Information about the Authors

Mr. David Adams is Senior Programme Specialist with the UNESCO Programme of Peace. Coming to UNESCO as a consultant in 1993, he was responsible for the initial development of the culture of peace proposal and is now in charge of conceptual and new programme development, training and evaluation.

Imtiaz Ahmed is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the editor of Theoretical Perspectives. He has written numerous articles and books, including State and Foreign Policy: India's Role in South Asia (1993) and forthcoming The Plight of the Environmental Refugees.

Chadwick F. Alger is Mershon Professor at the Ohio State University, US. He served as both President of the International Studies Association and Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA). His articles and books on peace research, the UN, grassroots movements, and nongovernmental organizations have been widely cited over the last several decades.

Magnus Haavelsrud is Professor at the Institute of Social Science, University of Tromosø, Norway. He served as Executive Secretary of the IPRA Peace Education Commission. Professor Haavelsrud is currently involved in various programs sponsored by UN Agency for Disarmament Affairs and the Education Council of Project Global 2000. His research includes the formation of peace and war concepts and the embryonic development of peace education.

Mr. Jose Ayala Lasso was appointed as the first United Nations High Commissior for Human Rights by the General Assembly in 1994. A national of Equador, Mr. Ayala Lasso also served as President of the Security Council during August 1991 and September 1992 as well as Chairman of the Security Council Committee on the former Yugoslavia in 1992. As former Minister for Foreign Affairs, he led the Ecuador delegation to numerous important international meetings, including the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, and "the Group of 77" conference.

Ms. Mirta Lourenço is Programme Specialist in the Culture of Peace Programme of UNESCO. Based in Paris, she is responsible for development of all national culture of peace programmes in Latin America. During the course of her missions in El Salvador, she has taken part personally in the process of executing the project which is described in this journal.

President Nelson Mandela was elected as the head of South Africa by popular vote. His struggle with the Apartheid regime inspired a global movement against racism and colonialism. President Mandela's policy for reconciliation, nonviolence, economic and social reform, and human rights has been widely supported both in South Africa and other parts of the world.

Bjørn Møller is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Institute of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, the editor of the International Research Newsletter, NOD & Conversion, and Senior Research Fellow at the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute (formerly, the Centre for Peace and Conflict Research). He is the author of several books on non offensive defence, including Resolving the Security Dilemma in Europe (1991), Common Security and Nonoffensive Defense (1992) and Dictionary of Alternative Defense (1995).

Mr. Francisco Lacayo Parajon is UNESCO Representative in El Salvador, where he has been in charge for UNESCO of the development of the National Culture of Peace Programme of El Salvador since its inception in 1993. He also consults frequently on the development of other national programmes for a culture of peace in Latin America.

Tetsu Sadotomo is Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Akita Keiho University, Japan. He has written articles and books in Japanese on grassroots movements, development and environment NGOs. Professor Sadotomo was also engaged in projects on community development across Asia.

Miles D. Wolpin is Professor of Political Science, State University of New York, Potsdam. He is an author of seven books, including Alternative Security and Military Dissent (1994) and America Insecure (1991). His research has focused on state repression, the impact of militarization on social welfare, and peace movements.