Interview with Classe Internationale from La Sorbonne
At the beginning of 2020, Stop Fuelling War approached students of the student association Classe Internationale at La Sorbonne university in Paris. We had originally planned to have a seminar on French arms trade and it's impacts at the university with the same people who participated in this interview, but as with many events this year it had to be cancelled.
Instead, all participants were interviewed, with the same seven questions and then each individual had three questions unique to them. The result of these interviews was an article published in French on Classe Internationale, which an online news magazine, published by the students (by following this link): " Arms export: what position for France"
We have included in this blog post the full set of questions and answers that was given by Holly to the student association, in English, for your reading.
President's report 2019
Activities
During this past year, Stop Fuelling War has enjoyed a year of consolidation and strengthening our base. Thanks to our fledgling size, work has been uplifting, sometimes gruelling and always challenging! Activities have spanned reviewing internal processes, updating strategic plans, building the foundations of networking with fellow peace activists, coming to grips with the complicated administrative procedures of French labour laws and focussing on fund raising. Major events of the year were marked by our presence at Church and Peace's Kirchentag, participating in the UK Roots of Resistance-led protest against the arms show DSEI, participating in events organised by established peace networks and welcoming our first French Paris-based worker, made possible by the generosity of the Joseph Rowntree Trust.
Why using the language of war is counterproductive in our global public health crisis: some reflections from self-isolation
Clémence Buchet–Couzy is Peace Programme Assistant at QCEA.
One of the things that has really struck me in today’s peculiar times is the rhetoric of war used by many political leaders to talk about the COVID-19 situation. Such rhetoric seems at best misplaced during a public health crisis – and it could turn out to be extremely dangerous, by excusing violence. A military response is not what we need. On the contrary, the solidarity we can witness at various levels could be the beginning of a post-COVID-19 shift that I believe politicians across the world should be facilitating and promoting.
An open letter from a member of Stop Fuelling War from a faith perspective about the cancellation of Eurosatory
Paris, 11th May 2020
On 26th March 2020, the organisers of Eurosatory 2020 (COGES), which is responsible for the French international land and airland Defence and Security exhibition rightly cancelled this year's event in Paris. Eurosatory 2020 had been scheduled for 8-12th June and would have been the world’s largest land and land/air weapon trade fairs PROMOTING MILITARY RESPONSES to all perceived threats and real conflicts. The organisers, supporters and participants of Eurosatory display and sell military equipment ranging from tanks, armoured trucks, guns, pistols to missile systems, logistics, communications and other emergency responses services. The organisers had indicated that the necessary conditions for preparing and running the exhibition, to protect the health and safety of the 100,000 expected participants, visitors, exhibitors and organisers, could not be met. Thus, they clearly considered the well-being of potential participants and their families. However, it does not appear that they were equally solicitous for the millions who are living in fear, dying or being injured by these armaments being used in international conflict zones, and who are most often innocent civilians.
The way out from the COVID-19 crisis: will the EU work for peace or prepare for war?
On Europe Day, the Global Campaign On Military Spending (GCOMS) and the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) call the EU to fund peace, not arms dealers
8 May 2020, Brussels, Barcelona
The EU High Representative Mr Borrell stated on April 24 that the world will look very different after the COVID-19 crisis and will depend on the choices made today. On the eve of Europe Day celebrating peace and unity, the EU bears a large responsibility for how this future will look like, and has a key choice to make: work for sustainable peace by seriously tackling the root causes of conflicts, or continue the path to militarism and prepare for war.
Eurosatory 2020 cancelled!
The largest land and landair arms fair in the world, Eurosatory, scheduled for June 2020 in Paris is cancelled!!
With Covid-19, we can now all see that the threats facing humanity - health crises, degradation of the environment, conflicts over resources, rampant inequality - CAN'T be solved by highly expensive weaponry. Rather, governments should redirect resources to enable scientists and researchers to find solutions to protect the lives, health and livelihoods of all.
France, world's third largest arms exporter, organises the Paris Peace Forum.
On the 11th - 13th November, the Paris Peace Forum was held in the Grande Halle of la Villette in Paris - quite a feat for France, third largest arms exporter in the world, to organise a forum on peace. Yet, for three days, guests from around the world gathered to rethink global governance. Heads of State, government officials, international organisations; members of non-governmental organisations, journalists, activists, all were present with the same desire to change the world for the better. Starting from the observation that a poorly governed world would quickly become a world at war, the aim was to review the foundations of global governance and multilateralism.
