Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) took place from April 10 to May 9, 2019
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List of actions per countries:
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Italy (2)
April 11 - Rome, Press Conference for the relaunch of the No F-35 Campaign
At the Press Room of the Chamber in Rome (in via della Missione 4) initiatives of the Italian civil society for a mobilization campaign against fighter-bombers with nuclear capacity F-35 were introduced. The relaunch of the Campaign is promoted by the Italian Network for Disarmament (Rete Italiana per il Disarmo), the Peace Network (Rete Della Pace) and the Sbilanciamoci! campaign. During the press conference the promoting organizations presented the objectives and initiatives for the coming months with the aim of pushing Italian Parliament and Government to stop Italian participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program; the alternative uses (more useful for the needs of Italian citizens) of substantial public funds were also illustrated. Speakers argued that despite the purchases already concluded in recent years by several governments, it is still possible to stop the contract for the acquisition of the final lot, saving billions of euros that could be used to defend the territory and the revival of labor and welfare policies.
May 9 - Translation of GDAMS infographic
The Italian Network for Disarmament (Rete Italiana per il Disarmo) translated the infographic on military spending (with SIPRI's data for the year 2018) to Italian, in order to better disseminate it in the Italian context. You can download here.
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Australia (2)
April 11 and May 9 – Sydney, Vigil No Weapons for Saudis:
12 noon to 1pm at EOS Office, 75 Elisabeth St (near cnr with King). Organised by Independent and Peaceful Australia and Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition as a protest for EOS contracts to sale weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE, directly involved in the Yemen war. More info on the events here.
Click here and here to see the videos of the demo on April 11.
April 14 – Sydney, peace rally + postcards sending
HSBC stop funding the war in Yemen. Campaign to demand that the bank HSBC stops financing EOS, which sells weapons to Saudis. Postcards were filled in by protesters at a street stall. Organised by Independent and Peaceful Australia and Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition as a protest for EOS contracts to sale weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE, directly involved in the Yemen war.
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USA (27)
April 12 - Colorado Springs , Colorado
11:45am-1pm. A penny-poll was hosted downtown at the southwest corner of Pikes Peak and Tejon Street.
For more information, contact Mary Sprunger-Froese at firststriketheatre@hotmail.com.April 13 - Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Vigil to protest federal tax dollars for war and environmental harm, U.S. Army Reserve, 5130 W. Silver Spring Dr. Sponsored by Milwaukee War Tax Resistance, Casa Maria Catholic Worker, & Peace Action of Wisconsin from noon to 1pm. For more info, contact Lincoln or Mikel, Casa Maria at usury_sucks@hotmail.com.
April 13 - San Diego Area , California
9:30am-2pm. Public Hearing by the People on the Immoral Budget & March to the Border. Event began at Casa Familiar Civic Center (212 W Park, San Ysidro, CA). This event was the last stop on the Emergency Truth & Poverty Tour. Sponsored by the California Poor People’s Campaign. For more information, see their Facebook event page.
April 14 - Berkeley , California
3:00pm. Northern California People’s Life Fund gathered at the BFUU Fellowship Hall (1924 Cedar St., Berkeley—Near North Berkeley BART) and distributed $15,000 in redirected taxes to peace and justice organizations. The program included a potluck dinner and the Granting Ceremony. For more information see, www.nowartax.org or contact nowartax@riseup.net.
April 15 - Brattleboro , Vermont
WTR Information Tabling outside of the Brattleboro Food Coop, 2 Main Street, from 10am to 3pm. Sponsored by Pioneer Valley War Tax Resistance. For more info, contact Daniel Sicken at dhsicken@yahoo.com.
April 15 - Brooklyn , New York
Peace Action Bay Ridge Tax Day Action: MOVE THE MONEY! Every hour, taxpayers in the United States are paying $8.36 million for Total Cost of Wars Since 2001. Every hour, taxpayers in the United States are paying $2.19 million for nuclear weapons. This is unacceptable!
Distribution of flyers to the neighbors at Fort Hamilton Post Office, 89th St and 5th Avenue, Bay Ridge, from 9:30 to 11:00 am.
For more info: bayridgepeaceaction@yahoo.com; (917) 579-6860 or follow this link.
