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International brief – Protest against NATO war summit

PROTEST FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE

No NATO war summit!

When: June 22nd, 2025 at 14:00

Where: Koekamp (Laan van Reagan en Gorbatsjov), The Hague, Netherlands

On Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th of June, the annual NATO-summit will be held in the World Forum in The Hague. There, NATO’s members and heads of state will discuss their ongoing war plans against their geopolitical enemies, with the goal of retaining and conquering access to resources and political power worldwide. The summit will be held in the context of escalating militarisation and tensions in the west, and the ongoing western support for the Israeli genocide on the Palestinian people.

The organisation calls on all aligned international, progressive organisations to mobilise its people, resources and fellow organisations to join this protest against the NATO war summit, and to verbalise the growing international call for justice and peace. Together, we stand strong against the raging imperialist war machine. The time to act is now!

Organisation

This protest is organised by the Dutch Counter Summit Coalition for Peace and Justice, composed of several of the leading Dutch organisations on the topic of anti-imperialism, peace and social justice. Including, but not limited to: the Revolutionary Socialist Party and their youth organisation ROOD, De Nieuwe Vredesbeweging, BIJ1, and Stop Wapenhandel. Besides this protest, the coalition is also organising a counter summit (with limited capacity) on the 21st and the 22nd of June.

The Counter Summit will finish before the protest starts, so attendance at both events is compatible. The Koekamp is a 2 minute walk from the Central Station of The Hague. There are several parking garages nearby. A public toilet is available at the Central Station. It is encouraged to bring anti-imperialist and pro-justice campaign material to the protest. Other additional information, e.g. the speaker programme and duration of the protest, will be shared at a later moment. The media kit for promotion can be downloaded through this link.

For pressing matters or additional questions, please contact the coordinator of the

protest:

Naomi Tyralla – (+31) 06 39 17 41 12 – n.tyralla@gmail.com

For questions related to the Counter Summit (not the protest), please contact the international coordinator of the Summit:

Guido van Leemput – (+31) 06 51 50 35 90 – vredespolitiek@riseup.net

Help us raise awareness and mobilize for peace!
Your contribution will support the international protest against the NATO war summit on June 22nd in Brussels, including outreach, logistics, and mobilization efforts.

Let’s take a stand together — No to war, yes to peace!

Donate here

Defending Human Rights in Cameroon (Podcast)

By: Africanist Press

In mid-January, the offices of Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme (NDH), a human rights organization based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, were forcibly entered by unidentified individuals who stole essential documents and valuable equipment, including laptops, desktop computers, hard drives, projectors, and video cameras. This alarming incident underscores the increasing dangers faced by human rights defenders in the country.

IPB Endorses Everyday Peacebuilding: Foundations of Peacebuilding eCourse

The International Peace Bureau (IPB) endorses “The Foundations of Peacebuilding,” an online course developed by Taylor O’Connor, founder of Everyday Peacebuilding. This comprehensive program equips participants with essential knowledge and practical skills for effective peacebuilding.

Statement of Support for Turkish Conscientious Objectors

Issued by the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen (DFG-VK) German Peace Society – United War Resisters

We have just heard accounts from those directly affected by the criminalization of conscientious objection in Turkey. Their experiences are a stark reminder that the fight against militarism is not abstract—it is about real people facing real persecution. Their voices demand that we turn what we have heard today into meaningful action.

IPB Statement on Democratic Republic of Congo

The International Peace Bureau expresses deep concern regarding the advance of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo including in the regional capital of Goma. To this day and despite international humanitarian law, humanitarian assistance remains blocked outside Goma, while the population is still deprived of access to drinking water, electricity, Internet, sufficient food and adequate health care – the capacity of hospitals is saturated. The ongoing violence not only endangers the stability and well-being of the people of the DRC but also threatens peace and security across the whole region.

European Speaking Tour: Conscientious Objectors from Türkiye Share Their Fight for Human Rights

Human rights activists from Turkey are sharing their personal experiences during their European speaking tour.

