Defeating many unthinkable hurdles, the local hosting team integrated by a bunch of hardworking volunteers finally achieved a successful meeting at Palma, from 21 to 24 April.

The Minutes of the GA 2016 starts with this statement: “Previous unavoidable engagements, lack of Treasury funds to finance travel expenses, last moment denial of visas to Spain/EU, and fear of terrorist attacks are some of the given reasons from absent members. These could explain why fewer members than usual are present at Palma, and the innovation of online participation at General Assemblies.”

Nonetheless, twelve members participated, by alphabetical order: Ali Elzubair Ahmed (Sudan), Ahmed Abdeltam Bedreddin (Sudan), Ahmed Aljowder Shimami (Bahrain), Alejandra Cerutti Jacob (Spain), Osman Elkheir (Sudan), Øystein Grønning (Norway), Andrés Margenet Cáceres (Spain), Oscar Margenet Nadal (Spain), Kristina Nikolovska (Macedonia), Apollinaire Salumu Kitenge M’ba (RD Congo), Benjamin Spencer (USA, online from Cambodia) and Jaime Alzérreca Pérez (online from Bolivia).

Fifteen reports in total were submitted to the GA: nine (9) from member organizations and six (6) from member individuals.

The GA sessions were pursued by all members in their hotel lounge at evenings. These chats allowed extra reflection time on every issue under discussion before decision making time.

Supported on notes taken by the two young colleagues elected as GA Secretaries, namely Kristina Nikolovska and Ahmed Abdeltam, the Secretariat Reports took some time before completion.

The application for membership of two associations impacted the GA sessions. Thus, ARC•PEACE Ibero America, founded on September 2015, took a key participation at organizing the GA 2016 and parallel events. They put together a complete programme with no practical help from any other organization. ARC•PEACE Secretariat and local authorities supported them both, logistically and morally. The teamwork was publicly recognized several times.

Another free of charge venue, for ASF Int own Challenging Seminar, was made available thanks to the Mallorcan officers, in spite of being requested just before the event.

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Right: Alejandra Cerutti Jacob presented the

report from the Ibero America

regional chapter.

Happy news: RD Congo became

the 3rd African associate member!

Apollinaire Salumu Kitenge M’ba (left) submitted a well drafted Charter, which Oscar was asked to translate from French.

He later briefed the GA and recommended its approval. As a result, and once they complied by paying current subscription fee, the GA decided to welcome both new members into ARC•PEACE. With these new chapters our NGO has now ten full member organizations: not bad at all in

view of global circumstances!

(Continues on Page 3)

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Africa and Ibero America bring two new chapters into ARC•PEACE Enjoying free of charge venues, online connections with members from Asia and Latin America, support from

local and provincial authorities, plus valuable rural and urban tours enhanced host’s teamwork.

Left: Kristina, Apollinaire (Board Member representing ARC•PEACE Republic Democratic of Congo), Øystein, Ahmed (Board Member representing ARC•PEACE Sudan, Oscar, Andy, Osman and Ali.

Photographer Ahmed Al-Jowder and Alejandra

completed the GA board.

Left: one of the sessions when Ben and Jaime were both connected online. The meetings were held at a Municipal Cultural Centre, free of charge.

Known as Flassaders Centre, this old textile factory is listed as a historical building,

P a g e 2 A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6

Manuel Moreno (left) Spanish - Portuguese speaking group representative, sent his regrets.

Invited by Dr. Gabriel Horrach Estarellas - the Municipal Director of Urbanism and cofounder of ARC•PEACE Iberoamérica - Øystein Grønning and Oscar Margenet Nadal visited his office soon after the GA.

Mr. Joan Riera - the Department General Manager – joined in and took part of the dialogue over more than 90 minutes. Mr. Riera had once visited Oslo, so there was an interesting exchange with Øystein on current urban tendencies around the Norwegian capital city. Valuable information and ideas on current urban challenges and the New Urban Agenda issues were aired with enthusiasm.

ARC•PEACE XXXº Anniversary was also considered. Next year celebration should include a programme to attract the attention of public and private sectors linked to the insular tourism at times of much needed sustainability. Due to her history and much privileged geography, Palma city was seen as the Mediterranean hinge between North and South.

