By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, October 16, 2026
Approximately once a day for forever, so approximately 365 times a year, someone proposes to me the same good idea. Hey, they suggest, I’d like to organize one big peace conference and create one big peace movement to unite everyone and be stronger instead of fractured.
I have several answers. First and foremost is: hell yeah, great idea, do it! do it! do it!
Another answer is: there are reasons the 364 other people who’ve said this to me this year have not actually done it, just like the 365 who thought of it last year. It costs lots of money. It’s harder to get people to a conference than to a rally or a protest. There are language barriers. Whoever is in charge of organizing it will be assumed by others to not be totally welcoming of their views. There will be at least some truth to that, since no two people completely agree on everything. If you have this one big conference for everyone in a physical location, as 90 percent of you with this idea want, it will be closer and easier to get to for some people than for others. Maybe we should attempt a regional one for some people. Etc. Etc.
But once a year, I like to focus on a different answer, this one: I don’t have time to do yours for you because I’m already doing it.
In 2014, a bunch of us created World BEYOND War to be one big global peace movement based only on Earth and nowhere more specific, to oppose every side of every war, to oppose every manufacturing of every weapon, to oppose every scrap of war propaganda and war culture no matter its origin, to abolish the entire war business in toto as a global nonviolent educational and activist movement collectively run by a global board. We now have a large and growing staff (14) and board (17) and advisory board (19) and list of active chapters (56) and affiliates (125) engaged in opposing war and promoting peace night-and-day, year-in and year-out. We’re not yet nearly what we need to be, but we are a good step forward from “Hey, I’ve got an idea!” And we have an annual conference online for everyone.
Of course, no conference will meet exactly the detailed vision of any single person. But you’re all invited to make this one yours. It is the reason I can’t stop and start over with your idea for one, so why not at least check it out? It’s a gathering and strategizing bonanza with dedicated activists from locations in dozens of countries, plotting as a global movement to abolish the most horrible thing humanity does to itself. Want to come?
Each year, we focus on a particular theme closely tied to ending all war. This year’s conference, which is coming up soon on October 23-25 on Zoom (Register here) is looking at borders, including how wars form them, what they do and do not prevent, how borders are militarized against the victims of war transforming them into enemies in a new sort of war, and how borders creep inward militarizing whole societies.
We’ll be considering the prospects for a world beyond war and borders. What would that mean? What would it look like? What steps are already being taken to get there?
The mythical world of “open borders” that rightwing politicians falsely accuse liberal politicians of favoring: what is that world in the words of people who actually do favor it, and why is it not frightening so much as enticing? This conference will include panel discussions, breakout rooms where we can all share, artistic performances, and the growing solidarity and power of one big growing peace movement. You should come.
