GDAMS 2020

The 10th anniversary of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) will take place from April 10 to May 9, 2021.
These dates include:
– April 15: Tax Day in the U.S.
– April 24: GDAMS press conferences on the occasion of SIPRI’s release of new data on military spending
– May 1: International Workers Day
– May 9: Europe’s Day of Peace

GDAMS 2020 Actions

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New York World Conference: 40.795800, -73.975400

Dorchester: Tax Day Protest: 42.297300, -71.074500

IPB Webinar - The Opportunity Costs of Military Spending: 52.524400, 13.410500

Press Conference & action on SIPRI report release: 38.889000, -77.000300

Move the Nuclear Weapons (and fossil fuel) Money. International Webinar: 47.558100, 7.587830

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace: 43.654000, -79.387200

Aotearoa NEw Zealand campaign on Military Spending: -41.288700, 174.777000

Press conference and online actions: 37.566700, 126.978000

GDAMS Press conference: -32.959500, -60.661500

GDAMS Press conference: -34.607600, -58.437100

GDAMS Press conference: 7.897150, -72.508000

GDAMS Press conference: -34.905900, -56.191400

GDAMS Press Release: -33.763700, 150.924000

Joint letter started by the Peace Pledge Union about military spending and coronavirus.: 51.507300, -0.127647

Online actions by Rette Italiana per il Disarmo: 41.894800, 12.485300

Online actions by Stop Fuelling War: 48.854600, 2.347710

GDAMS Press Conference: 41.931912, 12.492828

GDAMS Press Conference: 41.379700, 2.166170

GDAMS Online Actions: 41.364957, 2.193146

GDAMS Online Actions: 60.167400, 24.942600

IPB Webinar: Challenging Nuclear Weapons in Europe: 52.093008, 11.491699

GDAMS Online Actions: 6.473609, 3.385162

GDAMS Online Actions: 60.187964, 25.037842

Online Actions by Coordinadora d\'ONG de Lleida.: 41.614800, 0.626784

Online Actions by Vrede Vzw.: 51.053800, 3.725010

Educational toolkit by USTEA: 36.529800, -6.292570

GDAMS Actions by Mouvement de la paix: 48.907000, 2.332930

Invest in Healthcare not Warfare - Women in Black: 51.507300, -0.127647

Virtual action - The Peace-movement of Esbjerg: 55.466500, 8.452080

The Radio Pandemic: No Bullet Stops a Virus - La Vox Populi: 4.598080, -74.076000

ONLINE SURVEY - ACOOC: 4.598080, -74.076000

(video) Press Conference - Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani (ACLI): 45.539800, 10.220000

Online Campaign - Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT): 51.494637, -0.087891

AFSC - U.S. statement release: 39.952700, -75.163500

Peace & Justice UK (former Edinburgh Peace & Justice Centre): 55.952100, -3.188990

Noveaux Droits de l’Homme Cameroon (NDH) joined GDAMS.: 3.866670, 11.516700

IPAN Statement: A People’s Call for Healthcare not Warfare: -35.297600, 149.101000

MEDIA RELEASE by IPAN Increase in Military Expenditure Unjustified and Destabilising: -35.297600, 149.101000

Online action by Australia Anti-bases Campaign Coalition Time for Australia to reduce its military spending: -35.297600, 149.101000

Hiroshima Day Sydney: -33.763800, 150.924000

Protest against EOS and HSBC (Sydney): -33.854800, 151.216000

Global military spending increases, New Zealand ranks in report: -41.288800, 174.777000

Online actions - Peace Movement Aotearoa: -41.288800, 174.777000

ANZAC Day virtual peace activities: -41.288800, 174.777000

Peace Boat: 35.682800, 139.759000

Joint Statement: Reduce Military Spending to deal with the Climate Crisis and COVID-19: 37.566700, 126.978000

AHDR call to action during GDAMS: 35.175300, 33.364200

Liberation Day Advertisement at the Süddeutsche Zeitung: 48.137100, 11.575400

Center for Feminist Foreign Policy: 52.517000, 13.388900

Yorkshire CND: 53.794400, -1.751920

Pax Christi (England and Wales): 51.507300, -0.127647

Medact - Webinar: 51.507300, -0.127647

Huddersfield Quakers: 51.181000, 0.388996

Movement for the Abolition of War: 51.507300, -0.127647

Forces watch: 51.507300, -0.127647

Atlante delle Guerre e dei conflitti dei Mondo: 46.066400, 11.125800

Peace Pledge Union – Joint letter: 51.507300, -0.127647

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND): 51.507300, -0.127647

Scottish CND: 55.861100, -4.250170

Abingdon Peace Group call to action during GDAMS: 51.671500, -1.277970

Online actions coordinated by Rete Italiana per il Disarmo: 45.438500, 10.992400

Movimento Nonviolento: 45.438500, 10.992400

Radio programme: 39.080600, 17.127200

IRIAD - Archivio Disarmo calls to action on GDAMS: 41.894800, 12.485300

Centre Delas of Peace Studies: GDAMS infographic and online actions: 41.382800, 2.177400

Webinar by ADNV ‘Deconfining our minds, unlearning war”: 41.382800, 2.177400

Webinar by Centre Delàs: “Virus, fear, security and loss of rights”: 41.382800, 2.177400

15M (Zaragoza) shares GDAMS infographic: 41.652100, -0.881000

Greenpeace Spain: 40.416700, -3.703600

Pobresa Zero (Valencia) shares GDAMS infographic: 39.469900, -0.376000

Joint Statement by 3 organizations in Cádiz.: 36.529800, -6.292570

Joint statement by basque organizations: 42.846500, -2.672500

USTEC-STES: 41.382800, 2.177400

Desarma Madrid - Online Actions: 40.416700, -3.703600

KEM-MOC Bilbao joined GDAMS: 43.253500, -2.937000

APDHA: 37.388600, -5.995340

MEP Miguel Urban supports GDAMS: 40.416700, -3.703600

Mario Gargon (artist) - Artwork in support of GDAMS: 36.529800, -6.292570

La Guerra Empieza Aquí (War starts here) online actions and manifest: 42.846500, -2.672500

Bake Ekintza: video on the occasion of Guernica’s bombing: 43.322400, -1.983900

Marea blanca de Lleida: 41.614700, 0.626700

Justícia i Pau joined GDAMS one more year: 41.382800, 2.177400

Espazo aberto antimilitar shared GDAMS materials: 42.237700, -8.724720

Ecologistas en acción, tax resistance campaign: 40.416700, -3.703600

Antimilitarist and Nonviolent Network of Andalusia: 37.388600, -5.995340

Senator Mulet presented questions to the Spanish Government: 39.469900, -0.376000

Motion at the Senate for the reallocation of military spending towards healthcare by ‘Més per Mallorca’: 39.569500, 2.650000

CUP Sant Andreu shares infographic: 41.435900, 2.191000

Inter Alia - Online campaigning: 37.984100, 23.728000

Norges Fredslag - Online campaigning: 59.913300, 10.739000

Stop Fuelling War - Online actions and press release: 48.854600, 2.347710

May 5 - Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto (The Union of Conscientious Objectors): 60.167400, 24.942600

Kosovar Centre for Security Studies joined GDAMS: 42.672700, 21.166900

AFSC online actions and advocacy: 39.952700, -75.163500

GDAMS BRIEFING CALLS on Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS): 38.894900, -77.036600

National Priorities: 42.319000, -72.630600

Pax Christi USA: 38.894900, -77.036600

Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin: 43.074800, -89.383800

Code Pink campaign: Divest from the War Machine; Global Days of Action on Military Spending 2020: Toolkit: 38.894900, -77.036600

Mother’s Day Call for Healthcare for All – WILPF U.S.: 38.894900, -77.036600

Political advocacy action at the Colombian Congress: Colombia sets an example by shifting military spending towards healthcare: 4.598080, -74.076000

Statement by Escuelas de Paz: 4.598080, -74.076000

USA (11)
15 April - Dorchester: Tax Day Protest

OUR TAXES-OUR CHOICES

Wars, Military Spending and Tax Cuts for the Rich Are Hurting Our Communities – And Destroying the Planet!

Fix the T – Free Bus Service in Boston! - Make UMass Tuition Free!- Full Funding for Boston Schools- Build Affordable Housing Now- Green New Deal- Medicare for All- Criminal Justice Reform.

HOW? CUT THE PENTAGON

Almost 60% of annual US “Discretionary Spending” goes to wars and military spending. The Trump tax cuts overwhelmingly favor the wealthy and Corporations while limiting potential spending that will benefit our communities.

Will your group cosponsor? Contact Dorchester People for Peace, info@dotpeace.org

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 Great Hall, Codman Square, Dorchester.

