FROM TOTALITARIAN THINKING TO PEACE THINKING
ON THE WAY TO PEACE CULTURE IN RUSSIA

Presentation of Activities of Russian Peacekeeping Veterans to the 5th Northern European Conference
on Veteran Support "Collaboration with Young Generation"
(23 - 27 October 2006, Military Rest Centre, Rynia n/Warsaw, Poland)

Prepared by Dr.Valery Guerguel, director of Museum of Peacekeeping Operations, UN peacekeeping veteran (UNTSO, 1973-76)

 

Part 1. SPESIFIC FEATURES OF CHILDREN NGO

 

1.1. What is NGO of Children? Conditions for its Operation

1.1.1. NGO - a group of people united on the basis of common traditions, ideology (ideals), economic interests and religion beliefs to realize its interests in different forms of activities. NGO may be identified by its flag, specific uniforms and insignia.

NGO of youth - a group of young people of over 14 (18) years united on the basis of self-government and interested in joint activities in social, political and economic spheres to secure its common interests.

NGO of children - a group of children (scholars) and adults united on the basis of self government to realize its interests in professional orientation, physical and intellectual growing in different forms of activities. Ratio of children to adults is not less then 4:1.

1.1.2. What is necessary to have to provide operation and development of children NGO?
Children NGO functioning requires:

a) Positive (consolidating) ideas or/and a hero.
b) Money and accommodations.
c) Adult coordinators (leaders).
d) Educational technologies.
e) Plans and programs (including games and attracting events in spheres of sports, arts and social life).
f) Support or/and supervision of older generation (veterans and parents).
g) Support of official bodies (local authorities, regional or federal governments, international community)
e) Attracting uniforms, insignia, traditions and songs.

Note. Children NGO is to be out of politics.

Part 2. TYPES OF NGOs IN THE USSR AND IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATIONPES OF NGOs IHE USSR AND IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

2.1. Main types of NGOs in former Soviet Union. Cooperation of Veterans with Young Generation

Types of NGOs/ Characteristics & activities	Political Parties/ the Communist Party of the Soviet Union	NGO of Veterans of War and Labor	Communist Union of Youth /KOMSOMOL	All-Union Pioneer Organization	Other NGOs
1. Number of members	19 000 000	40 000 000	33 000 000	25 000 000	300 000
2. Consolidating idea (Bolshevist ideology)	+ (Code of Builder of Communism)	+	+	Oath of Pioneer	+
3. Cadres of Instructors	System of training of Party instructors at Party schools	System of WW2 veteran experience exchange	System of training of youth instructors	System of training of Pioneer guides	+
4. Ladder for development of cadres	From Pioneer leader (scholars of 10-14 years) to Youth/KOMSOMOL leader (14-28 years), then to member of the Communist Party (from 18 years) and to the Veteran of Labor (from 60 years)
5. Support of Government	+	+	+	+	+
6. Forms of Activities
6.1. Ideological Training	Party Meetings, political briefings	Veteran meetings, political briefings	KOMSOMOL meetings, political briefings	Pioneer meetings	Political briefings
6.2. Ceremonies (parades) on the occasion of international, national and communist holydays	+	+	+	+	+
6.3. Others	Evening Universities of Marxism-Leninism, Party literature and newspapers	Experience exchange sessions, museums of combat glory, publication of memoirs, organization of mourning ceremonies	Evening universities of Culture, organization of exhibitions, museums, publication of newspapers and books	Pioneer wall papers at schools, organization of Pioneer museums (corners), meetings with WW2 veterans, pioneer summer camps	Struggle for peace
7. Veteran support of Party, KOMSOMOL and Pioneer' activities	Meetings of veterans with Party members		Lectures (classes) of Bravery at institutions, schools and summer camps, assistance in organization of school museums of Combat Glory, awarding with badges and certificats	Classes of Bravery at schools and summer camps, assistance in organization of school museums of Combat Glory, awarding with badges and certificats	+
8. Party, KOMSOMOL and Pioneer support of veterans	Invitation of veterans to classes and ceremonies to be organized by Party		Invitation of veterans to classes and ceremonies to be organized at schools and institutions	Invitation of veterans to classes and ceremonies to be organized at schools	+

2. 2. Forms of Activities and Types of NGOs in Russia by 1998

Note: There were no the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the KOMSOMOL as well as domination of Marxist-Leninist thinking in politics, economy and culture.

