By World BEYOND War, July 14, 2025
A new report by World BEYOND War finds that military bases used by foreign militaries are growing in number, as are public protests and advocacy against those bases. Of 1,247 foreign military bases in the world, 877 of them, by latest count, are U.S. bases outside of the United States. Eighteen other nations, combined, have 370 bases outside their borders.
Continue reading “NO BASIS FOR THESE BASES: The damage foreign military bases do in 2025”Dive into a sacred conversation with Auntie Ivy Smith, a wisdom keeper and indigenous advocate from Aotearoa. This episode is a bridge between ancient truths and future possibilities—a global message of healing, responsibility, and profound change.
Episode Overview
In this deeply moving episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with her dear friend, Auntie Ivy Smith, a powerful voice for indigenous peoples worldwide. Auntie Ivy shares the sacred story behind her facial tattoo (tā moko), a global message for humanity. She recounts her decade-long, self-funded journey to over 30 countries to connect with frontline communities, find truth, and build alliances.
This conversation goes beyond talk and into the heart of action. Auntie Ivy introduces her vision for a global treaty—one not owned by governments, but held in reverence for Mother Earth and stewarded by the next generation. She speaks on the power of ancestral technology, the urgent need for collective healing, and the critical solutions indigenous communities have always held. This is not just a podcast episode; it is a call to remember who we are, heal the past, and unite to protect our planet for a better tomorrow.
The Sacred Story: Auntie Ivy explains the profound meaning of her facial tattoo—a message of responsibility, accountability, and the interconnectedness of all life.
A Global Walk for Truth: Her experience traveling self-funded to over 30 countries to listen, learn, and build a network of over 200 frontline ambassadors for change.
A Vision for a Global Treaty: The powerful concept of a treaty where ownership belongs to Mother Earth, designed to move beyond colonial frameworks and be led by the youth.
The Old Ways are the New Way: Contrasting the destructive behaviors of greed and control with the true wealth of indigenous cultures: sharing, mutual care, and living in balance with nature.
The Rise of Youth Leadership: Why the younger generation is crucial for the future and how we must support, guide, and protect them as they lead the charge.
Ancestral Technology & Real Solutions: A call to invest in proven indigenous solutions for clean water, clean energy, and healing medicine, rather than wasting resources on less effective modern technologies.
The Urgency of Healing: Why collective healing from past traumas is essential to move forward and how supporting indigenous healers is key to healing humanity.
A Call to Action for Humanity: A direct appeal for allies, resources, and good-hearted investors to help record sacred wisdom, establish healing centers, and buy back land to implement lasting solutions.
- “This sacred story is a global message for humanity, and it comes with a responsibility, a dedication and accountability to how you conduct yourself.”
- “We’ve always had the solutions. Our wealth is looking after each other, our wealth of sharing.”
- “The ownership belongs to Mother Earth, this planet and everything that gives us life. We humanity… just need to educate and bring awareness.”
- “If we don’t heal the past, we are gonna continue to take this energy forward.”
- “We are in 2025. We have the solutions and we want to share, train, upskill people that want to be a part of this movement. And we are ready now to start today, to save tomorrow.”
- “Please come and sit with us so we can share our truth and wisdom, our knowledge.”
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A Global Treaty for Mother Earth: A visionary framework for planetary stewardship that removes government and corporate ownership, placing reverence for the Earth at its center. The goal is to gather allies and hold a summit to formalize and launch this movement.
Sacred Wisdom Film Archive: An urgent project to fund a film crew to travel to remote locations and record the knowledge of the last sacred wisdom holders before it is lost forever.
Global Indigenous Healing Centers: A call to establish and support healing centers led by true indigenous healers to address trauma, addiction, and homelessness, and to train others in ancient healing practices.
Ancestral Technology Fund: A plea for investment in implementing proven, ancient indigenous technologies for free energy, water purification, and sustainable agriculture to create fast, effective change.
