Peace assembly

Title : Peace and international relations: From military to economic interventions?

peace@altersummit.eu

Saturday 8th –

facilitators: Sissy Vovou, Lucas Wirl

Two lectures introduce to militarization processes in Greece and EU. In following short interventions different topics of and actions for peace get introduced from various groups. Aim is to exchange information from different regions and to bring together activists for discussing common action.

Introduction lectures
 (10’) Antinationalist-Antimilitarist Initiative (Sissy Vovou): analysis of the situation of defence spending in Greece, increase of nationalism connected with the Fascist movement, the impact on society and increase of military spirit, the impact on women’s rights.
 (10’) International network No to War – No to NATO (Lucas Wirl): European militarization: With Lisbon treaty the militarization of EU was being institutionalized, in Nato Strategy 2010 EU is mentioned as special partner. Instead of focusing on civil conflict resolution, EU focuses on military strength to reinforce its role as a global actor.

Short interventions
 Mouvement de la Paix (Gerald Haile): (5’) What can Europeans do for a peaceful Europe?
 Commentary on European militarization or statement on arms trade (Frank Slijper, TNI, Netherlands) (5’)
 Spartacus Greece: (10’) Nicos Argyriou, representing the network, will speak on the new role and structure of the Armed Forces in national and hyper-national level. Changes that will lead to the suppression of the antimilitarist movement in general
 (5’) From the European Left (Maite Mola, vice president): On the relation between internationalism and the way capitalist crisis threatens peace in the world.
 (5’) (NN) 1914-2014: In 1914 World War One started. One hundred years later many events on its history but also on its lessons learned and implications for today. Many organizations of the peace movement prepare events in Sarajevo; huge peace events by civil society with many opportunities to participate will take place.
 (5’) League of Conscientious Objectors: Presentation on the persecution of CO in Greece this year, with dragging old conscientious objectors of 45 years old in the courts. Also about Bradley Manning,
 (5’) COBAS Italy: American MUOS (Mobile User Objective System), which the USA Navy is trying to build in Sicily, facing a very strong popular movement and even the Sicilian Autonomous Regional Government opposition.
 (5’) Women and militarization NN
 (5’) Nuclear weapons (NN France) Nuclear weapons need to be overcome and abolished. Instead they are being modernized and honed. Actions against nuclear weapons are needed.
 (5’) Tbd (Rudy Temmerman)
 (5’) Ending the war on terror (Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition, GB)

Moderation: Sissy Vovou, Chris Nineham (Stop the war coalition)