Medal: Erik Lindberg (1873-1966). Front side (obverse) of one of the Nobel Prize medals in Physiology or Medicine awarded in 1950 to researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Derivative of File:NobelPrize.JPG.
Dear Friend!
We warmly congratulate the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for their crucially important work!
At the same time, we are still very thankful that also our global dignity work was nominated for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. We were nominated by a group of people who, out of appreciation for the prize, wishes to refresh awareness of its roots. We are celebrating all of the 25 remarkable individuals and groups who were nominated as candidates whose work is regarded to be in particular resonance with the original will of Alfred Nobel and his inspirer Bertha von Suttner (see her 1889 book, Die Waffen nieder! or Lay Down Your Arms!). Nobel's intention was "that his prize should benefit the 'champions of peace,' he meant the movement and the persons who work for a demilitarized world, for law to replace power in international politics, and for all nations to commit to cooperating on the elimination of all weapons instead of competing for military superiority."
We are delighted that included in the list of 25, as representative of our Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies network, was Evelin Lindner, our Founding President. Her nomination is an affirmation of our global dignity work and her forty years of service and action to bring peace and dignity into the lives of all people, characterized by compassion, equal dignity, diversity, humility, and mutually beneficial collaboration. You can see more here or as Pdf.
Please know that Evelin's nomination for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize is your nomination! As you know, our dignity work is based on the African Ubuntu philosophy of "I am because of you!" and YOUR dignity work is crucial for bringing more dignity into this world! This nomination has been an encouragement for us all.
Altogether, the Nobel Committee received a total of 276 nominations for the 2015 Peace Prize, thereof 227 nominations of individuals and 49 nominations of organizations (this was slightly down from 2014, when a record high of 278 nominations were submitted). See also the preliminary list compiled each year by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) of publicly known nominations prior to the announcement of the actual recipient.
We warmly congratulate the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet with the recognition for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011. The prize was announced by Kaci Kullmann Five, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Henrik Ibsens gate 51, Oslo, Norway. Please see the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015 on 9th October 2015.
Evelin profoundly thanks all those who included her in the nomination for the 2015 prize, which she views as a nomination for our shared efforts as a dignity community. It is the courage and strength that grows through working in a deeply connected and supportive community that replenishes her energy to keep going, as we hope it replenishes the energy of all involved. As Evelin sees it, this nomination is a celebration of our decade of collaboration in which each of us does our part according to our abilities — in the spirit of Ubuntu. It is also an encouragement of our future efforts as a community. Each of us has an important role to play in this urgent effort to bring dignity and peace into the lives of all people.
You are Warmly Invited to Share Your Reflections and Encourage Everyone’s Commitment to Dignity and Peace!
For us, humility and modesty are at the core of dignity, and therefore also at the core of our work. Bertha von Suttner’s message is manifested in our approach more radically than may be apparent at first glance, for instance, in our emphasis on future-oriented nurturing by way of what we call dignicommunication. To be true to our stance of humility, we have considered keeping our nomination confidential. Yet, it would have been irresponsible to deprive the members of our global dignity family around the world. Since February 2015, the nomination has had invaluable results for our global community. In a world where speaking up for dignity is often difficult or even dangerous, this nomination has brought greater safety and support to members who dare to speak up, even when at risk. And since our work is profoundly in line with Alfred Nobel’s intentions, we feel that protecting the members of our global dignity family through this nomination is justified.
Each of us plays a vital role in bringing greater dignity and peace into the world. In recognition and appreciation of our global collaboration, we would love to hear your reflections, that is, what inspires your efforts and ongoing commitment to cultivating dignity and peace in the world? Thank you for allowing us to share your reflections with the many members of our global dignity family. You are warmly invited to post your message in the comment field at the bottom of this page (your comment will be visible when it is released by the administrators).
Your words will encourage our HumanDHS community and encourage all who work for a world of peace, a world that dignifies the lives of all people.
With loving gratitude,
Linda Hartling, PhD, Director of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies
- Written by: Linda Hartling
11th Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, New York City, December 4-5, 2014
This workshop had two parts:
• Thursday, December 4, 2014, 5.00 pm–7.00 pm: Public Event
• Thursday and Friday, December 4–5, 2014, 10 am-5.00 pm: Two-day Workshop
This workshop was the eleventh in a series that began in 2003: see the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 workshops, and a compilation of all NY workshops.