Auntie Ivy is building a global movement and is calling in allies, investors, and good-hearted people. To learn more about the treaty, her projects, or how you can contribute, please reach out via the contact information in the episode’s description box or connect with Liza Florida, who can facilitate an introduction.
Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119
Website: https://lizaflorida.com/
To Auntie Ivy Smith for sharing her sacred story, her profound wisdom, and her powerful vision for a healed world. Thank you for your heart and your tireless work.
To the indigenous wisdom keepers and frontline defenders around the world who protect the sacred for all of humanity.
To our listeners, may you hear this call to action, find your role in the change, and remember that we are all in this together.
Women as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.
Brussels | June 27, 2025
On the eve of the NATO Summit in The Hague, Peter Mertens brought eight theses to explain the essence and the challenges to confront, at peace events in The Hague and Brussels.
I would like to thank the organizers for the invitation.
I have brought eight theses with me.
1. Anyone who refuses to condemn the United States and Israel has lost all credibility.
In March 2003, a so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by the United States, launched an illegal war against Iraq. There was no approval from the UN Security Council, and the war was justified with three main arguments: that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq posed a threat to global security, and that a regime change would be beneficial for everyone.
None of these three arguments turned out to be true. There were no weapons of mass destruction, there was no real threat, and after the invasion, Iraq was reduced to a breeding ground for the most sectarian violence. The world did not become safer, but more dangerous.
What we are seeing today against Iran appears to be a copy of that same approach. The same three arguments are being used again: that Iran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, that it poses a threat to global security, and that a new puppet regime backed by Washington would be better for all.
This is a textbook Pentagon strategy. Once again, there is no approval from the UN Security Council. That means the actions of the United States and Israel are in violation of international law, and according to international law, constitute an illegal war of aggression.
Iran’s nuclear energy facilities are legal and continue to be monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran joined the IAEA in 1958, shortly after the agency was founded, and has since abides by its guidelines for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Despite heavy pressure from Washington to impose sanctions, the IAEA has never found that Iran violated the rules or possesses nuclear weapons.
On Saturday night, Trump sent a message to the world: that it is acceptable to launch an illegal war of aggression, and that it is acceptable to bomb nuclear facilities. Any member of the United Nations that does not strongly condemn these outrageous and illegal acts is giving Trump a blank check to continue.
Meanwhile, the hypocrisy meter explodes: the only nuclear-armed power in the region is Israel, which has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and accepts no inspections by international bodies.
At the same time, it is Israel that is committing genocide against the people of Gaza, bombing Lebanon and Yemen, and occupying part of Syria. Yet there are still no sanctions against Israel.
On the eve of the NATO summit, one thing is clear: the United States and Israel are bringing only more war and instability. Anyone who refuses to condemn the US and Israel has lost all credibility. It is time for Europe to say no to this madness, instead of following Trump around like a lapdog.
2. The 5% norm is a Trump norm
Starting this year, suddenly everyone began talking about 5 percent. 5 percent spending on NATO. That is nowadays a sacred cow, but where does that cow come from? That sacred cow comes from Washington. It was Trump himself who launched that number and wants to impose it on all NATO member states. And suddenly the whole world parrots him: it must and shall be 5 percent.
The question is: why does Trump want that? Firstly: because all that money mainly goes toward the purchase of American weapons. Secondly, and more fundamentally: Trump wants Europe to pay so the US can focus on China.
Trump’s best parrot is Marc Rutte, now head of NATO: “We spend more so the US can pivot, for example, to the Indo-Pacific.” “For example,” says Marc Rutte. No, not “for example” Mr. Rutte. That is not a “for example”, that is what it’s all about. Europeans must spend billions extra so the US can concentrate on its own geopolitical agenda against China in the Indo-Pacific. That means: the military encirclement of China. NATO is an instrument of American power politics, and we get to pay the bill.