April 15 - Brunswick
Leafleting outside the Brunswick Post Office from 11am to 1:00pm. Sponsored by PeaceWorks of Greater Brunswick (www.peaceworksbrunswickme.org/index.html)
April 15 - Chicago , Illinois
“Don’t Pay Any War Tax Demonstration.” At Federal Plaza on the Corner of Dearborn & Adams, 11:00am-1pm. Included a public act of Civil Disobedience. Sponsored by the War Resister League – Chicago Chapter. For more information, see www.wrlchicago.org.
April 15 - Concord and Manchester , New Hampshire
Members of New Hampshire's office of American Friends Service Committee met with staffers from U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan in Manchester, and with Congresswoman Anne McLane Kuster’s District Director in Concord.
April 15 - Des Moines
“Tax Justice, Where Should our Taxes Go? Presidential Candidate Forum” at Northwest Community Center (5110 Franklin Ave). Catholic Peace Ministry, Iowa Citizens Action Network, Progress Iowa, Methodist Federation of Social Action, STAR*PAC, and WILPF Des Moines invited all presidential candidates to answer three questions, one focused on reducing military spending, one on climate crisis priorities and one on shifting the tax burden to the wealthy.
April 15 - Des Moines , Iowa
Rally at the Des Moines Federal Building – 210 Walnut at 1:30pm. A petition against taxes for war was delivered to Senators Ernst and Grassley. Petition to sign can be found here. Sponsored by Catholic Peace Ministry, Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Peace Network, Methodist Federation of Social Action, Progress Iowa, STAR*PAC and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
April 15 - Eugene , Oregon
Taxes for Peace Not War, along with Community Alliance of Lane County, 350 Eugene, Oregon Women’s Action for New Directions, & Extinction Rebellion rallied at the old Federal Building at 211 East 7th Ave (location of IRS office). At 4pm they delivered a signed letter to the IRS. Then they marched to the new Federal building at 405 East 8th Avenue to deliver copies of the letter to federal representative Peter DeFazio and federal Senators, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. The event included signs, chants, songs, and speeches. People interested in signing the letter or needing more information can call Sue Barnhart at suebarnhart2@gmail.com.
April 15 - Madison , Wisconsin
Peace Vigil in front of the Dane County courthouse in Madison (215 S Hamilton St.) from noon to 1pm. This was a collaboration with Madison’s Monday Peace Vigil, which has been hosting a weekly Monday Vigil for Peace for the last 38 years.
April 15 - Manhattan , New York
Protest Tax Dollars for War! Vigil and leafleting in front of the Internal Revenue Service at 290 Duane Street (at Broadway) in lower Manhattan. Protesting tax dollars being spent on U.S. wars and the military and supporting those who openly refuse payment for these wars but, instead, reroute their tax dollars from the IRS to groups promoting peace and supporting human needs. About 40 people showed up (despite ample wind and rain) to demand Congress slash the Pentagon budget.
Initiated by: NYC War Resisters League; Co-sponsors: Brooklyn For Peace; Bronx Peace Action; Code Pink NYC; Granny Peace Brigade and others.
April 15 - Portland , Oregon
7:30-9am. Sign-holding on Portland bridges (Burma Shave Style). Met at E. Burnside and MLK Jr. Blvd. Sponsored by War Resisters League - Portland.
For more information, email: jgrueschow@comcast.net.
April 15 - Seattle , Washington
Leafleting in front of the Federal Building in Downtown Seattle, 915 2nd Ave, from 11:30am to 1pm. Sponsored by the Seattle Anti-War Coalition.
seattleantiwarcoalition.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SeattleAntiWarCoalition/
April 15 - South Bend , Indiana
Vigil at Corner of Jefferson and Main – 204 S Main Street, from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Sponsored by Michiana Peace and Justice Coalition (http://www.michianapeacejustice.net/).
April 15 - Wilmington , Delaware
Annual Tax Day Military Budget Demonstration at Rodney Square, Central Downtown Wilmington (1000 N Market Street). Met at the civic center piece from noon to 1pm. Sponsored by Pacem in Terris Delaware.
April 16 - Portland , Maine
Let’s talk taxes! Over Pizza: Presentation, Conversation & Action at Abromson Community Education Center, Room 216 at 4:00pm. Free and open to the public, to reflect on federal budget and values. Sponsored by Peace Action Maine, with Devon Grayson-Wallace, former FCNL lobbyist and board member of Peace Action Maine. Flyer here. For more information visit the Facebook event here.