Download the flyer

29 April 2020 - Online, Facebook - American Friends Service Committee & partners

A press conference with organizations from across the ideological spectrum will share their reactions to new data on global military spending. There will also be some sort of online action that individuals can participate in.

Organized by: American Friends Service Committee & partners.

Where: Online - AFSC Facebook can be found here

When: April 29th. Exact time to be determined.

AFSC online actions and advocacy

American Friends Service Committee, besides coordinating the video released on April 27 (page 16) and the joint statement (above), launched a campaign on its social media, which include an easy-to-use form you can use to contact Congress.

“The United States has spent $6.4 trillion on post-9/11 wars. These wars have killed more than 800,000 people and displaced at least 37 million more. This money could have had a transformative impact on things that would actually make our communities healthy, safe, and strong—like universal health care, education and peacebuilding. Instead, Congress continues to waste taxpayer dollars on weapons and war. It's time to reimagine security. We need significant cuts to the Pentagon budget, and for Congress to instead prioritize peacebuilding and investment in our communities.

Tell Congress: Stop spending our tax dollars on weapons and war and reinvest in our communities! You can find this online tool here.

April 25 - Online World Conference: Abolish Nuclear Weapons; Resist and Reverse the Climate Crisis; For Social and Economic Justice

9:00 am - 11:00 am (NY time)

Register at: bit.ly/abolishnuclear
In the context of the suffering and changes being wrought by the pandemic, the two- hour world conference will focus on the continuing urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons and its relationship to stanching the climate emergency and challenging injustices which have left so many people marginalized and vulnerable. Additional sessions of the World Conference and four workshops will be for a healthier time in the future.
To accommodate people across the world the conference will be held at 9-11 a.m. New York/Boston time (3-5 p.m. in Europe, 10 p.m.-12 a.m. in East Asia) with simultaneous interpretation. The conference will be held in concentric circles with up to 500 people in the conference itself with simultaneous live streaming so everyone can join by listening in. The conference will also be recorded and posted and made available on the world conference2020.org and co-sponsors sites for continuing availability.
Speakers include:
• Sharon Burrows (ITUC, Australia)
• Reiner Braun (IPB, Germany)
• Joseph Gerson (AFSC/CPDCS/IPB, USA)
• Emad Kiyaei (IDG Group, Iran)
• Hiroshi Takakusaki (Gensuikyo, Japan)
• Rev. Liz Theoharis (Poor People’s Campaign, USA)
• Dr. Carlos Umana (IPPNW, Costa Rica)
• Wada Masako (Japan Confederation of A- & H- Bomb Sufferers Organizations, Japan)Invitations pending to United Nations Office for Disarmament, the Sunrise Movement, and Marshall Islands
ONLINE WEBINAR – April 25th, 2020 @ 9-11 a.m. EDT
REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/abolishnuclear
For more information: see the facebook event; or write: JGerson80@gmail.com April 25, 2020

April 27 - U.S. statement release - AFSC

AFSC released a U.S. statement with 39 organizations reacting to the new global military spending report that can be found here. We also put out a video statement with several partners, which can be found here.

Visit our website here.

Code Pink campaign: Divest from the War Machine Global Days of Action on Military Spending 2020: Toolkit
April 22 2020 is officially the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This Earth Day, they asked their supporters to help spread the message that #WarIsNotGreen.

Talking points on social media about #WarisNOTGreen:
- Did you know the Pentagon is the single largest institutional consumer of fossil fuels in the world? #WarisNOTGreen! we need to cut the Pentagon budget and invest in a Green New Deal NOW! www.codepink.org/wing
- Did you know If the Pentagon were a country, its fuel use alone would make it the 47th largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world? If we’re going to address the climate crisis, we need to #DivestFromWar NOW! #WarIsNotGreen
- Instead of spending $740 billion on the Pentagon budget every year, we should invest in a Green New Deal and cultivate our local peace economies #WarIsNotGreen
- US military emissions come mainly from fueling weapons and equipment. That means that asset managers like @blackrock are contributing greatly to climate change when they invest billions in weapons manufacturers like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. #WarIsNotGreen
We might be physically distancing, but you can still join in a strong show of social solidarity this Tax Day to raise awareness about cutting money from the Pentagon Budget to pay for vital social services. It's like being in the streets together with banners that decry that we spend $740 billion of our tax dollars to fund war, violence and militarism. Get engaged with us on social media!
GDAMS BRIEFING CALLS on Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS)

Lack of preparedness for the COVID-19 epidemic reveals the potentially grave consequences of slashing social safety net spending while deluging the military-industrial complex with our tax dollars. Trump and the Pentagon are pressing yet another massive increase in military spending. Critics from Washington think tanks working with the Poor People’s Campaign, reinforced by grassroots activists across the country are demanding that money be moved from wars and preparations for wars to addressing our urgent human needs: health, climate, housing, education and more.

We hope that you will consider organizing a local event. To help you prepare for this year’s GDAMS and for longer term efforts to change our national spending priorities, we have scheduled an inspiring briefing call featuring these two leading authorities on military spending and alternatives.

Mother’s Day Call for Healthcare for All – WILPF U.S.

While those currently in power in Washington and in corporate boardrooms – weapons manufacturers and investors – would like us to believe we must sacrifice everything for “security”, we reject this policy of militarism and propaganda of fear. “True security is found not in domination and weapons of war, but in peaceful international cooperation.” (Patricia Hynes, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice).

Accordingly, we call upon all nations, including the US, to join us in endorsing the call of UN Secretary General Guerres and supporting inclusive peace negotiations – with women equally represented at the peace table.
When all children of the world have access to clean water and affordable health care, are well fed, and live free of fear in homes with loving people around them – then, indeed, we can celebrate a happy Mother’s Day!

In this pandemic period, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom US honors all mothers and women nationwide who have lost their lives to COVID-19, including 88 (mostly female) nurses, as of this writing. Two women who had cared for both Civil War soldiers and community health needs founded Mother’s Day. In that horrific time of social and economic crisis, they advocated for peace. During this catastrophic pandemic, we, too, call for healthcare for all and peace as we celebrate Mother’s Day. (...) Covid-19 has exposed fault lines too long ignored; now we see clearly those who have been hurt the most.

Originally published in WILPF US website

National Priorities

National Priorities posted on its website an article by Jessica Corbett making reference to GDAMS and IPB: 'Halt This Madness': US Drove Last Year's Over $1.9 Trillion in Global Military Spending.

Pax Christi USA

Pax Christi USA joined partners in responding to global military spending report and shared this message on their social media. More about this here and here.

Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin

Physician for Social Responsibility Wisconsin shared the GDAMS infographic on Facebook with this message: “Take a look! Thank you GCOMS for this important graphic on the costs of warfare vs healthcare”.
Spain (27)

15M (Zaragoza) shares GDAMS infographic

The platform shared the Healthcare not Warfare infographic and a reflexion on our priorities as a society.

Antimilitarist and Nonviolent Network of Andalusia

Red Antimilitarista y Noviolenta de Andalucía joined GDAMS and shared the statement and infographic ‘Healthcare not Warfare’.

APDHA

The Andalusian Association for Human Rights (APDHA), a non-profit working for the promotion and defense of Human Rights, joined GDAMS for the first time to demand a reorientation of military spending towards social spending, in particular to health care. APDHA shared the GDAMS materials on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, wrote an op-ed and joined the Move The Money selfie campaign with dozens of pictures.

Bake Ekintza: video on the occasion of Guernica’s bombing

On the 83th anniversary of Guernica’s bombing, Bake Ekintza, a Basque antimilitarist group, shared a compilation video of actions carried out on the occasion with references to GDAMS and to Spanish military expenditure. Watch it here.

Centre Delas of Peace Studies: GDAMS infographic and online actions

Centre Delàs of Peace Studies prepared and shared infographics and reflections on military spending within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, bringing attention to the vast opportunity costs of military outlays and to human security-based alternatives.

Centre Delàs adapted the GDAMS infographic to the Spanish case, comparing its military spending (more than 20 billion €) and its major arms programmes (such as Eurofighter jets, submarines, tanks or frigates), with the costs of health care equipment and personnel, much needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This infographic follows the same logic as the general one from GDAMS, but bringing attention to the imbalance between expenditure in health services and what has been spent in weapons systems in Spain for the last two decades and what’s been approved for new weapons programmes.
This infographic was launched at the same time as the April 27 press conference was held. Together with a press release (here) and messages on social media, Centre Delàs and IPB Barcelona demanded the cancellation of all new arms programmes approved by the current government (over 13 billion €) and a major reduction of Spanish Military Spending. This infographic was widely shared on social media, reaching also political parties as Compromís (València), Més Mallorca or CUP (Catalonia)

You can download this infographic here with translations available in Catalan and Euskera.

