Arnljot Ask
«As global conflicts intensify—from Gaza to Ukraine, from the Congo to Yemen—the call for peace is more urgent than ever. In response, over 50 delegations from around the world convened in Brussels for the International Forum for Peace 2025, a landmark event co-organised by ten organisations including the European Left, transform! europe, and the European Forum of the Left, Green and Progressive Forces. Taking place just days before the NATO Summit in The Hague, the Forum served as a powerful counterpoint to rising militarisation, offering a platform for diplomacy, dialogue, and solidarity»
This was the opening remark from Maite Mola, Head of the International Commision of the European Left, then opening the International Forum for Peace 22-13. June 2025 in Brussels.
You will find the rest of her welcome message, and a report on the activites of the Forum, in the report from European Left here:
https://www.european-left.org/international-forum-for-peace/
You can also find the Final Declaration of the Forum by this link, but you also can read it from the enclosed files A and B.
The Forum was just ahead of the NATO Summit in den Haag, and representatives from the Forum took part in manifestations against the NATO proposals on the agenda there, both the day before and at the closing day of the NATO Summit June 25th.
As elaborated by several speakers at the Forum, the demand of increasing the military budgets of the NATO countries to 5% of GNP within 2035 are promoted by US president Trump to have the European NATO-members and Canada to bear more of the costs for the militarising of the Alliance
and costs of wars. This also are agreed upon by the leaders of the European Union, supporting the agitation that all European contries are in danger of beeing attacked ny Russia after 2030.
In the Call for action from the Forum, efforts to end the genocide in Gaza is focused number one. Followed by rejecting the increase in military spending approved at the NATO Summit and the EUs Rearm Europe campaign.
The wide participations of representatives from the Global South also resulted in a demand of a shift at the 2025 UN General Assembly towards a truly just and multilateral international order – challenging the «Cold War» area.
International Day of Peace September 21th.
The Forum urged to use that Day for common activities to follow up our demands. And efforts already taken to organize this through Zoom.
The European Forum 2025 in Vienna, Austria, Oct 31th – 2nd of November, also will follow up this issues, focusing on «For peace, social and climate justice».
Arnljot Ask
member of International Dept Red Party Norway
23.07.2025