April 17 - Belfast , Maine
Free Screening of “An Act of Conscience” at the Belfast Free Library (106 High St.) at 6:00pm. A post-film discussion was led by former NWTRCC Administrative Committee member Jason Rawn. Sponsored by Waldo County Peace & Justice (https://www.facebook.com/WaldoPeaceandJustice/).
April 17 - Boston , Massachusetts
Tax Day March & Rally at Uphams Corner in Dorchester at 4:30-8pm. Sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action.
Speakers included Rep. Ayanna Pressley; State Senator Jamie Eldridge; Rev. Vernon Walker; Kevin Peterson (New Democracy Coalition); Maryellen Kurkulos (Massachusetts Peace Action); Father Edwin Johnson f(St. Mary’s Episcopal Church); Michael Kane, Executive Director of National Alliance of HUD Tenants; Joseph Gerson from Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security.
‘A time to protest this war budget and stand up for a federal budget that reflects our true values. Already our Pentagon budget is 9 times larger than the Russian military budget. It makes up 60% of the entire discretionary budget. We are funding a trillion dollars nuclear weapons upgrade. But now the Republicans and some Democrats want to take away even more money from the rest of us to fund their wars and stuff the pockets of the military companies who fund their campaigns and give them big jobs when they retire. Such a budget guarantees that more Iraqs, Afghanistans, Libyas, Syrias and Yemens are on the way.
On this day we pay our taxes, we say No Way! It’s time to put our tax money into projects that make our country the kind of society we can be proud of.’
You can watch a video of the event here. For more information visit http://masspeaceaction.org/event/tax-day-2019-dorchester/
April 17 - St. Louis , Missouri
Penny Poll and Distribution of WRL Piechart Budget 2020 at 4 South Central Clayton from noon to 1pm. Sponsored by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom & Peace Economy Project. For more information, contact Chrissy Kirchhoefer at outreach@nwtrcc.org.
April 18 - Brooklyn , New York
How the Pentagon Robs Our City! 7 to 9 pm. With Bill Hartung, Jan R. Weinberg and Christine Lewis. Discussion on how the war economy drains NYC resources, and ways we can get active to turn it around, as well as two active campaigns: "Move the Money" & "Divest from the War Machine." Then, working groups formed to plan actions. Location: Brooklyn Friends Meeting Hose, 110 Schermerhorn St, corner of Boerum Place.
Co-sponsors: Brooklyn For Peace, Peace & Social Action Committee of Brooklyn Friends (Quakers), Fort Greene Peace; Granny Peace Brigade; Park Slope United Methodist Church Social Action Committee; Pax Christie Metro New York (list in formation). A summary of the event and pictures on this link. For more info, please email bfp@brooklynpeace.org
April 25 - Walpole , Massachusetts
From 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm, the Walpole Peace and Justice Group held a tax day rally as part of the GDAMS, calling for a reduction in military spending and a redirection of those funds to human services. A 40 feet budget banner was displayed, showing where the Federal discretionary budget is spent today. The banner was comprised of colored cloth segments, each proportional in length to the budget category. The 2020 federal budget as proposed by the President transfers tens of billions of dollars from education, affordable housing, climate protection, medical care, hunger assistance, and social security directly to the military budget. The People’s Budget in Congress as a positive alternative. The vigil took place at the Walpole Common on the corner of Main and West Streets. For more info contact info@walpolepeace.org. Read an article on this action here.
May 3-5 - Washington, DC, Conference , Columbia
The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee had their National Conference under the theme “Divest the Pentagon – Invest in People”. The program included a report back from a recent Code Pink delegation to Iran, a workshop on Building a Peace Economy, an Introductory War Tax Resistance Workshop, and more. It took place at St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton Street NW, Washington, DC. For more information, here's a summary of the weekend.
May 4 - Manhattan , New York
International Conference Growing Nuclear Risks in a Changing world: New Thinking and Movement Building.
Initiated by American Friends Service Committee; Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security; International Peace Bureau; Peace Action (New York and New Jersey); Western States Legal foundation; Peace and Planet; Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung; International Trade Union Confederation. At Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square. Download the flyer here.
May 6 - Albany , New York
Women Against War's “Pathways to Peace Committee” met on the outside steps of the LOB in Albany at noon, standing in conjunction with fellow citizens around the world during the Global Days of Action on Military Spending to draw attention to the pressing need “to push governments to invest money in the sectors of health, education, employment and climate change rather than military”.
