Winds of Peace Foundation

Steve Sheppard | October 23, 2009

Winds of Peace Foundation will be one of the co-sponsors for the 2010 Peace Prize Forum, to be held at Augsburg College in Minneapolis.  This marks the third time that the Foundation has co-sponsored the event over its 20-year history. 

The 2010 Forum will recognize the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisarri.   Ahtisaari  is a former President of Finland and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.  Ahtisaari was a UN Special Envoy at the Kosovo status process negotiations, aimed at resolving a long-running dispute in Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. In October 2008 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his important efforts, on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts”.The Nobel statement said that Ahtisaari has played a prominent role in resolving many conflicts in Namibia, Indonesia, Kosovo and Iraq, among other areas.

In addition to its sponsorship of the Forum, Winds of Peace has also been active in having representatives speak at the annual gatherings, having made presentations at three different Forums: in 1994 Steve Sheppard spoke at St. Olaf College about the Foundation-initiated program “Cross-Boundaries,” which funded travel seminar opportunities to Third World destinations through The Center for Global Education; the Cross-Boundaries program was presented along with a bit more history and results in 1996 at Luther College; in 2008, Mark Lester, Field Director for WPF, and Steve Sheppard, now its CEO, co-presented at Concordia College on the topic of “Microlending in Nicaragua.”

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Steve Sheppard | October 12, 2009

One of the truly unanticipated things to have evolved in Nicaragua over recent months is the strange case of the “no-payer’s movement.”  This is a relatively small but vocal and visible group which has begun protesting against the Microcredit Finance Institutions (MFIs) which took a risk and loaned money to them.   Citing what they see as unfair loan terms and usurious interest rates, the movement participants even received a boost from President Daniel Ortega when he exhorted them to take their protests off the streets and move to the offices of the MFIs.  Sensing administration support, the protesters became more confrontational in their demeanor, in one case even firebombing one of the MFIs. 

This has had the immediate impact of some MFIs pulling out of Nicaragua for the safety of their people and their funding.  Naturally, it didn’t take too long for the government to realize that it was alienating a fairly important source of funds within the country, and it began the attempt to attract some of the departed organizations back to Nicaragua.  The President spoke publicly once again on the topic, this time to encourage all borrowers to make good on their debts and to thereby demonstrate the country’s attitude toward meeting its obligations.  The movement receded for a while in the face of this about-face from Mr. Ortega, but it never went away.  Now it has surfaced with a vigor which is intimidating and worrisome.  Their protests prevent employees from gaining access to offices while keeping customers away from sourcing assistance.  If the local police are present at all, they seem indifferent to the activities.

It’s a counter-intuitive movement, this backlash against some of the very institutions which have provided the greatest amount of financial help to some of the highest-risk borrowers.  It may be fueled by outsiders who seek to undermine any and all financial institutions, or by those who simply sense an opportunity to avoid repayment of a debt.  But whatever the genesis, it’s a potentially crippling movement which can only hurt the already difficult circumstances of the rural poor in Nicaragua. 

In response, a consortium of twenty-four finance providers working within Nicaragua published the following statement in both of Nicaragua’s major newspapers on September 22.  Their sense of confusion and concern is evident:

COMMUNIQUE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PROVIDERS OF FINANCING FOR MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISE

We, the economic and social development institutions who provide financial resources for the strengthening of urban and rural micro and small enterprises in Nicaragua, including private investors, international banks, international NGOS and foundation, are watching with enormous concern the ongoing deterioration of the investment climate in the country, because of the actions undertaken by a small group of debtors know as the “non payers movement” who are attempting, through measures of force that alter the public and constitutional order, to NOT honor their commitments made to the financial institutions (banks, microfinance organizations) that are benefiting more than a million Nicaraguans in the countryside and the cities.

We urge the Government of Nicaragua, the National Police, the Judicial Branch and the other organizations ensuring social peace to redouble their efforts to protect respect for the judicial order, provide security to the officials of the financial institutions and their installations, and to protect the rights of all citizens.

We reiterate our commitment to continue the support offered for the economic development of Nicaragua and we join our voices to the clamor of the affected entities and their responsible clients, asking the State to ensure legal security so as to not put at risk the flow of financing for this industry which has benefited so much the most needy part of the population throughout the years.

