Declaration
There have been wars throughout human history. But today, as technological advances let those who are violent develop weapons that are ever more destructive, the stakes have risen to a critical point. The nuclear threat has brought humanity to the brink of the abyss.
Military spending absorbs budgets that should go toward education, health, culture and improving life. Wars and the arms buildup hurt our economies. Yet the arms industry makes sure this situation will continue. Hiding their greed behind theories that war is inevitable, necessary, and even a ray of sunshine, they pressure governments and influence society to keep conflicts alive. And the world keeps buying, using, and experimenting with the weapons they build.
Today, at the beginning of the third millennium, instead of peace, conflicts of all kinds – economic, ethnic, and religious – are on the rise. The same is true of terrorism. What’s more, violence in civil society has reached a level unimaginable only a few years ago, and is still increasing. All this should come as no surprise, since competition and domination are the driving social values everywhere. If we do not change direction, the future holds nothing but larger and more violent conflicts in every arena, all over the world.
It has been amply demonstrated that with only 10 percent of what is spent on arms we can end world hunger. Imagine if 30-50 percent of the arms budget went to improve people’s lives instead of destruction.
Of course, after centuries of violence it’s hard to imagine peace. But why not work in that direction? Why not dare to launch a new intention, one that will change the direction of human history and open a truly peaceful and non-violent future?
We are convinced that this is our responsibility as human beings. Given the direction things are moving in the world today, taking a stand against war is meaningful, ethical, coherent and urgent.
We freely take this responsibility. We carry it forward together with all who reject violence and choose coexistence, shared development, real democracy, technology at the service of science, and science at the service of peace and the human being.
It is our task to denounce, isolate and pressure the violent few so that they redirect their warlike policies in favor of human development..
A world without wars is something previously unknown on the planet Earth. Eliminating wars means leaving human pre-history behind and taking a giant step forward in the evolution of our species.
A World Without Wars is a proposal that opens the future and seeks to become reality in every corner of the planet, as violence gives way to dialog.
We are accompanied in this aspiration by the voices of the thousands of war-ravaged generations that came before us. The echo of their voices still resounds throughout the world, wherever armed conflict leaves its sinister memorial to the dead, missing, disabled and displaced.
The moment has come for the voiceless to be heard! Out of anguished and urgent need, millions of human beings are crying out for an end to war and violence. We can bring an end to violence by uniting all the forces of pacifism and active nonviolence worldwide.
We call on individuals, representatives, and members of organizations of all kinds -- institutions, collectives, groups, political parties, and businesses -- to join and support this great World March for Peace and Nonviolence. We invite everyone to work in their own area, joining together in platforms, action fronts and forums, to generate a great movement to end war and violence of all kinds on the Earth.
Let us work together today to guarantee a better future and safeguard the generations yet to come.
I believe in peace and a more human world!
I believe in a world without war!
