‘World Without War: Action for Peace’ conference
Countdown for the ‘World Without War: Action for Peace’ conference
The Peace Foundation Aotearoa/New Zealand expects about 400 registrations. Participants for the ‘World Without War: Action for Peace’ conference are those interested in a future without war. They embrace the quest to formulate practical and evidence based action proposals that can make a difference.
Lisa Er, peace activist and conference organising committee member, reflects: “We teach children from the earliest age that it is wrong to fight, yet somehow when those same ‘children’ get into government they see no alternative but war. Warfare is a complete failure by governments to act with care, respect and integrity akin to the worst ‘school yard’ bullying imaginable. Infrastructures are destroyed, the environment is polluted, the humanitarian crisis grows by the day, and investors in the industrial military machine earn huge profits.”
More than 40 people will share their knowledge and wisdom to understand the threats to peace and develop realistic actions that might make a difference. These include people from different age groups and different backgrounds. There are peace activists, politicians, ecologists, academics, social workers, psychologists, those concerned about high tech weaponry, problems facing our youth, the UN, Maoridom, education and religions.
Dr John Hinchcliff, AUT Vice Chancellor Emeritus and President of the Peace Foundation affirms that: “It is far better to contribute ideas for action than sitting on the sidelines and forgetting about the real world. Perhaps just one action proposal might make a difference.”
Action plans emerging from this conference will be circulated and shared internationally. This will mean finding ways to cooperate with like minded people engaged in peacefare around our world.
The Peace Foundation will host, at this Conference, the Australasian premier of a remarkable film, “The Man Who Saved the World”. It features a Russian who arguably saved the world from nuclear warfare in 1983.
The ‘World Without War: Action for Peace’ Conference will be held in the Sir Paul Reeves Building, Auckland University of Technology, 19 - 20 September 2015.
ENDS