Appello importante

[rossana <rossana at comodinoposta.org>]

Ricevo e volentieri inoltro

Cari/e Amici/he,
vi pregio di aderire a questo importantissimo appello.
Molte grazie
Elio Pagani

----- Original Message ----- From: "Antonino Drago" <drago at unina.it>
To: "Elio Pagani" <elpagani at libero.it>; Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 
1:25 AM
Subject: appello


Cari amici,
invio un appello degli studenti per la sopravvivenza dell'unico corso di 
laurea di studi per la Pace esistente in Italia e nel quale insegno a 
contratto(gratuito).
Cari saluti
Antonino Drago


Petition to save the only Peace Studies university course in Italy:
the Pisa University's "Scienze per la Pace"

The university course in Pisa, the only one on peace studies existing 
any more in Italy, was set up to satisfy the lack of an international 
culture of peace. This culture started to grow after the second world 
war, when several institutions were created in northern Europe and the 
USA. Our studies, which are needed more and more, offer us the 
opportunity to find alternative, non-violent solutions to conflict 
resolution. Our interdisciplinary approach is fundamental for the 
analysis of what is happening in the world. In our opinion peace doesn't 
mean the mere absence of conflicts, it does mean active construction of 
a better reality. Therefore, the quest for peace is led by a scientific 
approach and a strategic study of various proposals and specific methods.

We think that our country needs a continuity of the non-violent culture 
of our philosophers and masters that are studied all over the world, 
such as Aldo Capitini, Danilo Dolci, Lanza dal Vasto, Lorenzo Milani, 
Tonino Bello, Ernesto Balducci. This cultural continuity must remain 
well-connected in the academic world of the Italian university. Teaching 
and training are necessary to avoid the decline of non-violent 
philosophy, culture and experiences. Our course is based on them and we 
think they are the only tools for a real change in our society. If 
Scienze per la Pace ceased to exist, the will to defend democratic 
institutions either in Italy or in the rest of the world without using 
arms would be even weaker than now. Peace studies must be included and 
must have equal dignity with any other university course. The Italian 
University needs a thorough course of peace studies to create new 
cognitive and ethical foundations for politics . A peaceful one.

We are in an Italian and European context which is daily more and more 
more deaf to the voices on the other side of Mediterranean Sea. The 
economic and financial crisis show us that an alternative development 
model is urgently needed. For some time now fierce attack on culture in 
our country has been in act, an attack on any different voice and 
dissonant idea. The word "peace" is losing its sense in our society. But 
there were some in Pisa who were able to start up this different school. 
Today this course is in danger of being halved, frustrating its 
purposes, its project. There are several reasons: from the government's 
cuts to the lack of any real support inside the university for the 
existence of this course, which does not fit into the normal scheme of 
things.

Students who have got their Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree over the 
years, and those who are going to graduate soon, will be condemned to 
being simple witnesses of this university course. The University and 
Municipality of Pisa (which likes to describe itself as a "peace 
municipality"), have praised themselves in the past for the prestige 
that our course gave them, but now they are abandoning us. We, the 
students, are standing as the only defence of this cultural heritage. We 
want to give concreteness to what we study by struggling without 
violence, so this course will not closed nor halved. Completeness of 
studies is the guarantee of a serious and scientific approach to our 
research.

Power will always be afraid of criticism. But if our voices join 
together, if there are large numbers of us and if we can convince those 
who take the decisions that this course is necessary, we are sure we 
will be able to hold off the threat.

To support us send a mail to salvascienzeperlapace at gmail.com or sign the 
on-line petition : …

Signed by the Students Assembly of Scienze per la Pace
Pisa, 25th September 2009