Triennial

International Conference, Ahmedabad, India, 22 - 25 of January 2010

There is an inescapable link between the globalisation-induced displacement, dis-employment and dispossession that are results of internal wars and ravage local, traditional and indigenous natural-resource based communities everywhere. There is a linkage between these and the monstrous international wars - whether they are fought in Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo or Somalia. The biggest challenge therefore is to build alliances that are local and global at the same time, and those that not only resist injustice but also present alternatives.

Medha Patkar

A look back at the arts and cultural programme of the WRI conference in Cape Town, July 2014. Film thanks to Muti Films

Planned for the week of the Small Actions, Big Movements WRI conference, this installation in the middle of Cape Town's grand parade was delayed due to the inclement weather. Three months on, we're delighted to see it finally take shape! The broken AK-47 is covered in money, to highlight the corruption amongst those who profit from war.

Description from the artists: "Resistance" is a giant wheat paste public art installation; a world record spanning more than 100 meters. The image is of a broken AK -47. Resistance was born from a conversation between Ralph Ziman and (anti-arms activist) and Terry Crawford-Browne (one of the organisers of the Small Actions, Big Movements WRI conference).

Resistance was inspired by War Resisters' International - an anti-war organization founded in the wake of the First World War. War Resisters has existed for almost a century and has branches all around the world. The logo has always been a rifle, broken in half by a pair of hands.

Photos and footage thanks to the Resistance project and MUTI films.

City Hall,

Cape Town, South Africa Videos and photos from the conference Report Plenaries Report Theme Groups Conference Reader Calendar of events Practical Information about the conference Conference programme Info on related Events Exhibitions during the conference Resources: prepare for the conference

Desmond Tutu's makes a surprise appearance at the opening of the Small Actions, Big Movements: The Continuum of Nonviolence conference on the evening of 4th July 2014.

This page will gather text, videos and images from the Small Actions, Big Movements International Conference in Cape Town, July 2014.

War has returned to European soil, and it seems that Europeans are not capable, or not willing, to apply the lessons they try to teach in other parts of the planet. The European Union, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, put Ukraine in an impossible position when it asked it to choose between a political pact with the EU or a close economic relationship with Russia. Ordinary people in Ukraine have some of the lowest wages in the continent, and face one of the highest levels of political and economic corruption, creating hopelessness among many of them - hence the offer from the EU seemed to many like a golden opportunity to take a first step out of the mire.

The use of violence by both sides in the later stages of the Maidan protests created a precedent, and served as a justification for the use of violence in parts of Ukraine where many people disagree with the country's new political course. Also, the presence of neo-nazis in the new official Ukrainian politics, and the rise of the paramilitary units connected with them, encouraged other Ukrainians - in areas where many feel more attracted to and connected with Russia than with the EU - to consider armed struggle a legitimate method of dealing with conflict.

The Assembly of the War Resisters’ International, gathered in the City Hall of Cape Town, South Africa, strongly condemns the ongoing assault by the Israeli military on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. War Resisters’ International considers all war a crime against humanity, and we therefore call for the immediate end of hostilities, and in particular the repeated aggression by the State of Israel against Palestinians.

As opponents of war, we also oppose the causes of war, and stand in solidarity with oppressed people all over the world. We therefore call for the end of the occupation of Palestine and—especially gathered at the building from which Nelson Mandela made his first speech after release from prison—we call for the end of all forms of Apartheid everywhere.

At the WRI International Conference in Cape Town in July 2014, WRI Assembly appointed Individual Members of WRI Council, and a new WRI Executive.

WRI Council also welcome a new affiliate into membership.

We'd like to announce the Individual Members of WRI Council, and WRI Executive, appointed at the WRI Assembly.

WRI Executive
Chair: Christine Schweitzer Treasurer: Dominique Saillard Cattis Laska Jungmin Choi Hülya Üçpinar Sergeiy Sandler
Individual Council Members     Carlos Barranco, State of Spain     Albert Beale, Britain     Jungmin Choi, South Korea     Moses John, South Sudan     Subhash Chandra Kattel, Nepal     Cattis Laska, Sweden     Lexys Rendón, Venezuela     Miles Rutendo Tanhira, Zimbabwe/Sweden     Igor Seke, Serbia/Mexico     Hülya Üçpinar, Turkey     Sergeiy Sandler, Israel     Stellan Vinthagen, Sweden

WRI Council also includes a representative from each section and a non-voting observer from each associate organisation or publication. See affiliates here.

For more information about the role of WRI's Council, visit: /members/councilduties-en.htm

New affiliate

WRI Council was pleased to approve the application from Peace News Ltd to be an associate publication to WRI. Peace News used to be affiliated to WRI, and only stopped being so when Peace News and WRI worked as the same organisation, so this is a reaffiliation.

The Peace News summer camp is coming up in a few weeks (31 July - 4 August)!

A list of all WRI affiliates is here.

Thank you to everyone who has registered for the 'Small Actions, Big Movements: The Continuum of Nonviolence' International Conference. We know that many of you did not manage to register in time but still would like to attend the conference, so we have extended the registration deadline to 31 May.

This is the link to the registration form.

Registration is open for the War Resisters' International Conference, co-hosted by Ceasefire Campaign, taking place from 4 – 8 July 2014, Cape Town, South Africa: /seminars/registrations/southafrica2014 

Please register by 30 May.

Cape Town City Hall

On 11 February 1990, only hours after his release from Robben Island, Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after leaving prison from the balcony of the City Hall in Cape Town.

This July, the same venue plays host to an International Conference that will bring together over 200 grassroots nonviolent activists from Asia, Latin America, Oceania and the Pacific, North America and Europe – and particularly from Africa.

Registration is now open for the War Resisters' International Conference, co-hosted by Ceasefire Campaign, taking place from 4 – 8 July 2014, Cape Town, South Africa: /seminars/registrations/southafrica2014 

Cape Town City Hall

On 11 February 1990, only hours after his release from Robben Island, Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after leaving prison from the balcony of the City Hall in Cape Town.

This July, the same venue plays host to an International Conference that will bring together over 200 grassroots nonviolent activists from Asia, Latin America, Oceania and the Pacific, North America and Europe – and particularly from Africa.