3. Trump plays Europe and Asia off against each other
And it goes even further. First, Trump convinces Europe to spend 5% of GDP on weapons. Then America tells countries in Asia: look, Europe is doing it, now you too! Former US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby wrote on X: “Asian allies must take Europe as an example. Even Germany is now spending 5% on defense.” Dear Australians, New Zealanders, Japanese, and Filipinos: do like Europe and spend 5% too. And where will everyone buy those weapons? Oh yes, mainly in the arms industry in the US. We are simply being deceived while we watch. Europe is being played against Asia. And vice versa. And in the meantime, the American arms industry wins on all sides.
4. The NATO norm is not an obligation
The 2% or 5% norm is not binding at all. The so-called NATO norm has no legal or treaty-based character. It is not binding. You cannot enforce this norm legally. The norm is a political agreement, not a legal obligation. Member states remain sovereign and decide their own defense policy.
Examples:
*Denmark, Norway, and Spain refused nuclear weapons on their territory.
*France, Germany, and Belgium opposed NATO involvement in the second Gulf War against Iraq.
*Turkey denied US troops access to its territory.
In short: even within NATO, countries can follow their own course—if they want to. Spain has already said that it will not accept the 5% norm. Why then should Belgium accept that norm? Why then should a caretaker government in the Netherlands accept that norm?
5. The Trump norm threatens our social security
“There is no money.”
Everyone has heard that, for decades, there is no money to invest in good public transport, no money to invest in childcare or affordable housing, no money to pay people a decent pension, no money…And now suddenly billions of euros are found for armament and war. What a lie.
Just to reach 3.5 percent, Belgium would have to cough up an extra 10 billion euros per year. That is incredible.
The Trump norm is an attack on our social security, and our social achievements, and if we let them be destroyed, Trump has won.
Meanwhile, arms manufacturers have already won and are making phenomenal profits. They even advertise investing in the arms industry as “the best investment ever”, they say. A system that lets arms investors cash in while retirees can barely get by is decadent. A system that gives more money to tanks than to schools is decadent.
More money for weapons: not in our name!
6. NATO already spends insane amounts
For the warmongers, it’s never enough. They pretend that NATO countries are poor wretches who barely spend anything on defense. The opposite is true. The numbers are insane. Truly insane.
In 2024, the 32 NATO countries together spent 1.275 trillion dollars on armament. If the 5% norm is implemented, that amount rises to 2.758 trillion dollars per year—more than double!
For comparison: that is more than all other countries in the world combined, including China, Russia, India, Israel, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia. Today, NATO countries spend 12 times more than Russia, and 4.5 times more than China. At 5% it would even be 20 times more. That is not security.
That is an absurd arms race that will destroy our social achievements and bring the world even closer to a major war.
7. NATO is not a defensive organization—but a war machine
Officially, NATO says it stands for peace. But listen to what Mark Rutte recently said: “NATO is the most powerful military alliance in the history of humanity. More powerful than the Roman Empire. And more powerful than Napoleon’s empire.”
That comparison says it all. The Roman Empire was not a defensive alliance. It was an empire that thrived on conquest and domination. Just like Napoleon, who crowned himself emperor and brought Europe under his influence.
If NATO with 1.275 trillion dollars is truly more powerful than the Roman Empire, then why do we still need to spend more?
Indeed, Rutte almost says it himself—because NATO is not a defense alliance at all, but a tool of world domination, just like the Roman Empire. NATO is a war machine. We owe it nothing.
Not a single cent for their wars!
8. Seize the Moment: believe in our collective power
They want to wear us down with fear and war, and all kinds of technical details about how deep the new American bombs can explode underground. They want us blind to the counter-movement and our own collective power.
We are the forces of peace. We are the people who, with 150,000 in The Hague and 110,000 in Brussels, drew the Red Line against genocide. We are the 6 million Americans who took part in the protests against Trump: “No thrones, no crowns, no kings.” We are the dockworkers of Marseilles who refuse to load warships to Israel. We are the Palestinians around the world.
Dear friends: their world order leads to the abyss. Everyone feels that it is not right that we arm ourselves to the teeth while our trains don’t run, our pensions are cut, and our hospitals lack staff.
