By Tim Pluta, World BEYOND War, April 4, 2024
From Bógota, Colombia, one of the highest capital cities in the world (2644 meters), people from all over the world are gathering for the First International Neutrality Congress that begins April 4, 2024.
Here we are, in the above photo, at a pre-Congress gathering planning the press conference being held early Thursday morning. Represented at the table are Colombia, Venezuela, Ireland, Germany/Italy, Peru, Argentina, Mongolia, Cuba, and the U.S.
The actual speaker presentations (50 total are planned) start Thursday. The pre-conference gatherings are rich with information, excitement, and incredible people. This is definitely a people’s movement and is already strong with positive intention and camaraderie.
Experts and activists from approximately 25 countries and 5 continents will share information about the incredibly flexible concept of neutrality in an effort to explore it’s potential use as a tool of peace to abolish war.
This first Congress is hoped to establish the foundation for recurring annual meetings around the globe.
World BEYOND War (WBW) is a major supporter of this effort, and has WBW staff and volunteers from several chapters involved.
WBW Executive Director, David Swanson, will kick off the speakers portion of the meeting with a rousing call for support of neutrality options as viable tools on the road to abolish war.
Gabriel Aguirre, WBW’s Latin American Organizer, has played a major role in coordinating the teamwork of the Colombian National Organizing Team and the International Organizing Team. Without his tireless work, this Congress might not have flourished and blossomed.
Ed Horgan, WBW Board member, and Chapter Coordinator of WBW Ireland, along with Tim Pluta, Chapter Co-ordinator for WBW Spain, were both instrumental in taking this idea, birthed amongst a few military veterans, from a dream to reality.
Here is the first media coverage.