Our events differ from traditional conferences where speakers are invited and funded by organizers and audiences pay a registration or entrance fee to listen to the speakers. Usually, organizers gather speakers who "market" their knowledge to an audience. We wish to transcend the separation between speakers and audiences and nurture our gatherings in the spirit of what we call Dignilogue (dignity + dialogue). There is no monetary remuneration involved in our events. Participants join the workshop because they wish to share their work, their experiences, and their insights. The main point of our work is the nurturing of a global dignity community. Our events are a labor of love, just as is everything else connected with our network. None of us is being paid, including the organizers, there is no traditional fundraising and no profit involved. We share the minimal overhead in a dignity economy approach by everybody contributing according to ability.
See here the entire newsletter 24 prepared by Evelin Lindner in after the workshop.
See also the newsletters written after previous workshops: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
- Written by: Evelin Lindner
Dignity Road Report* - June 27, 2014
Merchandising Humanity
Some say shopping malls in America are dying, going out of style. Could it be that shopping is finally slipping out of favor as an unofficial religion (a.k.a. addiction)? Or, more likely, has it merely gone online? Regardless, real-time shopaholism lives on at America’s most mammoth mall, the Mall of America (MOA). The MOA is expanding. It is enlarging its mission to colonize the minds of consumers searching for a destination vacation characterized by a plethora of instant gratification stations for the whole family! Reluctantly, I participated in a recent expedition to this expensive exhibition of manipulation. Here are a few of the lowlights.
It is clear that the MOA is designed to entice and entrap the minds of all ages at all times. During my expedition, my co-explorers included a modern family with small children who sought a play location sheltered away from a soggy day. I'd like to think of them as unwitting victims, but it’s complicated. They gleefully participated in their own indoctrination and exploitation. How does this happen?
Once you find your way in, you quickly discover that the first strategy of MOA marketing is creating a maze of amazement. Children and adults are plunged into sights, sounds, and activities designed to generate reaction and distraction. At the heart of the MOA is a colorful carnival of cartoon rides inspired by children's most beloved characters, from Ninja Turtles and Blue Dogs, to endearing friends of Dora the Explorer. What child could resist being lured into the din?
As a MOA amateur, I was captivated by the heroic efforts of parents attempting to mind their children amidst a sea of selling. They spent mega-watts of energy keeping their offspring from springing off to wild rides embedded among glitzy product promotions. For example, I observed a small child fall prey to a tempting toy and, consequently, busted for borderline shoplifting. Another tiny tot became stuck on an endless loop amusement ride after his parents lost track of him. He wasn't allowed to get off until his parents arrived to assume responsibility. The panicked parents had launched an emergency manhunt throughout the complex MOA complex. They were relieved to find the floundering child safely held hostage on a tiny-tot Choo-Choo Train.
Even seeking a restroom at the MOA appeared designed to entrap families when they are the most desperate and vulnerable. Hidden in an obscure locations, families faced a ridiculously restless restroom experience with only one family friendly stall for a lineup of worried, and in a hurry, parents urgently focused on preventing wetting. Amplifying personal hygiene problems, hand cleaner dispensers didn’t exist in this petrie dish of early childhood entertainment. Someone should notify the CDC.
As one might expect, over the course of hours, humans must also address their hunger, especially children. When one discovers the futility of easily escaping the MOA, one succumbs to the inevitable trip to the "food" court, which involves neither food nor a court. This area is filled with venders of food pollution, food pumped full of additives, super sweet sugary "treats" conjured up from high-fructose corn syrup and served with a side dish of salt smothered, fat-enhanced cheesy fries. If humans had to survive a nuclear holocaust, perhaps these substances could be confused with food. Yet, by today’s standards, I was shocked to see so many ignore the early warning signs of a deadly diet evident in varying degrees of visibly bloated bodies.
The MOA is a towering inferno of intrusive—abusive—marketing. For a few distressing, depressing hours I navigated this cesspool of consumption that processes children like a genetically modified corn crop. I was stunned by the popularity of this massive monetizing machine, especially in light of Minneapolis’s many engaging entertainment alternatives, including museums, scenic lakes, and fabulously fun family parks. Tragically, the MOA merchandising meth-odology may be spreading. Apparently Texas plans to build its own version of the MOA three times the size of the original Frankenstein. These modern monstrosities of American living are designed to merchandise every aspect of the human experience, especially our need for relaxation and play. The MOA is a take-it-all example of a ruthless capitalism that cannibalizes lives. Let’s just call it what it is: The Maul of America.*
Reporting: Linda M. Hartling, Ph.D.
* Dignity Road Report: Inspired by the work of Evelin Lindner and collaborative community, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies. (For more information, please see: www.humiliationstudies.org)
- Written by: Linda Hartling