Real political courage is not trailing behind Trump like a lapdog. Real political courage is developing a vision of our own: A vision that invests in our industry, a vision that invests in technology and science, in ecological transition, a vision that invests in peace.
Their world order is the order of the past. The peace movement is the power of the future.
Believe in your own strength.
Believe in our collective power.
Believe in socialism.
Reference: https://international.pvda-ptb.be/articles/peter-mertens-speech-hague-en-brussels
Journey into the heart of activism in Cameroun with Cyrille Rolande Bechon, a fearless human rights defender who stands resilient against systemic injustice and direct threats to her life’s work.
Episode Overview
In this powerful episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida connects with the indomitable Cyrille Rolande Bechon, Executive Director of Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme (New Human Rights) Cameroun. Cyrille shares her incredible journey from growing up in a large polygamous family, where she first learned to fight for her voice, to becoming a leading activist for democracy and human rights in her nation. She provides a raw, firsthand account of the pressing human rights violations in Cameroun, fueled by an authoritarian regime and widespread conflict.
This is a story of profound courage. Cyrille details the devastating physical and cyberattacks on her organization this year, which resulted in the loss of 15 years of work. Yet, through it all, her spirit remains unbroken. This conversation is a testament to the power of community, the crucial role of data-driven advocacy, and the unwavering passion that fuels activism even in the darkest of times.
A Childhood of Defiance: Cyrille’s upbringing in a traditional, polygamous family and the pivotal moment she addressed her own father in a family meeting to assert her rights as a young girl.
Freedom of Speech as Survival: How personal life choices that defied societal norms forced her to develop a fierce commitment to her own voice and autonomy.
The State of Human Rights in Cameroun: An inside look at the country’s most urgent issues, including a decades-long authoritarian regime, the shrinking of civic space, torture in detention, the Anglophone crisis, and rampant violence against women.
Advocacy in Action: Cyrille’s strategy of using individual legal aid cases—like the exoneration of a man after 15 years of wrongful imprisonment—to expose systemic flaws and fuel data-driven advocacy for national reform.
Under Attack: A harrowing account of the recent break-in, vandalism, and theft that destroyed her organization’s office and 15 years of work, followed by a crippling cyberattack.
Unbreakable Resilience: How Cyrille and her team found the strength to return to their mission, motivated by an outpouring of local and international solidarity.
The Power of Solidarity: What solidarity looks and feels like on the ground, from messages from the community saying “Never give up” to support from international organizations.
A Vision for a New Cameroun: Cyrille’s dream for her country—a place where basic needs are met, justice prevails, and women and girls hold power in every sector of life.
Powerful Quotes from Cyrille Bechon
- “Freedom of speech… become a matter of survival. You have to fight to have a place, you have to fight to be heard, you have to fight to make people accept my choices.”
- “We are not employees, we are activists. We do this because we have a vision.”
- “They took everything, but they didn’t take our passion. They didn’t take our heart on what we are doing.”
- “While looking for relief for victim, we use those data to fuel the advocacy work.”
- “Never give up. We need you.” (Message from the community after the attacks)
- “My heart, my hands are open… It is our fight. It’s not others. It is the fight for our life.”
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Innovative Projects & Global Initiatives
Connect with Cyrille Rolande Bechon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrille-rolande-bechon-a4425446/?originalSubdomain=cm
Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme Cameroun: https://ndhcameroun.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRBechon/
Connect with Liza Florida
Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119
Website: https://lizaflorida.com/
Special Thanks
To Cyrille Rolande Bechon for her incredible bravery, resilience, and unwavering dedication to building a more just and democratic Cameroun.
To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ipb1910/videos.
To human rights defenders everywhere who continue to fight for a more just world, often at great personal risk.
To our listeners, may this story inspire you to use your voice and remember the profound impact of solidarity.
About the Series
Women as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.
