Paris, March 4 {No.99-38} - The "Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence," produced by a group of Nobel Peace Prize laureates - with the help of UNESCO, within the framework of preparations for the International Year for the Culture of Peace - in the year 2000 - was launched publicly in Paris today by Nobel Peace Prize laureates Mairead Corrigan Maguire (Northern Ireland), Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Guatemala) and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (Argentina) in the presence of UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor and numerous personalities.

The Manifesto is addressed to individuals and to civil society. It is to raise awareness among people around the world who, in signing the Manifesto, will commit themselves to adhere to the values of peace, tolerance and solidarity and undertake to translate the values, attitudes and modes of behaviour which underpin the culture of peace into daily action.

UNESCO, as the United Nations system co-ordinator for the preparation of the International Year for the Culture of Peace, has undertaken to disseminate the Manifesto 2000 all over the world. It is also launching a solemn appeal to all organisations, institutions and governments to adhere to the Manifesto. The aim of this undertaking is to collect 100 million signatures by the time of the United Nations millennium General Assembly in September 2000.

Here is the full text of the Manifesto:

The year 2000 must be a new beginning for us all. Together we can transform the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence. This demands the participation of everyone. It gives young people and future generations values that can inspire them to shape a world of dignity and harmony, a world of justice, solidarity, liberty and prosperity. The culture of peace makes possible sustainable development, protection of the environment and the personal fulfilment of each human being.

Recognizing my share of responsibility for the future of humanity, especially for today's children and those of future generations, I pledge - in my daily life, in my family, my work, my community, my country and my region - to:

1. respect the life and dignity of every person without discrimination or prejudice;

2. practise active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents;

3. share my time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression;

4. defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening rather than fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others;

5. promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet;

6. contribute to the development of my community, with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, in order to create together new forms of solidarity.