Other key challenges were pondered which are responsibility of both public and private sectors, like: relationship between tourism (Mallorcan and Balearic main source of income), urban trends, migration flows, social-spatial clashes, port commercial activity, sea sustainability, and the Serra Tramuntana heritage of Humanity, declared on its landscape value by UNESCO, on June 2011.

The spirit of cooperation was evident and all four participants promised to select main topics to become core of joint programme.

Right: Roman Empire and Medieval architectural remains are observed during the GA 2016 tour on the ancient city of Palma.

More recently, another meeting was held with the Director of Urbanism with the participation of Board members Manuel Moreno (Honduras), Natalia Dulcey Garrido (Colombia), Alejandra Cerutti Jacob, Rosa del Carmen Nieves (Argentina), and Oscar Margenet Nadal (Below pictures).

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The replacement of sea side resorts’ aging equipment (above pictures) was also analysed. One strong possibility is the use of local renewable materials like cane (similar to bamboo) to replace actual wooden constructions.

Another project is the recovery of natural wetlands which were destined for building developments in spite of neighbor’s firm rejection.

Ms Juana Canet, a busy local private architect, also participates in meetings called at time of editing present Newsletter. She is an expert in bamboo constructions. Juana and Natalia recently met at Madrid and decided to cooperate with above referred to projects.

(All photos taken by the Editor)

(From Page 2)

Palma: sustainable urban hinge North-South A series of public-private joint activities give opportunity for participation to many ARC•PEACE members.

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 3

Attracted by the news that international architects were gathering at Palma, Mr. Freddy Arellano Ruiz - the general consul of Ecuador in Balearic Islands - met Øystein Grønning, Osman Elkheir and this Editor at the hotel where the two Vice Secretaries were staying last April.

The group engaged in a very interesting exchange of information with both and the consul left a dossier with official information on the situation.

There was an agreement to present sustainable projects in bamboo for rapid reconstruction of Ecuador’s coastal holiday resorts and other community areas which were completely destroyed.

Being an important source of income employing numerous Ecuadoreans, ARC•PEACE action will mean a significant contribution to recover Ecuador’s local economies, a few months before Habitat III summit at Quito.

First decision from the GA members was to start calling on colleagues with some expertise in bamboo constructions.

The Secretary sent out letters and got positive answers from Natalia Dulcey Garrido (Colombia), Jaime Alzérreca Pérez (Bolivia), Luz María Sánchez Hernández (Peru) and Manuel Moreno (Honduras). Natalia Dulcey –visiting Madrid at the time - flew to Palma to know more of the project before becoming part of the work team. She had a series of meetings.

Above: Natalia and Oscar seen in dialogue at ARC•PEACE Secretariat.

Above: a strong image of deep pain and solidarity facing horror. Right: a map showing the seism centre and its expanded area.

Letters were also sent to the Lady Major of GAD San Vicente, one of most affected areas in Ecuador, and other national authorities.

Manuel Moreno also came from Valencia to participate in the work sessions. Both, Natalia and Manuel were a decisive help to upgrade and complete the ARC•PEACE ‘Rebuilding Lives’ project. A proposal was sent to NED (National Endowment for Democracy) applying for financial support.

Thanks to Natalia’s connections a series of Skype chats with INBAR (International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, www.inbar.int) were held with Mr. Alvaro Cabrera and Mrs. Paulina Soria (photo below).

She is INBAR’s Acting Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean. She lives and works in Quito, and is asking local authorities to include the use of bamboo in the building regulations.

Due to her full-time engagement Paulina is in contact with ‘Hogar de Cristo’, a religious organization specialized in community work. Their main activity is to help low income families to build their homes using Bamboo.

The initiative under consideration is the possibility for networking between Ecuador and Spain on issues related to the use of this natural resource. INBAR’s solid expertise and the architectural & urban knowledge and practical experience from ARC•PEACE members should create the necessary synergy at times of helping victims of natural disasters.

At closing this NL edition, Ms. Juana Canet Roselló, a private practitioner and rewarded architect from Mallorca (right) is about to join this promising team work.

Besides, it is another proof of the historical support given to gender issues by ARC•PEACE.

Helping victims after Ecuador earthquakes ARC•PEACE is currently engaged in projects for rebuilding critical community areas where the seism caused almost total destruction

Above: state of some central area’s reinforced concrete buildings after the seism.

