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IPB Nobel Prize Centenary 2010 - an invitation
Letter sent to IPB members, Feb. 26. In recent communications we have mentioned the importance of this significant year in IPB’s history. Back in 1910, the IPB was the umbrella group for the national ‘peace societies’ that existed in Europe and beyond. The Nobel Prize was awarded in 1910 to the Bureau as a way of making a tribute – and an encouragement – to the organised peace movement of the day.......... Since those days, IPB and its members have been involved in many of the great peace campaigns and causes of the century.
So this is a special moment for IPB, a time to look back at 100 years of peace history, and also to look forward to the challenges of the coming years. We are preparing various events to commemorate this centenary (notably in Oslo and Geneva) – and we will inform you in more detail in the weeks to come. This letter is an invitation to you to plan some programme work in your own country or sector to commemorate the jubilee of this Nobel Peace Prize, one that (in a general sense) we all share.....What we hope is that in all the world’s continents activities will be organised that will help to make IPB’s name known and will inform the public of the work of the peace movement.>>>Full text READ HERE

	Religions for Peace Campaign for Shared Security includes call to redirect military expenditure + Petition IPB is delighted to report that our colleagues at Religions for Peace (member organisation) have included a specific call to 'Redirect 10% of military expenditure to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.' in their 'Arms Down!' campaign. We encourage everyone to sign their petition which is found at their campaign website. Religions for Peace is the world’s largest multi-religious coalition advancing common action among religious communities for peace. The Religions for Peace Global Youth Network is advancing disarmament for shared security in a year-long campaign launched in November 2009. http://religionsforpeace.org/initiatives/global-youth-network/campaign-for-shared-security/
	IPB Nobel Prize Centenary 2010 - an invitation *Letter sent to IPB members, Feb. 26.* In recent communications we have mentioned the importance of this significant year in IPB’s history. Back in 1910, the IPB was the umbrella group for the national ‘peace societies’ that existed in Europe and beyond. The Nobel Prize was awarded in 1910 to the Bureau as a way of making a tribute – and an encouragement – to the organised peace movement of the day.......... Since those days, IPB and its members have been involved in many of the great peace campaigns and causes of the century. So this is a special moment for IPB, a time to look back at 100 years of peace history, and also to look forward to the challenges of the coming years. We are preparing various events to commemorate this centenary (notably in Oslo and Geneva) – and we will inform you in more detail in the weeks to come. This letter is an invitation to you to plan some programme work in your own country or sector to commemorate the jubilee of this Nobel Peace Prize, one that (in a general sense) we all share.....What we hope is that in all the world’s continents activities will be organised that will help to make IPB’s name known and will inform the public of the work of the peace movement.>>>Full text READ HERE
	Sean MacBride Prize 2009 - Acceptance speech by peace educator Betty Reardon + other materials “Pragmatic utopianism is a way of thinking about the problematic of global violence which envisions nonviolent alternatives to the present war system, explores multiple possible policy changes and various practical strategies to achieve them. Pragmatic utopians bring serious consideration of how to make the possible probable. It takes fully into account the many obstacles that stand in the way of this change and challenges with reasoned and evidence based analysis the greatest obstacle of all, the prevailing political realism that refuses to see the positive possibilities for peace that could free us from the thrall of the armed conflict that continues to pour out our blood and treasure to feed the power lust that garbs itself as world leadership. While in years past, few but the most visionary and responsible have spoken this truth, peace education seeks to bring it to the consideration of the wider citizenry; not to preach it, to not attempt to inculcate it, but to open it to the probing inquiry and serious reflection of original thought of the kind essential to revealing and ultimately to designing positive political possibilities… I see a strong element of pragmatic utopianism in the awarding the Nobel Prize to von Sutner, MacBride and IPB…” (excerpt – click for the full text) + for the other materials >>>READ MORE
