Unite for a Climate of Peace

One set of issues that will not be addressed by governments at COP26 are those connected to militarism, war and prospects for peace. For example, in 2017 the US military alone emitted 59 million tons of greenhouse gasses: equivalent to the emissions of Sweden, Denmark or Portugal. The ‘carbon boot print’ of the world’s military is not up for discussion. We must put it on the agenda.

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Appeal From Barcelona To The World, To all Peace Movements and Shapers of The Future

Barcelona, 17th October 2021

The world stands at a historically unique crossroads – either the abyss of nuclear, ecological, and social disaster or a common, just, demilitarized and environmentally sustainable future.

14,000 nuclear weapons threaten humanities existence and with heightening tensions between big powers, the danger of their actual use is increasing, while $2 trillion in weapons spending kills each day. With their massive daily death toll, small arms are weapons of mass destruction.

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Mediterranean Declaration at the Second World Peace Congress

Barcelona, 17th October 2021

From the International Peace Congress, we feel committed to the rising global wave of civic activism and the powerful new generation of youth activists across the globe facing the global challenges. While here in Barcelona, we would like to take this opportunity to revisit the challenges in this Mediterranean Sea, observe the changes and encourage the action, support it, and call for more cooperation and human solidarity. We need as well to understand the interconnected causes of the conflicts in this area, as we pledge to achieve a peaceful transformation to all conflicts through our joint effort.

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Indigenous Peoples Declaration at the Second World Peace Congress

Barcelona, 17th October 2021

The world stands at a historically unique crossroads – either the abyss of nuclear, ecological, and social disaster or a common, just, demilitarized and environmentally sustainable future.

14,000 nuclear weapons threaten humanities existence and with heightening tensions between big powers, the danger of their actual use is increasing, while $2 trillion in weapons spending kills each day. With their massive daily death toll, small arms are weapons of mass destruction

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The IPB Youth Network Statement for the II World Peace Congress

Barcelona – October 17th, 2021

Good afternoon, congress participants,

We want to thank you for your participation in this conference, and appreciate the opportunity to address you here.

The IPBYN – created in 2016, at the first IPB World Congress – is a collaborative platform for young people that have the common vision of building a climate of peace in this world. We are a global, inclusive, and open network striving for a peaceful and just future for all. We believe that youth, children, and future generations are not only currently the object of violence and injustice, but they are also part of the solution to such problems. As a network we build on the purpose and mission of the IPB, growing a voice for the agency of youth in facing ever increasing global challenges.

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Press Release: World Peace Congress concludes in Barcelona with successful participation

The World Peace Congress organised by the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP) ended this Sunday in Barcelona after three days of conferences, workshops, and cultural events.

Under the title “(Re)imagine the world. Action for peace and justice”, more than 2,500 people took part in this hybrid congress, with activities in Barcelona. The events took place in the Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and the Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull, and broadcast on the Internet.

1,000 people attended to the congress in person, while 1,500 attended online. Participants came from 126 countries. In Barcelona, activists from 75 countries including South Korea, the United States, Afghanistan, India and Mongolia, were also able to listen to the speeches covering issues such as nuclear disarmament, climate justice, racism and the rights of indigenous peoples.

As IPB Executive Director, Reiner Braun, explains, this is the biggest international peace event of this year. “The congress was a great success. We got a great support from the city of Barcelona and the president of the government of Catalonia. From my point of view, it was the right congress in this difficult political time and in the right place because we got a big support from the city. The IPB will definitely continue working on the way of more engagement for peace after the congress”.

Jordi Calvo, IPB Vice-President and member of the local committee, affirms: “At the congress we have seen that the peace movement is not alone. The large participation of feminist, anti-racist and global justice movements in the conferences and seminars shows that pacifism is more alive than ever, but that it needs to adapt to new narratives and generations. After this congress, the Catalan, Spanish, European and global peace movement is stronger”

The congress started on Friday 15 October with an event attended by the President of the Generalitat Pere Aragonés and the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau. The opening session was attended by prominent names such as British politician Jeremy Corbyn and ICAN Executive Director Beatrice Fihn. The open plenary can be accessed here.

