Serpaj Chile joins GDAMS one more year, by endorsing our Appeal and posting on their social media.
“Social inequality, the climate crisis and injustice are serious problems affecting millions of people around the world. Yet military spending continues to be exorbitant, pouring millions into weapons and conflicts.
That is why, as every year, SERPAJ Chile joins the global campaign Against Military Spending 2023 under the slogan “War costs us the Earth”, an initiative inspired by the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and coinciding with the annual report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The aim is to raise awareness among society and political authorities about the excessive military spending that countries allocate each year as part of their budgets.
This year, the call is to drastically reduce military spending and invest in social and human security, especially those linked to environmental protection. War and militarism have left a trail of destruction, pain and suffering around the world, and are also responsible for approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Armed conflict leads not only to death and destruction, but also to environmental devastation.
It is time for a shift in focus towards the demilitarization of public policies, including those aimed at addressing the climate crisis, and the implementation of measures focused on common security to protect people and the planet.
The purchase of armaments contributes to an increased sense of violence in society, and the presence of weapons and militarization foster a culture of fear and violence, normalizing the idea that conflict resolution must be through force.
