Peace, Nature and Cooperation in the Baltic and Arctic Regions

Background:

• The Baltic and Arctic regions are militarizing, and new risks of global military confrontation, climate and environmental disasters are emerging.
• Civil society in Russia and Western countries are limited in the ability to cooperate to reduce the risks of military escalation, stop climate change, radioactive contamination, and destruction of natural ecosystems
• UN: 2024 is the year of promoting a culture of peace; September 21 is the International Day of Peace.

Organizers:

• Public Council of the Southern Coast of the Gulf of Finland, interregional environmental movement of St. Petersburg – Leningrad Region, Russia.
• Global Women for Peace United Against NATO– international network.
• Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.
• International Peace Bureau (IPB)– Geneva, Barcelona, Berlin.
• World BEYOND War– a global anti-war organization with chapters and affiliates in about two dozen countries. It is opposed to the very institution of war and not just individual wars.

Supporters:

• Regional Press Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Boligaktionen – Activism for a World with Space for Everyone, Denmark.
• Canadian organization Women’s Voice for Peace (VOW), Canada.
• International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom of Canada(WILPF).
• International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom WILPF– Norway.
• Women for Peace, Finland.
• Women for Peace, Sweden. 

Objectives:

• Strengthening peace and sustainable development through civil diplomacy.
• Combating climate change and protecting the environment through peacebuilding.
• The transformation of the Baltic and Arctic regions into a nuclear-weapon-free zone of peace.
• Uniting peacekeeping and environmental human rights organizations in the Baltic and Arctic regions to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals: 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions) and 17 (Partnership for Sustainable Development).
• Making the Baltic Sea region and the Arctic zones of peace between people and with nature.

Participants:

• Non-governmental organizations of the Baltic and Arctic regions from Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Canada, USA.
• Deputies of the regional parliaments and municipalities of the Leningrad region and St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Environmental experts from St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast.

Expected results:

• Creation of a network of interaction between the participants of the Conference and round table discussions.
• Elaboration of a joint declaration on action to achieve the goals of the conference to be sent to the organizers of the World Peace Forum 2025.

Speakers:

• Palle BENDSEN – Friends of the Earth Denmark.
• Oleg BODROV – Public Council of the Southern Coast of the Gulf of Finland, IPB, Russia. Reiner BRAUN – IPB, Berlin, Germany.
• Elena KRUGLIKOVA – veteran of the environmental movement of the Arctic region, Murmansk region, Russia.
• Nikolay KUZ’MIN – Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region, Russia.
• Lea LAUNOKARI – Women for Peace Finland, Global Women United Against NATO, Finland.
• Tamara LORINCZ – Canadian organization Women’s Voice for Peace (VOW), Canada.
• David SWANSON – World BEYOND War, USA.
• Andrey TALEVLIN – Ph.D. Russian Socio-Ecological Union, Russia.
• Ingeborg BREINES – Former Chair of IPB and UNESCO Director, Norway.
• Isabelle CASSEL – Deutscher Friedensrat (climate issue), Germany.
• Angelika CLAUSSEN – President of IPPNW Europe, Germany
• Tove JENSEN – Peace Initiative in Denmark & Campaign “No to US-Bases in Denmark.
• Martha HENNESSY – prominent American peace & nuclear disarmament promoter, USA. 
• Mechthild KLINGENBURG-VOGEL – Kieler Friedensforum/Kiel Peace Forum, Germany.
• Ulla KLÖTZER – Women for Peace Finland.
• Christer LUNDGREN – Folket i Bild Association, National No to NATO Organization, Working Group Against the DCA, Sweden.
• Heidi MEINZOLT – member of WILPF and coordinator of a women’s WG in the OSCE area, Germany.
• Agneta NORBERG –No to Nato, Global Network Against Weapons and  Nuclear Power in Space – Sweden.
• Mia STUBBENDORFF – Nej till NATO/No to NATO, Sweden.
• Olli TAMMILEHTO – writer & an old-line activist in Finnish environmental & peace movements, Finland.
• Susanne URBAN – Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Norway.

Program:

The full program is accessible at at the website of “Global women for Peace United Against NATO” (GWUAN) – https://womenagainstnato.org/

More information: Oleg Bodrov: phone +7 921 74 52 631 (WhatsApp, Telegram), email obdecom@gmail.com  and/ or Ulla Klotzer ullaklotzer@yahoo.com