John,

This year's World BEYOND War conference on May 29-30 is unique because we're timing it to coincide with CANSEC, North America's biggest weapons expo, in Ottawa. We're making a point, and that is to show that CANSEC is not just a Canadian problem; it's a global issue. And that's why we're calling on all of our members - from Ottawa to Oaxaca - to join us for #NoWar2020 this May.

CANSEC brings together over 12,000 government and military officials and weapons industry representatives to market, buy, and sell weapons of war to Canada and 55 international delegations, including the U.S., UK, and Israel. Self-described as showcasing "leading-edge technologies...for land-based, naval, aerospace and joint forces military units" and a "one-stop-shop for...police", let's make no mistake about what this is: CANSEC is a grotesque display of weaponry to perpetuate and profit from violence and war.

The military-industrial complex is an intricate web that impacts us all. The #1 and #2 buyers of Canadian weapons exports are the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Over the past 25 years, Canada sold $5.8 billion in arms to countries classified as dictatorships. Likewise, the U.S. supplies military aid to 73% of the world's dictatorships. These weapons often find their way into the hands of both sides of a conflict, and then back into our communities when local police forces use military-grade weapons to disproportionately target communities of color. And then many of our workplaces, banks, universities, and public pension funds are invested in companies like Raytheon, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin, perpetuating profiteering from war.

CANSEC calls itself the leading "defence" event, but let's be clear: The weapons industry endangers us, more than it protects. In fact, leading research statistically shows that nonviolent resistance is twice as successful as armed resistance. And, dispelling myths about war's economic value, studies show that a dollar spent on education and health care produces more jobs than the same dollar spent in the war industry. Meanwhile, militarism is a major driver of climate change, with the U.S. military topping the charts as the world's largest institutional consumer of oil.

In contrast to CANSEC, we're convening our own international delegation for #NoWar2020, with over 50 endorsing & sponsoring organizations along with dozens of Canadian and international experts, educators, activists, and organizers coming together to share strategies and tactics for shutting down weapons expos, divesting from war, and advancing a just transition away from the arms industry towards a peace-based economy that works for all of us. Speakers include: Campaign Against Arms Trade's Siana Bangura, CODEPINK's Medea Benjamin, World BEYOND War's David Swanson, 350.org's Katie Perfitt, Simon Black of Labour Against the Arms Trade, Peggy Mason of Rideau Institute, Montréal-based activist/author Yves Engler, Kathy Kelly of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, and many, many more.

Starting May 26, we're organizing screenprinting and nonviolence action training in preparation for protests at CANSEC on May 27-28, followed by the 2-day #NoWar2020 conference on May 29-30 and concluding with a movement-building strategy session on May 31 - plus many more events during this important week of education, training, and direct action!

We need to know if you're planning to attend. Register here to join the international coalition converging on Ottawa for #NoWar2020!

P.S. Can't make it in person? Chip in a few bucks as a #NoWar2020 sponsor to help us cover our costs for bringing in international organizers and trainers from around the world to share successful strategies and tactics for shutting down weapons expos.

See you at #NoWar2020!

In solidarity,

Greta Zarro
Organizing Director
World BEYOND War
[email protected]

World BEYOND War is a global network of volunteers, activists, and allied organizations advocating for the abolition of the very institution of war. Our success is driven by a people-powered movement – support our work for a culture of peace.

World BEYOND War 513 E Main St #1484 Charlottesville, VA 22902 USA