	Challenging Militarization in a Decade of Crisis Colin Archer, Secretary-General of the International Peace Bureau (editorial introduction to the Jan. 2010 newsletter of the Global Campaign for Peace Education) http://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/newsletter/archives/69.html “The world is over-armed and peace is under-funded. Military spending continues to rise every day. Just one generation after the end of the Cold War, it is now well above US $1 trillion. More weapons are being produced. They are flooding markets around the world. They are destabilizing societies. They feed the flames of civil wars and terror.” (Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General,Opening address to the 62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference - "For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!" 09 September 2009) Jan. 18, 2010. All this week our screens have been full of powerful images and reports from Haiti. The most appalling, and sudden, large-scale catastrophe, and in a desperately poor country. Immediately - though already too late for many - the international aid community is gearing up for a massive response. The sums seem impressive: $100 million here, $100 million there.... until you remember that the military budget (in major states at least) is counted in billions rather than millions. A thousand times more. So it is a question of priorities. It is a question of politics, and values. >>>READ MORE
	IPB nominates A-Bomb survivors for Nobel Peace Prize 2010 Geneva, 28 January 2010. The IPB has nominated once again the NIHON HIDANKYO organisation of Japan, representing the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is our third nomination of this unique and important body. We have several reasons for repeating this particular nomination: 1.The hibakusha have spent the last 65 years living with the after-effects of last century’s most terrible acts of destruction, and – with immense courage – have found ways to transform their suffering through active, long-term resistance to the continuing threats posed by weapons of mass destruction. 2.They are a community whose numbers are gradually dwindling. The time for the worldwide recognition is now. 3.The award of the international community’s most prestigious peace honour to nuclear victims would help to alert world opinion, not only to the dangers of nuclear proliferation, but also to the important new possibilities for disarmament, brought about primarily by the political initiatives of the 2009 Nobel Peace laureate Barack Obama. 4.We believe this nomination is entirely within the meaning and spirit of Alfred Nobel’s will.
	IPB NEW YEAR VIDEO - HOW WOULD YOU SPEND MILLIONS? As a special media experiment, IPB has decided to promote its Disarmament for Development campaign in a new way. The short clip entitled 'How would you spend millions? was aired as a repeated big-screen advertisement in front of a huge crowd on New Year's Eve (Silvesterzauber) in Zürich. The event itself was carried on New Year's news reports and TV footage carried around the world in locations such as Berlin, London, Sydney, Paris etc. See: http://www.silvesterzauber.ch/webautor-data/29/Silvesterzauber_Infoblatt_E.pdf We are very grateful to our colleagues at Rotor Marketing and Media (http://www.rotor.me.uk)who put this together for us.
	Arias Foundation endorses IPB's Global Call on Military and Social Spending Jan. 7, 2010. Good news! IPB Secretariat has just received a very positive letter from the Arias Foundation, Costa Rica, endorsing our Call for Action on Military and Social Spending. This Foundation is headed by the President of Costa Rica, Dr. Oscar Arias, winner of the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize. It is with much enthusiasm that the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress endorses this Global Call for Action on Military and Social Spending. We agree strongly that the needs of the world’s poor and developing countries are not being met by developed countries and that excessive spending to purchase and stockpile weapons while the most basic human needs of so many in the world go unmet is an injustice that cannot be allowed to continue. We also support you in calling for action to reduce such spending and directing 10% of those funds to meet the UN´s Millennium Development goals by 2015. It is time that the nations of the world act on the many promises that have been made throughout the years. IPB hopes this latest endorsement will encourage other organisations and institutions to add their voices to this important Call.
	IPB WASHINGTON CONFERENCE - Nov. - 2009 Speeches and documents - 1st series Representatives of IPB member organisations and other peace movements from 21 countries, as well as individual participants, gathered at Georgetown University in Washington DC on the weekend of November 14-15, 2009 for the annual IPB conference – the first held in the USA since 1904. The conference was followed by the IPB Council, a planning meeting for the nuclear abolition activities at the NPT Review next May, and a day-seminar on military spending. Speeches and/or articles supplied by conference presenters are available HERE. For the photogallery of the Conference click HERE. A second series of materials will be posted here as soon as we have them.
