Who We Are - World BEYOND War

World BEYOND War is a global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and sustainable peace.

World BEYOND War is a nonprofit organization with chapters around the world using educational, activist, and media work to advance the cause of ending all war and establishing lasting peace. WBW has a board, advisory board, staff, and chapter organizers all over the globe and works with allied organizations, many of which are WBW affiliates.

WBW was founded on January 1^st, 2014, when co-founders David Hartsough and David Swanson, together with a group of like-minded peace advocates set out to create a global movement to abolish the institution of war itself, not just the “war of the day.” If war is ever to be abolished, they decided, then it must be taken off the table as a viable option. Just as there is no such thing as “good” or necessary slavery, there is no such thing as a “good” or necessary war. Both institutions are abhorrent and never acceptable, no matter the circumstances.

So, if we can’t use war to resolve international conflicts, what can we do? Finding a way to transition to a global security system that is supported by international law, diplomacy, collaboration, and human rights, and defending those things with nonviolent action rather than the threat of violence, is the heart of WBW.

Our work includes education and media production that dispels myths, such as “War is natural” or “We have always had war,” and shows people not only that war should be abolished, but also that it actually can be. We engage in all variety of nonviolent actions and campaigns that move the world in the direction of ending all war.

Our Theory of Change: Education, Action, and Media

World BEYOND War currently coordinates dozens of chapters and maintains partnerships with nearly 100 affiliates around the world. WBW functions through a decentralized, distributed grassroots organizing model focused on building power at the local level. We don’t have a central office and we all work remotely. WBW’s staff provide tools, trainings, and resources to empower the chapters and affiliates to organize in their own communities based on what campaigns resonate most with their members, while at the same time organizing towards the long-term goal of war abolition. Key to World BEYOND War’s work is the holistic opposition to the institution of war at large – not only all current wars and violent conflicts, but the industry of war itself, the ongoing preparations for war that feed the profitability of the system (for example, arms manufacturing, weapons stockpiling, and the expansion of military bases). This holistic approach, focused on the institution of war as a whole, sets WBW apart from many other organizations.

Read our theory of change!

War is inevitable

War is justified

War is necessary

War is beneficial

War is immoral

War endangers us

War erodes liberties

War promotes bigotry

War wastes resources

War threatens our environment

War impoverishes us

Alternatives Exist

Chapters and Affiliates

Learn about our chapters and affiliates and how to join or create one.

Staff

World BEYOND War has a dedicated and growing staff:

Board of Directors

World BEYOND War is run by a volunteer Board of Directors:

Advisory Board

Volunteers

World BEYOND War is run largely by volunteers who devote their time for free. Here are some Volunteer Spotlights.

Volunteer Spotlight / Coup de projecteur sur nos bénévoles: Wardougou Kelley Sakine

The October 2024 Volunteer Spotlight features Wardougou Kelley Sakine, a member of the World BEYOND War Senegal Chapter. #WorldBEYONDWar

Volunteer Spotlight: WBW Board Member Geoff Holland

The September 2024 Volunteer Spotlight features WBW Board Member Geoff Holland. #WorldBEYONDWar

Volunteer Spotlight: World BEYOND War Illinois Chapter Co-Coordinator Daphne Agosin

The August 2024 Volunteer Spotlight features World BEYOND War Illinois Chapter Co-Coordinator Daphne Agosin. #WorldBEYONDWar

Volunteer Spotlight: Romania Chapter Co-Coordinator Florina Tufescu

The June 2024 Volunteer Spotlight features Florina Tufescu, Co-Coordinator for the World BEYOND War Romania Chapter. #WorldBEYONDWar

Past Board Presidents

Awards

Coalitions

World BEYOND War is a member of the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases; the Divest from the War Machine Coalition; Founding Mothers; the Global Day Against Military Spending; the International Peace Bureau; the Korea Collaboration Network; the Poor People’s Campaign; United for Peace and Justice; the United National Antiwar Coalition; the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space; the international network No to war – no to NATO; Overseas Base Realignment and Closure Coalition; People Over Pentagon; Campaign to End the Selective Service System; No Fighter Jets Coalition; Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network; Peace Education Network (PEN); Beyond Nuclear; Working Group on Youth, Peace, and Security; Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures for Peace, WE.net, Abolition 2000, War Industry Resisters Network, Groups Against Arms Fairs, Defuse Nuclear War, Warheads to Windmills, Stop Killer Robots.

Our liasons to various coalitions are as follows:

NoForeignBases.org: Robert Fantina
United National Antiwar Coalition: John Reuwer
Divest from the War Machine: Greta Zarro
Global Day Against Military Spending: Gar Smith
Korea Collaboration Network: Alice Slater
Abolish Selective Service: David Swanson
GPA: Donnal Walter
Code Pink – China is Not our Enemy: Liz Remmerswaal
Groups Against Arms Fairs: Liz Remmerswaal and Rachel Small
U.S. Peace Coalition: Liz Remmerswaal
Independent and Peaceful Australian Network/Pacific Peace Network: Liz Remmerswaal
New Zealand Peace Foundation International Affairs and Disarmament Committee: Liz Remmerswaal
WE.net: David Swanson
Abolition 2000: David Swanson
War Industry Resisters Network: Greta Zarro.
Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network: Rachel Small.
No New Fighter Jets Coalition: Rachel Small.
Stop Killer Robots: Guy Feugap.
Founding Mothers: Greta Zarro.

“What I appreciate most about World BEYOND War is that it does not ruminate on the pluses and minuses of each military intervention but takes a clear, principled, courageous and unequivocal stand that war is bad, period, and that our job as global citizens is stop all ongoing wars and prevent new ones. This breaks through the fog of ‘humanitarian interventions’ and ‘just wars’ to paint a vision of how we must evolve as a civilization if we are to survive, and that is, precisely, a world beyond war. Bravo!”

“I support this proposal and agree with this great and important initiative to abolish militarism and war. I will continue to speak out for an end to the institution of militarism and war and for institutions built on international law and human rights and nonviolent conflict resolution.”

“I moved from feeling hesitant to invite a World BEYOND War speaker into my classroom into an enthusiastic supporter of inviting World BEYOND War every year into my class. . . . In the end, students could see why war was irrational and even more importantly, their minds were opened to imagine different solutions to real problems. ”

Our Donors

We are largely funded by very small donations. We are extremely grateful to every volunteer and donor, although we don’t have room to thank them all, and many prefer to be anonymous. Here is a page thanking those we can.