CUP Sant Andreu shares infographic

The Catalan political party CUP, Sant Andreu’s branch, shared on their social media the infographic of Spanish military spending created by GCOMS and Centre Delàs, together with the message “Let’s invest in healthcare military spending!” and this image:

Desarma Madrid - Online Actions

The Madrid-based movement joined GDAMS for the second time by sharing materials and articles via online. Find out more about them here: https://twitter.com/DesarmaMadrid

Ecologistas en acción

Ecologistas en acción (Ecologists in Action) joined the Spanish campaign for fiscal objection based on “the non-disposition to collaborate with the State in the war spending and maintaining the military structure, disobeying actively in the moment of the annual tax declaration.” For this purpose they used the comparison made by Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau for GDAMS, where they analyze the 2019 Spanish military spending comparing the amount of money they could have invested in healthcare, something crucial in a pandemic context such as ours. Find more here.

Educational toolkit: USTEA - Cadiz

This toolkit (in Spanish) has been prepared by a Spanish teachers union to help teachers start a conversation with students on militarism & military spending.

Please, find the toolkit here.

Espazo aberto antimilitar shared GDAMS materials

The Galician group shared the GDAMs infographic prepared by Centre Delàs at their website and used it as a way to encourage people to do tax resistance

Greenpeace Spain

Greenpeace España shared the article of Greenpeace International by Jen Maman ‘Redefining safety’ (page 84) and supported its call to reduce military spending and rethink our security paradigm.

“Los nuevos datos de SIPRI elevan a 1,9 billones de dólares el gasto militar mundial de 2019. La crisis del COVID-19 nos ha enseñado que la seguridad y potencial militar no son lo mismo. ¡Redefinamos la seguridad!”

Joint Statement by 3 organizations in Cádiz.

Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos, Ecologistas en Acción and USTEA Cádiz joined to demand a reallocation of military spending to tackle the crisis provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more here.

Joint statement by basque organizations

Nine Basque organizations support GCOMS in their demand to invest in social spending instead of militarization and denounce the militaristic management of the COVID-19 health crisis. These organization include: AA-KEM-MOC Nafarroa, Bake-Ekintza Antimilitarista, Centre Delàs (Delegación Vasca), Emakumeok Gerraren Aurka, Gerrarik Ez Eibar, Gerra Hemen Hasten da/La Guerra Empieza Aquí, Gernika Gogoratuz, Kakitzat koordinakunde Antimilitarista and KEM-MOC Bilboko Talde Antimilitarista.

“We shouldn’t and can’t go back to “normal”, as “normal” was already a state of crisis. We are aware it is not going to be an easy task, as nowadays econocmic interests prevail over the rights and needs of people, but, at the same time, the global health crisis we are enduring can help us reconsider the sinister direction which we had taken as societies”

Read the full statement (in Spanish or Euskera) here.

Justícia i Pau joined GDAMS one more year

The Catalan peace organization joined GDAMS by sharing the infographic and the IPB petition on its social media

KEM-MOC Bilbao joined GDAMS

The antimilitarist group of Bilbao (Basque country) joined GDAMS by sharing a pictures and the motto “military spending to social services” #GastosMilitaresParaServiciosSociales #GastuMilitarrakZerbitzuSozialetarako

La Guerra Empieza Aquí (War starts here) online actions and manifest

This basque organization joined the manifest on support of GDAMS and shared it on their social media.

Marea blanca de Lleida

This platform of health personnel and users in defence of public health care shared on their social media our infographic and the petition by Centre Delàs to reorientate military spending and new arms programmes’ money to healthcare and social services.

Mario Gargon (artist) - Artwork in support of GDAMS

The Spanish artist Mario Gargon created these 2 images in support of GDAMS and its Healthcare Not Warfare message.

MEP Miguel Urban supports GDAMS

The Member of the European Parliament Miguel Urbán Crespo publicly supported GDAMS and shared the infographic adapted to the Spanish case and the petition formulated by Centre Delàs and IPB.
“¿Cuánto gastamos en armamento y cuánto gastamos (o recortamos) en sanidad? Los datos del @CentreDelas y @IntlPeaceBureau son alarmantes: -Recortes en sanidad en 2008 y 2009: entre 15.000 y 21.000 millones de € -Gasto militar español en 2019: 20.050 millones de € #GDAMS2020”

Motion at the Senate for the reallocation of military spending towards healthcare by ‘Més per Mallorca’

The regional party ‘Més per Mallorca’ submitted a motion in the Spanish Senate through its Senator Vicenç Vidal Matas to demand the reallocation of military spending towards health care. The group denounced how military spending in Spain is 4 times higher that the total budget of the Balearic region. The group also created 3 infographics based on the reference provided by GCOMS and Centre Delàs.

Online Actions- Lleida

Coordinadora d'ONG de Lleida.

Please, visit the website here.

Pobresa Zero (Valencia) shares GDAMS infographic

This campaign against poverty shared the Healthcare not Warfare infographic on its social media: “Department of Defence spends on a tank what 440 ventilators cost. Each shot of a Leopard vehicle equals 90 covid-19 tests. Let’s invest in healthcare what we spend on the military. Let’s invest in saving lives”

Senator Mulet presented questions to the Spanish Government

Senator Carles Mulet, from the Valencian political party ‘Compromís’ presented several questions to the Spanish Government at the Senate regarding military spending prospects after the COVID-19 health emergency. The spokesperson of Compromís demanded more transparency to the government in relation with military spending hidden in departments other than Defense and demanded a reallocation of budget given to new weapon’s programmes. He used the comparison between health equipment and weapons elaborated by GCOMS and Centre Delàs and claimed that citizens are entitled to decide what their money is spent on.
Find out more in this news article.
See the registered questions at the Senate here.
Compromís also shared our infographic and message on their social media together with the message: “We need to rethink military spending and dedicate it to rescue people”.

Translation of GDAMS infographics to Euskera by Bake Ekintza

USTEC-STES

The secretary of social movements of the Catalan teachers union USTEC-STES shared information on GDAMS, including its 2020 infographic on the organization’s blog. This post also compiled all educational tools and possible actions to be carried out by students and teachers.

Webinar by ADNV ‘Deconfining our minds, unlearning war”

A representative of GCOMS (Quique Sánchez) and a military spending expert from Centre Delàs (Pere Ortega) participated in the first session of this series of webinars (in Spanish) organised by Acción Directa Noviolenta (ADNV). This first session took place on April 29 and hosted a discussion on military spending and tax resistance to war as a form of civil disobedience. The webinar also included a representative of Mujeres de Negro (Women in Black) and was organised with the collaboration of Ben Magec - Ecologistas en Acción, Radio Guiniguada and Radio pimienta.

You can watch this webinar here.

Webinar by Centre Delàs: “Virus, fear, security and loss of rights”

In this online seminar (May 5), experts of Centre Delàs analysed and reflected on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of security, militarization and rights. They also reflected on the loss of liberties and on the social control mechanisms that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about. Are measures taken necessary and proportional? How do we avoid their normalization? Which of these measures will become permanent? What’s the impact of this situation on vulnerable communities?

You can watch it on Youtube (in Spanish)
Germany (3)

22 April 2020 - IPB Webinar

The Opportunity Costs of Military Spending: How and Why it’s Time to Rethink Our Priorities

11:00 am - 1:00 pm (CET, GMT+2)

As part of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) 2020, IPB will host a webinar for students and young professionals interested in learning more about how military expenditures weigh up against social spending on issues such as combating climate change, improving infrastructure, and investing in education. The webinar will commence with a overview of worldwide and country-specific military spending based on available data from SIPRI and other reliable sources. Subsequently, the group will look at the figures for spending on various social programs.

In addition to presenting a review of military and social spending, the webinar will lay out practical methods and procedures of demilitarization and disarmament at a governmental level as well as how individuals can engage others in the conversation to produce societal change and pressure on national governments. Participants will be given the opportunity to brainstorm and share their ideas with each other and the IPB team and explore how they can best use their skills to engage in the conversation about disarmament and demilitarization.

The event will be held online and is open to 20-25 participants who are students or young professionals in the field. Data will be presented by Reiner Braun, Executive Director of IPB, and Amela Skiljan, IPB Coordinator, and discussion will be led by IPB Interns Eskil Grav and Sean Conner. Those interested can register for free by sending an email to info@ipb-office.berlin with their name and profession or area of study.

For more information, visit our website: http://bit.ly/ocoms

Center for Feminist Foreign Policy

The Center for Feminist Foreign Policy shared the GDAMS infographic ‘Healthcare Not Warfare’ on their social media (@feministfp)
“We need fewer soldiers, jets, tanks and aircraft carriers and more doctors, ambulances and hospitals.”