	Estimated Global Military Spending Since Jan 1, 2009 - $1,213,305,213,712 Estimated costs to provide the following፡- Shelter for every human being: $21,000,000,000; *Eliminate ALL* Starvation and Malnourishment: $19,000,000,000; Clean Safe Water for every human being: $10,000,000,000; Eliminate ALL Nuclear Weapons: $7,000,000,000; Eliminate ALL Landmines: $4,000,000,000; Eliminate ALL Illiteracy: $5,000,000,000; Relief for Refugees everywhere: $5,000,000,000; Stabilize Human Population Growth: $10,500,000,000; Prevent Soil Erosion Globally: $24,000,000,000; Annual Expenditure of the United Nations system: $15,000,000,000 Estimated Cost to reach the Millenium Development Goals**: $121,000,000,000 But to see the military spending at this actual moment - Click this COUNTER
	'Warfare or Welfare?' and 'Whose Priorities?' now available in Arabic 27 Nov. 2009. IPB is pleased to announce that we now have available our first full length book in Arabic. 'Warfare or Welfare?* Disarmament for Development in the 21st century: A human security approach'* was published in 2005 but still contains valuable information and analysis on the issues relating to our main programme. See Publications page for other language versions. Text in Arabic HERE 'Whose Priorities?' A guide for campaigners on military and social spending. This book is a follow-up to IPB's earlier volume Warfare or Welfare? . While that work attempted to describe the nature of the problems facing us, the new publication sketches out some approaches to campaigning in opposition to militarism, and offers summary accounts of 18 projects undertaken by civil society groups around the world. Text in Arabic HERE We are most grateful to Mr Latif-Al-Bayati for completing this task.
	IPB calls on Obama to declare Nobel ceasefire Among the main outcomes of the IPB's annual conference held in the USA was the following Open Letter. Nov. 15, 2009, Washington DC. Dear Mr. President: We have two requests to make of you. In just a few weeks you will travel to Oslo to receive the world’s most distinguished award, the Nobel Peace Prize. In order to underline the solemn nature of this award and the responsibilities it implies, we call on you to declare the week devoted to the award ceremonies (Dec. 4 -11) a period of global cease-fire, initiated by the United States in Afghanistan and elsewhere. It would be an historic step, as was the ‘Christmas Truce’ in the First World War.>>>Read More. Version in Spanish.
	THE 10th NOBEL PEACE SUMMIT IN BERLIN - 2009 International Peace Bureau was represented at the 10th Nobel Peace Summit in Berlin 9-11 November 2009 by Urban Gibson and Reiner Braun. IPB Vice-President Alyn Ware also attended. The Summit, entitled “Breaking down new walls and building bridges to ensure a World of Human Rights and a World without violence” brought together Nobel laureates who have made a significant contribution in breaking down the walls of conflict, poverty and human rights violations – and building the bridges required for an equitable, sustainable and peaceful world. >>> READ MORE. Click here for a PHOTGALLERY of the Summit.
	World March for Peace and Nonviolence arrives in Geneva - Nov. 9 IPB Secretary-General Colin Archer spoke at the rally organised to greet the arrival of the World March in Geneva on November 9. La Marche Mondiale invite les Suisses à se prononcer en faveur de l’interdiction d’exporter du matériel de guerre à l’étranger. Suisse Genève; November 09, 2009. La marche mondiale pour la paix et la non violence a fait halte lundi à Genève. Le maire de Genève, Rémy Pagani, a apporté son soutien à la marche, en dénonçant des dépenses militaires chiffrées à 1500 millliards de dollars dans le monde et l’hypocrisie de la Suisse. Dani Horowitz, a déclaré «Nous ne pouvons pas justifier la création d’emploi au détriment de la vie d’autrui» See the report (French). Worldmarch site: http://www.theworldmarch.org/index.php?secc=news&acc=verid&newsid=406.
