2018/07/08 10-18h BrusselsCounter Summit “No to war – No to NATO” – No to war

Counter Summit “No to war – No to NATO” (last update 05/07/2018)

Program Counter Summit: “No to war – no to NATO”

Introduction

As the world becomes more dangerous, the need for discussions and actions for peace has never been more vital. With militarism on the rise, the need for a global people’s alternative – of justice, sustainability and peace – has never been more urgent.

NATO is pressing its members to spend 2% of GDP on military budgets to fund wars and aggression. Since last year increased military spending became an obligation for most EU members in the framework of PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation), even though EU member states submit to strict austerity policies. How we can organize more effective opposition and new strategies for conversion? Questions we want to discuss at the counter summit.

In addition, NATO’s role as a nuclear-armed alliance continues, with B61 nuclear bombs, currently being upgraded to the B61-12, to make them more ‘usable’. A nuclear free world is our vision and dream. The ban treaty creates new opportunities for the peace movement to discuss.

NATO’s expansion is against international security. This continued expansion has contributed to international tension as Russia sees itself increasingly surrounded by US and NATO bases. What to do for a new politics of common security in the 21st century?

More questions than answer. The counter summit will be a good possibility for an intensive, solidarity and controversial discussion.

You are welcome to join this International Peace Conference and to participate in the plenary lectures, workshops, podium discussions,… An opportunity to meet other peace-loving people from NATO and other countries.

Program of the counter summit:

10.00 Welcome
Carmelo Sutera (CNAPD, Belgium) / Kristine Karch (No to War – No to Nato, Germany)

10.30 – 12.00 Opening plenary:

NATO: global military alliance for war, intervention and military spending
Joseph Gerson (Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, USA)

Nuclear weapons: the biggest danger
Arielle Denis (ICAN & IPB, France)

European Militarization (PESCO) & military spending (2%)
Sabine Lösing (MEP, GUE/NGL, Germany)

Russia and NATO – how to overcome the policy of confrontation?
Boris Kagarlitski (Institute for Globalization and Social Movements, Russia)

The Anthropological Challenge of Women is Opposition to War and Militarism
Giovanna Pagani (WILPF, Italy)

The role and importance of enemy pictures
Anne Morelli (prof. ULB, Belgium)

Every lecture 10 minutes, followed by a discussion between the speakers and the participants.

12.00 – 12.10 Coffee break

12.10 – 1.10 Plenary: information to actions and campaigns against NATO and military spending
Three minutes each plus one-minute question
Moderation: Kate Hudson (CND, UK); Reiner Braun (IPB, Germany)

1.15 – 2.00 lunch break

2.00 – 3.30 Workshops
The workshops combine analytic elements with the discussion of strategies and actions. Most workshops will be in English, with (limited) translations when possible. Simultaneous translations in workshop 7.

NATO strategy and abolition of NATO, including disarmament, nuclear weapons free world: Marie-Jeanne Vanmol (Vrede vzw, Belgium), Sadet Karabulut (MP Netherlands, Socialist Party), Maria Plieva (South Ossetia/Georgia)
Europe of Peace: Judith Benda, Claudia Haydt (European Left, Germany), Boris Kagarlitski (Institute for Globalization and Social Movements, Russia), Djordje Kuzmanovic (La France Insoumise, France), Dimitris Palmyris (AKEL, journalist of our daily Haravgi, Cyprus), Tobias Pflüger (MP Germany, DIE LINKE., IMI)
Women and war: white masculine military culture and its implications for the rest of humankind : Kristine Karch (No to War – No to Nato, Germany), Ann Wright (Codepink, USA), Ewa Groszewska(Social Forum of Exchanging Opinions, Poland)
Drones and automatization of weapons: Dave Webb (CND, UK)
Military bases Lucas Wirl (No to war – no to NATO, Germany), Gunda Weidmüller (Stopp Air Base Ramstein, Germany), Phil Wilayoto (UNAC, USA)
Future actions for Peace, including preparation of NATO actions 2019 : Yves-Jean Gallas (Mouvement de la Paix, France)
Nuclear weapons: Nouvelle Bombe & Nouvel Bombardier | New Bomb & New Bomber : Claudine Pôlet (CSOTAN, Belgium), Samual Legros (CNAPD, Belgium), Jean Toschi M. Visconti (CNGNN, Italy)

3.30 – 3.45: Break

3.45 – 5.30 final session

Short impressions from the working groups with the focus on: what to do (max. 15 min.)
Moderation: Ludo De Brabander (Vrede vzw, Belgium)

Podium discussion:
“Future non-violent actions against war, NATO and militarization – for peace, justice and disarmament”

Discussion about common activities including EU elections, NATO anniversary 2019, end of World War I, modernization of nuclear weapons and B61, no to fighter jets F 35, and 2% of GDP for military spending.

Panelists:
Pat Elder (World Beyond War, USA), Oleg Bodrov, (Russia), Katrien Neyt (ABVV/FGTB, Belgium), Édith Boulanger (Non à l’OTAN, Non à la guerre, France), Ewa Groszewska (Social Forum of Exchanging Opinions, Poland), Reiner Braun (IPB, Germany)

Moderation: Ann Wright (Codepink, USA) & Lucas Wirl (Ialana, Germany)

5.30 closing remarks
Ludo De Brabander (Vrede vzw, Belgium) / Kristine Karch (No to War – No to Nato, Germany)

Logistical information

Counter summit “No to war – No to NATO”

Brussels 2018, July 8^th, 10 am to 6:30 pm

Institut libre Marie Haps
Aarlenstraat / rue d’Arlon,11 – 1050 Brussels- Belgium

Metro: 2 & 6 – stop Troon

Bus: E – AUDERGHEM Herrmann-Debroux – stop Ixelles Luxembourg

& Bus 34, 38, 80, 95 – stop Luxembourg

The participation fees (coffee and a small lunch included) are €10/pp and €5/pp students and solidary tarif. This will have to be paid at the entrance.