A press conference was held at 12:30 at the LOB, to denounce how the billions spent annually in the guise of defense rob government, including NYS, of the capacity to adequately support human needs.
Following the press conference, where Assemblyman Phil Steck was a speaker, protesters moved inside the Capitol to vigil and leaflet on the issue of our militarized budget outside the Assembly Chamber as members arrived.You can read the full speech that was read by clicking here.
An article was also published on Times Union (here) and a radio interview to Maureen Aumand aired on The Focus on Albany Show (here).
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Canada (4)
April 12 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Members of Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace (NSVOW) joined the Global Day of Action on Military Spending by holding a small rally outside the Halifax Central Library on Thursday. Protesters conducted a penny poll, and participants also took pictures with banners offering alternatives to military spending. NSVOW member Kathrin Winkler spoke with the Chronicle Herald about the significance of the day (you can read the news and see a video here). The protest also aired in Global News that evening. The public was invited answer the question, "If I had 1.75 trillion dollars (approximate worldwide annual spending on the military), I would #move the money to __." They were then invited to take selfies with their answer.
People voted with quarters provided by the organisers what they considered the national priorities should be, the results being:
Health and Education: 73 Environment: 64
Women and Children: 52 Arts and Culture: 36
Peace: 36 Military: 2
April 25 - Toronto, Ontario, Day of Action Against Military Spending and NATO
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) held a peace vigil outside the NATO Association of Canada headquarters in downtown Toronto corner of Harbour Street and Bay Street. This action was in solidarity with the International Peace Bureau's Global Day of Action Against Military Spending. This year is the 70th anniversary of NATO, this male-dominated nuclear-armed military alliance and Cold War relic that threatens our security. NATO members are the world's largest weapons manufacturers and arms companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics fund the NATO Association of Canada. NATO puts intense pressure on Canada every year to increase military spending, which diverts public funding away from urgent social and environmental needs. VOW called for the Canadian government to withdraw from NATO and work through the United Nations on disarmament and the Sustainable Development Goals that will bring genuine human security. No to NATO; yes to peace, nonviolence and sustainability! Organized by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW).
May 11 - Toronto, Ontario, Voice of Women Gala
Intergenerational evening of eating, drinking, dancing, and celebrating the unstoppable women who are working tirelessly to build a more peaceful world. VOW Peace Gala in Toronto, called on Government of Canada to reduce military spending & re-allocate to urgent environmental and social needs, to build affordable housing instead of warships, and to say no to NATO and its 2% GDP target.
May 3 - Hamilton, Ontario
Call on Government of Canada to "Reduce military spending and re-allocate to urgent social and environmental needs". In opposition to NATO's 2% GDP target. Organised by Hamilton Coalition and Canadian Voice of Women.
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Switzerland (1)
April 12-13 - Basel, International Conference Move the Nuclear Weapons Money
This conference brought together legislators (mayors, city councilors and parliamentarians), financial managers, and experts in disarmament and climate change to examine successful divestment policies and support their expansion and replication. The conference also addressed impact investment and built cooperation to advance related nuclear disarmament policies. The organiser, Basel Peace Office, has joined with other partners in launching Move the Nuclear Weapons Money, a global initiative to cut nuclear weapons budgets and investments, and reinvest these in climate protection, peace and key areas of a sustainable economy, such as education, renewable energy, health, job creation and sustainable development.
The conference was hosted by the Basel City Kanton/government and brought together speakers from very different fields in order to tackle the corporate and financial interests which are maintaining a fossil fuel-based economy and a nuclear arms race. It advanced two key tools:
1. Divestment from nuclear weapons and fossil fuel industries:
2. Investment in peace and sustainability, with a focus on investments by governments, pension funds, cities, universities, religious organizations and banks.Conference participants gave numerous examples of fossil fuel and nuclear weapons divestment. Although the amount of money divested globally so far is moderate, the range of examples indicate the potential to move considerably more money from fossil fuels and nuclear weapons to better things, and so make a real contribution to climate protection and disarmament. Quique Sánchez, a representative of IPB’s Global Campaign On Military Spending (GCOMS), participated in the conference introducing the campaign as an example of activists’ networking and cooperative work. His presentation took place on the second day of the conference, which was coincidentally the kick-off of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), during the panel Building the campaign – shifting economics towards peace.