Managua, Nicaragua, September 22, 2009

 

Winds of Peace was not a co-signer of the statement since we were unaware of its development.  But in following up with the authors of the article, we have affirmed both our concerns and the seriousness of the movement.  And now there is said to be a legislative bill coming before the government which would tightly control the activities of MFIs, effectively driving them out of the country.  While there may be very small chance that it passes as law, the initiative is further basis for concern.  Undoubtedly, we have not heard the last of this movement and its implications….

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Steve Sheppard | October 7, 2009

I’m delighted to share the following announcement about Jack and Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer and a very deserved recognition planned for them.  Sara is a member of the Winds of Peace Advisory Committee and as one can readily discern from the brief biography presented here she brings a valuable perspective to that work.  All staff and volunteers of Winds of Peace Foundation offer their warmest congratulations to Sara and Jack and look forward to their continuing work in the interest of peace and justice globally.

 

October 6, 2009

Jack & Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer to receive

2009 Hawkinson Peace & Justice Award

Former U.S. Senate candidate Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and his wife Sara have been selected to receive the 2009 Honorary Award of the Vincent L. Hawkinson Foundation for Peace and Justice.

Jack, 58, is an associate professor of justice and peace studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Sara, 53, is executive director of the Center for Families in north Minneapolis and serves on the advisory committee of the Winds of Peace Foundation.

Given annually to individuals demonstrating long-term dedication to furthering peace and social justice, the Honorary Award will be presented on Sunday, November 8, 3 p.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2730 East 31^st Street, Minneapolis. Also receiving the Honorary Award are medical missionaries Helmut and Rotraut Diefenthal of Moshi, Tanzania. The presentation is open to the public.

“Jack and Sara share a profound commitment to improving the world. They are exemplary models of peacemaking through action and it is our honor to recognize their years of dedicated service,” said Deon Stuthman, chair of the board of directors of the Hawkinson Foundation, established in 1988 to honor the late Rev. Vincent L. Hawkinson, a peace and justice advocate and late pastor of Grace University Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Previous Hawkinson Honorary Award recipients have included Mulford Q. Sibley, Polly Mann, Marianne Hamilton, Stanley and Martha Platt, Joel Mugge, Arthur and Martha Sternberg, Eleanor Otterness, Louise Pardee, Larry Cloud Morgan, Joseph Schwartzberg, Marv Davidov, Lynn Elling, Eleanor and John Yackel, Brigid McDonald, Jane McDonald, Kate McDonald and Rita McDonald, Donald Irish, Gene and Mary Lou Ott, Luther Granquist, Marie and John Braun, Ralph and Kay Hilgendorf, Lowell and Carol Erdahl, Arvid “Bud” Dixen, Rhoda Gilman and Betsy Raasch-Gilman.

About Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, M.Div., is a nationally recognized teacher, writer, public speaker and activist academic whose life and work over the past 30 years has focused on addressing the political, economic, faith and foreign policy dimensions of hunger and poverty. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where he majored in political science. He earned a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. His master’s thesis was on the topic of world poverty and was the basis for his first book, Hunger for Justice: The Politics of Food and Faith. He is the author of numerous articles and a dozen books on hunger, poverty, U.S. foreign policy, the historical Jesus and problems of God and violence, some of which have been used by progressive social change movements in this country and throughout the world.

From 1977 to 1981, Jack served as national program coordinator of the Politics of Food Program with Clergy & Laity Concerned, and directed the Minnesota-based Hunger and Justice Project for the American Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church in America for the following two years. He has long been active in the national movement to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (recently renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation), which has been linked to human rights atrocities.

In 2006, Jack brought his commitment to peacemaking into the realm of formal politics when he challenged the incumbent Martin Sabo in the 5th Congressional District. In 2008, he sought DFL endorsement for the U.S. Senate. At the University of St. Thomas, where he is an associate professor of justice and peace studies, he teaches courses including Active Nonviolence and Theologies of Justice and Peace.

About Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer

Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer graduated from the University of Minnesota with a major in biology. From 1984 to 1986, she and Jack served as co-directors of the Center for Global Education’s house of studies in Managua, Nicaragua. Sara went on to hold various positions, including associate director, at the Center for Global Education. She then worked as family services manager at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity from 1996 until 2005, when she assumed her current position as director of the Center for Families. She serves on the advisory committee of the Winds of Peace Foundation and is on the board of Congregations Caring for Creation.

The Nelson-Pallmeyers are active in the faith-based Community of St. Martin and are members

of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. They have three daughters.

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