International
Association of Peace Messenger Cities, General Assembly
Abidjan, Ivory Coast: April 2-6, 2009
I was fortunate enough to again be able to represent the City
of Cambridge at the annual Executive Board
meeting of the IAPMC which was held in Abidjan,
Ivory Coast.
The meeting was attended by 21 delegates from 11 cities.
During the meeting I was able to present “the Cambridge Resolution on Gaza” to the Executive
Board for debate and encourage the other Executive Board members to adopt it as
a formal IAPMC resolution.
The Cambridge Resolution on Gaza
International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, General Assembly
Sochi, Russian Federation: October 11-14, 2008
I have again been asked to represent Cambridge City Councilor Marjorie Decker at
the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities (IAPMC) General Assembly
meeting which will be held this year in Sochi, Russian Federation.
The IAPMC is an organization which was born out of United Nations General
Assembly designation as Peace Messengers. The IAPMC firmly believes
that municipal authorities have profound responsibility to assume an active,
creative role in establishing a Culture of Peace within their borders.
Personally, not only does this event allow me the honor of representing Councilor Decker and furthering her will for the direction organization but also, with Councilor Decker's support, it allows me the opportunity
to further my work on prisoners' rights issues by presenting a proposed
Resolution to the IAPMC board in support of the United Nations' Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
Adopted Cambridge Resolution
International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, Executive Board Meeting
Suwon, S. Korea: April 22nd - 29th, 2008
I have been asked to represent Cambridge City Councilor Marjorie Decker
at the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities (IAPMC)
Executive Board meeting which will be held this year in Suwon, S. Korea.
The IAPMC is an organization which was born out of United Nations General
Assembly designation as Peace Messengers. The IAPMC firmly believes
that municipal authorities have profound responsibility to assume an active,
creative role in establishing a Culture of Peace within their borders.
European Prison Tour
February 11th - March 31st, 2008
writing a book on the project, I have recently completed a 50-day,
eleven country, European tour of governmental and non-
governmental organizations that operate in the criminal justice and
human/prisoners’ rights fields. I am currently working on articles
and a book based on my interviews and observations and I will also
propose a Resolution for prisoners' right to freedom from torture
and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
at the 2008 International Association of Peace Messenger Cities' Executive Board meeting in Suwon S. Korea (see below for more information).
As part of this European study I met with representatives of the following:- Penal Reform International - London, UK
- Kings College, Center for International Prison Studies – London, UK
- Friends World Committee, Quaker Prison Ministry Program – London, UK
- Howard League for Penal Reform – London, UK
- Prison Reform Trust - London, UK
- Prison Health Care Practitioners - Buckinghamshire, UK
- Scottish Prison Service - Edinburgh, Scotland
- Prison Fellowship Norge - Sarpsborg, Norway
- Sarpsborg Prison, Sarpsborg, Norway
- Norwegian Parliament; Christian Democratic Party, Justice Committee and Ministry of Finance – Oslo, Norway
- European Prison Education Association - Tallinn, Estonia
- Murru Prison – Estonia
- Ministry of Justice; The Criminal Policy Department and the Social Welfare Division, Department of Prisons - Tallinn, Estonia
- Latvia State Probation Services – Riga, Latvia
- Latvian Center for Human Rights - Riga, Latvia
- European Prison Education Association - Daugavpils, Latvia
- Daugavpils Prison - Daugavpils, Latvia
- Grivas Prison - Daugavpils, Latvia
- Penal Reform International - Bucharest, Romania
- Penal Justice Reform - Bucharest, Romania
- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Strategic Police Matters Unit - Vienna, Austria
- UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute - Turin, Italy
- Association for the Prevention of Torture – Geneva, Switzerland
- Prison Fellowship International, Europe – Lausanne, Switzerland
- Max Planck Institute for Foreign & International Criminal Law - Freiberg, Germany
- Council of Europe, Committee for the Prevention of Torture - Strasbourg, France
- Innocent In Prison Project International - Moisburg, Germany
- Defense for Children International – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Prison Watch – Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Dutch Probation Service, Foreign Liaison Office - Utrecht, The Netherlands
Cambridge People-to-People Delegation to the West Bank
Isreal/Palestine: November 19th - December 5th 2007
I joined members of the Cambridge Peace Commission as part of a delegation to the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank. The purpose of the delegation was to promote "People-to-People" relationships in an effort of public diplomacy. While there I also be visited Jerusalem, Haifa, and Nazareth. Please see below for my post-delegation impression of the project, articles about the trip, as well as links to other delegates' websites.
The Spirit of the West Bank (by Omar Bandar)
Boston Globe Article (The Boston Globe, December 23, 2007)
Delegate Response to Above Globe Article (The Boston Globe, December 30, 2007)
"Peace Matters: Mideast trip has group ready to share stories" (The Cambridge Chronicle, December 31, 2007)
"Cambridge group visits conflict torn Bethlehem" (The Cambridge Chronicle, January 14, 2008)
Delegation Links:
Delegate Skip Schiel's Blog and Photographs (1); Photographs (2); Photographs (3)
Delegate Grove Harris' Website
Cambridge Peace Commission's Website
Cambridge Neighborhood Safety Task Force
August 2nd - December 6th, 2007
I coordinated the Neighborhood Safety Task Force for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts. This 
experience allowed me the opportunity to build upon and provide my opinion about youth violence and other community-debilitating crime. Below are excerpts from the Final Report which can be viewed in its entirety here - Cambridge Neighborhood Safety Task Force Final Report.
Executive Summary Overview:
In August 2006, the Cambridge City Council issued a policy order to convene a task force charged with studying the problem of violent crime (particularly youth violence) in the city and to present recommendations for effective responses. From August to December of 2007 the Neighborhood Safety Task Force analyzed the causes and effects of violent crime in Cambridge and examined a wide range of potential responses by city agencies, non-governmental organizations, community groups, individual citizens, and others. The Task Force examined anecdotal and statistical data on the nature of the violent crime problem in our city, consulted with experts, reviewed professional and research literature, and held dozens of meeting of subcommittees and the full Task Force. Perhaps more importantly, the Task Force received input from hundreds of Cambridge residents about the nature of the problems we face and how best to solve them. The recommendations for action described in this report represent the consensus opinion of the Task Force members that resulted from this intensive and comprehensive process. The organization and activities of the Task Force and its key recommendations are presented in detail in the body of the Task Force Final Report.
Task Force Membership:
The Cambridge Neighborhood Safety Task Force was co chaired by Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves and City Manager Robert W. Healy, and was comprised of 52 core members representing a cross-section of Cambridge business owners and residents, youth advocates, the clergy, university staff, members of the Cambridge City Council, and a broad array of professionals from law enforcement, public health, public housing, and workforce development. A staff member of Abt Associates, a private research firm based in Cambridge, was appointed to (a) facilitate monthly Task Force Meetings; (b) guide the Task Force toward production of the final report; (b) coauthor the report; and (c) contribute subject matter expertise. Omar Bandar, Special Assistant to the Mayor, served as Task Force Coordinator.