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 4

“America’s future security must begin with a clear-eyed reassessment of the costs, trade-offs, and dangers of the trillion dollar plan Washington is undertaking to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons complex. That reassessment should include an effort to eliminate the new nuclear cruise missile. The United States current nuclear forces are excessive.

With over 5,000 deployed, and stockpiled nuclear weapons and thousands more awaiting dismantlement, we have a nuclear force stacked with redundancy. The “nuclear triad” that we would use to deliver these weapons consists of over 400 land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles on high alert and undetectable nuclear ballistic submarines, each armed with two types of warheads. We also deploy nuclear gravity bombs that could be delivered from bombers or fighter aircraft, and air-launched nuclear cruise missiles. In addition, the United States maintains non-deployed nuclear weapons that act as an additional hedge to our deployed nuclear weapons, along with thousands of nuclear components and, of course, the ability to build even more nuclear weapons.

The truth is that the United States can retain a credible nuclear deterrent with significantly fewer nuclear weapons and fewer delivery systems, at a fraction of the cost. Instead, and with little debate, Congress has embarked on a plan to modernize all of these systems and increase these capabilities at an estimated total cost of $1 trillion over 30 years.

The Republican majority recently described them as our national security priority and “the foundation of all our defense efforts” in its security strategy.

That plan means purchasing new nuclear weapons production facilities and labs, refurbishing warheads, land-based ballistic missiles, ballistic missile submarines, building new strategic bombers and nuclear-capable fighter aircraft, and, to top it all off, a new nuclear cruise missile.

These expenses will soon constitute a huge proportion of the U.S. defense budget: Yearly nuclear modernization costs will soon balloon and then more than double in the ensuing years, requiring at least $40 billion annually between 2024 and 2036, or nearly 10 percent of defense costs.

That is an enormous problem that we are unprepared to handle. The comptroller of the Department of Defense has called the cost of nuclear modernization “the biggest acquisition problem we don’t know how to solve yet.” Brian McKeon, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, stated that the Pentagon is “wondering how the heck we’re going to pay for it,” and that current leadership is “thanking our stars we won’t be here to have to answer the question.”

What’s more, this nuclear investment would actually undermine U.S. security by driving an emerging global nuclear arms race, undercutting American credibility in the pursuit of nuclear nonproliferation.

Indeed, over the past few years,

Russia and China have been modernizing their nuclear deterrents. Much of their spending is meant to assure the relevance of their deterrents and offset conventional military deficiencies. That doesn’t mean that the Pentagon must counter these new Russian and Chinese investments; America already has a reliable, credible nuclear deterrent.

We must be careful to avoid creating incentives for a self-fulfilling cycle that heightens the risk of using atomic weapons.

To avoid going down this road and to ensure that we maintain the capabilities we need, we should cancel redundant systems such as the development of the Long-Range Standoff Weapon, which I proposed reducing funding for this week in a defense appropriations amendment; adopt substantial cuts to our nuclear arsenal, which could save tens of billions of dollars; and increase accountability and transparency by requiring the Defense Department to submit a 25-year plan for nuclear deterrent modernization to explain how it plans to manage these costs.

Now is the time for serious oversight and a realistic approach to these issues in order to stop an emerging arms race and avoid wasting billions of dollars we cannot afford.”

Editor’s brief from the original article at: http://www.realcleardefense.com

America Already Has More Than Enough Nuclear Missiles

“Republicans are pushing a $1 trillion nuclear modernization program, which would not only bankrupt the Pentagon but could spark a global nuclear arms race”, said Rep. Adam Smith on June 17, 2016.

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 5

May be not many people knows that ARC•PEACE was born as IADPPNW (International Architects Designers Planners for Prevention of Nuclear War); also that our Newsletter usually brings material advocating the elimination of weaponry industry and conversion of war budgets into peaceful programmes for the common well, education for self sustainability, responsible social and economical development and health care for the most needy.

Furthermore, Dick Urban Vestbro keeps contributing on this subject quite often. He sent the material on Obama's visit to Japan produced by GLOBAL ZERO movement.

“Today President Obama made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima. At Peace Memorial Park, he once again brought the world’s attention to his vision -- to ‘eliminate the existence of nuclear weapons’ – says Ms Samantha Meyer, GZ acting Deputy Campaign Director.

