The Center for Peace Education (CPE) observed the Global Week of Action (GWA) against Gun Violence on May 7-14 2018. The GWA is observed in many countries worldwide. Roughly 1,500 people in the world are killed by gun violence every day.

CPE initiated an Art for Peace Design Contest within MC on the theme “End the Crisis of Gun Violence.” Winners were Alice Murro, BA III Visual Design, Czarinna Kyle Santos, AB International Studies IV and Maureen Signo, BS Marketing III.

Murro's design emphasized the peoples' call to end gun violence. Santos’ design underscored the message that Inang Bayan cannot cross to the future with armed violence and Signo's entry depicted hope that the crisis of gun violence may end if people will speak out.

CPE also took the chance to raise awareness on the issue by discussing it at CEAP Region 4’s JEEPGY Training on Justice and Peace Education, training of senior high school teachers of the Centro Escolar University, and with MC IS juniors.

CPE also took the opportunity to meet with the Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Ambassador Bruce Concepcion and Firearms and Explosives Office of the Philippine National Police Chief Valeriano T. de Leon last May 28.

CPE staff dialogued with the officials on how the government is implementing the United Nations Programme of Action to Stop the Illicit Trafficking of Firearms (UN PoA). CPE also shared with the said officials the initiatives of the CPE-Miriam College in raising awareness on the issue. They presented an appeal by civil society on Gender and Arms Control penned by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) Women's Network and asked if Philippines could champion the said Call at the UN PoA Review Conference on June 18-28, underscoring that women’s perspectives are not mainstreamed in decisions that concern gun control.

The GWA against Gun Violence is organized globally by IANSA with support from the UN Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR).

CPE has been a long-time member of IANSA. CPE Executive Director Dr. Jasmin Nario-Galace is a member of IANSA’s International Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the IANSA Women’s Network.