Resources for disarmament, demilitarization and ending wars

Begin October with Keep Space for Peace Week and banning militarized drones, then follow the General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament. Observe United Nations Day October 24, followed by UN Disarmament Week and the new global campaign to get military education out of our schools!

Actually, we begin on October 2 with a day of centering, reflection, deepening and inward preparation. That day marks Gandhi’s birthday and is the UN Day for Nonviolence.

October 4 is the first day of Keep Space for Peace week and is also a day devoted to protests against militarized drones. KS4P ends on October 11 and encompasses the days devoted to UN World Space Week. WILPFers are encouraged to explore their web pages, as well. WILPF has remained wary of this program since it is aimed at school children and seeks to inspire them with a fascination for science fiction and travel in outer space. The problem for us is that military corporations also co-sponsor this week and when these children reach adulthood many will be drawn into careers with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and similar industries that profit from war, fear, destruction and forceful dominion. This year, for instance, Lockheed Martin is a major sponsor. However, on the other hand, engagement with this program has given us opportunities for thoughtful dialogue with people who accept space militarization in ways that we cannot.

The 69^th Session of the General Assembly convened on September 17th and major statements by heads of state and foreign Ministers have already been given. For background to aid in understanding of the important work on disarmament issues that occurs in October and November read the September newsletter of Reaching Critical Will

October 7 to November 5 the First Committee on Disarmament meets and prepares proposals for the General Assembly to vote on in November. Disarm/End Wars Committee will be closely following this.

October 24 is United Nations Day followed by UN Disarmament Week. It is time to begin promoting this powerful document from 1978 This year we can join in the first global week to get the military out of our schools and university research.

DISARM/END WARS ACTION CALENDAR 

For last three months of 2014 to help members and Branches plan for actions and events in the final months of the year!

October 2014

October 2: International Day for Non-violence

October 4: Know Drones and Code Pink initiated Global Day for abolition of militarized drones for killings and surveillance http://www.knowdrones.com/global-action-day.html

October 4 - 11: Keep Space for Peace Week via Reaching Critical Will, has co-sponsored this week for at least the past six years and almost half of WILPFUS Branches have been involved since its inception in 2001-02.

October 6 until end of month: General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament.  Reaching Critical Will organizes side events and issues newsletters all month. This is where forward action on disarmament now occurs in the UN. Watch for details on Reaching Critical Will which monitors it closely and facilitates NGO action. 

October 24: UN Day. Official site and resources for celebration are at http://www.un.org/en/events/unday. The UN General Assembly has recommended that governments  make this a public holiday in their own nations.

October 24-30: UN Disarmament Week  WILPF US has generally ignored this special week, at least in the last dozen years. Perhaps we should begin experimenting with observing it. Note the resources in the left hand column. Of course many existing WILPF resources could be adapted for use.

October 27-28: Probably anti-drone action at Beale AFB north of Sacramento. Contact macgregoreddy@gmail.com for confirmation.

November 2014

November 11: Ring Bells for Peace   Remember Armistice Day and the Kellogg-Briand Pact. Cooperate with Veterans for Peace in reclaiming another Day for Peace from the military. Note the history of the transformation to Veterans’ Day http://www.military.com/veterans-day and the confusion about its observation, but also plans to expand it to a weeklong military observance. Honor veterans by reclaiming this day for ending war!

November 14-16: Three days of strategizing in Washington D.C. on decommissioning nuclear power plants, and next steps  on shutting down plants and stopping generation of more waste, uranium mining moratorium and clean up, etc. Watch Sierra Club and NIRS for details. Plans are still in formation.

November 25: UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Celebration of this day is now managed by the new agency, UN Women. The site acknowledges the longer standing NGO development of the 16 Days or Activism against Gender Violence (see below).

November 25- December 10: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. International WILPF urges active participation and an emphasis on the effects of violence of war and militarism on women and their children. WILPF actively participates. View August WILPF Peace Women newsletter for extensive WILPF resources for the 16 days. 

December 2014

December 6-9: Civil Society conference on Banning Nuclear Bombs and the governmental conference in Vienna, Austria where we hope negotiations for the treaty can begin. http://www.icanw.org/campaign-news/global/join-us-in-vienna-ican-civil-s...

December 10: Human Rights Day http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday and also culmination of 16 Days. Many WILPF Branches participate in the day which celebrates and educates on the UN Declaration of Human Rights.  All of these Human Rights have been codified in six treaties which now are virtually universal and overseen by their individual committees and the Human Rights Council. The US, however, has not yet ratified three of the six including The Rights of the Child (CRC), Rights of Women (CEDAW) and the very basic Economic, Social and Cultural Rights  (ICESCR). WILPF maintains we cannot succeed in ensuring these rights for all until we end war.

Human Rights Day also marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against gender Violence.

December 10: Jane Addams Day.  In Illinois 12/10 is also Jane Addams Day and a state holiday – the first in the country to honor a woman! The best source for the history and current status is our partner organization, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) which has only a “virtual Branch” in Chicago. It seems high time to join them and make Branches there actual and active. http://aauw-il.aauw.net/files/2013/04/ja_chicago.pdf.

All month: Evaluate 2014-Nuclear Weapons Abolition by 2020 Campaign and other DISARM/End War projects including the whole nuclear industry and nuclear chain, and projects on drones.

Also check out the new, constantly updating World Beyond Wars Peace Calendar

Graphic courtesy Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space www.space4peace.org.

Author: Disarm/End Wars Issue Committee