What now?

= = = = = UPDATE: THIS WEBINAR IS NOW AVAILABLE AT YOUTUBE. = = = = =

Sweden and Finland is on their way to become members of NATO. The two countries have made contributions to world environmental and common security issues as the first UN Conference on Environment in Stockholm and the Helsinki agreement. The politicians now wants to close the door to similar historic initiatives that bridges the gap between North and South, East and West. The two countries are closing their ranks economically, politically and militarily with other rich Western states inside Fortress Europe.

Peace and environmental activists in Sweden and Finland now call for solidarity with independent voices for peace in our countries that will continue the legacy once promoted by a majority also among our political parties. We need support. We ask for your participation in two activities:

8 September – Webinar/discussion ”What now?” at 18:00 Stockholm-Paris time.

What now? Finnish and Swedish NATO membership
Discussions on what is happening and what can we in the international peace and environmental movement do now.

Speakers: Rainer Braun, executive director, International Peace Bureau (IPB), David Swanson, executive director, World Beyond War (WBW), Lars Drake, Network People and Peace and former chair, No to NATO Sweden, Ellie Cijvat, refugee and environmental activist, former chair Friends of the Earth Sweden, Kurdo Bakshi, Kurdish journalist, Marko Ulvila, peace and environmental activist, Finland, Tarja Cronberg, Finnish peace researcher and former member of the European Parliament. More people are asked to contribute.
Organizers: Network for People and Peace, Sweden in cooperation with IPB and WBW.

Request link for participation via e-mail to: folkochfred@gmail.com
The webinar/discussion will be recorded and possible to view later.

26 September 2022 – Solidarity action day with Sweden

Movements in Sweden call for protest action at Swedish embassies and consulates in solidarity with independent peace voices. This day the Swedish parliament opens after the elections on 11 September on the same day as the UN Day for abolishing nuclear arms.
Sweden had the industrial capacity to acquire own atomic bombs in the 1950s. A strong peace movement brought this military armament to its knees. Instead Sweden became one of the foremost countries in the struggle to ban nuclear weapons during half a century until recently when politicians started to listen to the US who pressured Sweden to change its policy. Now Sweden has applied for membership in a military alliance built on nuclear capacity. Thus the country have changed its course completely. The peace movement will continue the struggle.

The earlier non-alignment policy kept Sweden successfully out of war during 200 years. This enabled the country also to become a safe haven for oppressed minorities from other countries. This is also put in jeopardy. Turkey put pressure on Sweden to expel 73 Kurds while Sweden is negotiating with Turkey to be allowed to become NATO member. More and more mutal understanding is evolving with a country the occupies both Cyprus and Syria. Network for People and Peace have investigated a long range of issues showing how NATO countries together with Swedish business interest change Swedish policies and interfere in our democratic decision making in unacceptable ways.

So please organize a delegation or protest action to places representing Sweden in your country and participate in solidarity with the independent voices that will continue our struggle for peace on Earth and peace with Earth. Take a picture or video and send to us (e-mail below).

The Action- and communication committee in Network for People and Peace, Tord Björk

Send your support and plans to: folkochfred@gmail.com