Written by: Angelo Cardona, coordinator of Latin America and Representative of the International Peace Bureau (IPB) to the United Nations, Co-founder and President at the Ibero-American Alliance for Peace, and ambassador of Colombia to the Youth Assembly.
In July 2024, the United Nations convened its High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York. The HLPF happens at a pivotal moment when we are witnessing the surge of new conflicts and threats, such as the potential scalation of conflicts that could lead to nuclear confrontation, which would endanger human survival, and the perils of climate change affecting countries worldwide.
On July 17th, IPB was proud to host a roundtable discussion that focused on challenging NATO’s hegemonic world order. The panel featured prominent peace activists Joseph Gerson, Reiner Braun, Anu Chenoy, and Walden Bello — all of whom took a deep dive into today’s geopolitics and explained in detail NATO’s culpability in rising escalations.
The four speakers each delivered their introductory remarks. Their speeches touched base on several pressing topics, from NATO’s increased presence in the Asia Pacific region to the fate of the military alliance under a potential Trump presidency. Each expert presented their own nuanced views of these situations and many more, all the while emphasizing the general discussion’s theme of NATO’s rapid expansionism and its inevitable consequences in the process.
The roundtable ended with a Q&A session and key takeaways delivered by each panelist. A consensus surrounded the indispensability of youth participation in peace advocacy work. Without young activists willing to carry on the torch, it was agreed that much of the world would have their crises unresolved. The recorded panel can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAe8kaZTvEU
June 20, 2024 – New York – The International Peace Bureau (IPB) had the privilege of honoring Alfredo Lubang, a prominent advocate for peace and disarmament from the Philippines, with the Seán MacBride Peace Award. Fred is also the first recipient of this award from the Philippines. This award was given in recognition of his unwavering work and commitment toward peace, disarmament, common security, and non-violence, especially in the face of ongoing wars. Without him, the Philippines would not be the only country that has ratified nearly all humanitarian disarmament treaties today.
Earlier in the awarding ceremony, we hosted an intergenerational panel discussion on the Current State of Disarmament and Civil Society, Visions, and Aspirations. This discussion featured Alfredo Lubang; Binalakshmi Nepram, IPB Board Member and Founder of the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice, and Peace; and Gene Gesite Jr., Youth Vision Moderator. The panel highlighted the efforts and commitments of civil society in advocating for disarmament. Fred emphasized the urgent need for more advocates and elaborated on both regional and international efforts to strengthen and spread this critical work. He also called on the younger generation to utilize their skills and talents to take part in promoting disarmament, peace, and common security.
This award celebrates all the people who have struggled and become voices of the suffering they have experienced. I am fortunate to have reached the age of disarmament conference which is half of century. This is not just a project; we need more people willing to dedicate their lives to disarmament. It’s about living that experience. I still vividly remember the first death I witnessed during military and armed group conflicts, and the cries of my classmates when it happened. These lived experiences, shared by me and my colleagues, should guide us, as we understand how to solve these problems simply.
The issues we would like to bring in and strategies we put in could be actually successful. But the way global civil society and advcote framed as a new way of again taking advantage of other..But when you look the capacities and look at the people who would like to offer their lives for disarmament, they should be given an opportunity to lead Global Campaigns.. It’s really now about the people who live in conflict areas and excluded groups should be leading the way. We may have left the wars or left your communities but if you lived in conflic areas, the wars would never leave you. To solve this conflict we should have that eyes of lived experience.
For humanitarian disarmament to succeed, we must move beyond a human-centric perspective and embrace a decolonial approach. We must stop exploiting the vulnerabilities of others, whether due to lack of funds or being a small NGO not speaking English like others. There are many ways to achieve our goals, and now is our opportunity to show the world that there are alternatives. I encourage the younger generation to take up this challenge. I will continue to be here for many more years. Thank you. Shukran. I am humbled in this opportunity. Again, this is not about me but having the opportunity that my voice is also someone’s voice.
During the ceremony, Sean Conner, IPB Executive Director, provided an overview of Seán MacBride’s legacy, emphasizing his lifelong dedication to peace and disarmament. He highlighted MacBride’s impactful work with the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and how it relates to Alfredo’s work. This was followed by a congratulatory message from Tak Mashiko, Programme Officer at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, who has been a long-time friend and collaborator of Fred in disarmament. Tak highlighted Fred’s hard work and dedication in promoting disarmament both in the Philippines and globally.
Binalakshmi also emphasized Alfredo’s inspiring legacy and lifelong commitment to peace and disarmament. She expressed gratitude to Alfredo and his wife Mitzi Austero, who is also a Program Manager, Nonviolence International Southeast Asia, for their tireless efforts to advance policies and agreements related to disarmament. The event concluded with remarks and appreciations from Emily Rubino, IPB Board Member, and Joseph Gerson, former IPB Vice-President and current President of Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security. They acknowledged all the participants who attended and celebrated Fred’s legacy in disarmament, peace, and common security.
Together with Alfredo Lubang and all other peace and disarmament advocates, we continue to reimagine a world without wars.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung New York, especially Ms. Mariana Fernandez, RLS-NY Project Manager, for providing the space and making this event possible. We also appreciate the unwavering efforts of the Manipur Gun Survivor Women for their gift to Fred and No War Factory as our patron sponsor. The entire event would not have been possible without the overall coordination and nomination by Bina, our IPB Board Member, and the behind-the-scenes assistance of Gene, Ate Mitsky, and Emily Rubino. Thank you to everyone who participated in this event, including SCRAP Weapon partners, esteemed experts in disarmament, and all those who celebrated with us at this momentous event. Thank you very much.
