#NoWar2023 Conference: Nonviolent Resistance to Militarism

Friday, Sept. 22-Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023

Conference Recordings:

Playlist

12 Videos

A global 3-day conference on nonviolent resistance in the face of invasions, occupations, and military violence.

You say you’re against war, but what’s the alternative? Managing conflict nonviolently is one of the three core strategies of World BEYOND War’s alternative global security system. But when the rule of law and diplomacy are failing and violence is underway, both seasoned activists and newcomers alike often question whether unarmed resistance can be effective against military invasion, occupation, and war. Throughout three days of virtual panels, training, and discussion sessions, #NoWar2023 will make the case for the efficacy of nonviolent resistance as a tool for conflict resolution, highlighting case studies from around the world of unarmed civilian based defense against invasions, occupations, and dictatorships.

Hosted virtually on the Zoom Events platform, World BEYOND War’s #NoWar2023 annual global conference brings together peace and anti-war individuals and organizations from around the world to share, reflect, strategize, and organize towards the abolition of war.

#NoWar2023 Schedule:

Friday, September 22, 2023

(All times are in Eastern Daylight Time – GMT-04:00)
Find the time in your local time zone.

🌐 Estas sesiones serán bilingües con interpretación español-inglés.

Explore the platform before the online conference starts and get familiar with the different features. Meet other conference participants, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Welcome by World BEYOND War’s Executive Director David Swanson and introduction to the conference theme. Short messages from WBW chapters around the world, including Liz Remmerswaal of the WBW New Zealand Chapter & Vice President of the WBW Global Board; Al Mytty of the WBW Illinois Chapter; Jane Obiora of the WBW Nigeria Chapter; Elvis Ndihokubwayo of the WBW Burundi Chapter; Cym Gomery of the WBW Montréal Chapter, and Stefania Sani & Janet Parker of the WBW Madison Chapter. Followed by a brief period of reflection & silence led by WBW Board President Kathy Kelly to ground us in the moment as we begin the weekend of activities.

Peace researcher Jørgen Johansen presents lessons to be learned from the last one hundred years, from the successful German ending of the French Occupation of Ruhr 1923 to Struggles in Ukraine 2023. Moderator: WBW Executive Director David Swanson.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

This panel will highlight case studies of unarmed civilian protection and accompaniment around the world. Featuring Jhony Arango of Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Colombia; Nélida Nieves of Peace Brigades International (PBI) Honduras; and Marna Anderson, Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce USA. Moderator: Randy Janzen. This panel will include Spanish-English interpretation by Jose Navarro.

Este panel destacará estudios de casos de protección y acompañamiento de civiles desarmados en todo el mundo. Con la participación de Jhony Arango de Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Colombia, Nélida Nieves de Peace Brigades International (PBI) Honduras, y Marna Anderson, Directora de Nonviolent Peaceforce USA. Moderador: Randy Janzen. Este panel incluirá interpretación español-inglés a cargo de José Navarro.

Featuring Dinah Thorpe and Dame Pa’ Matala!

Dinah Thorpe has been called “a composer of infinite cleverness,” a singer with a “gorgeously deep and weary alto,” “a wicked multi-instrumentalist,” and “provocative and supremely artful.” She draws on a diverse range of influences—from folk to trip hop, orchestral to techno—and distils them into a musical style that is unmistakably her own. Read more.

Dame Pa’ Matala is a group that presents a social message and an idea of conscience with the firm intention of strengthening grassroots work, against war and for Peace, mixing avant-garde trends and rhythms with Latin American folkloric principles. Read more.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Saturday, September 23, 2023

(All times are in Eastern Daylight Time – GMT-04:00) 

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Moderator: Ivan Marovic, Executive Director of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Featuring prominent Egyptian-Palestinian nonviolent activist Ramy Shaath, who is the co-founder of BDS Palestine; Liberian activist Vaiba Flomo, who was instrumental in bringing an end to Liberia’s 14-year civil war through advocacy, protests, and political organizing; Karen Spring, Co-Coordinator for the Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN), who has lived and worked in Honduras since the U.S. and Canada-backed 2009 military coup; and Safoora Arbab, who will tell the history of the Pashtun nonviolent resistance movement, the Khudai Khidmatgars.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Nonviolent struggle offers us a set of tools for resisting war and militarism. In this session learn how anti-war and peace activists can be more strategic and effective in our work. Explore the toolbox. Understand how to craft strategy in broad and tangible ways. Discover how you can make small changes for big impacts in your efforts. We will also dig into how we prepare to take action – mentally, spiritually, emotionally – staying grounded in vision, principles, and determination. Participants will have a chance to discuss how these ideas relate to their specific efforts to make change.

