International Calendar

Opposition to Militarisation: International Prospects — 1-4 April

In April 1990, the French Conscientious Objectors Collective of the Tarn (COT) hosted a series of meetings on the theme of the opposition to militarisation in France and Europe. Now, the COT, in cooperation with the review Damoclès, the Journal des Objecteurs, the Anarchist Federation of Toulouse, MAN-Albi, and other organisations, is organising a four-day long conference to reflect on the dramatic events that have shaken the world over the past four years. The plenary sessions will cover topics such as the new world order, the role of the media in recent conflicts, nuclear arms, indigenous people and military power in South America, opposing militarisation. Four workshops on Sunday afternoon will look at opposing conscription, women and militarisation, disarmament, and supporting conscientious objectors and pacifists in countries at war.

Contact: COT, BP 229, 81006 Albi cedex; Tel: +33 63 38 39 55 (office hours wednesdays 7:00-9:00pm or answering machine); fax: +33 63 35 72 11

Conference on European Union Foreign and Security Policy — 27 April

As the Treaty on European Union enters into force, the Euro-Citizen-Action-Service is organising a conference to look at the implications of the Common Foreign and Security Policy section of the Maastricht Treaty for the European peace movement. The meeting, initiated by a WRI affiliate, the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, aims to be part of a peace movement dialogue with European institutions. It will feature a plenary session with representatives of intergovernmental bodies such as the EC, NATO, the WEU and the CSCE, followed by workshops and talks with peace movement perspectives.

The Conference will be preceded by a meeting for NGOs on future cooperation and networking on April 26th.

Registration forms and information on both the Conference and the NGO meeting can be obtained from Kajsa Klein, ECAS, 1 rue Defacqz, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Fax: +32 2 534 52 75

Cycle-Yatra in Gujarat, India — April and May

The Vedchhi Institute for Total Revolution is planning a 'cycle-Yatra' covering several districts in Gujarat in April and May this year. The Yatra will have 'Hind Swaraj' (Indian Home-Rule) as its motto and propagate the principles for human civilisation as envisioned by Gandhi.

Contact Institute for Total Revolution, Vedchhi 39 46 41, Dt. Surat, Gujarat, India. Tel: + 91 26 252974

Women's Role in Strengthening Family and Community in Crisis Situations 1-12 May

This international conference, organised by the Women's Wing of the Fellowship of Reconciliation/India, will place particular emphasis on issues of race, ethnic, religious and social tensions.

Contact Cultural Academy for Peace, Koluthara Buildings, Broadway, Cochin 682 031, India. Tel: +91 484 355 055; fax: +91 484 370 045

International Conscientious Objectors (CO) Day — 15 May

In Bonn, the group Bundesrepublik Ohne Armee (Germany without an Army) has organised a demonstration to take place on the eve of the ICO day, Saturday 14 May.

Contact Bund für Soziale Verteidigung, Friedensplatz 1a, D-32378 Minden. Tel: +49 571 29456; fax: +49 571 23019; email: soziale_verteidigung@bionic.zer.de

In London, members of the Peace Pledge Union will unveil a monument celebrating Conscientious Objection. This Memorial will be placed in Tavistock Square, where a statue of Gandhi and a Hiroshima commemoration tree already stand. PPU President and World War II CO, Sir Michael Tippett, who is generally considered to be Britain's greatest living composer, has agreed to perform the unveiling ceremony.

Contact PPU, 6 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DX. Tel: +44 71 387 5501

European Non-Violence Trainers Congress — 26-29 May

Given the increasing demand for nonviolent training and the mounting challenges to the nonviolent movement, the congress organisers seek to promote the exchange of ideas between European participants about the creation of a common training and further training programme for nonviolence trainers. Since personal experience will play an important role in the working programme, only trainers with at least two years of practice will be invited. The participants will be asked for a contribution of DM 60-100, but 80% of their travel costs will be reimbursed.

Contact: Fränkisches Bildungswerk für Friedensarbeit e.V., Hessestr. 4, 90443 Nürnberg, Germany. Tel: +49 911 288300; fax: +49 911 288314

5th International Conference on War Tax Resistance and Peace Tax Campaign

The Fifth International Conference on War Tax Resistance and Peace Tax campaigns will take place in Hondarribia (Fuenterrabia), Basque Country, from 16 to 18 September. It will meet in the "Juan Sebastian Elkano" youth hostel located over the bay of Txingudi. Registration fees range from 7,000ptas to 11,5000pts, depending on the number of days to be attended.

For more information and a tentative programme, contact Grupo de Objeción Fiscal/Nafarroako Objezio Fiskal Taldea, C/. Pedro Otaduy, Apto 1126, 31015 Iruñea/Pamplona, Navarra, State of Spain.

Tel: +34 48 279528; fax: Edurne Guñi +34 48 173238

Second European Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution — 8-12 October

The Conference will take place in San Sebastián/Donostia (Euzkadi). It aims to bring together both researchers and practitioners of Conflict Analysis and Transformation to share their theoretical insights and practical experience as a way towards peacemaking.

Potential areas of reflection and discussion include skills, tools and cases of conflict resolution, a focus on the Basque Country, global conflicts and their historical transformation, media and conflict, conflicts in the development exchanges between the South and Europe, etc. The official languages of the Conference are Basque, Spanish, French, English, German, and Russian.

Contact Juan Gutiérrez, Chair of 2nd ECPCR, Gernika Gogoratuz, Prim 34, 1º dcha, E-20006 San Sebastián. Tel: +34 43 47 26 30; fax: +34 43 47 16 34; email: jgutierrez@igc.org

International Conscientious Objection Meeting (ICOM) '94

The next International Conscientious Objectors Meeting will take place in Colombia at the end of November or beginning of December.

Contact Colectivo por la Objeción de Conciencia, A.A. 53024, Santafé de Bogota, D.C., Colombia. Tel: +57 1 287 44 98; fax: +57 1 269 50 29

Euro-Walk for a Nuclear-Free World — 1995

The Belgian group, "For Mother Earth" is planning a walk from Brussels to Moscow, from 12 January to 12 October (International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples), 1995. The walk will pass through England, including London and Aldermaston, Paris, Prague, Vienna and Chernobyl, among other cities. The organisers wish to "call attention to the social, environmental and economic consequences of the Atomic Age and give concrete examples of alternatives." Participants in the march will stage street theatre, as well as symbolic and nonviolent direct actions, such as trespassing on nuclear site areas or government offices if necessary.

Contact For Mother Earth, Zilerhof 19, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Tel: +32 9 233 32 68