Open Letter on COVID-19 and Humanitarian Disarmament

The IPB and GCOMS have signed the following open letter created by ‘Humanitarian Disarmament.’ The letter argues that humanitarian disarmament can lead the way to an improved post-pandemic world and calls on states, international organizations, and civil society to follow its lead to create a “new normal.” It is open for signature by civil society organizations through the form here. Continue reading “Open Letter on COVID-19 and Humanitarian Disarmament”

Webinar on Anti-Racism Protest in the United States: No Justice, No Peace

George Floyd’s atrocious murder at the hand of the police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25 represents only the most recent incident of racism and police brutality in the United States. The resulting protests have spread not only across major US cities, but have gone global. Continue reading “Webinar on Anti-Racism Protest in the United States: No Justice, No Peace”

Webinar on The Extreme Right and Militarization in Latin America

On the 28th of May, Dr. Pedro Páez Pérez, professor at the Central University of Ecuador and specialist on economic development and the political economy, joined IPB to discuss contemporary Latin American politics with particular attention to the ascension of far-right forces to power and their role in the militarization of the region. Continue reading “Webinar on The Extreme Right and Militarization in Latin America”

World Conference Youth Assembly Report

Prepared By: Emily Rubino, Director of Policy and Outreach at Peace Action New York State, Co-chair of the Youth Assembly Planning Committee.

On May 2, 2020, one week after the Online World Conference: Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Resist and Reverse Climate Change, For Social and Economic Justice, the first World Conference Youth Assembly event took place from 9am-11am EST (1:00-3 pm GMT, 10:00-12 pm JST). The event took place with over 370 Zoom participants from 50+ countries around the world, including the United States, Japan, Nepal, the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Germany. It was also live-streamed on Youtube, though there were some technical difficulties that prevented the livestream from starting at the very beginning of the conference. ​A full recording of the Youth Assembly can be found here​. Continue reading “World Conference Youth Assembly Report”

GCOMS/ENAAT Press Release: Fund Peace, Not Arms Dealers

On Europe Day, the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) and the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) call the EU to fund peace, not arms dealers.

The way out from the COVID-19 crisis: will the EU work for peace or prepare for war?

8 May 2020, Brussels, Barcelona

The EU High Representative Mr Borrell stated on April 24 that the world will look very different after the COVID-19 crisis and will depend on the choices made today.  On the eve of Europe Day celebrating peace and unity, the EU bears a large responsibility for how this future will look like, and has a key choice to make: work for sustainable peace by seriously tackling the root causes of conflicts, or continue the path to militarism and prepare for war. Continue reading “GCOMS/ENAAT Press Release: Fund Peace, Not Arms Dealers”

GDAMS Workshops April 2020

During the Global Days of Action on Military Spending 2020, IPB ran two online webinars.

The first, entitled “The Opportunity Costs of Military Spending: How and Why it’s Time to Rethink our Priorities” was directed toward students and young professionals and organized as an active discussion and brainstorming session. Details on military spending in 12 countries were presented to participants who were then tasked with thinking up solutions that could be taken by individuals and groups to combat the continued growth of military spending at the cost of social budgets. Continue reading “GDAMS Workshops April 2020”

Report: Online World Conference 2020

On April 25, 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, over one thousand activists across the peace, climate, and social movements gathered online to take part in the first ever virtual World Conference: Abolish Nuclear Weapons | Resist and Reverse Climate Change | For Social and Economic Justice. Continue reading “Report: Online World Conference 2020”

Join GDAMS 2020!

GDAMS 2020, April 10 – May 9 – HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has shown the world where humanity’s priorities should lie. This major attack on people’s security across the world shames and discredits global military expenditures and prove them an outrageous waste and loss of opportunities. What the world needs now is to focus all means on vital security threats: healthy living conditions for everyone, which necessarily entails more just, green, peaceful societies. The Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) 2020 bring attention to the vast opportunity costs of the current levels of military spending, 1’82 trillion US$ a year, almost $5 billion per day, $239 per person. When a minority of the global population decides to finance war preparations, we all lose the opportunity to fund policies that tackle our real security threats. Continue reading “Join GDAMS 2020!”