Liberation Day Advertisement at the Süddeutsche Zeitung

Announcement at the Südddeutsche Zeitung calling for disarmament, made possible by the International Peace Bureau, Abrüsten statt Aufrüsten, DGB, GEW, IG Metall, NaturFreunde, Neue Entspannungspolitik jetzt!, ver.di.

“NO TO VIOLENCE. YES TO A CULTURE OF PEACE.
75 years after the end of the Second World War, peace is once again under threat. Even here in Europe it is fragile. Many things have grown uncertain and global threats have been exacerbated.

Those who want peace must fight for peace. The frequently heard demand that Europe learn the ‘language of power’ (Munich Security Conference) and develop its military capabilities is wrong. Further militarization will not solve any of our problems. Rather, we need to bring social, ecological and economic conflicts back into the civil sphere. Otherwise the ghosts of the past will return, bringing only death and destruction. A new arms race is already in full swing.

We say no to a language of violence, and yes to a culture of peace, reason and understanding.
We say no to an increase in military spending! We say yes to disarmament instead of rearmament! Yes to a new policy of détente now!”
UK (15)

Abingdon Peace Group call to action during GDAMS

“Getting out onto the streets of Abingdon with a leaflet that we had ourselves produced was to have been our focus this month. And our theme was to have been the urgent need to divert the world's military spending to resolving the climate and other environmental crises. But then came Covid-19. Now unsurprisingly the emphasis has changed. The IPB (International Peace Bureau) slogan is 'Invest in Healthcare Instead of Militarization'. Of course there is no true conflict here. The peace movement has always stressed for example how many additional hospitals could be afforded by giving up a small number of Trident missiles; and indeed what we are arguing for is a diversion of human resources to satisfying genuine human needs”.

April 20-26, Women in Black - London

Invest in Healthcare not Warfare

While unable to vigil in Central London, Women in Black are everywhere, working against militarism and war.

Solidarity at a Distance. Week 6. Women in Black London focuses the week of April 20-26 on the Global Days of Action on Military Spending sharing its infographics and supporting IPB's petition to invest in healthcare not warfare.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

CND called to action on GDAMS through a piece by Kate Hudson (CND General Secretary): “A global struggle: healthcare not warfare”.
Hudson echoes here the words of Dave Webb, CND Chair and member of the GCOMS steering group: ““This year the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) are taking place from April 10th until May 9th. During this time peace and justice campaigners around the world will be highlighting the ridiculous and unsustainable levels of global military spending – over $1.82 trillion a year, equivalent to $239 per person every day. The UK 2020 defence budget is £55 billion, the 7th highest in the world and over 2% of our GDP – as requested by NATO. This represents a substantial increase over previous years. We had been warned of the possibility of a wide-spread pandemic for sometime – it was one of the first tier threats in the 2015 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review – but were totally unprepared for it when it happened. Meanwhile, the government is prepared to continue with Trident Replacement at an eventual total cost of over £205 billion and with the purchase of 138 F-35 jet fighters, costing £85 million each. (...)

Military spending is costing the Earth and reallocating defence budgets would help finance an adequate response to both the coronavirus crisis and the challenge of climate change. It would assist the urgent transition toward more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies and economies.”

Read the full article here.

Forces watch

Forces Watch a UK-based organisation that monitors British militarism shared our 2020 GDAMS statement on their social media:
“Major reductions in military expenditure would free up resources not only to provide universal healthcare, but also to tackle climate and humanitarian emergencies. Some more simple actions to take to say #DivestFromWar and #HealthcareNotWarfare”

Huddersfield Quakers

Huddersfield Quakers shared the message and infographic of GDAMS on their social networks:

“Truly shocking statistics and priorities. As Quakers we will continue to witness and take action to help create a more just, equal, sustainable, peaceful and loving world”.

IRIAD - Archivio Disarmo calls to action on GDAMS

IRIAD shared the GDAMS infographic and brought attention to this period of action.“Un altro po' di dati dalla GCOMS su spese per gli armamenti e spese per la salute e la prevenzione dei rischi a livello globale. Sono in corso i #GDAMS Global Days of Action on Military Spending. Bisogna mantenere alta l'attenzione sul tema”.

London, United Kingdom

Joint letter started by the Peace Pledge Union about military spending and coronavirus.

Find the Peace Pledge Union website here

Medact - Webinar

Medact shared their online seminar “The arms industry in the era of COVID-19 - lessons for the future” with a reference to GDAMS.
“If you weren't able to make our webinar last week on 'The arms industry in the era of #COVID19 - lessons for the future', you can now watch (& share) the talks by our brilliant speakers online #GDAMS #HealthcareNotWarfare

You can watch it here.

Movement for the Abolition of War

Movement for the Abolition of War joined GDAMS by sharing its statement on Facebook

Online Campaign - Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) - London

New data released today by SIPRI reveals a post-WW2 record in military spending in 2019. As the world faces the challenge of Covid-19, we can see more than ever that our security isn't advanced by spending billions on nuclear weapons systems and aircraft carriers, but by building fairer societies that support the most vulnerable, and by investing in strong public services.

Out of this crisis we must build a truly safer world, where real human needs are prioritised.

It’s time to #MoveTheMoney #HealthcareNotWarfare #JustRecovery

GCOMS - Global Campaign on Military Spending

Visit our website here.

Pax Christi (England and Wales)

Pax Christi shared the GDAMS infographic on its social networks: “Such a good infographic on military spending vs healthcare, worth sharing again!”

Peace & Justice (former Edinburgh Peace & Justice Centre) - UK

Call to Action at their newsletter.

"GDAMS 2020: HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has shown the world where humanity’s priorities should lie. Such a crisis can only be addressed by supporting healthcare and other lifesustaining activities, not with military equipment and personnel prepared for war. Read the full GDAMS 2020 Statement and find lots of great resources for how to take action from home at: http://demilitarize.org/"

Peace Pledge Union - Joint letter

Peace Pledge Union published a joint letter about military spending and coronavirus.

Nineteen charities, NGOs and other organisations have signed this open letter, including Colin Archer, as a representative of the GCOMS UK Working Group.

Covid 19 is a deadly reminder that armed force cannot make us safe. People around the world have the same needs and face many of the same threats. We urgently need to stop accepting “defence” and “security” as euphemisms for war and militarism.

Military personnel have taken part in building the Nightingale Hospital in London and the Dragon's Heart Hospital in Cardiff. The arms company Babcock is diverting some resources to produce ventilators. These initiatives, which involve just a small percentage of the armed forces and arms industry, should be the first step in reallocating “defence” resources to defending us from the most serious threats to our security.

While NHS staff struggle with insufficient protective equipment, nuclear submarines patrol at a cost of billions, powerless to defend us from a pandemic. While some armed forces personnel are helpfully delivering medical supplies, others are increasing military tension by participating in NATO exercises – scaled back but not cancelled despite coronavirus. UK troops train Saudi forces who have attacked civilians in Yemen.
The UK government's security reviews in 2010, 2015 and 2018 identified pandemics as a serious security threat. Despite this, they chose to increase spending on armed force, maintaining the seventh highest military expenditure in the world. Recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya demonstrate that deep-seated problems cannot be solved with bombs. War makes the whole world less safe.

We need to re-orient the economy towards socially useful production and shift “defence” resources away from militaristic approaches and towards tackling serious threats to human security, including pandemics, poverty and climate change.

You can also consult this letter here.

Scottish CND

Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament join GDAMS on Social Media, sharing the Healthcare Not Warfare Infographic:

“With the latest @SIPRIorg report on global military expenditure being released today, we looked at the UK's spending on Trident warheads as part of @DemilitarizeDay. #healthcarenotwarfare #ScrapTrident #nuclearban”

“Here is a fantastic infographic on global military spending by @DemilitarizeDay for #GDAMS on #HealthcareNotWarfare which puts into perspective the costs of war preparations in comparison with healthcare.”

Yorkshire CND

Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament joined GDAMS by sharing its infographic and IPB’s petition to the United Nations.
International (22)
AEPF (Asia-Europe People's Forum)

AEPF, through its cluster of Peace and Security, supported the campaign for one more year, as part of a strategy to make GCOMS one of the main campaigns of the forum.

April 21 - Move the Nuclear Weapons (and fossil fuel) Money:

* Cutting nuclear weapons budgets.
* Ending investments in nuclear weapons & fossil fuels.
* Reallocating these to public health, climate protection and sustainable development.