Sean MacBride Award

Each year, IPB gives the Sean MacBride Peace Prize to an individual or organisation that has done outstanding work for peace, disarmament and/or human rights. This year the award was awarded to Black Lives Matter for the movement’s dedication and work to create a world where the lives of black people can thrive.

On the second day of the World Peace Congress in Barcelona, Rev Karlene Griffiths Sekou, community minister, academic and activist, and director of Healing Justice and International Organizing received the award on behalf of the social movement.

“Our movement is not a moment in time, it is a constant reminder to eradicate white supremacy, change racist policies and overthrow oppressive systems”.

“We thank the International Peace Bureau for their recognition and thank the community leaders, local activists and ancestors, who fuel the relentless will of our movement and inspire us to re-imagine a world for our children and for future black generations,” she added.

Photos from the congress:

You can access the photos of the congress via this link.

Press Release and final declarations:

You can find all the press releases and the final declarations here.

 

The IPB Recognizes Black Lives Matter with the Sean MacBride Peace Prize

Black Lives Matter has been recognized by the International Peace Bureau’s (IPB) Steering Committee for the movement’s dedication and work to create a world where Black lives can thrive. On the second day of the World Peace Congress in Barcelona, Rev. Karlene Griffiths Sekou, community minister, scholar and activist and Director of Healing Justice and International Organizing, received the award in the representation of the social movement.

“Black liberation and complete freedom has always been our vision at Black Lives Matter. Our movement is not one moment in time — it’s a constant reminder to eradicate white supremacy, upend racist policies and topple oppressive systems. At its core, our movement also works to envision and create space that centers Black art, culture, and joy. I am reminded by the words of Black scholar Ruthie Gilmore who noted that abolition is presence, not absence, and it’s about building life-affirming institutions that allow all of us to thrive”, she said.

“Since its founding eight years ago, BLM has remained rooted in its community leaders, local advocates, and young activists. They are the ones that marched the streets, uplifted individuals and families impacted by unjust policies, and tirelessly advocated to make sure our voices are heard in the Halls of Congress. Our movement continues because our young and local leaders have and continue to lead our movement together in struggle and unceasingly. We know the world is watching us. We thank the International Peace Bureau for recognizing us, and thank the community leaders, local activists, and the ancestors, who fuel the unrelenting will of our movement and inspire us to reimagine a world for our children and for future Black generations to come”, she added.

Every year the IPB awards the Sean MacBride Peace Prize to a person or organization that has done outstanding work for peace, disarmament and/or human rights.

The ceremony held on the 16th of October gathered more than 70 attendees including remarkable peace activists and personalities, including Jeremy Corbyn and Binalakshmi Nepram.

IPB Joins International Peace & Common Security Advocates Opposing QUAD and AUKUS Alliances

Peace and Common Security Advocates from Around the World Oppose QUAD (Japan, India, US, Australia), & AUKUS (Australia, UK, US) Militarism & Urge Common Security Collaborations to Address Existential Nuclear, Climate & Pandemic Threats.

Meeting on the eve of the QUAD alliance summit, peace, justice and common security advocates from the QUAD and AUKUS member countries, and Australia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, Britain, Germany, and the U.S. met to analyze and build opposition to the dangerous and increased militarism of the QUAD and AUKUS alliances.

The incipient coalition decries the QUAD and AUKUS alliances which dangerously intensify geostrategic military tensions with China. In addition to increasing the dangers that accidents or miscalculations to trigger escalation to catastrophic wars, this increased military competition seriously undermines the possibility of U.S.-Chinese and broader international cooperation to reverse the existential threats of nuclear weapons, the climate emergency, and pandemics.  The strategic competition between the great powers includes the danger of a great power war which will destroy the planet.

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