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Self Report 2017

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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1C
Remain engaged and invest in stability

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • AISA International commits to create the Academy of Peace. Its role will be to initiate and teach pedagogy and a method for developing a culture of peace in all segments of society.
  • Operational
  • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies.
  • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    For over a century the Alāwi Sufi Order has worked for reconciliation, dialogue and universal fraternity among the members of the human family. UNESCO recognized the Order during its 37th General Conference held in November 2013 as "a school for religious tolerance and conviviality.”The youth and citizens of the world require an education towards a Culture of Peace in order to build a society based on core values. The mission of AISA NGO is to transmit a culture of peace through education, by creating the Muslim Scouts of France to promote diversity. Similar initiatives were created in other European countries.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In order to contribute to developing a culture of peace in all segments of society, AISA NGO has taken the initiative to open a House of Peace at Almere, in the Netherlands. It brings together the youth and the elderly from different cultures and backgrounds, around activities such as circle meetings, art, music, debate, exhibitions, films, games, education and farming and around themes such as: citizenship, building bridges, peace and spirituality, ecology, economy, architecture, arts and music. For more details about the initiative, consult the attached document.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The inauguration of the house was blessed on June 4, 2016 by communities from 8 different faiths, children from different nationalities as well as Sheikh Bentounes (initiator and founder) and by the Deputy Mayor of Almere. The House of Peace in Almere is unique and will probably lead to opening similar places in other countries. We are also looking for sponsors/partners to help us open schools in Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Germany, Canada and in other countries, in order to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies through education.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    The challenge regarding the House of Peace in Almere was to find a suitable site to build the house, and get financial support from local communities and municipalities. The Academy of Peace (a consortium of educational entities) requires the support of NGOs, educational organizations, governments and concerned UN commissions. For this reason, we invite interested organizations who have developed methods, pedagogies and other tools to promote culture of peace, to contact us.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    AISA NGO has initiated discussions with universities and experts in education to develop a global pedagogy for the culture of peace. Sheikh Bentounes has been invited to participate as a keynote speaker at the Summer University in Quebec, Canada, organized by Laval University on the theme “How to build a Culture of Peace and the role of religions in building peace”. The objective is to initiate a research chair in this field in 2018 and we are looking for sponsors and the participation of other stakeholders, academia and UNESCO.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Remain engaged and invest in stability', what would it be

    AISA NGO invites the Secretary General of the UN, the representatives of member states and non-governmental organizations and civil society, as well as academia and UNESCO to partner in the development of the Academy of Peace which will be a joint initiative of different schools and pedagogies.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Gender ☑ Religious engagement

  • Specific initiatives

    ☑Education Cannot Wait ☑ The Peace Promise

1D
Develop solutions with and for people

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility

  • AISA International commits to mobilize stakeholders to make the International Day of Peace (designated by the UN as 21 September) to be celebrated in cities and countries worldwide, making the day a shared vision of a common destiny and a joint movement recognized at the international level.


  • Partnership
  • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
  • AISA International contributes to the promotion of a culture of peace by facilitating a understanding of the following principles : gender equality, non-discrimination, the fight against poverty, and social and cultural progress. It firmly opposes fundamentalism and religious conflicts in order to build a world more just, more cooperative and more fraternal, in the service of mankind.
  • Policy
  • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

  • AISA International has taken the initiative with the Mediterranean Foundation for Sustainable Development in Algeria and MED 21 program in France to create the EMIR ABD EL KADER award for the promotion of living together and peaceful coexistence around the world.


  • Operational
  • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    UNESCO recognized the Alawi Sufi Order during its 37th General Conference held in November 2013 as "a school for religious tolerance and conviviality". However, as conflicts are driving suffering to unprecedented levels, more and more people, particularly the young, are calling for a change of paradigms. Humanity must react and move towards this available alternative: a society of « better living together » with all the values that fulfill this concept. Three commitments are proposed : Mobilize stakeholders to create the International Day of Peace and Better Living Together, Gender Equality, and EAK Award for the promotion of living together.

  • Achievements at a glance

    For more details on the achievements for the commitments, please consult the three documents attached.
    AISA NGO conducted a call for support of the International Day of Living Together within the civil society and received letters of support from organizations, artists, intellectuals from all over the world. In addition, AISA placed a petition on the web site and received approximately 100,000 signatures (online and paper copies). In October 2016, a delegation led by Sheikh Bentounes, the President of Honour at AISA International NGO has met several UN officials, including the President of the 71st General Assembly, NGOs in New York and Geneva to promote the initiative and has succeeded in obtaining support and commitment from several members of states and delegations. In Montreal, Sheikh Bentounes was a guest to the Mayor of Montreal and invited speaker at the experts table of the International Observatory of Mayors for living together.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    For the International Day, we established an internal team to manage the whole initiative and mobilize the national commissions and partners in all the different countries to reach the target of 1 million signatures from civil society, as well as obtaining further national support from personalities and UN organizations. We now have a UN member state ready to push the initiative and present it to the General Assembly. Sheikh Bentounes has been invited as a keynote speaker to the Human Rights Forum in New York by The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership on Women and the Veil.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    For the International Day, funding promotional material and communication tools was a considerable challenge plus the need to translate into different languages to reach out to civil society in various countries. The effort to mobilize stakeholders required extensive travel and accommodation for the team engaged in reaching out to UN organizations and member states. Women and Islam, Women and the veil, and Gender Equality in Muslim countries are major challenges. The major challenge encountered especially in the 2014 Congress was bringing together the progressive and the conservative feminists from different backgrounds to achieve a general consensus on gender issues.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Organize a workshop at UNESCO headquarters to obtain further signatures from NGOs and other stakeholders before seeking a resolution by member states during the next UN General Assembly in fall 2017. Continue the efforts and activities and achieve partnerships with other organizations on gender issues, especially for Muslim women. Due to limited resources, and considering the participation level for the Emir Abdelkader Prize Award, it is not possible for the team to organize a 2017 edition. The next ceremony for this award will be held in September 2018 in Algeria and we are seeking sponsors for this event.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Develop solutions with and for people', what would it be

    Best practice is needed to simplify the whole procedure and speed up the process in order to achieve the goal of this transformation: a resolution from the 72nd UN GA declaring the International Day of Peace and Living Together (September 21). Funding and sponsorships are required for all the commitments.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Gender ☑ Religious engagement

  • Specific initiatives

    ☑Charter for Faith-based Humanitarian Action ☑ The Peace Promise

Attachments

  • WHS Commitments Attachments
    Transformation - 1C | Religious engagement | Charter for Faith-based Humanitarian Action
  • WHS Commitments Attachments
    Transformation - 1D | Religious engagement | Charter for Faith-based Humanitarian Action