International webinar, Tuesday April 21, 2020.
Held in conjunction with the Global Days of Action on Military Spending

See: http://pnnd.org/event/move-nuclear-weapons-and-fossil- Move the Nuclear Weapons (and fossil fuel) Money:

See the facebook event here.

Speakers include:

Held in conjunction with the Global Days of Action on Military Spending, April 10 – May 5, 2020
CHAIR: Vanda Proskova, Move the Nuclear Weapons Money campaign
WELCOME AND INTRO: Tony Robinson, Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee
Session 1: Divestment and ethical/impact investment. 11:00-12:30 (EDT, New York Time)
• Thies Kaetow (Germany). Divestment Researcher, World Future Council.
• Susanna Choe (USA). Executive Director, Regeneration Fund, Investment Community Visibility Group.
• Jeff Perkins (USA). Executive Director, Friends Fiduciary Corporation.
• Matt Robson (New Zealand), Former Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party and New Zealand
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control.
• John Ingram (USA). Member of 350NYC.org Steering Committee, Divest NYC Coalition and
Divest NY State Coalition.
Coffee/refreshment break

Session 2: Legislative action and public promotion. 13:00-14:30 (EDT, New York Time)
• Jennifer Blemur (USA). Director, Women Legislators’ Lobby.
• Marzhan Nurzhan (Kazakhstan/Switzerland). Member, Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee.
Deputy-Director, Basel Peace Office.
• Kehkashan Basu (UAE/Canada). Youth Ambassador, World Future Council. Winner, 2016
International Children’s Peace Prize.
• Quique Sánchez (Spain), Global Campaign on Military Spending.
• Representative of PNND (tbc)

OUTLINE:
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for governments and the international community to focus
more on human security issues and to shift resources from military spending, especially the nuclear weapons
budgets, to accomplish this. However, the nuclear weapons and fossil fuel industries have vested financial
interests in maintaining the nuclear arms race and a fossil fuel economy. They are a potent political force
preventing change.
Governments, cities, religious communities, universities, banks and private investors can shift these financial
incentives by divesting from the nuclear weapons and fossil fuel industries and re-allocating these investments
according to ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) principals. Such actions provide political support for
legislative efforts to cut nuclear weapons budgets, especially in the USA and UK.
This webinar will highlight examples of nuclear weapons and fossil fuel divestment and examine how these can
assist initiatives to cut nuclear weapons budgets and support public health, climate protection and sustainable
development. The event will include the preview of a Handbook on Nuclear Weapons Divestment which will be
produced by the Move the Nuclear Weapons Money campaign.

More info here

April 27 - IPB Webinar: Challenging Nuclear Weapons in Europe
WEBINAR

Challenging Nuclear Weapons in Europe

Monday April 27 - 15:00-16:30 CET

Registration : arielled@ipb.org

The tensions between nuclear weapons possessors states have worsen dramatically these last months and Europe is at the centre of the storm. The suspension of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia has directly exposed Europe to a new nuclear arms race and there is no indication that a successor to the US-Russian New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) will be negotiated before the February 2021 deadline. NATO states are much too silent, worse, French President Macron suggested that France’s nuclear weapons could become a European “deterrent”.

But, along with the 74% Millenials thinking that war and nuclear annihilation can be avoided, let’s point the historical movement building up around the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) ratified by 36 states and 81 have signed the Treaty, putting it on its way to entering into force in the coming months. What is the situation from different perspectives in Europe? How can civil society bring its contribution?

This Webinar replacing a Side Event due to take place at the opening of the 2020 NPT session will host experts and activists to discuss with the participants how to challenge of nuclear weapons in Europe.

CHAIR : Reiner Braun IPB Executive Director
- Hans Kristensen – Federation of American Scientists - Points of tensions in regards to Nuclear Weapons in Europe
- Oleg Bodrov-Coalition for a Clean Baltic/Russia – A view from Russia of the nuclear tensions in Europe
- Kate Hudson Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – UK nuclear developments
- Bastien Lachaud French MP - French situation
- Katherine Vogler German MP - German situation - 5min
- Daniel Hogsta ICAN – Potential tracks for progress in Europe(TBC)
- XXX ITUC Representative
- Susi Snyder –Pax/ Don’t Bank On the Bomb campaign on divestments and financial institutions
- Philip Jennings- IPB- building coalition with the social movements
Thank you for registering at adenis@ipb.org
BDS Movement

The Palestinian movement for Boycott and Divestment and Sanctions to Israel supported GDAMS on their social media:

“With disarmament, the implementation of the SDGs, a global social contract & a new global green peace deal, we can address challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic.” #HealthcareNotWarfare #StopArmingIsrael Sign IPB petition: https://bit.ly/2RMKJo7.

Control Arms

Control Arms shared our message and infographic on an article about Arms control in the time of COVID-19 “The Global Campaign on Military Spending illustrates (Figure 1) how resources spent on militaries and weaponry could have been used today to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) shared similar research, comparing the spending of nuclear arsenals vs. healthcare infrastructure. Several other organisations and individuals have weighed in on the issue, including Control Arms member Project Ploughshares on “Arms control diplomacy a worrying casualty of Covid-19” and the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) in its ongoing Covid-19 blog series.

ENAAT (European Network Against Arms Trade) Europe Day statement and online actions and advocacy

The way out from the COVID-19 crisis: will the EU work for peace or prepare for war? On Europe Day, the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) and the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) call the EU to fund peace, not arms dealers.

The EU High Representative Mr Borrell stated on April 24 that the world will look very different after the COVID-19 crisis and will depend on the choices made today. On the eve of Europe Day celebrating peace and unity, the EU bears a large responsibility for how this future will look like, and has a key choice to make: work for sustainable peace by seriously tackling the root causes of conflicts, or continue the path to militarism and prepare for war.

Global military spending saw its biggest increase in a decade in 2019, a growth Europe largely contributed to. The Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) 2020 that are closing tomorrow brought attention to the vast opportunity costs of the current levels of military spending: 1.91 trillion US$ in 2019, almost $5 billion per day, $239 per person.

The COVID-19 crisis requires now a drastic overhaul of the initial MFF proposal, and one could hope a refocus on health and environmental challenges, and on the communities most affected by them. But the military-industrial complex and its supporters are rallying and calling loud and clear for maintaining or even increase EU funding for th

More information on ENAAT can be found here.

Global Campaign for Peace Education

The Global Campaign on Peace Education shared the GDAMS statement and infographic on its website.

Greenpeace international

Greenpeace international shared the GDAMS message and infographic and prepared and article by Jen Maman on the issue:
“At a time when communities around the world are struggling with the lack of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, ventilators and even simple masks.What can you do? Speak up against excessive military spending and the need for better, smarter allocation of national budgets for the citizens and the greater good for the planet. Greenpeace believes we need to stop pouring money into our military-industrial complex and instead #movethemoney to sustain a more green and peaceful future.

Where would you #movethemoney? The Global Campaign on Military Spending (@demilitarizeday) invites people to share their suggestions on Twitter.
It’s time for us to start redefining our idea of safety”

Read the full article here

ICAN (International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons)

ICAN shared the GDAMS infographic on April 28, after SIPRI’s release of new figures on military spending. “$1.9 trillion! SIPRI’s latest report reveals that in 2019 global military expenditure had its largest annual increase in a decade. Meanwhile, that money could have gone to life-saving equipment and human security: @DemilitarizeDay”

IPB Petition: invest in healthcare instead of militarization

The international Peace Bureau is calling for a dramatic reduction in military spending in favour of health care and to satisfy the social needs.

The world spends US$ 1.8 trillion on military expenditure every year and is scheduled to spend 1 trillion dollars on new nuclear weapons in the next 20 years.

Militarization is the wrong path for the world to take; it fuels tensions and raises the potential for war and conflict. It aggravates already heightened nuclear tensions.

World leaders must put disarmament and peace at the center of policy making and develop a new agenda for disarmament that includes banning nuclear weapons. We reiterate our call for governments to sign up to the TPNW treaty.

Full Statement available on IPB website

IPB Statement: Reaction to the Newest SIPRI Figures

Military Spending on the Rise while Health Budgets Remain Insufficient in Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic. With the release of SIPRI’s newest report, showing global military spending in 2019 at a new high of US$1,917 billion, the International Peace Bureau (IPB) is calling for an end to the military spending pandemic, starting with an annual reduction of military expenditure of 10% and a complete ban on nuclear weapons.

Militaries and arms cannot and will not save us from this pandemic. Nearly $2 trillion on destructive weapons and soldiers will not save the 250 million people facing starvation or provide jobs to the hundreds of millions currently unemployed. Just $35 billion could provide social protection to the 28 poorest countries. We must imagine how much progress could be made if we instead committed these resources to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Let us demilitarize the world and invest in global peace and diplomacy.

