The Regional Council of Veneto approves the petitionary motion for the international recognition of peace as a fundamental right of individuals and people

On 12 June 2014, the Regional Council of Veneto approved by large majority, just one abstention, a petitionary motion presented by Regional Councillor Isi Coppola and endorsed by all political groups’ leaders, which acclaims and supports the initiative of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, aiming to recognize peace as a fundamental human right of individuals and people.

At the same time, with the petitionary motion, the Regional Council calls the Parliament and the Italian Government for participating actively in the drafting process of the Declaration; it also calls the Italian Parliament and the Government for taking action within the Institutions of the European Union (Nobel Peace Prize 2012) and it calls on the Governments of the Member States to adopt a common position in favour of the initiative of the Human Rights Council and to make a proactive contribution to the preparation and drafting of the Declaration on the Right to Peace, in accordance with the principles and values affirmed in the Lisbon Treaty and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; it invites the Human Rights Commissions of the Italian Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies to start a hearing concerning the current debate on the recognition of the right to peace, asking the Government to report to the Parliament.

Finally, the Regional Council will join and ensure its active participation in the international campaign for the recognition of the human right to peace, promoted by the National Coordinating Body of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights, by the Human Rights Centre and by the UNESCO Chair "Human Rights, Democracy And Peace" of the University of Padua, and by the Peace Network PerugiaAssisi.