The whole event can be watched on our IPB YouTube channel
The whole event can be watched on our IPB YouTube channel:
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A new report, “Surge: 2023 Global Nuclear Weapons Spending”, has been released by ICAN detailing the world’s total expenditure on nuclear weapons. However in this context, “the world” just refers to the nine states which possess and illegally develop nuclear arms.
The findings are shocking, revealing that these nine governments spent $91 billion dollars on revamping their nuclear arsenal in 2023, marking a $10.8 billion increase from the year prior. Unsurprisingly, at the top of the list of spenders is the United States, which financed the creation and maintenance of these weapons of mass destruction with $51.5 billion. Not only did the U.S. outspend all other nuclear states alone, however its spending this year also constituted 80% of the increase of expenditure on nukes.
Manufacturers remain to be a major driver of nuclear arms development. ICAN’s report shows that in just 2023, these companies earned at least $31 billion from their work in the industry. Understanding that they have more to gain, manufacturers have concomitantly spent $118 million lobbying in just France and the U.S. to continue operations. Further influence on political decision making is exerted by meeting with public officials, which companies such as Roll Royce, Airbus, and BAE systems have done with UK politicians over 40 times. Other companies, such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX, are active in lobbying for their interests as well, despite deep concerns being raised at stakeholder meetings over violations of human rights and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The report demonstrates how fragile peace is in the 21st century, as the only explanation for this drastic spending on nuclear weapons is that they will eventually be used. Undoubtedly, the continued production of these arms is a conscious decision made by politicians and CEOs which will jeopardize humanity’s future.
The Institute of Economics and Peace has just released the 18th edition of its Global Peace Index (GPI). The GPI evaluates the current status of peace according to three metrics: social safety & security; presence of domestic & international conflict; and degree of militarization. The results from the report confirm the unfortunate reality that democracy and peacebuilding are currently on a historic backslide.
In a statistic which captures the essence of the findings, the GPI reports that there are 56 active conflicts in the world today, which is the most since the second World War. In fact, 97 countries have experienced a decline in peacefulness in 2024, which marks a record for any given year since the beginning of the index. Accompanying this increase in violence are larger ratios of military expenditure to size of GDP for 86 countries, indicating a frightening willingness to take up arms.
As expected, the effects of armed conflicts are devastating. For instance, more than 95 million people have been displaced from their homes thanks to prolonged violence. Over the last three decades, battle deaths peaked in 2022, with the Russo-Ukranian war contributing to this figure without doubt, producing 2000 casualties for nearly every month that it has been waged. The economic effects of these situations are crippling too: armed conflicts wrought an estimated total of $907.5 billion dollars of damages in 2023. In contrast, peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts were only allocated $49.6 billion last year, meaning that for every dollar countries lose from violence, they are only willing to spend six cents to solve the problem. Obviously, the return on investment in this transaction will continue, then, to be minimal.
The conclusions of the GPI should draw attention to the global crisis that the world is in the midst of. To compound on present worries, the reports leave out analysis on the impact of conflict and militarization on climate change, which simply cannot be ignored. If bold and drastic action is not taken by heads of state and intergovernmental organizations immediately, future generations will come to the rue the idleness of the present. The International Peace Bureau provides recommendations on how to alleviate current tensions through the Global Campaign on Military Spending and its Common Security Report 2022. For further information on how to militarization intersects with climate issues, see the report issued by the Conflict and Environment Observatory.
For two decades, the European Union has been gradually moving towards becoming a de facto military power. This has happened beyond the sight of the European public, with scant oversight from democratic institutions or judicial accountability. This policy briefing by TNI critically reviews 20 years of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) military missions, with a focus on the 10 most recent or current missions.
The Lithuanian Migration Department has begun the process of deporting Belarusian journalist Oleg Borshchevsky, husband of Nobel Peace Prize nominee and human rights activist Olga Karach, to Belarus where he will be imprisoned and tortured. He needs your solidarity and support. Please write a letter of support for Oleg to the Lithuanian Migration Department to stop his deportation. The draft of the letter:
Statement signed at 18 February 2024 at World Social Forum in Kathmandu, Nepal
Nobody can doubt any longer that the multiple crises have deepened worldwide. Superpowers and market-oriented international institutions including the European Union, Russia, and the United States of America, NATO, the World Economic Forum and others have driven the world into a spiral of increasing competition, hate speech and sea of bloody wars, ethnic cleansing and genocide, economic and ecological disasters, and neocolonial injustices supported by increasingly authoritarian governments.
Support Peace this Giving Tuesday: Help the International Peace Bureau Create a Better World!
This Giving Tuesday, be part of a global generosity movement that has been inspiring action since 2012. Created as a day to encourage people to do good, GivingTuesday has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon celebrating radical generosity. Every year, millions come together to support causes they believe in, igniting change and fostering a spirit of giving.
Join us in this extraordinary movement by supporting our work, dedicated to promoting peace and sustainable development. Together, we can create a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
#GivingTuesday is not just about one day; it’s a commitment to making a difference year-round. Your support for the IPB on this special day contributes to a lasting impact on global peace and sustainability.
Your support will help us to continue to organize and mobilize our international peace network in activities such as:
Moreover, it will provide us with the necessary resources to expand the reach of our message of peace in the unprecedented difficulty of these moments.
Donate now and be a part of this global movement of generosity and hope! Thank you for sharing our belief that a more peaceful and better world is achievable.
Meet Sean Conner, the executive director of the International Peace Bureau, one of the most vocal and oldest grass-root peace organisations in the world. For over 130 years the IPB has been lobbying governments and organisations for peaceful means to resolve conflicts. Even now they are one of the few organisations that stand for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and have not been corrupted or coerced into submission by the pro-war narrative of the collective west.
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