Download the statement here.
Read the statement on the IPB website here

IPPNW

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) shared GDAMS materials on their social networks.

Kosovar Centre for Security Studies joined GDAMS

KCSS/QSSS (Qendra Kosovare për Studime të Sigurisë) joined GDAMS by sharing the Healthcare Not Warfare infographic:
“This great infographic exposes the spending gap between military and healthcare; High level of mistrust/hatred between people in the world; For all those thinking we are our main enemy, COVID-19 teaches us a very different story”

ONLINE WORLD CONFERENCE

Abolish Nuclear Weapons; Resist and Reverse the Climate Crisis; For Social and Economic Justice

The online World Conference for nuclear weapons abolition, peace, the climate and justice, organised by Joseph Gerson, president of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security and director of the American Friends Service Committee’s Peace and Economic Security Program, was held between 9:00 and 11:00 am (NY time) in the context of GDAMS 2020.

In the context of the suffering and changes being wrought by the pandemic, the two- hour world conference will focus on the continuing urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons and its relationship to stanching the climate emergency and challenging injustices which have left so many people marginalized and vulnerable.

You can watch the full conference here.

RAMALC (Antimilitarist Network of Latin America and the Caribbean) supports GDAMS

Reaching Critical Will

Reaching Critical Will, the Disarmament Programme of WILPF, shared the Healthcare Not Warfare infographic on their social media and a thread related to UNODA occasional paper on military spending on the occasion of GDAMS.

Scrap Weapons

Global Freeze Weapons Now is a campaign by SCRAP, an initiative of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS, University of London.

This campaign created a series of videos and infographics which had as a reference the GDAMS infographic Healthcare Not Warfare, and disseminated them widely on social media.

You can support this initiative by Signing their Declaration, Promoting their Formal Text for Governments, Parliaments and International Organisations and Circulating and using their Background paper. Find out more about it here.

SIPRI joins GDAMS on their social media

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) referenced GDAMS when releasing their new figures on military expenditure on Twitter:

“'Global military expenditure sees largest annual increase in a decade—says SIPRI—reaching $1917 billion in 2019'. Read the Press Release. Download the Fact Sheet. #MILEX #GDAMS2020”

UNODA Occasional Papers No. 35 ‘Rethinking Unconstrained Military Spending’

Coinciding with the ongoing Global Days of Action on Military Spending and complementary to the recent release of the annual military spending data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the Office for Disarmament Affairs is pleased to publish the second volume, UNODA Occasional Papers 35, on rethinking unconstrained military spending.

This publication addresses the issue of military spending from various angles by examining the impact of military expenditures on international security.

UNODA statement in support of GDAMS 2020

The current COVID-19 pandemic provides a tragic reminder that our greatest collective challenges cannot be solved through military might. Now is the moment to seek options that provide for lasting peace and security in the face of daunting challenges like climate change, mass refugee flows and the ongoing global public health crisis.

If only 10 percent of today’s global military spending were spent towards SDG 13 on climate action, the current costs of adapting to climate change in developing countries would be covered several times over.

On the occasion of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending, I echo the recent appeal of the Secretary-General for a global ceasefire in the face of the ongoing health crisis. I also renew my call for the international community to redirect the world’s finite resources towards promoting the well-being of every citizen and striving for a peaceful and secure world for all. Let us put humanity at the centre of our security.

Download the original statement as a pdf here.

War Resisters International

War Resisters International supported GDAMS online and shared its materials and statement on their social media.
“The #COVID-19 pandemic crisis is another reminder of where our priorities should lie! Healthcare Not Warfare!”

"The #COVID19 crisis has made clearer than ever the flaws in our system, one that prioritizes military spending and global instability over the well-being of our people."

Women Nobel Laureates

Nobel Women called to action on the first day of GDAMS by sharing this message and picture: “Today marks beginning of several Global Days of Action on Military Spending! Let's start with a powerful #FeministFriday from Nobel peace laureate @JodyWilliams97. It's time to prioritize human security, especially relevant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. #MoveTheMoney
Cyprus (1)

AHDR call to action during GDAMS

The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR) which works for dialogue and an Education for a Culture of Peace in Cyprus, shared the GDAMS materials and call to action on its newsletter.
New Zealand (3)

ANZAC Day virtual peace activities

This year we are moving online for the ANZAC Day peace events, and this note has the details of how you can participate in a range of activities - pictures, posters, photos and poetry for peace, and the ANZAC Day virtual peace vigil - as well as information about the 2020 White Poppies for Peace annual appeal, and the forthcoming release of the 2019 global military spending figures.

The relevance of the key message of the nationwide ANZAC Day peace vigils - ‘honour the war dead by ending war’ - seems more apparent this year than ever before. The absurd folly of military spending and endless preparation for war is highlighted as the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise. Health systems and social welfare around the world are under siege due to decades of inadequate funding, while military spending continues to increase in all states that maintain combat ready armed forces, including New Zealand.This year’s ANZAC Day virtual peace activities are an opportunity for you to share your hope and dreams for a better world, or your thoughts on one or more of the themes of the annual peace vigils: to remember all the casualties of war, to remember all who resisted war, to call for an end to war, and to promote peace. If you are homeschooling in your bubble, this is a perfect opportunity to add creative peace activities into the curriculum over this week.

Read more about this here.

Global military spending increases, New Zealand ranks in report

Shamefully, this year New Zealand is ranked at number 13 in the SIPRI table ranking the highest increases in military spending around the world. The SIPRI figures, which are based on self-reporting by the government, put the 2019 increase at 19%.

However, the government figures do not include military spending across all three of the Budget Votes where it is mostly itemised: Vote Defence, Vote Defence Force and Vote Education.

The allocation for military spending in last year’s ‘Wellbeing Budget’ increased to a record total of $5,058,286,000 (NZ). By way of contrast, more than 20% of children here are estimated to live in a family with an income below the poverty line, and an estimated one in one hundred New Zealanders are homeless.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, essential public services including health, education, support for persons with disabilities and housing desperately needed increased spending, yet the government continues to prioritise military spending - in addition to the increase in last year’s Budget, in June 2019 the government announced that it would spend $(NZ)20 billion over the next decade on increased combat capability, frigates and military aircraft.

The shocking increase in military spending - whether here in Aotearoa or around the world - shows the same dominant ideology that focuses on outdated narrow military security concepts, rather than real human security that meets the needs of all, continues to harm us all.

If there is any lesson to be learnt from the current pandemic, surely it is that there must be a transition from combat-ready armed forces to civilian agencies that meet the needs of all peoples and the planet.

Link to share:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/peace-movement-aotearoa/global-military-spending-increases-new-zealand-ranks-in-report/2895290027185014

Online actions - Peace Movement Aotearoa

Peace Movement Aotearoa held an online action on the occasion of GDAMS 2020: “Here in Aotearoa New Zealand - where the number of children living in families with an income below the poverty line and the level of homelessness continues to rise, and there is a desperate need for more social funding - a record $(NZ)5,058,286,000 was allocated for military spending in the 2019 'Wellbeing' Budget... that's an average of $97,274,730 every week. In June 2019, a further $(NZ)20 billion over the next decade (additional to each year's annual expenditure) was announced for increased combat capability.”

Find out more here.
Canada (1)

April - Online actions - Canadian Voice of Women for Peace

1). We will be asking our members (100's across Canada) and all of our followers on our social media (FB, IG and Twitter) to print or create the #movethemoney sign and tag and post it.

2). We will be creating graphics to highlight Canada's military spending and releasing them throughout the GDAMS month. We are hoping to receive recommendations from our members with credible sources on what they'd like to highlight and then creating graphics with the specific comparisons.

We are hopefully going to be putting out an article alongside debuting the campaign with information for canadians on why we must #movethemoney.

Unfortunately, the physical protesting and advocacy that we so often do is not possible so there will be, to our knowledge, no physical protesting.

Please, visit our website here.
Colombia (5)

April 22 - No Bullet Stops a Virus: Military Spending in the Context of Covid 19 - La Vox Populi

#SONORAVIRUS - The Radio Pandemic. Chapter 17: No Bullet Stops a Virus: Military Spending in the Context of Covid 19

Every year, a large amount of resources is allocated to strengthen the military capacities of States around the world. Although this situation has been problematic for a while, the current situation of the pandemic allows us to see some particular characteristics of this militarist structure at a global level, revealing its functioning in moments of crisis and the precarious conditions in which the basic needs of humanity are found, in contrast to the strengthening of military investment as one of the key axes of the capitalist system.

