Bruno Ficili, the renowned peace educator from Syracuse, Sicily, who has devoted over 20 years to promoting peace and conflict resolution, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the 12th time.
Dr Ficili, who has been to Malta in the course of his peace education campaigns, has been nominted by John B. Larson, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives from Connecticut, who paid tribute to his untiring efforts in promoting peace.
In his nomination letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Mr Larson recalled that Dr Ficili was among the top three finalists for the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize and that "during the Cold War he actively engaged both Soviet and American interests in an attempt to create a peaceful dialogue between the two nations".
"For the last two decades," Mr Larson continued, "Dr Ficili has organised the International Education for Peace conference in Syracuse, which has addressed diverse global conflict areas such as the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, and the Middle East... In 1999 the conference addressed the conflict in Burundi. As a direct result of Dr Ficili's efforts, Burundi government officials and Hutu and Tutsi representatives signed a non-aggression pact covering schools, hospitals, religious sites and orphan homes of their country".
Mr Larson said that currently, "Dr Ficili serves on the board of directors of the Global Partnership for the International University of Iraq, once again working for peace with students in a conflict-torn nation", concluding that in his opinion, "Dr Ficili is a most deserving candidate... for the Nobel Peace Prize".
Bruno Ficili was born in Scicli (Ragusa), Sicily, and graduated in education from the Catholic University of Milan. He is the president of the International Association for Peace Education, which he founded in 1986.
He edited the book Education for Peace, published by Sciascia, Caltanissetta, in 1989 and Mankind at the Crossroads, published in 1996 by Emanuele Romeo, Siracusa. Proceeds from the sale of the books were given to orphans of war.
On October 23, 1996, Dr Ficili received an honorary degree in Arts from Central Connecticut State University in recognition of his efforts at conflict resolution.
He designed the Peace Flag, containing the faces of children from all continents and the six basic colours that are the colours of all the world's flags. He presented this flag to numerous heads of state, including the President of Malta.
Dr Ficili's commitment to the cause of education for peace and non violence continues unabated. His aim is to turn Syracuse and Sicily into a laboratory for the working out of new programmes and strategies for the promotion of universal peace and tolerance.