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Spain (10)
April 13 - Andalusia, Campaign 'Demilitarize Schools, more social spending, less military spending'
In support to GCOMS, the teachers' union USTEA launches a campaign to claim for de demilitarization of schools in Andalusia, which includes a survey for teachers, in order to map militarism in schools of the region, which at the same time are suffering from intense budgetary cuts. It also includes a "Resistance" manual to confront militarization of schools. More information (in Spanish) here.
April 13 - Bilbao, Street stall
In Plaza Unamuno (downtown) an information point on military spending's tax objection was displayed. Organised by Alternativa Antimilitarista.
April 13 - Madrid, GDAMS Statement
Justicia y Paz – Comisión General (Justice and Peace) endorsed the campaign on military spending on the occasion of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) by publishing a statement (in Spanish).
April 13 to May 9 – Lleida (Catalonia) Statement + Online campaigning
The NGOs Coordination Platform of Lleida (Coordinadora de ONGD i de aMS de Lleida) endorsed GDAMS one more year with a statement and several posts on social media, creating their own dissemination materials. You can read the statement here (in Spanish) and see their posts here and here.
April 15 - Barcelona, Extinction Rebellion International Demonstration
At 18:30 in Plaça Catalunya, ending in Plaça Sant Jaume, members of the GCOMS campaign marched along with young climate protesters and had the chance to talk about climate emergencies from the criticism to military spending. The GCOMS representative introduced the campaigned and remarked the connections between the climate emergency and militarism, which share many causes and consequences. More information on the event here. Here Extinction Rebellion’s web and manifest.
April 29 - GCOMS at the Radio program 'Peace News for a nonviolent revolution'
A representative of GCOMS was interviewed to introduce the campaign on military spending on the occasion of GDAMS and comment on the new data on military spending published that day by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
You can listen to the interview (after 17', in Spanish) here.
April 29 - Granada, Conference 'Reducing military spending to build peace'
16h in the “Francisco A. Muñoz” conference room, Centro de Documentación Científica C/ Rector López Argüeta s/n, University of Granada. Organised by Centro Delàs de Estudios por la Paz and Instituto Universitario de la Paz y los Conflictos. With José Ángel Ruiz, Chloé Meulewaeter (Centre Delàs) and Stellan Vinthagen (War Resister's International).
Speakers presented civil resistance and nonviolence as tools for peacebuilding and tackling militarization.
April 30 onwards - Online Campaigning in Castellón
The UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace of the Jaume I University (UJI) in Castellón prepared an online campaign to support the Global Days of Action on Military Spending, raising awareness on the issue at the university.
May 4 - Gijón (Asturias), Conference Tax objection to military spending
"Leave us in Peace: Less military spending and more social investment". At noon in Conseyu de la Mocedá (Av. Manuel Llaneza 38). With Tica Font and Pere Ortega (Centre Delàs of Peace Studies) analysing military spending in Spain, the EU and globally. Prior to the conference, tax resistance strategies and examples were presented. Organised by ‘Campaña asturiana pola oxeción fiscal al gastu militar’ (Asturian campaign for tax objection).
May 9 and 10 - Cádiz and Puerto de Santa María, School Rallies
Two school rallies and a protest took place in Cádiz and Puerto de Santa María (IES Cornelio Balbo and La Arboleda) as part of the campaign 'Demilitarize Schools: more social spending, less military spending' with students representing Picasso's Guernica, symbol of the horrors of war.
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UK (4)
April 13 - Bradford
GDAMS/People's Budget stall at the Yorkshire CND Day of Dance at Victoria Hall, Saltaire, Bradford.
April 16 - London
Bruce Kent (Movement for the Abolition of War), Kate Hudson (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Theresa Alessandro (Pax Christi) and Ellis Brooks (Quaker Peace and Social Witness) did a protest and a letter hand-in to the Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson at the Ministry of Defence in London, in representation of the GDAMS UK Coalition.
See the full letter by clicking here
April 17, April 24 and May 1 – London
Vigils by Women in Black London at the Edith Cavell statue in St. Martin’s square, Charing Cross, at 6pm. WiB encouraged passersby to reflect on military spending and to think of alternatives to rechannel the $ 1’82 trillion allocated to global military spending last year with the help of banners and infographics. Besides informing people, participants were invited to wrote their own alternatives to allocate funds to instead of the military sector and to take a picture with it.
