Peace and trade activists gather in Oslo
Posted by africanpress on May 15, 2008
Peace advocacy isn’t only something for diplomats and politicians, claim arrangers of a conference linking peace with trade to be held in Oslo Thursday. Among the participants: rocker Bob Geldof.
Bob Geldof has also been Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize awards, here with peace broker Erik Solheim, now a government minister. PHOTO: JARL FR. ERICHSEN / SCANPIX |
Also on the line-up are the Palestinian presidential adviser Nabil Shaath and former British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett.
The conference will be led by former UN peace envoy and development chief Jan Egeland, now head of the Norwegian foreign policy institute NUPI.
“Trade can often be used to dampen conflict,” said Egeland. “With the exception of oil, gold and diamonds, peace and trade are often connected.”
Eastern Europe’s integration with the west can also be linked to trade, as can Hong Kong’s role in opening up China, claim organizers.
The conference opens in the Oslo City Hall, site of the annual Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony, on Thursday. It’s being arranged by the Business for Peace Foundation in cooperation with the city of Oslo.
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