Global day of action on military spending

On the day when World Military Spending for 2013* will be announced, 39 organisations will come together to promote the Global Day of Action on Military Spending (15 April 2013). These include Pax Christi, the Columban Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation programme, the National Justice & Peace Network, Christian Ecology Link, Student Christian Movement, War on Want and Campaign Against Arms Trade.

As organisations concerned with peace, social justice and environmental justice, they are calling for a new approach to our common security that will tackle the real problems of our world. Such an approach, they argue, would address the root causes of conflict, including environmental problems, inequality and access to resources. Military responses, with their real and hidden costs, do not help; they threaten human security

Currently world military spending stands at $1.7 trillion, UK spending is £40 billion. At a time of international austerity, with ever greater threats to the environment, they call for a programme of action for spending, research and investment to build sustainable, common security at national and international levels.

To mark the day on 15 April, actions are being planned in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Wrexham, Oswestry. In London at 9am in Old Palace Yard, opposite Parliament, there will be a street-theatre stunt to show that billions spend on weapons and military can be better used on education, health, and development.

At 5.30pm on the same evening there will be a meeting in the House of Commons on the theme 'What if military spending were cut', Chaired by Bruce Kent, Vice-President of the Movement for the Abolition of War, with speakers from War on Want, Campaign Against Arms Trade, CND and MP Caroline Lucas. Pax Christi's new DVD resource, 'Give peace a budget, seven ways to spend $1.7 trillion', will be launched at the meeting.

For more information on the Global Day of Action on Military Spending see: http://demilitarize.org.uk/

* Stockholm International Peace Research Institute: www.sipri.org/

Source: Pax Christi www.paxchristi.org.uk  https://twitter.com/paxchristiuk