April 18 and 24 - York
GDAMS stall 2-5pm. Both on Parliament Street in York.
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Mongolia (1)
April 13 - Online Campaigning
Tur-Od Lkhagvajav, member of the steering committee of the Asia Democracy Network -Mongolia, endorsed the Global Campaign on Military Spending via video on the occasion of GDAMS.
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Pakistan (1)
April 13 - Online Campaigning
Doctor Ammar Ali Jan, doctorate degree in History from the University of Cambridge and currently teacher at Forman Christian College (Lahore, Pakistan), endorsed the Global Campaign on Military Spending via video.
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Philippines (1)
April 13 - Online Campaigning
Activist Amabella Carumba, from Mindanao People's Peace Movement, endorsed the Global Campaign on Military Spending via video.
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Uruguay (2)
April 13 - onwards
In the context of the GDAMS, Movimiento de Educadores por la Paz (Movement of Educators for Peace) promoted a campaign for global peace in Uruguay, together with the National Convention of Workers and the Uruguayan Federation of Teachers & Workers of Primary Education. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about the issue of military expenditure, calling instead for a culture of peace and human rights. The Movement published an article in the magazine Quehacer Educativo (you can read it here - in Spanish), dedicated to educators of the primary and initial levels, addressing the GCOMS’s message and mission. In addition, the Uruguayan organization was also involved in promoting the short film “Alto El Juego”, from the film-maker Walter Tournier, which speaks against weapons.
May 1 - Montevideo
Movimiento de Educadores por la Paz, together with Federación Uruguaya de Magisterio joined the demonstration of the Workers Day in the capital, giving a speech on peacebuilding and military spending, as well as handing leaflets to demonstrators.
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Finland (3)
April 13 - onwards: Online campaigning
Peace Union Finland (Rauhanliitto) endorsed the Global Days of Action on Military Spending via online, with their own proposals for the #MoveTheMoney selfies campaign and by disseminating the campaign's materials.
April 13 - onwards: Online campaigning + infographic’s translation
The Committee of 100 (Sadankomitea) of Finland endorsed GDAMS via online, helping disseminate the materials and translating the infographic on global military spending (with SIPRI's data from the year 2018) to Finnish, in order to better disseminate the contents of the campaign in their country. You can download the Finnish infographic on military spending here.
Finland: Sadankomitea selfie
April, GDAMS 2017: Sadankomitea selfie:
Sadankomitea is a Finnish NGO working towards peace and disarmament. www.sadankomitea.fi
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Japan (2)
April 14 - Nagasaki
To kick off this campaign, a series of events were held onboard the Peace & Green Boat, a regional voyage throughout East Asia bringing together 500 Japanese and 500 Korean participants for a journey for mutual understanding, reconciliation, and regional collaboration for peace and sustainability. As the ship was docked in Nagasaki on April 14, Peace Boat's Kawasaki Akira, also a member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), gave a lecture on nuclear disarmament and GCOMS. Following this, hundreds of participants from both Korea and Japan gathered together on the ship's deck to display their commitment to reducing military spending and instead investing in people's needs. You can read more here.
April 27 - Statement by Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo)
Statement on the occasion of the GDAMS:
"The Global Days of Action on Military Spending, proposed by the International Peace Bureau and now carried out worldwide is a critically important campaign bearing on the lives and rights of 7 billion people and peace of the world. The wealth created by people’s labor is used for destruction and mass killing on the false pretext of peace or “guarantee of security”, of all things, while hundreds of millions of people are suffering from starvation, poverty and poor social welfare. In Japan, too, in breach of the provision of the war-renouncing Constitution, enormous amount of national budget is being spent on buying state of the art weapons from the U.S. or constructing a U.S. military base. This is not for security but for threatening and ruining security. The system of stockpile and deployment of 14,500 nuclear weapons across the world is the worst manifestation of it. We are joining with you in achieving a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world and carrying out a campaign for a total ban and elimination of nuclear weapons. Let us work together to go forward."
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Argentina (2)
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Cameroon (3)
April 15 – onwards – Online campaigning
NDH Cameroon contributed to GDAMS with pictures of locals giving their proposals as to where to #MoveTheMoney to instead of military spending. You can see some of them here.
April 15 – Statement
Statement from NDH Cameroun and All Women Together to ask for a reduction of military spending and a rechanneling of funds that takes into account social needs of Cameroonians, specifically women and girls, who are more vulnerable to poverty and violence. Full statement in English and French.
