Statement of Functions
WRI homepage > Statements > Statement of Functions || Statement of Principles < Background notes
War Resisters' International is primarily a global network of organisations,groups, and individuals set up so that war resisters could support eachother more effectively and to promote nonviolent action against militarismand the causes of war. WRI is an organisation in its own right as well.WRI has a programme: it initiates action and campaigns; it promotes nonviolenceas a means of social transformation; and it supports organisations andindividuals. WRI serves as a political forum to facilitate global discourseon hot topics such as new forms of conflict. WRI provides a platform forpeople who value independent thinking, base their actions on nonviolence,and feel personally responsible for their own action.
Functions
- Linking people together: WRI sets out to link together peoplecommitted to its principles. By organising conferences and other events,by publishing magazines, pamphlets and books, and by providing informationby computer, WRI brings people in contact with one another.
- Initiating campaigns and action projects: WRI offers an internationalperspective on issues. Promoting and coordinating actions or projects atan international level, nonviolence lies at the heart of every action andcampaign. WRI seeks to create a stable base for any action project it initiatesby involving other organisations, groups and individuals who can then carrythrough the project, realising the importance of local support.
- Support actions: WRI supports organisations, groups and individualsaddressing the causes of war and refusing to support any kind of war. Thissupport takes various forms, depending on means and circumstances. ThePrisoners for Peace list, attending trials, organising speaking tours,and fundraising for specific campaigns are examples of this work.
- Promotion and public education: WRI promotes nonviolence asa means of social transformation. By organising study conferences, publishingarticles and books, and by stimulating discussions, WRI sets out to deepenthe thinking about nonviolence and analysis from the point of view of nonviolence.