Türkiye does not recognize the human right to conscientious objection to military service. As a result, conscientious objectors face lifelong ‘civil death,’ enduring persecution, fines, and prison sentences. By refusing military service, they take a clear stand against militarization and war in Türkiye.

Conscientious objectors and their supporters actively organize through Vicdani Ret İzleme (Conscientious Objection Watch). We have invited them to share their work and experiences with us. This event offers a unique opportunity to hear firsthand accounts from conscientious objectors about their strategies of resistance against conscription and war in Türkiye. They will also discuss their connections with groups in Kurdish regions and explore whether conscientious objection can be a path to ending the war in the region.

Additionally, they will present the work of Vicdani Ret İzleme and invite you to join their efforts in opposing war and conscription.

The speakers

Merve Arkun is one of the vice presidents of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and an executive member of War Resisters’ International, will give briefings on the current situation of the right to conscientious objection in Türkiye and examples of the work carried out. She will also share gender perspectives on conscientious objection as a human right.

Hüseyin Civan is a conscientious objector and has been subjected to restrictions on his civil rights and is experiencing „civil death” (a term used by the European Court of Human Rights to describe the situation of conscientious objectors in Türkiye) due to his refusal to serve in the army.

Inan Aru is a conscientious objector and has been tried and imprisoned many times on the same charge due to Türkiye’s failure to recognize the right to conscientious objection.

Hülya Üçpinar is a human rights lawyer from Türkiye, and has a long track record of campaigning for the right to conscientious objection in Türkiye. She is also experienced in applying for this human right within the European and UN system. She is an executive committee member of War Resisters’ International and one of the co-founders of the Nonviolent Education and Research Centre based in İstanbul.

We will be glad to have them in person in Berlin on 27 February, together with Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte Kriegsdienstgegner (DFG-VK). You can register at https://bit.ly/tco-berlin and please check the complete Berlin event details here:

Berlin Event: 27 February

The tour is organized by Connection e.V. and War Resisters’ International. Stay tuned for their tour dates and venues at: https://en.connection-ev.org/

Check the flyer below for their schedule (English, German and Turkish):

Berlin_TurkeyPosterA3-Eng_De_It5 Download

Turkey – Booklet Berlin2 Download

War & Peace Prospects for ASEAN and Asia in the Trump Era by Reiner Braun

January 28, 2025 -Philippines

Reiner Braun, former president and executive director of the Berlin-based International Peace Bureau (IPB), shared his insights on global peace and the urgent need to avoid World War III during his talk at the Pandesal Forum, held at Kamuning Bakery Café. The event, moderated by Wilson Lee Flores, focused on the topic War & Peace Prospects for ASEAN and Asia in the Trump Era.

Arctic Council – what and where to?Arctic Council – too important to be squeezed between the great powers!

Author: Ingeborg Breines

Norwegian peace educator, former director in UNESCO and former president of the International Peace Bureau/IPB

There are many reasons to pay close attention to what is happening in the far north. The Arctic is attracting strong international interest as global warming and melting ice open up for more fishing, more drilling of oil and gas and hunt for minerals on the seabed. In addition, there is increased shipping, especially in the Northeast Passage, with faster trade and transport opportunities between the West and the Far East.

Support the Emergency Humanitarian Response in Goma, North Kivu

The humanitarian situation in Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo has reached critical levels, and urgent intervention is needed to support the most vulnerable populations. Over 1.7 million people in North Kivu are displaced, with many living in dire conditions without access to basic services. Women, children, and the elderly are suffering from extreme food insecurity, lack of healthcare, and inadequate shelter. The constant threat of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) makes Goma one of the most dangerous places for women and girls.

Doomsday Clock Set at 89 Seconds to Midnight

January 28, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board (SASB) has set the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight, marking the closest it has ever been in its 78-year history. This historic adjustment underscores the alarming trajectory of global risks and highlights the urgent need for immediate, collective action to avert catastrophe.

International brief – Protest against NATO war summit

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