Debates on two days at No Survival Without Peace event were held both broadly on the theme of cooperation between environmental and peace activism, and also concretely about people’s initiatives and participation in changes and the effects of ecological measures to the everyday life of the working people – socially just ecological decisions have also good impact for working people, for example better public transport.
With the great contribution of different speakers we talked about the need of cooperation, how peace and environment are in connection with each other, how political questions need larger thinking and how decisions affect environment, peace, social justice, human rights and welfare – locally and on a global scale.
This dialogue is crucial because the negative impacts of environmental crisis are visible and known both locally in societies and globally, and we have wars in many places in world, but still the needed political and structural changes haven’t been done and environment and world without wars, violence and nuclear weapons are not in high enough on the world’s political leaders’ interest lists. Movements need more active people for making fair, progressive and ecological alternatives for societies’ politicies and strenghten movements’ pressure toward decision-makers.
No Survival Without Peace will continue as a project and initiative that gathers environmental and peace organizations, NGO’s working for justice and social rights, political parties, action groups, movements and activists. For this, event in Tampere and on Zoom was a good start. We have work to do for spreading knowledge on the necessity of peace and environmental movements’ collaboration and getting more people and organizations to speed up project’s work as an international collective.
Project’s website on www.ymparistovaatiirauhaa.fi/en/ and social media channels on Instagram and Facebook will be also in the future platforms to inform about work and upcoming events of project & organizations and activists. Platforms are open for public communication of environmental and peace movements in Finland and internationally.
PROGRAMME:
Saturday 19th of November
12.15-13.00 The need of cooperation for peace and environment
• Sean Conner, Executive Director of International Peace Bureau• Conny Hildebrandt, Co-President of transform! europe Network
As moderator Petra Packalén, Editor-in-Chief of Tiedonantaja newspaper
13.00-14.00 The situation and perspectives of movements in EuropeAs moderator Petra Packalén, Editor-in-Chief of Tiedonantaja newspaper
15.00-16.30 How to strengthen work for environment and peace locally? / Speeches (30 min) & workshops (1 h)• In an interview Anni Kytömäki, Author• Speaker: Laura Lodenius, Executive Director of Peace Union of FinlandAs moderator Petra Packalén, Editor-in-Chief of Tiedonantaja newspaper
13.00-14.00 International perspectives of work for environment and peace• Reiner Braun, International Peace Bureau• Kati Juva, City Councillor in Helsinki
As moderator Petra Packalén, Editor-in-Chief of Tiedonantaja newspaper
15.00-16.30 What do actions to save the planet mean for people’s lives and everyday life?• Didem Aydurmuş, European Left’s Environmental Working Group’s member• Elina Mikola, Environment and Climate Expert of Amnesty Finland• Liisa Taskinen, Chairperson of Communist Party of Finland
As moderator Mervi Grönfors, Nanny and Trade Unionist
17.00-17.30 ‘Action invitation of an activist’ (10 min), processing of workshop discussions and debate (20 min)
• As a speaker Jeremias Lahtinen, Activist from Extinction Rebellion Finland
As moderator Jiri Mäntysalo, Education and Communication Secretary of Democratic Civic Association