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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

Webinar: Women in Conflict Zones

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.

A full description of the event and the speakers’ bios are available on the event webpage here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/womenandwar/

To learn more, watch the full webinar in the video below.

Post Event – If Not Now, When? An International Forum to Prevent Nuclear War and Secure Our Future

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for our side event If Not Now, When? An International Forum to Prevent Nuclear War and Secure Our Future on March 4, 2025, at Scandinavia House in New York City.

GDAMS 2025: April 10 to May 9

From April 10 to May 9, 2025, the International Peace Bureau (IPB) will join forces with partners worldwide for the Global 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.

Investing in Peace: IPB’s Role in Challenging EU Militarization at the European Left’s Summer University

Article from August 2024

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.

Civil Society Statement on Calling for the Commencement of Preparations for the UN’s Fourth Special Session on Disarmament

UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security Delivered by Rafi Chowdhury, International Peace Bureau

Chairperson, distinguished delegates,

I present this statement on behalf of 175 civil society representatives and a coalition of organizations from around the world. We urge all member states to activate the UN General Assembly mechanism of Special Sessions on Disarmament without further procrastination, as per the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Action 26(a) of the Pact for the Future.

Common Security in the Indo- Pacific Region

14 October 2024 – In collaboration with the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security, PeaceMOMO, and the dedicated efforts of an international working group of scholars and peace leaders from across the Indo-Pacific, the U.S., and Europe, we are proud to share the Common Security Report in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Summit of the Future Side Event Report Back: Advocating for SSOD-IV

The International Peace Bureau (IPB) participated in the Action Days and the Summit of the Future held in New York from September 20 to 23. During this pivotal event, we engaged in various activities and organized two significant events, one of which was an official offsite side event featured on the Action Days calendar.

Our official offsite side event “Reversing the Doomsday Clock: Nuclear Disarmament and the Need for a Fourth Special Session on Disarmament” aimed to advocate for a nuclear-weapon-free world and stronger disarmament commitments, calling for the convening of a Fourth Special Session on Disarmament (SSOD-IV). It took place in the beautiful and warmly welcoming Church of the Covenant on the afternoon of Saturday, September 21.

The event was co-sponsored by the Republic of Kiribati, International Peace Bureau (IPB), SCRAP Weapons (SOAS University of London), Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), Parliament of the World’s Religions, Agora Mexico and was supported by many other partners like Reverse the Trend (RTT), Justice for All, Agora Mexico, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung NY (RLSNY), the Episcopal Church, NGO Committee on Human Rights to the UN, NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, and Committee of Religious NGOs to the UN.

This gathering aimed to unite diverse stakeholders, including member states, civil society representatives, and experts in disarmament, to address the urgent need for a Fourth Special Session on Disarmament (SSOD-IV). As the UN Secretary-General stated, the Summit of the Future and its accompanying Pact for the Future offer a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for member states and multistakeholders to come together and drive substantial global action.

PRESS RELEASE: Climate and Peace Groups Join Togetherin First Global Week of Action

Berlin, September 21st, 2024

Peace and climate movements are taking action together in the first Global Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice to highlight the connections between their causes.

The week runs from 21-28 September, with more than 50 events planned across five continents, in countries including Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Malawi, Mexico, India, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the USA, as well as many online.

The week of action aims to raise awareness of the links between war, militarism, and climate injustice, such as the following:

The world’s wealthiest countries have repeatedly failed to provide $100bn in promised climate finance to help countries adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate breakdown. Meanwhile, in 2023 global military spending increased for the ninth year running to $2443bn.
Experts estimate that the world’s militaries are responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If the world’s militaries were a country, they would have the fourth largest carbon footprint: higher than that of Russia. But militaries are excluded from current climate agreements, so face no accountability for their pollution.

The week also aims to build bridges between peace and climate justice movements, and to build momentum behind the demand to ‘divest from war – invest in climate justice!’

In New York City, there will be events to coincide with the UN Summit of the Future. The Japan-based international NGO Peace Boat will carry out workshops and actions in Tokyo and in the Atlantic Ocean as part of its global voyage for peace. In Mexico, students will create a list of demands directed to the Mexican Congress, asking them to divest funds from the armed forces and reinvest them in environmental public policies. In the UK, vigils will be held in London, Taunton and Bath.

Call to Action on the International Day of Peace

You can sign the call and find the original call in Spanish here.

This September 21, we join in and commemorate the International Day of Peace, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981.

On this day, which holds great significance for humanity, we call on the governments of our continent:

To put an end to the arms race and military spending. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador are the countries with the highest military spending in Latin America. We need money for life— to build schools, hospitals, and meet other urgent needs, not for death.
To end police violence, which continues in many of our countries where there is no real oversight of police actions, impunity prevails, and there are no genuine efforts to ensure police training and actions are in accordance with respect for human rights.
To stop military exercises with the U.S. Southern Command, as well as military and police training for Latin American troops at the School of the Americas, now renamed WHINSEC, or at any other U.S. military academy where violence and war are still promoted as ways to resolve conflicts.
To close and withdraw all U.S. and NATO military bases in Latin America, including U.S. military bases imposed in Guantánamo, Cuba; Soto Cano in Honduras; the bases in Colombia; NAMRU-6 in Peru; in the Malvinas Islands, controlled by the United Kingdom in Argentina; and others. Out of Latin America! Return home, we want peace.
To demand that the U.S., NATO, and all countries end the arms race and war. It is time for the U.S. and NATO, in particular, to end the wars and stop sending weapons to Israel, Ukraine, and other places. It is time for them to act responsibly and make efforts to achieve peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel, and between Russia and Ukraine.
Finally, we call on our governments to lead efforts to advance global disarmament, diplomacy, respect for the self-determination of peoples, the end of unilateral sanctions, and to work toward building a world of peace, solidarity, and social justice.

Let the guns fall silent, end all wars, we want peace!

Click here to sign!