As war and militarism continue to threaten global peace and stability, voices for justice, nonviolence, and diplomacy are rising across Europe. This June, we invite you to take part in a powerful series of peace events happening in several cities—including The Hague, Brussels, Geneva, and Ramstein—where we will gather in solidarity with peace movements around the continent.
These events are more than symbolic—they are actions rooted in collective resistance, education, and community building. Whether you’re marching in a demonstration, attending a peace conference, or meeting fellow activists, your presence matters.
Over the past year, the world has witnessed an alarming escalation of violence: the genocide in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and more than 30 other armed conflicts in the Global South (half of them in Africa) have led to millions of people being killed, injured, losing their livelihood or being forcibly displaced. Still further violent conflicts loom on the horizon as global tensions escalate and competition between nations grows while international law and conflict mediation and resolution bodies like the United Nations are sidelined or ignored.
Militarism is clearly fuelling all these wars and violence, but despite calls to move away from weapons and violence to peace negotiations and disarmament, governments are doubling down on a recipe for disaster by significantly increasing their military budgets. Instead of seeking paths toward peace by investing in diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and conflict resolution, they’ve decided to hand out more and more money to the arms industry. History has repeatedly shown that militarization brings neither peace nor security; it perpetuates cycles of destruction, suffering, and injustice and fuels climate breakdown. Militarization is therefore not a solution, but a part of the problem. How is more of the same going to give any result other than more war, violence and injustice?
All this violence is also being fuelled by increasingly aggressive and openly supremacist discourses and policies from a rising far right and a rightwards shifting center, which exacerbate a climate of fear and present further militarisation and securitisation of our societies as the only path forward, thus closing off any public debate.
Spending money in war and rearmament means diverting valuable resources away from our wellbeing. Every cent spent on arms is a cent not spent on essential public services, where it would truly improve lives, provide genuine security and build sustainable peace. At a time of climate and environmental crises that put the planet and the lives of current and future generations at risk, it is essential to reduce military budgets and use these resources to save people and the planet. Prioritizing war-related expenditures over fundamental societal needs exacerbates suffering, deepens economic insecurity and widens social inequality. Further militarization and military spending increases will necessarily entail more austerity and cuts in essential public services, while fueling repression and the loss of rights and freedoms, both home and abroad. It is also paramount to debunk the myth of the positive impacts that military investments have on national economies. Increasing military spending, in addition to reinforcing a status quo based on violence and injustice, diverts resources from more productive civil sectors, which yield higher benefits, both short and long-term, including job creation.
We demand an end to this reckless arms race. The world does not need more weapons, but rather more dialogue, cooperation, global democratic institutions, and a commitment to justice and human dignity.
We urgently call on governments to reduce military spending and instead address through cooperation and diplomacy the global challenges of our time requiring all available resources.
We call for real efforts aimed at global disarmament, stopping the arms trade and ceasing arms shipments to countries in conflict, involved in regional instability or systematically violating human rights and international law. We call on governments and companies to prioritise peace and justice over profits derived from arms manufacturing and trading.
We call on governments (especially those of the U.S. and EU countries) to cease supplying arms to and buying arms from Israel, and use all existing means, including by taking sanctions against the Israeli government, to push for a real ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Gaza.
We call for a sincere and active discussion on new and responsive international and regional security architectures based on the shared ideas of common security, disarmament and global justice. We call on governments to abide by international law and international disarmament treaties, to support the international conflict resolution framework of the United Nations, implement the commitments made in the UN Pact for the Future, and to actively prepare a fourth Special Session on Disarmament in the UNGA.
We call on governments to address the climate crisis now. Global militaries are responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This means that if global militaries were a country, they would be the fourth largest emitter. Increased military spending means increased GHG emissions. If millions of dollars can be made available for buying arms, there is no reason why they should not be available for climate finance to address the biggest challenge ever faced by humanity.
We call on civil society across local, national, regional, and international levels to join together in the GCOMS campaign to combat the rising trend of military spending, to strengthen the global movement for peace and justice, and to challenge decision-makers who seek to justify a never-ending militarism in the name of security.
Sign the appeal now, please click the button below:
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
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!
On March 19, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET, the Women in Conflict Zones webinar brought together women from various war-affected regions to share their experiences and insights. Organized by World BEYOND War, Southern Anti-Racism Network, International Peace Bureau, Convention for Pan-Africanism and Progress (CPP), and CODEPINK, the event highlighted the devastating impacts of war on women and children while exploring solutions for peace and justice.