	Civil Society plans actions at NPT Review, May 2010 Disarm Now! Mobilizing Call of the NPT Review 2010 International Planning GroupFor Nuclear Abolition, Peace and Justice (extract) .......to secure a future for humanity and our planet, to help create the conditions for a world of peace, justice and genuine human security, we urge the 2010 NPT Review Conference to make an unambiguous commitment to begin negotiations on a convention for the time-bound elimination of all nuclear weapons – a Nuclear Weapons Convention. Such a step will not happen without the active encouragement of civil society, giving voice to the yearning of the global majority for a world free from the fear of nuclear annihilation. We urge all those who share this vision to join us in mobilising for the international peace conference in New York on May 1st and the International Day of Action for a Nuclear Free World, in New York and globally, on May 2nd, as well as for the presentation of petition signatures to the United Nations. Full text HERE. To send endorsements / receive more information: write to: npt@ialana.de and JGerson@afsc.org Next planning meeting: WASHINGTON DC, following IPB Conference, Nov 16. (See conf. programme for details)
	PEACE BUREAU TO AWARD MACBRIDE PEACE PRIZE TO BETTY REARDON Nov. 4, 2009. The International Peace Bureau announced today that its annual award, the Sean MacBride Peace Prize, will be given to the pioneering peace educator Dr. Betty Reardon. IPB President Tomas Magnusson declared: “Betty Reardon’s contribution to peace education and to the wider peace movement is unique. She helped lay the intellectual foundations for a whole new cross-disciplinary field at a time when the political atmosphere was intensely hostile. She has influenced thousands of educators who have read her work and attended her courses. In particular she has contributed powerfully to the development of a feminist analysis of peace questions and has been able to place it in a fully global perspective – a fact that is testified by the number of visiting professorships and advisory positions she has been invited to take up in locations all over the world.” The prize will be awarded during the IPB’s annual conference, which this year is to be held at Georgetown University, Washington DC. The ceremony will take place on Saturday Nov. 14, during the first day of the five-day program.>>>READ MORE
	IPB VICE-PRESIDENT ALYN WARE WINS RIGHT LIVELIHOOD PRIZE IPB congratulates its Vice-President Alyn Ware on receiving the prestigious Right Livelihood Award, which was established in 1980 to honour and support those "offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today". It has become widely known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize' and there are now 137 Laureates from 58 countries. Presented annually in Stockholm at a ceremony in the Swedish Parliament, the Right Livelihood Award is usually shared by four recipients. One of them may receive an Honorary Award, given to a person or group whose work the Jury wishes to recognise but who is not primarily in need of monetary support. The others share the prize money, which, in 2009, will be EUR 150,000. The prize money is for ongoing successful work, never for personal use. Alyn's work has covered peace education, nuclear weapons abolition, the World Court Project and more recently the coordination of the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament network. http://www.rightlivelihood.org/ware.html MORE>>>HERE.
	IPB QUESTIONS CHOICE OF OBAMA FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE + OTHER VIEWS Geneva, 9 October 2009. The International Peace Bureau today expressed concern at the announcement of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize since it fails to respect the intentions expressed by Alfred Nobel in his will. Nobel wrote that the Peace Prize is to go to whoever "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”. While congratulating the U.S. President on this highest of global awards -- notably for having restored hope to millions concerned about the state of the planet -- the organisation raised numerous questions about the choice >>>SEE: Full IPB Statement HERE; Other views from IPB Community: Alyn Ware; Kevin Martin-Peace Action:
	New web section: Peace and Law Our Peace and Law section is intended to serve as an introduction to various concepts related to peace and how domestic and international law may be used to implement measures to realize all of the components of peace. Some of these elements include education, tolerance, equality, security, disarmament and development, and respect for human rights and the rule of law. Following the short introduction below, you will find a list of definitions; sub-sections on Peace and Law at the international level, including the role of the United Nations and the issue of peace building, and the national domestic level; and links to more information as well as different national and international civil society campaigns for peace. Edited by Kate Johnson. MORE...