After stating their contribution to this achievement, Ms Meyer adds: “we delivered tens of thousands of Global Zero petition signatures to White House officials, urging the president to make plans during his visit to stand down nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert and prevent a disaster like Hiroshima from ever happening again.

Unfortunately, President Obama failed to announce any concrete plans (to reduce nuclear threats)

during his speech this morning.

Simply making a speech about nuclear weapons is not enough.

We need rhetoric to be backed up with action, because the serious threat posed by nuclear weapons will not end until our leaders take steps to completely eliminate them” - rounded up Ms Meyer.

This Editor highly estimates some comments from our Board member Ryoichi Shuto, from Japan. He emailed the Secretariat:

“Thank you for sending the message of Global Zero. I saw the web address of the article concerning the speech of President Obama in Japan Times.

Some people insist that they can only accept the apology of the president.

However, the action of the US President is worth regarding in my opinion; because no previous US presidents have ever visited Hiroshima or Nagasaki and many of them have believed that the use of the atomic bomb against Japan was politically correct.

It is more difficult for an active president of the United States to make such a decision than what we imagine.

Most improvements progress only gradually. So Mr. Obama's action is a really important step to the abolition of nukes.

I think that the reason why this was achieved is because the grass roots activities in US influenced on Presidents decision. It is NOT a final goal but the first step to finalize all form of wars and violence. I really expect that this stream gains momentum with realistic views.

It is essential for us to think and study how to take steps to non nuke world practically. I have not had sufficient knowledge to progress in concrete activity. However, I continue my small activity for elimination of brutal conflicts with arms.”

Our Co-Chair, Bijay Misra stepped in and, answering Ryo, says:

“I also think Obama's visit to Hiroshima is in itself an important global event. Not apologizing as perhaps many Japanese wanted him to do is fully understandable because of political ramifications at home. Notwithstanding Obama's speech reaffirmed the need for abolition of all nuclear arsenal for survival of mankind.

We all feel and think like yourself about nuclear industry at ARC•PEACE. It has been proved that even 'for peaceful uses' nuclear experiments are dangerous for human life. Furthermore, its mortal effect is geometrically more effective when used for war. That's why we'll never stop denouncing this unwise scientific 'development' and the hypocritical justifications of the enriching elite living on it.

Be sure we support every individual, organization and nation claiming to stop the use of nuclear energy and the abolition of all nuclear weapons, including all weapons of mass destruction.”

All mails quoted in this article have been shortened without changing their author’s views, so as to facilitate reading- The Editor.

A different way to remember Hiroshima Barak Obama is the first USA President in office to visit Hiroshima after

WW II. Obama’s initiative deserved varied opinions; we quote some.

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 6

ARC•PEACE board member, Ben Spencer is the Director of the IUCI based primarily in Lima, Peru, over the past 6 years. (See Newsletter No 46, page 8, October 2015).

The IUCI team recently undertook their first project in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The combined impacts of rapid urban and industrial development and climate change in Cambodia are having particularly adverse effects on Phnom Penh’s urban poor. Income inequality is expanding and urban slums are becoming increasingly susceptible to eviction. Urban floods are swelling as development encroaches into Phnom Penh’s remaining wetlands and precipitation during the rainy season intensifies. The living conditions of Phnom Penh’s urban poor are becoming increasingly precarious.

Students, faculty, professionals and government officials from the University of Washington, the Royal University of Fine Arts, the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and the municipality of Por Senchey undertook a design/build project in Pongro Senchey, a low income, informal urban community that occupies a narrow site (7 meter wide x 612 meter long) sandwiched between private properties in one of Phnom Penh’s peri-urban garment factory precincts. Participatory workshops revealed that community priorities centered on:

1) Street to improve community

access and remediate the impacts of seasonal flooding.

2) Community center for training workshops and meetings.

3) Vocational training in sewing

and other skills.

Overcoming an initial setback involving a land dispute on a site set aside for community center, the

IUCI team worked with community members to design a project that synthesized all three goals.

The final project included a street that spans the entire length of the community, a gathering space close to the street’s mid-point and series of sewing workshops.