Participants: Pelao Carvallo (Ramalc - Chile y Paraguay), Benjamín Tarqui (Bolivia), Koldobi Velazco (Internacional de resistentes a la guerra - Islas Canarias), Alejandro Parra (ACOOC - Colombia)

Wednesday 22nd from 4pm (col)

live broadcast: www.lavoxpopuli.com

fb live @ la vox populi radio

Cucutá, Colombia - GDAMS Press conference

ONLINE SURVEY - ACOOC-Acción Colectiva de Objetores/as de Conciencia

We invite you to fill out and share this survey, which attempts to add voices and proposals to urgently reduce military spending, and use those resources for the basic needs of the population in the midst of the COVID - 19 situation.
The resources of war, we need them for life
#NoWeaponStopsaVirus

Find the survey here

Please visit our website or our Facebook Page

Political advocacy action at the Colombian Congress: Colombia sets an example by shifting military spending towards healthcare

On the occasion of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) promoted by the International Peace Bureau from April 10 to May 9 of 2020, we celebrate the proposal made by the Colombian congressman and human rights defender Iván Cepeda Castro, alongside 27 other congressmen, to the government of the Republic of Colombia, of transferring 1 billion Colombian pesos allocated to arms purchases and the defense sector towards the health sector.

“I propose that a billion pesos that could go to buy weapons or other non-essential defense sector expenses goes to buy ICU equipment, diagnostic tests for coronavirus, biosecurity aspects or payment of health personnel’s delayed salaries,” stated Senator Cepeda.

On April 21, 2020, Colombia’s defense ministry accepted the proposal of the 27 Colombian congressmen and decided to invest US$25 million in the health sector to respond to the health crisis facing the South American country.

From the coordination of the Global Campaign on Military Spending, we believe the actions of Senator Ivan Cepeda and the other 27 Colombian congressmen create a hopeful outlook and set an example for other parliamentarians around the world to join their voices and demand reductions of military spending.

Statement by Escuelas de Paz

A statement for life and demilitarization of bodies, minds and territories in South Colombia

Schools of Peace Foundation, as an organization committed to peacebuilding, peace education development and territorial peace transformations, calls on respect for the life of our community leaders, youngsters, adolescents, boys and girls.

We consider necessary to make visible what happens in Colombia and to create sensitive and protective actions in order to decrease affectation and effects on minds, hearts and bodies of people who inhabit the territories and on the construction of individual and collective life plans.

We are convinced ceasefire is completely necessary. Militaristic path will never mean security for communities and culture of violence possible transformations will be given by paths of education, non- violence, creativity and public pedagogy that builds collectively.

As an organization active present in South Colombia territories, once again we join social leaders, youngsters, adolescents, boys and girls.

Download it as a pdf. You can find it in Spanish.
Italy (8)

April 27 - (video) Press Conference - Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani (ACLI)

In Italy we will have a (video) Press Conference at 10 am on 27 April, open only to journalists who register with us by 8.30 am that morning. We will then share with them our Statement with the new SIPRI figures.

Following that, at 11 am, we will hold a general presentation, open to all.

That evening at 9 pm, there will also be a roundtable on the topic of Military spending ... see invitation at this link: https://www.aclibresciane.it/risorse/allegati/5982-incontro-disarmo.pdf

You can visit our website here.

April 27 - GDAMS Press Conference

With Lisa Clark, co-President of the International Peace Bureau, and Francesco Vignarca, National Coordinator for Rete Italiana per il Disarmo (Italian Network for Disarmament) .

Atlante delle Guerre e dei conflitti dei Mondo

Atlante delle Guerre shared an article including GDAMS materials in Italian prepared by Rete Disarmo on April 25, with occasion of the liberation of fascism, which considers a good moment to rethink the usefulness of military spending. “E adesso liberiamoci dalle armi. Buon 25 aprile Festa della Liberazione dal nazi fascismo dalla redazione dell'Atlante. Un'occasione per ripensare anche all'inutilità della spesa militare che va tagliata e riconvertita”

IRIAD - Archivio Disarmo calls to action on GDAMS

IRIAD shared the GDAMS infographic and brought attention to this period of action.“Un altro po' di dati dalla GCOMS su spese per gli armamenti e spese per la salute e la prevenzione dei rischi a livello globale. Sono in corso i #GDAMS Global Days of Action on Military Spending. Bisogna mantenere alta l'attenzione sul tema”.

Movimento Nonviolento

Movimento Nonviolento (Nonviolent Movement) joined GDAMS by sharing a video dedicated to “military distancing”.
"In tempo di pandemia, EBCO (European Bureau for Conscientious Objection) e Movimento Nonviolento si sono uniti per dire che vi è un distanziamento sempre utile: quello dalle nostre coscienze dalla guerra e dalla sua preparazione. Abbiamo così preparato questo video con le foto dei tanti attivisti che dalle loro case hanno voluto esprimere un messaggio antimilitarista di pace e Nonviolenza." Il Movimento Nonviolento aderisce alle Giornate Globali di Azione sulle Spese Militari (Global Days of Action on Military Spending – GDAMS) indette in Italia dalla Rete Italiana per il Disarmo.”

Online actions coordinated by Rete Italiana per il Disarmo

Besides the press conference held on April 27, Rete Italiana per il Disarmo, Sbilanciamoci! and Rete della Pace made a proposal on the occasion of GDAMS 2020 to the Italian government: “a year moratoria for all military acquisitions of new weapons systems. It takes courage to put the true needs of the citizenship before the interests of the military-industrial complex”. Rete Disarmo also prepared materials illustrating Italian military spending and the global figures by SIPRI, which were shared on their social media, and translated and adapted the ‘Healthcare Not Warfare’ infographic to the Italian context.

Radio programme

May 7, at 18:00 pm on www.radiobarrio.it

Episode dedicated to "Global Campaign on military Spending" (in ITALIAN). With Franco Uda of the Presidency Arci nazionale and Francesco Vignarca, spokesperson for the Rete Italiana per il Disarmo, to talk about Italy's economic choices that, in the middle of this crisis, increases military spending.

Rome, Italy - Online actions by Rette Italiana per il Disarmo

Find Rette Italiana per il Disarmo's website here.
Australia (6)
April 27 - Sydney, Australia - GDAMS Press Release

This press release will be on the occasion of the release by new Military Spending data by SIPRI.

Hiroshima Day Sydney

Call to action in support of GDAMS through their social media.

IPAN Statement: A People’s Call for Healthcare not Warfare

On 23 March 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a global ceasefire. The UN call highlights the disparity between the huge financial and technological resources invested in wars, and the under-funded and under-resourced public health systems desperately trying to control this deadly virus.

The UN call for a worldwide ceasefire means little unless foreign military forces are sent back to their home countries. To that end we call on the Australian government to bring home our military forces from battle zones in the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Philippines, and to close the Pine Gap function that supports U.S. drone warfare Hundreds of billions of our tax dollars are used to buy military equipment largely to support the U.S. military agenda around the world.

In spite of this difficult period of physical distancing, people are organising and helping each other and building social unity. We need to make sure we come out of these crises with a more humane, just and democratic society.

We need a society that prioritises the health, education and safety of people and the environment over war.

We need a society that builds Australia’s self-reliant and diverse industries to manufacture and produce for the needs of the people, and an economy that’s not based on multinational profit making.

We need a society that invests in our research scientists, the CSIRO and other public research institutions, not globalised corporations in search of profit.

We need a society that prioritises peace, justice and the health of people and the environment – an independent and peaceful Australia.

This statement is the initiative of IPAN, the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network. Download a pdf of the notice published in a national newspaper.

MEDIA RELEASE by IPAN Increase in Military Expenditure Unjustified and Destabilising
- The Australian Government’s increase in military expenditure is pure fear-mongering and compromises urgent social needs.
- The objective to project significant military power far from Australia’s shores only contributes to regional instability while undermining our security and peaceful relations with our neighbours.
The Morrison Government’s decision to spend $575 billion on the Defence budget over the next ten years to 2029-30, including $279 billion in defence capabilities, is of great concern to the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN).

“There are numerable pressing issues impacting on the wellbeing of Australians that are more deserving of such budgetary investments. That the Federal Government has committed to spending this eyewatering amount over the next decade in the midst of a massive health and economic crisis makes it all the more extraordinary”, stated IPAN spokesperson.

PDF version: Media Release re Increased Military Expenditure
Online action by Australia Anti-bases Campaign Coalition Time for Australia to reduce its military spending

The United Nations Secretary General has called for a ceasefire in all wars throughout the world. The Pope in his Easter message has called for end to all wars. Yet the Australian Government is continuing to build and buy war materiel. ADF personnel are participating in military exercises now and in the future (eg Pitch Black, RimPac). Subsidies to arms traders are still in place and are being used to produce weapons for Saudi Arabia, Israel and other countries. In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic it is essential that all our country’s resources are devoted to the dealing the health crisis. The government must end all ADF participation in war games and end all arms exports now.

