Acties: Women for Peace against Nato

NAVO bereidt zich voor op de top in Vilnius (Litouwen), op 11 en 12 juli 2023.

Internationale vredesbewegingen werken aan een alternatief gericht op vrede en ontwapening en verzetten zich tegen verdere militarisering. Het netwerk Global Women for Peace United against NATO  organiseert bijeenkomsten in Brussel, de thuisbasis van de NAVO.

De kernboodschap staat in een Vrouwenverklaring voor Vrede: NEEN tegen de NAVO, NEEN tegen gemilitariseerde blokken, NEEN tegen de oorlog! 

Voor een nieuwe veiligheidsarchitectuur in Europa en een multipolaire wereld gebaseerd op vrede, rechtvaardigheid en wereldwijde solidariteit.

Het Nieuwe Strategische NAVO concept staat haaks op de *‘Helsinki-geest’ die streeft naar vreedzame samenwerking tussen staten en dreiging met of gebruik van geweld afwijst. De volgende top van de NAVO vindt plaats in Vilnius, Litouwen, op 11 en 12 juli. Parallel lopen er acties in Brussel georganiseerd door een internationale groep vredesvrouwen: 6 tot 9 juli

'De Helsinki-geest verwijst naar de Helsinki-akkoorden die een historische overeenkomst vormen die in 1975 werd ondertekend door de Verenigde Staten, de Sovjet-Unie, Canada en elke Europese natie (behalve Albanië) om ontspanning te verbeteren tussen de Sovjet-Unie en het Westen.

Programma

Pianofabriek – Fortstraat 35 – Brussels  

https://www.pianofabriek.be/onze-organisatie/zaalverhuur

THURSDAY JULY 6

12:45-14:30 

Meeting in the European Parliament with members of mostly the Left and Green group.

Handing over the common Statement with first signatories.

Speeches and discussion.

FRIDAY JULY 7

09.30 Welcome by WILPF US

09.40 – 12.45

Europe – NATO/US threats and consequences

Summary of Seminar/Webinar

Description: Europe, with 31 NATO member states (22 of them EU member states) is actively taking part in encircling Russia. US nuclear weapons are based across Europe. Large military exercises are polluting air and land. NATO use of DU-weapons in the 90's Balkans war have left a toxic legacy causing serious health problems among civilians and soldiers. Some NATO states are supplying these radioactive weapons for use by the Ukrainian army. Defence spending across Europe is increasing at an alarming rate. 

Co-Hosts:

Belgium: Emmelien Lievens – working in the Belgian peace organisation Vrede also part of the “No To Nato No to War” international network

Italy: Ada Donno - AWMR Italia - Association Women of the Mediterranean Region

Speakers :

09.40 – 09.50

World March of Women  

Women’s NATO aspect 

09.50 – 10.00

Silvia Schwarz - WILPF Germany

Move the Money from war to needs of people and planet 

10.00 – 10.10

Cristina Roncieri - Observatory against militarization of school

Activities of the Italian Observatory against the militarization of schools (and the increased presence of military in teaching (a contribution to peace in Europe)

10.10 – 10.30 

Discussion

10.30 – 11.00

Short coffee break

11.00 – 11.10

Sophie Bolt - Vice-Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

Nuclear weapons in Europe

11.10 – 11.30

Marilina Veca - WILPF Italy 

War crimes in time of peace – Depleted Uranium – the silent killer

Ria Verjauw - The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, ICBUW

The human and the environmental cost of Depleted Uranium weapons

11.30 – 11.40

Speaker to be confirmed

NATO as climate killer

11.40 – 11.50

Vera Zalka - Hungarian Social Forum (HSF)

NATO in Eastern Europe – consequences and threats

11.50 – 12.10

Ingeborg Breines - Former Chair of IPB and UNESCO Director 

Ulla Klötzer - Women for Peace - Finland 

NATO’s Northern expansion – consequences and threats

Discussion - 12.10 – 12.45

12.45 – 13.30 Lunch - preparatory meeting during lunch for the street event 

13.30 - 15.30/16.00  CET – webinar/seminar – NATO in Global South (mainly Africa)

(14.00 Nairobi/Kenya time)

Coffee break - Street event preparations (20 min by metro to the Albertina Square)

17.30 CET 

Street event - Albertina Square

Organised by Belgian organisations – Global Women for Peace United Against NATO taking part  

Focus/Topic: Vilnius Summit wants to adopt the 2% as a minimum standard.This will be uses as an impetus to address the rising military budgets. 

Action: Performance (sort of flashmob): 

Large placard with statements illustrating the increase in budgets. 

Women carry their own placards with request how their country/ EU/should use the military  money instead

Women form a sentence/slogan (e.g. a letter on the back of their placard)  

Music 

(flags of all countries taking part? – white dove?)

Recording: The event will be recorded and used for the International Peace Wave starting on Saturday July 8

SIDE EVENT - Public panel discussion 

organized by No to war No to NATO & Belgian peace organizations

20.00 CET – Global NATO or Global Peace? – 120 min. (2hrs)

Key note speech: NATO a driving force of militarization 

Alternatives for Militarisation 

The dangers and burdens of military spending. Building a wide coalition for disarmament

How to counter the nuclear threat? Steps toward a nuclear weapon free world

Alternatives for a Cold War 2 in the Indo Pacific region

The need for a new conference on security and co-operation (Helsinki II) – towards another security architecture for Europe

The war in Ukraine: how to strengthen the role of the peace movement

Discussion with panel 

Discussion with public 

SATURDAY JULY 8

10.00 – 12.00/12.30 CET – webinar/seminar – NATO in the Asia Pacific

(18.00 Canberra/Australia)

Lunch

13.30– 15.00/15.30 CET– webinar/seminar – NATO in Latin America

(09.00 Buenos Aires/Argentina, 06.00/Costa Rica)

Coffee break

16.00 – 17.30/18.00 CET – webinar/seminar - US/Canada

(10.00 Washington/US, 07.00/Los Angeles/US)

 

Stopping US and Canada's Participation in NATO's wars

Summary of Webinar

Description: The US and Canada are key members of the war organization NATO. Activists from the US and Canada will discuss their countries' history of involvement in NATO and in the wars in Europe and Afghanistan and call for the end of war-mongering NATO.

Co-Hosts: 

US: Ann Wright, Retired US Army Colonel and former US diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the US war on Iraq-- in Brussels 

Canada: Alley McDonald, National Coordinator for Canadian Voice of Women for Peace - Virtual

Confirmed Speakers 

Medea Benjamin: American political activist who was the co-founder of Code Pink

Joseph Gerson: Director of American Friends Service Committee's Peace and Economic Security Program in New England

Rebecca Irby: Founding Partner & Executive Director at PEAC Institute

Tamara Lorincz: PhD candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University. Member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom / Canada Section

Shivangi Misra: Chairperson of International League of Peoples' Struggle, Canada and an international human rights lawyer based in Ottawa, Canada

SUNDAY JULY 9

10.00 – 13.00 CET

Global Women for Peace United Against NATO planning meeting for further common action, statements etc.