Trainer: Author/activist Rivera Sun, editor of Nonviolence News and the Program Coordinator for Campaign Nonviolence.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Moderator: Charles Johnson, co-founding member of Nonviolent Peaceforce’s Chicago chapter. Panelists: Yurii Sheliazhenko, WBW board member and executive secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement; John Reuwer, WBW board member, to discuss the Zaporizhzhya Protection Proposal; and Zaira Zafarana to talk about conscientious objection to the ongoing war.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

(All times are in Eastern Daylight Time – GMT-04:00) 

🌐 Estas sesiones serán bilingües con interpretación español-inglés.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Moderated by WBW Canada Organizer Rachel Small. Featuring Juan Gómez Ruiz, a member of the Civil Society Organization of the Las Abejas de Acteal in México; Carlos Zorrilla, a leader in the successful effort to defend the cloud forests of the Intag Valley in North Western Ecuador; and Daoud Nassar of the Tent of Nations in Palestine. This panel will include Spanish-English interpretation by Jose Navarro.

Moderado por la organizadora de WBW en Canadá, Rachel Small. Con la participación de Juan Gómez Ruiz, miembro de la Organización de la Sociedad Civil de Las Abejas de Acteal en México; Carlos Zorrilla, líder del exitoso esfuerzo por defender los bosques nublados del Valle de Intag en el noroeste de Ecuador; y Daoud Nassar de la Tienda de las Naciones en Palestina. Este panel incluirá interpretación español-inglés a cargo de José Navarro.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

In this 1.5 hour friendly debate, moderated by Marcy Winograd of CODEPINK, we’ll hear 3 perspectives debated: 1) Russia had no choice but to invade Ukraine, argued by former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, 2) Ukraine had no choice but to fight Russia, argued by journalist James Brooke who works as the Ukraine/Russia columnist for The New York Sun, and 3) Russia and Ukraine both had options better than war, argued by WBW Executive Director David Swanson.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

Facilitated by WBW staff, board members, and partners, these breakout rooms will allow time for small group discussion among conference participants to reflect on the conference sessions, and strategize about ways to take action for peace and ending war.

Breakout Rooms / Salas de trabajo:

  • Free-form Session: Discussing conference sessions and learnings: Reflections on the 3 days of sessions and open discussion of action ideas, including the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days (Sept 21-Oct 2). Facilitator: WBW Advisory Board Member, Program Coordinator for Campaign Nonviolence, & Author/Activist Rivera Sun.
  • 🌐 Organizándose en América Latina y tomando medidas en solidaridad con ella / Organizing in — and Taking Action in Solidarity with — Latin America: Conozca al nuevo organizador latinoamericano de la WBW, Gabriel Aguirre, conozca nuestras iniciativas en la región y cómo puede participar, ya sea que se encuentre en América Latina o desee actuar en solidaridad con activistas antimilitaristas allí. Facilitador: Organizador de América Latina de WBW Gabriel Aguirre. Este será un espacio bilingüe español-inglés con interpretación simultánea a cargo de José Navarro. / Meet WBW’s new Latin America Organizer Gabriel Aguirre, learn about our initiatives in the region, and how you can get involved whether you are located in Latin America or want to act in solidarity with anti-militarist activists there. Facilitator: WBW Latin America Organizer Gabriel Aguirre. This will be a bilingual Spanish-English space with simultaneous interpretation by Jose Navarro.
  • Peace Education: Discussing the field of anti-war/pro-peace education, including WBW’s education programs. Facilitator: WBW Education Director Phill Gittins.
  • Starting a WBW Chapter: How to start a WBW chapter in your area. Facilitator: WBW Canada Organizer Rachel Small.
  • Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal: Learn about the upcoming Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal and how to participate. Planned for November 2023, the Tribunal will hold accountable — through testimony of witnesses — U.S. weapons manufacturers who knowingly produce and sell products which attack and kill not only combatants but non-combatants as well. Facilitators: Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal Co-Organizers Kathy Kelly, Brad Wolf, and Nick Mottern.
  • Organizing for Peace in Ukraine: Discuss ongoing advocacy to end the war in Ukraine and how you can take action, including making plans for the upcoming global week of action (Sept 30 – Oct 8) for peace in Ukraine. Facilitator: WBW Executive Director David Swanson.

 

#NoWar2023 watch parties are encouraged to utilize this time for in-person discussion to talk about what was learned at the conference and ideas for organizing locally, with the goal of starting a local WBW chapter.

World BEYOND War Board President Kathy Kelly recaps the highlights from the weekend and shares upcoming action opportunities, including the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal.

Meet other conference participants using the networking feature, plus browse the expo booths from our sponsoring organizations.

** Sesiones en español: 3 sesiones de la conferencia serán bilingües con interpretación español-inglés, con un enfoque en América Latina, incluirá oradores de Colombia, Honduras, México y Ecuador. Las sesiones programadas con un 🌐 son bilingües y contarán con interpretación simultánea.**

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