By World BEYOND War, January 26, 2021
From January 24, 2021: Grassroots-led divestment campaigns are springing up all over the world. There’s a reason why divestment is trending, and that’s because it’s a winning organizing tactic. Divestment gives direct agency to individuals and communities to cut ties to destructive industries. Change can be affected on a grassroots level, by individuals (switching banks and divesting retirement funds), by institutions (divesting universities, workplaces, & religious organizations, among others) and by communities (divesting municipal & state public pension funds). In this panel, three leading organizers present case studies of successful & diverse divestment models, including fossil fuel and weapons divestment. Beyond divestment, we explore how divestment must be paired with reinvestment strategies that advance a just transition from a war economy to a local peace economy. Moderator: Greta Zarro, Organizing Director, World BEYOND War; West Edmeston, NY, USA. Panelists: David Swanson (Co-Founder & Executive Director, World BEYOND War; Charlottesville, VA, USA); Susi Snyder (Coordinator for Don’t Bank on the Bomb; Utrecht, The Netherlands); Kelly Curry (CODEPINK Local Peace Economy Organizer; Oakland, CA, USA). This event was part of the 2021 virtual World Social Forum.
