GLOBAL DAY of ACTION

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http://demilitarize.org/ No. 5 ! April 2011

ONE DAY TO GO!

Organizing an event? Be sure to
register it at our MeetUp page at
Organizers:
m e e t u p . c o m / g d a m s . This is an
excellent tool to spread the word about
We’re on the eve of the first-ever Global Day of Action on Military the concrete details of your event. The
The!International Peace
Spending, and the turnout has already exceeded all of our expectations. more, the better! Let’s show the world
Bureau ( I P B) !is
There will be more than 100 actions in at least 35 countries. We have how global this day really
dedicated to is.
the vision of
multiple events in Australia, New Zealand, and India. There will be a World Without War.
actions in Okinawa, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and many parts of Europe. We are a
There will be flash mobs and demonstrations and speak outs and petitions Nobel Peace Laureate (1910); over
the years, 13 of our officers have
and films and marches and much, much more. been recipients of the Nobel Peace
Prize. Our 320 member
New actions are coming in every day, so we won’t get a full picture until organisations in 70 countries,
after April 12. But we really want to get that full picture! So, please together with individual members
remember to: from a global network, bring
together expertise and campaigning
1) Send us articles from your local press coverage. experience in a common cause. Our
current main programme centres on
2) Document your action in words, videos, photos, etc. Sustainable Disarmament for
Sustainable Development.
3) Upload your best picture to our Photo Wall.

4) Send a follow-up note to all the organizations that you worked Institute for Policy
Studies (IPS) is a
with – remember, this is the just the beginning of our work to
community of public
reduce military spending. scholars and organizers
linking peace, justice,

SIPRI Data for 2010 and the environment in

the U.S. and globally.
We work with social movements to
On April 11, the Stockholm International Peace Research promote true democracy and
Institute will release its annual statistics on global military challenge concentrated wealth,
expenditure. Here are the major points!: corporate influence, and military
power. As Washington’s first
progressive multi-issue think tank,
• World military expenditure increased slightly in 2010 and is the IPS has served as a policy and
now estimated at roughly $1.6 trillion. research resource for visionary
social justice movements for over
• The rate of growth in 2010 slowed considerably compared to four decades.!
the annual average increase in 2001–2009.

• The top 10 spenders in 2010: 1. USA (small increase since

2009); 2. China (large but reduced increase); 3. UK (small fall);
4. France (significant fall); 5. Russia (small fall); 6. Japan (small
increase); 7. Saudi Arabia (small increase); 8. Germany (small
fall); 9. India (small fall); 10. Italy (no change).
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• Although the rate of increase in U.S. military spending slowed
in 2010, the global increase in 2010 is almost entirely down to Photo Wall
the United States.
Document your event and send your
• The United States now accounts for over 40 per cent of the best photos to our Photo Wall – it only
global total. takes a moment!

• The United States spends a higher proportion of its GDP on

the military than any other country outside the Middle East.

• In many cases, the falls or slower increases represent a delayed

reaction to the global financial and economic crisis that broke
in 2008.

• In Europe, soaring budget deficits forced substantial cuts.

• In Asia, slower economic growth in 2009 explains slower

expenditure increases in 2010.

• Military spending increased more than 5 percent in both

Africa and South America.

Support from the UN

Thanks to supporters like you, GDAMS has gotten more and more
attention from media and policy outlets. The United Nations’ High
Representative for Disarmament Affairs recently sent us this
statement of support!:

“At this Global Day of Action on Military Spending, I call on

governments to consider the full possibilities of creating security
through non-military means. Decent health care and a good education
for all, providing confidence in one’s future. Democratic institutions,
in which all citizens feel represented. A functioning rule of law,
protecting people against crime and corruption. Finally, intense
cooperation between neighbouring and other countries, building
confidence and trust in international relations...”

“The discussion on military expenditures will intensify in the coming

years. The Global Day of Action on Military Spending should serve as
a catalyst for shifting global and national priorities from massive
military spending to creating human security and safety for all.”

Read the whole statement here. Our efforts are being noticed – keep
up the good work!
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Last-Minute Inspiration Don’t Forget

If you’re struggling to get an event together or know someone who would Let us know if you’re planning an
like to organize one, be sure to take one last look at our Easy Actions page event for April 12 -- share your ideas
with others around the world!
for ideas. We’ve assembled a few ideas here that anyone can organize,
vritually within the space of a lunch break. Sign up on our Facebook page

Follow us on Twitter

Keep an Eye on Twitter

We’ll be sending out tweets all day on Monday and Tuesday to promote the
work of our partners around the world. Keep an eye on our feed at
@GlobalDay412 – and if you have GDAMS tweets, be sure to send them
out with the hashtag #GDAMS!!

Looking Ahead
We’re already thinking about post-April 12. We want to keep the
momentum going in order to make sure next year’s GDAMS has an even
bigger impact. Now the challenge is to translate our efforts into real political
change. We will be contacting you in the near future about what our
priorities should be. Here are some of the ideas that we want to get your
feedback about:

• What international political mechanism shows the greatest promise

of reducing military spending? The tax on arms exports proposed by
former Brazilian President Lula? The Arms Trade Treaty?

• Should we convene our international network some time in 2011 to

talk face to face about these issues? If so, where and when?

• Should we put out a report on efforts to reduce military spending

that would coincide with the next release of SIPRI’s data, in 2012?
What should it contain?

We are at a critical moment in world history when we have a real chance to

roll back the military and shift funds to meet critical human needs. April 12
is just the beginning!