	IPB launches new book on nuclear costs, Hiroshima Day 2009 Tomorrow August 6 a whole range of actions will be organised around the world to mark the 64th anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima by atomic weapons. For 64 years people from all walks of life in all parts of the planet have mobilised to bring about their elimination. Nuclear weapons not only threaten massive destruction, but they also incur enormous costs. Apart from the damage caused by blast, fire and radioactive fallout from actual use in warfare, the weapons impose major financial, moral and political costs on nuclear weapons states and countries that host the weapons. The US alone spends annually over US$ 50 billion on its nuclear arsenal, and the global annual total is around $90 billion. At a time of global economic crisis, when the international community is also struggling to come up with ways to respond to climate challenge and dwindling energy resources, can this be the right use of public money? It is therefore an appropriate moment for IPB to publicly launch its new publication on this subject. In contrast to earlier studies which looked at single countries, Nuclear Weapons: At What Cost? offers a survey of the costs of the nuclear weapons programmes of all the relevant states – even though in some cases the exact figures are difficult to obtain.>>> FULL TEXT Published by IPB 2009, 150pp approx, A5. ISBN: 92-95006-05-4. Price 25 CHF incl. postage. Click HERE for flyer NOTE: A new edition of our Publications Catalogue is now available on our Publications page: http://ipb.org/i/newsletters-and-publications/newsletters-and-publications-generic/VI-generic-newsletters-and-publications.html
	Speech by IPB President at World Conference against A & H Bombs, Hiroshima-Nagasaki My speech covers three themes relevant for the World Conference against A and H bombs. First theme: civilians as victims of war, from Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, to the ongoing wars in the world Second theme: How disarmament could help development, and help the many needs in the world, how the military spending could be turned into good, and how much the costs are for nuclear weapons. Third and last, but not the least: How we could strengthen our common resources to influence the NPT review conference in springtime next year. >>>MORE
	IPB demonstrates at UN, sends message to the Conference on Disarmament, 6 Aug.2009 IPB message to the Conference on Disarmament, 6 Aug.2009 On this occasion we wish to reiterate our deep concern regarding the continuing development of nuclear weapons, both their ‘vertical’ modernisation and their ‘horizontal’ proliferation. We expect from the Conference on Disarmament a speedy agreement on a convention on the total elimination of nuclear weapons, in order that such tragedies as those of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should never be repeated. We request you to kindly transmit this message to the governmental delegates at the CD, in order to encourage them to act on their responsibilities in this direction. Full text in English and French See mini-photogallery from the Geneva rally HERE
	IPB response to new military spending figures June 2009 Geneva, June 9, 2009. The International Peace Bureau expresses profound concern at the announcement yesterday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute at the launch of its annual Yearbook (www.sipri.org) that world military expenditures in 2008 reached yet another new high. The figure given is $1,464 billion. The US share of this is $607 billion – which is the budget for its basic military operations alone (i.e. not counting the actual costs of its wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq). This represents an increase of 4% in real terms compared to 2007, and of 45% since 1999. All regions have seen substantial increases since 1999, except for Western and Central Europe. >>>MORE
	New IPB Booklet on the Arms Trade Now Available! A new booklet on the arms trade is now available from the International Peace Bureau. The booklet provides general information on how the arms trade works, how it undermines development, and efforts by the international community to get it under control. It also provides a detailed listing of organizations working on the arms trade. Written by IPB intern, Alicia Dueck, the booklet is available for download HERE or you may obtain a printed copy by contacting the IPB office.
	Warfare or Welfare – Disarmament for Peace & Development Conference in Bangalore, India, (Feb. 10-12, 2009) Some 200 participants turned out to the 3-days conference and protest against the Aero India Defence Fair. The conference concluded by calling for an Arms Trade Treaty and for access to social security in India. Read the report by Celine Nahory who represented the IPB, and the message of the Secretary General.
	NEW IPB CALL FOR ACTION IPB has drawn up an important Call For Action on military spending which we are distributing very widely. We hope it will resonate with many people's worries about the current financial crisis and the on going mis-appropriation of huge amounts of money. This will be a process. The first round of organisational endorsements will be sent to the upcoming UN conference on Financing for Development. We will then do further outreach in order to reach wide communities around the world, and to stimulate actions at many levels. Please send organisational endorsements to IPB Secretariat. We will collect endorsements well into 2009...>>English version HERE; Version française>> ICI ; Deutsche Version >>HIER;Finnish version>> HERE; Arabic version >>>HERE; Japanese version>>>HERE