This afternoon, the slogan "Let’s make peace in the Middle East. Let’s rebuild hope” opens in Venice (until 27th September) the Third European Conference of the local bodies for peace in the Middle East, which will be attended for the first time by all the European institutions and organisations of local bodies, gathered with delegates of the Israeli and Palestinian local bodies, to discuss how the European cities may contribute to building peace in the Middle East. Promoted, among others, by the National coordination of the local bodies for peace and human rights, the Municipality and the Province of Venice, with several networks of European local institutions, sponsored by the European Parliament, the Conference aims, explain the promoters, at "outlining a veritable work-plan to be accomplished over the next two years". In the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the organisers of the Conference intend to revive the "diplomacy of the cities” and "thus strengthen the role and effective initiative of Europe". Under the agreement signed on November 27th 2007 in Annapolis by Mahmud Abbas and Ehud Olmert, peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians should be over by 2008. Info: www.cittaperlapace.it.
