John,

Two years ago, our Canadian allies reached out and asked us to organize #NoWar2020, our 5th annual global convergence, in Ottawa in May 2020, to coincide with CANSEC, Canada's largest weapons expo. It's on.

In 5 months from now, an international coalition organized by World BEYOND War will converge on Ottawa to say NO to CANSEC, Canada's biggest arms bazaar. Register to join us this May for nonviolent activism, skills trainings, art-making, panel presentations, rallying, and more, culminating in the #NoWar2020 Conference on May 29-30. (When you register for the conference on May 29-30, check the boxes to indicate which other actions you'll be joining us for throughout the week!)

Canadians have been protesting CANSEC for years. It's time to bring international attention to Canada's complicity in the global arms trade and endless wars. That's why we're bringing in activists, grassroots organizers, and experts from around the world to share strategies and tactics for shutting down a weapons expo, divesting from war, and converting to a peaceful, green, & just future.

Te Ao Pritchard will share lessons learned from the successful campaign to shut down New Zealand's weapons expo.

Siana Bangura from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) UK will share her experience organizing against DSEI, one of the world's largest arms fairs.

Susi Snyder, author of Don't Bank on the Bomb, the only global report on the private financing of the nuclear weapons industry, will lead a divestment training to talk about the tools and tactics to cut off the flow of money to weapons companies.

Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Co-Founder, will talk about why war is not green, and why we need to demilitarize to decarbonize, sharing expertise from her 40+ years of bold, creative activism.

The week will kick off with a live show by comedian-activist Lee Camp on May 24, followed by a free screenprinting workshop by the SAW Art + Protest Initiative on May 26, leading up to the protests at CANSEC on May 27 and 28, and concluding with the #NoWar2020 Conference on the 29th and 30th. For the full schedule, including many more events, visit the website here.

We can't do this alone, and that's why we're partnering with a network of organizations, including Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. View the full list of sponsors and endorsers - and if you're affiliated with an organization, add your group's name too!

Join us in Ottawa as we protest Canada's largest weapons expo, and call for the conversion to a peace-based economy that works for all of us.

P.S. We need your support to pull off this week-long series of events. When you chip in as a #NoWar2020 sponsor, you help offset our costs for trainers, artists, venue space, sign-making supplies, and all of the other details for this week of education and action.

See you in Ottawa!

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