How can we create a Europe working together in peaceful solidarity through direct action and popular mobilisation?

Aim and purpose of the peace forum

The European Social Forum (ESF) will this year be held in Malmö. We in Ofog want to grab this opportunity to gather active peace groups from all over Europe to a European peace forum. Our aim during the forum is to lay the groundwork for a future network of peace groups and organisations with a focus on direct action. That's why we have chosen to name the forum European Peace Action.
Through the forum we want to strengthen the cooperation between different European peace groups and increase the awareness and understanding of each country's situation and the issues various groups are working on.
During four days we will meet and discuss different strategies for peace mobilisation. The forum is open to all, no matter what your previous knowledge or experience is.

Programme

In addition to presentations and discussions there will also be actions, exhibitions, film screenings, banner making and much more!


The programme is divided into five categories:

1. The globalisation of militarism

The arms industry is an increasingly globalised industry of a few very large multi-national companies. For example, BAE Systems is the largest arms company in Europe. They own, or have a stake in, an increasing number of national arms companies. The Swedish arms producer Bofors, for instance, is completely controlled by BAE.
The arms companies and their government customers are dependent on civilian railway systems, ports and air ports around Europe in order to move troops and weapons to countries like Iraq, Afghanistan or Israel. Should we allow our public infrastructure to be used in this way?
This session brings together groups struggling against arms companies, weapons exports and military transports around Europe to exchange stories and ideas and look at ways to cooperate on actions against the military industrial complex.
Co-ordinator:
Keynote speaker:

The Militarisation of Space

This is one of the most decisive but also maybe the most overlooked issue for the peace movement in Europe. Militarisation of space includes surveillance of us all, the use of satellites in wars, the development of armed satellites and space crafts.
All this is conducted through a network of land bases currently being built by the USA around the world as well as satellites that are constantly circling the planet.
In the UK ,Czech Republic and Poland the expansion of satellite and communications interception bases is being met with large protests. In this session we will learn more about how these installations are used in war fighting and what their different functions are and discuss how we can co-ordinate our resistance to the militarisation of space.
Co-ordinator: Agneta Norberg, international activist and board member of Global Network Against Nuclear Power and Weapons in Space
Keynote speaker: Bruce Gagnon, co-ordinator, Global Network Against Nuclear Power and Weapons in Space

NATO's increasing influence and the militarisation of the EU

Since the Cold War NATO has transformed from a defensive alliance to become an aggressive military alliance ready to intervene anywhere in the world, with or without the consent of the UN. One step in this direction is the formation of the NATO Response Force, which Sweden and Finland are also taking part in despite the fact they are not officially members of NATO. NATO exercises already take place regularly in non-NATO countries, for example in the massive training area Vidsel in northern Sweden.
NATO is fundamentally a nuclear weapons alliance, with US nuclear weapons deployed in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Turkey, in addition to the British and French having their own nuclear weapons. In Belgium the Bombspotting campaign has been very successful in highlighting the issue of NATO nuclear weapons using large civilian “weapons inspections” at bases where they are kept. During the past couple of years several large protests against the NATO Response Force have also been carried out in Valencia (Spain) and Gothenburg (Sweden).
The EU is increasingly prepared to take a military role in conflicts around the world. This is most clearly evident in the formation of the regional EU battle groups. These are intended to be able to operate interchangeably with the NATO Response Force. They are also a sign of the increasing desire to militarise Europe.
In this session we will look closer at the increasing militarisation of Europe, especially in non-NATO countries, how they are being gradually drawn into NATO through the back door and how we can resist it.
Co-ordinator:
Keynote speaker:

Resistance against nuclear weapons in Europe

In the media shadow of North Korea and Iran both France and the UK are developing new nuclear weapons. But the resistance is also strong. The Scottish Parliament recently voted against another generation of British nuclear weapons, in large part thanks to years of campaigning and blockading culminating in a year-long blockade of the nuclear submarine base Faslane in Scotland. In France a new movement is taking shape against the development of new nuclear missiles in Biscarosse outside Bordeaux.
In this session we will look closer at what is actually happening in France and the UK in terms of the next generation of nuclear weapons and what methods, from planning objections to blockades, are used in the struggle against any new nuclear weapons.

Co-ordinators: Anna-Linnéa Rundberg, Adam Conway, active in Faslane 365, Trident Ploughshares, Block the Builders and NukeWatch UK
Keynote speaker:

Coordination of the Resistance

The final session will explore how we can coordinate our different campaigns and action is the best way. We are going to suggest international days of action, coordinating and sharing information over the internet. We hope to create a European network between peace activists in order to develop and deepen our cooperation for a peaceful Europe.
Coordination: Cattis Laska, the Ofog network
Keynote speaker:

Day of Action

European Peace Action will also be part of the active resistance! The Friday during the Forum will be a day of action. We will take action against various weapons companies in or in the vicinity of Malmö. Ofog can help with more detailed information about different companies so that you or your group can plan your action in advance.
If you or your group hasn't planned anything special just turn up at the EPA venue at 9:00am to take part in a public action in Malmö.