 Ms Maree Whybourne E [email protected] Ms Jacqueline Williams www.sydneypeacefoundation.org.au Advisory Committee Mr Alan Cameron AM The Hon Gareth Evans AO QC Mrs Kathryn Greiner AO Mr Hugh Mackay Dr Pat O’Shane AM ON I Ex Officio Members T Chancellor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO DA Deputy Chancellor, Mr Alan Cameron AM OUN F E Vice Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence AC PE Y Staff NE Dr Hannah Middleton SYD E H Mr Trent Newman T Ms Leah Chan 5 Peace must be just… it must be neither punitive nor vindictive… the fruits of peace must be shared equally - Mahatma Gandhi a discordant voice often are. He has been CHAIR’S provocative and fearless in his determination to expose injustice. His award-winning reports, books and films span decades and continents, REPORT and his acknowledgement by his city of origin follows countless accolades abroad. It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to chair the Sydney Peace Foundation. I stepped We are particularly proud of our Youth Peace into the role in the latter part of this year and Initiative which will be an integral part of our look forward to participating in the Foundation’s push to increase our partnerships. Education efforts to promote the cause of peace with is an area where we hope to continue and justice and to acknowledge those who have indeed expand our activity, because that is of made a substantial contribution to defending course where we start to develop our notions of human rights and in the process made an fairness and respect in dealing with each other – impact on the lives of the most vulnerable. in families and in schools. On behalf of the Executive Committee, I would I would like to acknowledge the importance of like to thank Alan Cameron for his astute our relationship with the University of Sydney – stewardship of the Foundation over five years we are proud to be part of the broad family of and his generosity as a financial supporter. We this august institution. are delighted that notwithstanding his elevated and broader role as Deputy Chancellor of It is also important to recognise that this the University of Sydney, he will continue his remarkable Foundation has been created by relationship with the Foundation by joining our the distinct vision, energy and commitment of very own House of Lords, our Advisory Panel. remarkable individuals, in particular its Director, Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees. It is a unique It is co-incidental that a former member of creation which gives us all cause to be proud. the news media slips into the Chair in a year the But it is also something we need to nurture. award goes to a journalist. It is timely though that the jury this year chose to highlight the influence I am looking forward to working with Stuart and of media and its central role in shaping our with Dr Hannah Middleton, Trent Newman and ON I the Executive Committee and warmly welcome its T perceptions of conflict, of truth and of justice. DA newest members, Beth Jackson and Paul Wand. During the course of our recent national OUN consultation on the protection of human F E rights in our country, those arguing both for AC and against a bill of rights referred to the vital PE role played by the media in strengthening Y transparency and accountability in a democracy. NE Mary Kostakidis This year’s recipient was a sobering reminder Chair SYD E of the role of journalist as chronicler of history January 2010 H T and voice for the powerless. John Pilger is a 6 controversial person. Those who dare to be Peace Prize recipient John Pilger, Sydney Peace Foundation Director Professor Stuart Rees, Sydney Peace Foundation Chair Mary Kostakidis More committee and Executive work was OUTGOING needed than in past years, but our colleagues were unflinching in their willingness to attend more and longer meetings than usual. I believe CHAIRMAn’S the results of the year bear out the success of those efforts. REPORT Particular thanks and appreciation must I had not expected to be writing a report this therefore go again to the director, Emeritus year, having stepped down some month ago, Professor Stuart Rees, AM, and his colleagues but I am delighted to respond to the request to Dr Hannah Middleton and the Youth Peace pen a few words, in effect looking back from Initiative project officer Trent Newman. outside the door. I am, of course, stepping up rather than down, Let me start by reiterating what I have said as I have been admitted to the select band who in all my previous reports, that the support make up the Advisory Panel. From those lofty of the Council of the City of Sydney is vital heights (known to the irreverent in our midst to the Foundation and the work that it does. as the House of Lords), I look forward to a The generous support of the Council in continuing association with the Foundation sponsoring the City of Sydney Peace Prize and its work. Lecture underwrites the award of the cash It remains only to say two things. First to prize, removes any pressure to raise a large confirm, as I have said to anyone who has amount of money from the annual dinner (which asked, that I stepped down because I am a is expensive to stage properly) and therefore strong believer in renewal in not for profits enables the other fundraising of the Foundation bodies, as elsewhere in our community. Five to be available for ongoing expenses and other years is a long time, and the Foundation was activities. We should all be grateful that the ready for a new chair to take it into the next Council is prepared to support the cause of stage of its life. Orderly transitions often seem peace with justice in this way, year after year. to elude our political leaders (I am writing this in early December 2009!) but we have Similarly I want again to thank the University of ON I Sydney for not merely tolerating the activity of managed to carry out a seamless succession. T DA this unusual (compared to its other foundations) Second, I wish Mary every success in her foundation, but actively supporting and now role as chair. She is indeed an excellent OUN F encouraging us. choice, and I offer her and the Foundation E AC And then there is the Executive. They worked my strong support into the future. PE harder than ever this year, partly due to my Y decision to step down, which led to a considered NE and deliberate process to make sure my SYD successor would be the right person (and she E H is!), but also because of the uncertainty following T the global financial crisis and other pressures Alan Cameron, A.M. on our traditional ways of “doing business”. Chairman 7 Non violence is not inaction. It is not for the timid or the weak. It is hard work. It is the patience to win. Cesar Chavez I reminded the audience that the inaugural DIRECTOR’S Sydney Peace Prize was awarded to another Bangladeshi, the distinguished economist Professor Muhammad Yunus. His 1998 Peace REPORT Prize Lecture was entitled ‘Peace Is Freedom From Poverty’. Eight years later in her 2006 International Context Peace Prize Lecture, Tough Decisions in A Tough World, Irene condemned violence towards The year began with the slaughter in the Israeli/ women, in particular in the subcontinent. Palestinian conflict – 1,400 Gazans dead and Poverty and absurd, male dominated religious 13 Israelis. Carnage in the Afghanistan and practices sustain such violence. Irene’s analysis Iraq wars continued with no just peace in foreshadowed the crafting of this brilliant 2009 sight. Raping and killing persists in the book.