Types of NGOs/ Characteristics & activities	Political Parties/ the CPRF, "Our Home is Russia", Liberal democrats, Yabloko and many others	NGO of Veterans of War and Labor	NGOs of Youth (a few hundreds in number)	NGOs of children (a few thousands in number)	Other NGOs
1. Total number of members	Appr. 2 000 000 - 3 000 000 (CPRF - 380 000 members)	40 000 000	Appr.100-150 000	Up to 1 000 000	Up to 100 000
2. Consolidating idea (Bolshevist ideology)	- (+only with CPRF)	-	-	-	-
3. Cadres of Instructors	- (+only with CPRF)	+ WW2 veteran experience exchange	-	-	-
4. Ladder for development of cadres	-	-	-	-	-
5. Support of Government	-	+ (partial support)	-	- (Sometimes regional government support)	-
6. Forms of Activities
6.1. Ceremonies (parades) on the occasion of international, national and other holydays	+	+	+	+	+
6.2. Others	Organization of party forums, exhibitions, museums, publication of newspapers, books and web-sites	Experience exchange sessions, organization of museums of glory, publication of memoirs and books, organization of mourning ceremonies	Organization of exhibitions, museums, publication of books, newspapers, web-sites	Pioneer wall papers at schools, organization of museums (corners)	Struggle for peace activities
7. Veteran support of Party, KOMSOMOL and Pioneer' activities	Meetings with members of parties		Classes of Bravery	Classes of Bravery at schools (camps), assistance in organization of school museums of Combat Glory	Meetings with members of NGOs
8. Children and Youth NGOs support of veterans	Invitation of veterans to classes and ceremonies to be organized by Party		Invitation of WW2 veterans to institutions, assistance in compiling the Book of Memory	Invitation of WW2 veterans to schools, assistance in compiling the Book of Memory

Part 3. SOVIET AND RUSSIAN NGOs OF PEACEKEEPING VETERANS

3.1. Soviet and Russian NGOs of UN Peacekeeping Veterans

Name of NGO	Time of Operation	Founders/coordinators	Notes
Peacekeeper's section of the UN Association of the Soviet Union	1990-1992	Vladimir Zakharov Alexander Ryzhov Grigory Kovrizhenko	15-20 members
Interregional public organization "UN Peacekeepers Club"	1991-1993	Guerman Pimenov Valery Guerguel	Up to 100 members
Solnechnogorsk section of UN Peacekeepers Club	1993-2006	Valery Guerguel	1. It was reregistered as Union of Peacemakers in 1997 2. It established the Museum of Peacekeeping Operations in 1993
Museum of Peacekeeping Operations	1993-2006	Valery Guerguel Vladimir Zakharov, Anatoly Isaenko, Eugene Komlyakov
Interregional public organization "Russian Association of the Veterans in UN Peacekeeping Missions"	29 July, 1998-2006	Nikolai Belik (President 1998-2000) Mikhail Ermolaev (Vice-President 1998-2000)	1. Includes Moscow and St-Petersburg sections. 2. Sergei Lavrov as President and Victor Tarusin as Vice President since 2000
Moscow regional public organization "Union of Peacemakers"	1993-2006	Valery Guerguel	It was known as Solnechnogorsk section of UN Peacekeepers Club 1993-1997
Council of Peacekeeping Veterans of the Ministry of Interior of Russia	2002-2006	Vladimir Rusakov	19 members in 2002
Movement of Young Peacemakers and Schools of Peace	1998-2006	Valery Guerguel, Vladimir Zakharov, Anatoly Isaenko, Eugene Komlyakov, Samir Al Jijakli, Alexander Gorelik, Alexey Nikolenko, Yuri Shishaev, Valdimir Pavisky, Marina Shirshova, Ilya Zarouba,; schools principals and coordinators of 60 Schools of Peace	Over 1 500 members (children - 1300, adults - 200); Over 60 Schools of Peace (both secondary schools and NGOs); Museum of Peacekeeping Operations and other NGOs