April 17 – GDAMS petition signing
NDH Cameroon called on the population to sign a petition against military spending. Human rights activists and NGO representatives also signed the petition after a seminar on access to justice organised together with All Women Together.
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South Korea (2)
April 22-29 - Online Actions
"Demilitarize: Invest in People's Needs!" and submitting articles to press by PSPD (People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy). A podcast was also published in April 27 regarding disarmament in the Korean Peninsula. You can listen to it here (in Korean): http://www.peoplepower21.org/PeopleTV/1626975
April 29 - Seoul Press Conference + Non-Violent Direct Action
Organised by PSPD. Activists gathered at Gwanghwamun Square to protest Korea's military spending, which is ranked 10th in the world and has remained at the same rank for 6 years since 2013. In contrast, welfare spending in Korea is less than half of the OECD average. They consider an embarrassment that South Korea is investing more in limited military resources than in improving people’s quality of life.
For more information visit: https://www.peoplepower21.org/
Read more here (in Korean).
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India (2)
April 23 to 27 - Kota (Rajasthan)
Two workshops, five village rallies and village meetings in connection of Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), organised by Rural Development and Youth Training Institute.
These activities included discussions in detail about India's military spending in comparision to expenditure in poverty alleviation and programmes such as SDGs, which is very low. Taxes going to warfare preparation should instead go to clean water access, health, nutrition, literacy etc. It was highlighted the need to put pressure on the Indian Government (MPs, MLAs and elected leaders), so that they would reduce the military budget and redirect those resources to Community Development programmes. Three budget experts actively participated in a workshop and village rallies.
April 24 - New Delhi, Conference ‘Creating Change in International Disarmament: Humanitarian Perspectives and the Role of Civil Society’
Lecture by Elizabeth Minor, member of the International Steering Group of the nobel prize winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and of the UK based NGO Article 36. Chairperson: Anuradha Chenoy, retired professor from the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies. It took place at 11:30 at the Ho Chi Minh Conference Room of the Jamia Miillia Islamia of New Delhi.
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Colombia (2)
April 24 - Online campaigning
Acción Colectiva de Objetores y Objetoras de Conciencia Colombia ACOOC (Conscientious Objectors Action Colective of Colombia) endorsed the Global Campaign on Military Spending and shared its materials, putting an emphasis on Colombia being part of the top 30 spenders. Read more here.
May 9 - Medellín, Statement
Corporación Con-Vivamos, an organisation that works for community development and human rights in Colombia, adhered to the GDAMS declaration (here).
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New Zealand (1)
April 25, Takaka
White poppy wreath laying – Golden Bay Quakers are meeting on ANZAC Day at the Memorial Gardens in Takaka at 12 noon to lay our white poppy wreath “to remember all the casualties of war and to promote peace”. After the wreath laying there will be peace poems, the Quaker Peace Testimony will be read, and ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’ will be sung, then we will proceed to the Cafe on the Village Green.
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Norway (1)
May 1 - Online campaigning
Norges Fredslag (Norwegian Peace Council) endorsed Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), sharing the campaign materials and analyzing the newly released data by SIPRI. Read more here.
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Cyprus (1)
May 7 - Nicosia: Online campaigning
Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR) and Home for Cooperation (H4C) endorsed Global Days of Action on Military Spending GDAMS via online and took a picture for the #MoveTheMoney campaign.
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Azerbaijan (1)
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Greece (1)
May 9 - Athens, Online campaigning
InterAlia, a greek non-profit organisation dedicated to improve social participation and collective action, endorsed the Global Campaign on Military Spending on the occasion of GDAMS by sending pictures for the #MoveTheMoney online campaign.
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Nicaragua (1)
May 9 - Managua, Statement
Instituto de Investigaciones y Acción Social Martin Luther King of the Universidad Politécnica (UPOLI) of Managua (Nicaragua), adheres to the GDAMS manifest (here). The IMLK appeals to human conscience in front of the promotion of war and armamentism with accumulation purposes from military industrial complex and big transnational capital. The institute calls on national and international mobilization, both physical and virtual, with a clear denouncing and agitating message.
In the particular case of Nicaragua and other Central American countries, the IMLK denounces the nonsense of their arms race, with Nicaragua buying weapons from Russia, seemingly getting ready for a conventional war.