Speakers from Belarus, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Lebanon, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Korea, Sudan, and Syria shared firsthand testimonies of resilience and activism in conflict zones. The event also aligned with the second UN Decade for People of African Descent (2025-2034), emphasizing the need for targeted support for African women and children affected by war.
Speakers:
Belarus: Olga Karatch
Cameroon: Cyrille Rolande Bechon
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Julie Kabukanyi
Gaza/Palestine: Hanan Awwad
Lebanon: Hala Kilani & Shirine Jurdi
Mozambique: Namatama Sakabilo
Nigeria: Zullaihat Muhammad Ohiare
South Korea: Cho Young-mi
Sudan: Reem Abbas
Syria: Oula Ahmad
This webinar served as a powerful call to action, urging global solidarity in addressing the impact of war on women and fostering long-term peace.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for our side eventIf Not Now, When? An International Forum to Prevent Nuclear War and Secure Our Futureon March 4, 2025, at Scandinavia House in New York City.
From April 10 to May 9, 2025, the International Peace Bureau (IPB) will join forces with partners worldwide for theGlobal Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS). This year’s campaign comes at a crucial moment, as the world faces escalating violence, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, and over 30 other armed conflicts in the Global South, many of which are in Africa. These conflicts, alongside increasing militarization and supremacist rhetoric, have created a climate of fear and instability.
Open Letter to the Taoiseach by International Organisations
Ireland is a neutral country. A central component of that neutrality is the Triple Lock. It stipulates that Irish troops can only be deployed on overseas missions if there is approval from:
the cabinet,
Dáil Éireann – Ireland’s lower house of parliament,
and there is a UN mandate.
A three-tiered approval mechanism to authorise the deployment of troops to highly complex and volatile environments, including conflict zones, makes good sense. Yet in recent days the Irish government announced plans to bring legislation before the cabinet to undo it. This is a fundamental policy shift that will seriously weaken Irish neutrality. It could see Irish troops being deployed, not to keep the peace within a UN mandated mission, but to wage war as part of a military alliance.
We firmly believe in neutrality as a means to actively prevent the outbreak of war and recognise that the Triple Lock is vital for preserving Ireland’s neutrality, particularly amid escalating global instability and conflict. We wrote to the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) to convey our alarm at the erosion of a core component of Irish neutrality.
The International Peace Bureau (IPB) celebrates alongside the Syrian people the end of the Assad regime’s rule and brutal crackdown in Syria – the scenes of liberation produce hope of a national recovery and transformation to a new inclusive and democratic future for Syrians. The nation has endured immense suffering since the outbreak of conflict in 2011. The initial protests’ rapid escalation into a devastating civil war has already resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, the displacement of millions both internally and externally, and the near-total destruction of the country’s infrastructure.
By: Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan, IPB Board Member and Blue Banner Chairman
Growing importance of NWFZs
Nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs) are important and practical regional measures of non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWSs) in promoting the goals of maintaining strategic stability, nuclear non-proliferation and strengthening confidence among states. Today there are more than 115 states the territories of which cover about 84 mln km2 of the world’s landmass, representing 39% of its population and making up almost 60% of United Nations membership. Thus much has been achieved in the past half a century. However, the past rich experience should serve as a tool of strengthening and broadening further the NWFZ regime leading to creating a nuclear-weapon-free-world (NWFW). When oceans and seas that cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface are to be included, the NWFZ regime would cover most of the NWFW.
The European Left and its foundation transform!europe held their Summer University in Mieres del Camino (Spain) on July 11th, 12th, and 13th. Chloé Meulewaeter, the GCOMS coordinator at the International Peace Bureau (IPB), participated in the plenary titled: “Investing in Peace, not in War! An analysis of the militarization of the EU.“
The session was moderated by Marga Ferré, Co-president of transform!europe (Spain), and featured several speakers: Claudia Haydt, Vice-president of the European Left and coordinator of its Peace Working Group (Germany); Gavin Rae, from the Nazprod Foundation (Poland); and Niamh Ní Bhriain, Programme Coordinator on War and Pacification at the Transnational Institute (Ireland).
During the plenary, Chloé Meulewaeter discussed the militarization of the European Union, highlighting how the arms industry lobby influences EU institutions to promote the narrative that “security is the precondition of any sustainability” in order to access the EU’s sustainable finances. Additionally, The Transnational Institute emphasized the urgent need to invest in peace rather than war, advocating for the isolation of Israel by cutting off funding to entities that perpetuate violence, in order to end the conflict in Gaza and promote true security.
