[E-rundbrief] Info 1125 - Military-Free Education and Research Action-Day

Matthias Reichl info at begegnungszentrum.at
Fr Jun 14 14:13:47 CEST 2013


E-Rundbrief - Info 1125 - War Resisters International/ WRI: 
International Day of Action For Military-Free Education and Research: 
14 June 2013.

Bad Ischl, 14.6.2013

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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International Day of Action For Military-Free Education and Research: 
14 June 2013


Today, 14 June 2013, groups and organisations in at least eleven 
different countries – Germany, India, Israel, Nigeria, state of Spain, 
Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UK, South Africa, Sweden, 
and the USA – are taking action to highlight and oppose the 
militarisation of education and research.

In many parts of the world, the military has a significant presence 
and influence in the education system. This presence and influence 
ranges from armed forces visits to schools to give presentations, take 
lessons, and run adventure activities, to the provision of teaching 
resources, and from cadet forces to the prioritisation of military 
research.

The two main aims of the military's involvement in education are to 
recruit young people into the armed forces, and the normalisation of 
war and preparation for war as an instrument of policy. There is a 
lack of balanced debate because alternative views on conflict 
resolution are not given the same privileged access as the military.

Military research accounts for a large proportion of research in the 
science, engineering and technology departments of many public 
universities. This is at the expense of more socially-useful research.

War Resisters' International calls for military-free education systems 
and public research. Today's creative actions and events include 
street theatre, a seminar on nonviolent education, placard holding, 
and a film screening, which we hope will stimulate debate.

Teachers, academics, pupils, their families – all of us - can oppose 
the status quo by taking action, whether it's circulating information, 
holding public discussions, arranging meetings with headteachers, 
refusing to attend military activities, and other nonviolent direct 
action.

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Confirmed actions:

*In Germany, activists from a network of 70 organisations will be 
holding events in four cities, in addition to the many that they did 
yesterday and the many more they will do tomorrow - from leafletting 
and public meetings to vigils and rallies. - 
www.antimilitaristische-aktionstage.info/

* In Israel, New Profile will be performing street theatre - 
http://www.newprofile.org/english/

* In India, in Patna (Bihar province) there will be a seminar on 
'Anti-War Education: A Gandhian Concept'

* In Nigeria, members of The World Youth Peace Organisation will be 
holding placards lamenting military recruitment in education 
institutions, and visiting schools to talk about the education grants 
used by militaries in various countries to entice young people to join 
the military - http://www.worldyouthpeace.org/

* In the UK, ForcesWatch will be publishing the summary of their 
upcoming report on the presence and influence of the military in UK 
universities - http://forceswatch.net/

* In Catalonia, campanya Desmilitaritzem l'Educacio' campanya 
Desmilitaritzem l’Educació will be disseminating information and 
resources on Twitter and Facebook - 
http://desmilitaritzem.blog.pangea.org/

*In Chile, Ni Casco Ni Uniforme will also be doing lots of online 
campaigning - http://nicasconiuniforme.wordpress.com/

* In DRC, APDI hope to organise a day of reflection in which groups 
and organisation from civil society, government, the military and 
armed groups will discuss disarmament, with an education focus

* In South Africa, Ceasefire are holding a Youth Day commemorates the 
youth uprising in June 1976 that coincides with the International Day 
of Action . This will kick off with a screening of the Last king of 
Scotland. - 
http://ceasefire.org.za/site/invitation-the-international-day-of-action-for-military-free-education-and-research/

------

Owen Everett
QPSW Peaceworker at War Resisters' International (Thursdays and Fridays)
5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DY
email: owen at wri-irg.org
'phone: +44 20 7278 4040

facebook: War Resisters' International
Twitter: @warresistersint

http://wri-irg.org

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Salzkammergut,
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305 BIC: SKBIAT21XXX

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Ausgezeichnet mit dem (österr.) "Journalismus-Preis von unten 2010"

Honoured by the (Austrian) "Journalism-Award from below 2010"






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