 

3.2. Projects of Soviet and Russian NGOs of Peacekeeping Veterans

Name of NGO	Projects and Activities	Coordinators	Notes
Peacekeeper's section of the UN Association of the Soviet Union	1. Session on exchange of peacekeeping experience (1991)	Vladimir Zakharov, Alexander Ryzhov	20 members
Interregional public organization "UN Peacekeepers Club"	1. Conference "UN Peacekeeping Operations: Problems and Experience" (Moscow, 11-12 Apr., 1993 and Solnechnogorsk, 23-24 Nov., 1993)	Guerman Pimenov, Valery Guerguel	Over 150 participants incl. Lt-Gen Ensio Siilasvuo (Finland), Brig-Gen Englund (Sweden), Lt-General A.S. Kulikov (Commander of Interior Forces of Russia) and Col. N.F. Arinakhin (Peacekeeping Department, Russia)
	2. International seminar and role game on problems of Russia in the field of UN peacekeeping (Moscow 1993)		Over 40 participants
	3. The book "In the Service of Peace 1973-1992" (Moscow, May 1993)		List of 600 names of Soviet and Russian UNMOs and troops
Solnechnogorsk section of UN Peacekeepers Club (Union of Peacemakers since 1999)	1. Project "Museum of Peacekeeping Operations" (1993-2006)	Valery Guerguel, Vladimir Zakharov, Anatoly Isaenko, Eugene Komlyakov	Museum was organized at the proposal of participants of the conference "UN Peacekeeping Operations: Problems and Experience
Interregional NGO "Russian Association of the Veterans in UN Peacekeeping Missions"	1. Draft National Peacekeeping Concept (2000)	Sergei Lavrov, Victor Tarusin	The draft was presented to the first Deputy of Chief the General Staff of the RF Col.Gen. V.L. Manilov (2000)
	2. Charity Fund of Veterans in the UN Peacekeeping Missions (2001)	Victor Tarusin	Purpose of the fund - social support of peacekeepers and their families
Museum of Peacekeeping Operations	1. International Forum "Ecological Security and Peacekeeping in Euro-Asian Space" (Moscow, May 1995). Co-organizers: Russian Ministry of Ecology, Federation of Peace and Accord and others	Valery Guerguel, Vladimir Zakharov, Anatoly Isaenko, Eugene Komlyakov, Tatyana Romanova	Over 200 participants representing 120 ecological NGOs which adopted Public Environmental Code
	2. The memorial book of Soviet and Russian UN peacekeepers: a) "In the Service of Peace. 1973-1992" (Moscow, May 19930; b) "In the Service of Peace. 1973-2000" (Moscow, June 2000); c) The book "In the Service of Peace. 1973-2003" (Moscow, 2004)	Valery Guerguel, Guerman Pimenov, Yuri Bogomolov, Alexander Borisov	a) List of 500 names of Soviet and Russian UNMOs and troops. b) List of 800 names of Soviet and Russian UNMOs and CivPols b) List of over 2 000 names of Soviet and Russian UNMOs and CivPols incl. list of Russian peacekeepers perished 1973-2003
	3. Exhibitions: a) "On the Service of Peace and Humanism" at Federation of Peace and Accord, Moscow, 18-20 May b) UN Peacekeeping: In the Service of Peace" Moscow, Oct 18-28, 1995 c) "UN Peacekeeping: 1948-1996" at Moscow House of Europe Oct. 24, 1996 d) "UN Peacekeeping Operations: Yesterday and Today" at Moscow Mayer Office, Dec. 19-20, 1998 e) "Museum of Peacekeeping Operations" at "Vystrel" Military Academy, Solnechnogorsk, 1996-2003 f) "Russian UN Museum to the 60-th anniversary of the UN", at Solnechnogorsk Historical Museum, Aug 2004-Feb.2005	Valery Guerguel, Samir Al Jijakly, Aleksei Nikolenko, Ilya Zarouba, Ludmila Imennova
	4. Website "Museum of Peacekeeping Operations"( 1999-2006)	Valery Guerguel
	5. "Voice of Peacemakers" bulletin (2001-2006)	Council of Veterans of Museum of PKO
	6. Website "Peace Education Net of Schools of Peace"( 2002-2006)	Valery Guerguel
Council of Peacekeeping Veterans of the Ministry of Interior of Russia	1. Conference on Peacekeeping organized on the occasion of the 10-th anniversary of Russian Civpol participation in UN Peacekeeping (April 2002) 2. The memorial book "In the Service of Peace. Civpols"	Vladimir Rusakov, Denis Tikhomirov, Yuri Bogomolov, Alexander Borisov and others	In collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of Russia (over 100 participants) incl. guests from the Ukraine
Movement of Young Peacemakers and Schools of Peace	1. "Model of UN Peacekeeping" project (1998-2002) 2. Parades at the International Peace-Day (1999-2006) 3. Celebration (parades) of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers (2002-2006) 4. Decade of Volunteer Deeds, Dec.1-10 (1999-2005) 5. Spring Peacemaking Action, Apr.15-May.15 (2000-2006) 6. Festival of Russian Sports, March (2001-2006) 7. Contest of drawings and essays "Blue Beret" (2001) 8. Campaign "Stop Violence on TV screen" 9. Contest of Songs about Peace and Peacemakers (Jan.-Mar.2004) 10. Contest "New Songs about Peace" (Jan.-Apr.2006) 11. National Contest "UN Peacekeeper of the Year" (2004-2006) 12. Contest "Young Peacemaker of the Year" (2006) 13. "Library of Peace" project	Valery Guerguel, Alexander Gorelik, Vladimir Zakharov, Anatoly Isaenko, Eugene Komlyakov, Alexey Nikolenko, Ilya Zarouba, Marina Shirshova, Yulia Vlasova, Zarafshan Isaev, Svetlana Volkova; principals and coordinators of over 60 Secondary Schools of Peace	Over 1 500 members (children - 1400 and adults - 100); 60 Schools of Peace (both secondary schools and NGOs)

