BAE Systems is sponsoring New Scientist Live to deflect attention from the devastating impact it has around the world. Take action to stop arms and oil companies buying credibility from science.

Dear friends,

Another year and we're very sad to see that the New Scientist is still helping BAE Systems deflect attention from how it fuels and profits from war and repression around the world.

"New Scientist Live" opened today at the Excel Centre in London, and markets itself as "the world's greatest science festival", offering "fun for the whole family."

Yet it lists two of the world’s most destructive companies, BAE Systems and BP, as its primary sponsors.

Please take action today and ask New Scientist to rethink its approach to sponsorship.

BAE sponsors events like this because it wants to improve its reputation and normalise weapons manufacturing and, by extension, war. The cost of sponsorship is a small price to pay for the opportunity to present itself as a force for good in the world.

But what is New Scientist thinking?

Only last month, BAE Systems were exhibiting at the same venue, at the DSEI arms fair, proudly showcasing its Typhoon Eurofighters, the warplanes central to the devastating Saudi-led coalition attacks on Yemen.

As it helps the company promote itself to children in the UK, has the New Scientist considered the millions of children in Yemen, facing BAE’s bombs, and the famine and disease they have caused?

Why does promoting science need to involve promoting companies profiting from war and destruction?

We’ve asked the New Scientist about this before – and we know some of you have raised your concerns directly – but it has so far refused to engage.

Can you take action with us today, so that we can't be ignored?

Science should be about preserving and contributing to life and the environment, not destroying it.

Thank you

Caroline
Campaign Against Arms Trade

P.S. In recent weeks and months, we’ve seen more and more cultural institutions take a stand against unethical sponsorship. Last week, after sustained and creative pressure from our allies at BP or not BP, the Royal Shakespeare Company finally dropped BP sponsorship. Public pressure has also persuaded National Festival of Making and the Great Exhibition of the North to drop their associations with BAE. Please help build on this momentum by taking action today.