Tags: Women as Agents of Change, Eight Billion podcast, Cyrille Bechon, human rights, Cameroun, rule of law, democracy, gender justice, activism, shrinking civic space, authoritarianism, solidarity, resilience, advocacy, community engagement, peace, human rights defenders.
Dive into a powerful conversation on human rights, resilience, and the fight for justice with Randa Siniora, a leading Palestinian feminist and human rights activist.
In this compelling episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with the incredibly insightful Randa Siniora, a Human Rights Defender and General Director of the Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling in Palestine. Randa shares her deeply personal journey, shaped by a legacy of displacement and a lifelong defiance of patriarchal norms. She discusses the critical intersection of colonial occupation and patriarchal structures, specifically how they disproportionately impact Palestinian women.
This isn’t just a conversation about activism; it’s a testament to unwavering persistence, the vital importance of global solidarity, and the enduring power of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
Twenty-five years ago, UNESCO initiated the Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and NonViolence. It was signed by 75 million people around the world in support of six commitments to the culture of peace.
Today, as global crises persist and intensify—from war and militarization to climate change and inequality—the Peace Manifesto 2025 calls for a renewed and unified effort to build a culture of peace.
Continue reading “The Peace Manifesto 2025”Berlin, June 22, 2025
The International Peace Bureau (IPB) strongly condemns the United States’ recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Carried out in coordination with Israel, these attacks are a dangerous escalation that violates both international law and the U.S. Constitution—and brings the region closer to a devastating war.
Under international humanitarian law, nuclear facilities are protected due to the catastrophic risks they pose to civilians and the environment. Targeting them is inhuman and illegal. There is no credible evidence that Iran is currently pursuing nuclear weapons—U.S. intelligence has confirmed this repeatedly. Military action under these circumstances has no legal justification.
Domestically, the strikes also violate the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress—not the President—the authority to declare war. Launching attacks without Congressional approval contradicts both the War Powers Resolution and the principles of democratic oversight.
This is more than a legal issue—it is a matter of global security. Attacking nuclear infrastructure risks the release of radioactive materials, retaliatory strikes, and rapid regional escalation. The consequences could be catastrophic—not just for Iran and the Middle East, but for the world. The USA and Iran should cease hostilities and return to serious, long-term negotiations.
NATO members must not follow a U.S. president who acts unlawfully, even within his own constitutional system. They have a responsibility to uphold international law and prevent escalation—not enable it. Silence or complicity only deepens the crisis.
There is no military solution to this crisis. IPB calls for an immediate end to all military operations, respect for international law, and return to diplomacy. Peace and common security can only be achieved through cooperation, not weapons.
Statements are available in English, French, and Russian. Check it below:
Statement in English
Statement in French
Statement in Russian
Reiner Braun, German journalist, historian, renowned peace activist, and former Executive Director of the International Peace Bureau (IPB), was recently honored with a private audience with His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), the Fifth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Continue reading “Promoting Global Peace and Nuclear Disarmament: Reiner Braun Meets with His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad”Issue Briefing – June 2025
A new analysis released during the NATO summit in the Netherlands by the Transnational Institute, Tipping Point North South, and Stop Wapenhandel, reveals that NATO’s growing military build-up is severely undermining global climate goals and diverting critical resources away from climate and social investment.
Since 2021, NATO member states have increased their combined military spending by 25%, reaching US $1.5 trillion. This rise has contributed to an estimated 40% increase in the Alliance’s carbon emissions—from 196 million to 273 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. In 2024 alone, European NATO members and Canada recorded their steepest annual spending increase in decades at 17.9%.
Continue reading “NATO’S 3.5% SPENDING GOAL: UNSUSTAINABLE ON EVERY COUNT”A Call to Safeguard the Right to Refuse to Kill and Resist Wars
Read the full report here or browse by country.
EBCO’s 2024 Annual Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe is released at a time of escalating global militarisation. From the revival of conscription in Europe to the devastating impacts of ongoing wars, the protection and empowerment of conscientious objectors is more urgent than ever.
Continue reading “EBCO New Annual Report on Conscientious Objection In Europe”