Part 4. PEACE THINKING AS AN IDEOLOGY

4.1. Mile Stones of Global Peace Thinking

4.2. Development of Peace Thinking and Peace Education by NGOs in Russia

4.3. Contribution of Peacekeeping Veterans into Development of Peace Thinking and Peace Education in Russia

Part 5. COLLABORATION OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING VETERANS WITH YOUNG GENERATION

5.1. Activities of Veterans and Young Generation in Fields of Peace Education and Association with the United Nation

Part 6. CHILDREN NGOs OF MOSCOW CITY

Note: There are from 4 to 5 thousands of children NGOs in Moscow, most of which have no fixed membership.

6.1. Principal Characteristics of Largest Children NGOs of Moscow

Part 7. CONCLUSIONS

7.1. Reserves for Development of Veteran Collaboration with Young Generation

1. Better use of potentials of the United Nations (funding by UN, touring of UN missions by veterans with children singers and dancers)
2. Wider cooperation with World UN Association.
3. Coordination of activities of peacekeeping veterans of different countries.
4. Cooperation of international veterans with Scout Movement, Movement of Pioneers and other international children NGOs.

7.2. Possible Steps for Strengthening Veteran Collaboration with Young Generation in Support of the United Nations

I. In Field of Cooperation

1. International Internet Round Table "Activities of NGOs on the Occasion of the 60-th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping" (to be marked May 29, 2008).
2. Establishment of national and world organizing committees for the celebration of the 60-th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping.
3. Development of national and world plans for the celebration of the 60-th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping.
4. World conference of UN peacekeepers and leaders of international children NGOs.

II. In Field of Peace Thinking

1. Organization of World Conference on Peace Education
2. Adoption of Draft Convention on Peace Education by UNESCO or GA of the UN
3. Development of National Plans for peace education concepts in country members of the UN