Later on, the Australia Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition created this KitAction

Protest against EOS and HSBC (Sydney)

“HSBC is a bank that does harm. It invests in harming people. HSBC and EOS are partners in war-crime and #WarCrimesMatter Sign this petition now http://bit.ly/NoArms4Yemen HSBC invests money in an Australian company that sells arms to Saudi Arabia. Electro Optic Systems (EOS) sells a lethal missile fire system: R400s to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. There is proof via photos of their products at Sydney airport. Both countries EOS sell to have been involved in war crimes in Yemen, bombing civilians and civilian infrastructure. Bombing civilians is a war crime. The war in Yemen is 5 years old in March 2020. It's possible that EOS is also selling to other war torn environments and dictatorships such as Mali and Congo given that their weapons exports are increasing significantly and 90% of their income is exports.

Read more at https://www.wagepeaceau.org/justice-e… Sign this petition now http://bit.ly/NoArms4Yemen and join www.wagepeaceau.org to stay up to date

"EOS is selling weapons to Saudi Arabia & Israel, states involved in wars & human rights abuses. We're calling on the Australian Government to cancel EOS’ export licences, withdraw its support of the arms trade and lessen its military spending"

Watch a video of the protest here.
Argentina (2)

Buenos Aires, Argentina - GDAMS Press conference

Rosario, Argentina - GDAMS Press conference
Philippines (1)
GDAMS Philippines
GDAMS actions by Stop the War! Coalition and Zoto (Zone One Tondo).
On April 27 they released the GDAMS Statement to media friends in the region and in the country, as well as through Mailing Lists.

This poster/ FB cover was made from artworks done by young people from urban poor communities here in Manila. All planned activities in communities had to be postponed, so organizers decided to wait until it's possible to gather physically.

Stop the War Coalition is trying to oppose the Philippine government's purchase of 2 billion USD worth of attack helicopters, ammunitions, surveillance equipment, etc. Read more about it here and sign this petition to stop the sale:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi5v4k8N5ZEopKWsDQe8W0mLjat3rbdbzImQmTO1T7KF5EzQ/viewform

On May 21, Corazon Fabros participated in representation of Stop the War Coalition on the webinar "Peace and the Pandemic" with participants from Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kashmir and India and focused on military spending, using GCOMS resource materials and also presenting IPB's petition to support the UN Call for global ceasefire and to stop military exercises.

Stop the War Coalition - Philippines also participated in the #MoveTheMoney selfie campaign:
Greece (1)

Inter Alia - Online campaigning

Inter Alia joined GDAMS for the second time by sharing its message and infographic on social media.
“Would you sacrifice more than 3000 Intensive Care Unit beds to have one more fighter jet? Maybe you don't have to answer, because someone has already opted for the jet. Let's move the money from what takes lives to what saves them!”
South Korea (1)

Joint Statement: Reduce Military Spending to deal with the Climate Crisis and COVID-19

The whole world is in an emergency state due to the spread of COVID-19. As of April 26, the global toll of confirmed patients amounts to around 2.88 million, along with 200 thousand deaths. We are going through “the most challenging crisis since the Second World War”.

Today (April 27), we gather here for the Global Days of Action on Military Spending(GDAMS) 2020. We gravely face a shattered “security” for which astronomical military expenditures have been spent but were revealed to be helpless in the reality of a spread of a new virus, COVID-19.

According to the Trends in World Military Expenditure 2019 from the Stockholm International Peace Research(SIPRI) that was released today, Total global military expenditure rose to $1917 billion in 2019 with a 3.6 percent increase from 2018, which is 2.377 quadrillion in KRW. Military expenditure of South Korea is placed at the tenth, a fixed world status for seven years in a row since 2013. The national defense budget that has been rising at an average annual rate of 7.5% after the inauguration of the Moon administration reaches 50.1527 trillion KRW in 2020.

However, high-tech weapons and immense military spending could not solve the COVID-19 crisis, nor did they secure our lives.

It is the time to reconstruct the national policy priorities to be “human security” instead of “military security”. The COVID-19 pandemic warns us of the seriousness of climate crisis.

We request. Let us change the set priorities of “security”, and invest our resources to save people and the Earth rather than to prepare for war.

Find the Statement on the PSPD website here.
Finland (3)

May 5 - Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto (The Union of Conscientious Objectors)

Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto joined GDAMS by sharing its message and materials on their social media.“Vuonna 2019 maailman valtiot käyttivät sotilasmenoihin n. 1,77 biljoonaa euroa eli 1,77 miljoonaa miljoonaa euroa eli 1770 miljardia euroa! 1 770 000 000 000 €! Kasvua edellisestä vuodesta tapahtui 3,6 %. Vertasi sotilaskuluja terveydenhuollon kuluihin. #GCOMS”.

Online Action

Online actions by Peace Union of Finland (Rauhanliitto).

Sharing selfies, the GDAMS statement and a press release on April 27.

Online Actions

GDAMS Online Actions by Sadankomitea (Committee of 100)
Uruguay (1)

Montevideo, Uruguay - GDAMS Press conference
France (3)
Mouvement de la paix - Paris
The organisation "Movemement de la Paix" takes actions against the arms fair in Paris or elsewhere and the arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Please, download the full Flyer (in french) here.

Join the movement here.

You can also:
- Sign the petition against the Eurosatory here.
- Sign the petition against the arms sales to Saudi Arabia here.
Paris, France - Online actions by Stop Fuelling War

Find Stop Fuelling War's website here.

Stop Fuelling War - Online actions and press release

Stop Fuelling War supported GDAMS 2020 campaign by sharing one of the campaign's infographics on its social networks and calling for a reduction in military spending to reinvest in health, education and ecology.

“Infographie comparant le coût des systèmes d'armes au matériel et aux services de santé nécessaires pendant la pandémie #COVID19 Les solutions ne peuvent venir du financement du matériel militaire mais plutôt en soutenant les soins de santé, l'éducation et l'écologie”

With the occasion of Europe’s Day, Stop Fuelling War prepared a press release: Communiqué de presse: Sortie de crise COVID-19, le choix de l’UE : œuvrer à la paix ou se préparer à la guerre?

Find out more about Stop Fuelling War here.
Norway (1)

Norges Fredslag - Online campaigning

Norges Fredslag joined GDAMS for one more year and shared its materials and IPB’s petition on social media.
“Reduksjon av militære utgifter vil frigjøre store ressurser til helsevesen, og samtidig gjøre oss bedre rusta til å møte klima- og humanitære kriser. Denne epidemien kan inspirere oss til å prioritere mennskeliv over opprustning”.
They also joined the Move The Money selfie campaign sending and sharing 4 pictures.
Cameroon (1)

Noveaux Droits de l’Homme Cameroon (NDH) joined GDAMS.

NDH shared the GDAMS statement and materials through their network and via online.

“LES SOINS DE SANTÉ PAS LA GUERRE.
Il est temps de déplacer le budget militaire vers les besoins humanitaires”.
Belgium (1)

Online Actions - Gent

Vrede Vzw.

Please, visit the website here
Japan (1)

Peace Boat

Peace Boat joined GDAMS one more year by sharing its message and infographic.
“Today, we reflect upon the costs of war. The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has shown the world where humanity’s priorities should lie, and that huge military spending is not able to protect lives and people's security”

“Peace Boat is participating in the Global Campaign on Military Spending #GCOMS, between April 10-May 9. We are sharing the message to #MovetheMoney to #HealthcareNotWarfare through a range of webinars and online events.”
Denmark (1)

Virtual action - The Peace-movement of Esbjerg

This year, The Peace-movement of Esbjerg will be doing a virtual activity in connection with GDAMS 2020.

Please, visit the website here.
Nigeria (1)

World Youth Peace Organization supports GDAMS

Statement by Peace Ambassador Ejimole Fidel Onwuekwe of the World Youth Peace Organization in Nigeria

Nigeria on the front line of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending 2020. A global call for an end to military spending pandemic which started on the 10^th april to 9^th may, 2020.

Youth wants a complete ban on nuclear weapons. This global yearly event organized by International Peace Bureau, Berlin, Germany marks activities to reach out to civil society groups, NGOs, government agencies working on conflicts and peace resolution; religious bodies; environmental organizations, labor union etc., on military spending and developments and also on climate change crisis.

Youth advocates for major reductions of military spending and reallocating the funds to human security, such as healthcare, education, food and not bombs. It is now time for us all to come together to rethink our priorities on how and why to move the money to healthcare.

Corona virus is taking the world hostage.

Sign and share IPB’s petition to the United Nations General Assembly: “Healthcare not warfare”