The IUCI contributed funds to pave 1.5 meters of the street’s width, build the community gathering space and purchase two industrial sewing machines.

Families paved the portion of the street outside of their houses and, in many cases, purchased additional materials to widen the paving to 2.5 meters. 0.50 meters of the street was left unpaved so that families could plant urban gardens.

The community gathering space, later dubbed “Pocket Street / Park” includes a metal scaffold that attaches to and rises above a wall that runs along the eastern side of the street. The scaffold serves as the structural under-pinning for design elements including:

• Planters and a vegetated vine trellis that ascends the wall and extends over the street

•

• A retractable fabric canopy that provides shelter from Phnom Penh’s intense sun and heavy rains

• A chalk/white board and for community announcements, workshops and classes

• A modular green wall with pockets sewn from heavy canvas and an integral layer of coconut coir for water retention

• Folding benches and chairs that hang on the scaffold at periods of heavy traffic, and that can be unfolded and placed on the street for community meetings, classes and vocational training workshops.

IUCI team hopes to work with community members on small enterprise development and to market the green wall pockets and similar sewn products to businesses in Phnom Penh (e.g. coffee shops).

Follow up Participatory Impact Assessment workshops are scheduled for December 2016 to assess post-project conditions in Pongro Senchey and evaluate project successes and failures from the perspective of community members.

Briefed from original by the Editor

Cambodia: The Informal Urban Communities Initiative The Informal Urban Communities Initiative (IUCI) is a design activism, education and research program focusing on

the community driven design, implementation and evaluation of small scale interventions in urban slums.

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 7

Prof. Jaime Alzérreca Pérez is welcome at SGR UK

After many months with no representative from Scientists for Global Responsibility the British association sent their approval to our proposed candidate who now fills on the vacancy left by colleague Tom Woolley, in 2015.

SGR gather people with a high sense of responsibility. This NL Editor wishes Jaime a successful experience on his new task.

KINGNEWSBREAKINGNEWSBREAKINGNEWSBREAKINGNEWSBREAKINGNEWSBREAKINGNEWSBR

Jaime is known as one of the founders of ARC•PEACE Ibero America chapter. His work covers many architectural, urban and communicational areas, and he is trying hard at improving his English. More about his work at: https://sites.google.com/site/investi

gacionesjaimealzerreca/

The Berlin Recommendations are meant as a contribution to the new urban development agenda that the United Nations intends to adopt in October at the third global human settlements conference, Habitat III, in Quito in Ecuador.

"Decisions made by urban planners today will shape the way we live together in cities for decades to come," said German State Secretary Thomas Silberhorn.

"That is why we need to set the right course now. Our meeting in Berlin has shown that sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without innovative ideas, partnership, and networked thinking and action. Local actors by which I mean functioning municipal authorities, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and academia, and ordinary citizens are the key players here"- he stated.

HABITAT New Urban Agenda 2016 / 2036 More than 1,000 experts on urban development, representatives from municipalities, and leading figures from politics,

business, academia and civil society from all over the world spent June 1 - 2 at the German Habitat Forum.

Marilú Sánchez H. was at the Forum as one of experts. She helped distributing 100 samples of the specially edited for the occasion flyer (above) and customized letters to twelve guest speakers introducing ARC•PEACE activities and inviting them to our XXXº Anniversary (2017).

BREXIT verdict knocks EU down in first round Geoffrey Payne has shared this graphic on Facebook from the UK. It clearly shows that certain victories might end up in long time painful celebrations.

This Newsletter has been edited by co founder Oscar Margenet Nadal in collaboration with Andy Margenet Cáceres and Alejandra Cerutti Jacob. We expect to publish NL #50 by September 2016. All members are invited to send suggestions for articles, photos and projects. If you wish to be an ARC•PEACE member, please contact: secretariat@arcpeace.org Visit our website: www.arcpeace.org and our Facebook pages in several languages and email groups. ARC•PEACE is registered in special consultative status with UN ECOSOC since 1993. Registered with Spanish RNA Nº G1º / S4ª / Nº141 / Secretariat new address: C/Alfons el Magnánim 5, 7º, 2 / PC 07004 / Palma, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.

Thanks for your time or money donation!

A R C • P E A C E N e w s l e t t e r No 49 June 2 0 1 6 P a g e 8