Breakthrough conference as thousands gather in London against war

The International Conference Against War was a huge success!

Thanks to everyone who came to Saturday’s magnificent International Conference Against War. Around three thousand packed in to Westminster Central Hall, coming from 27 countries outside of the UK. Hundreds travelled from France, over a hundred from Spain and at least fifty from Germany. 

This was the second conference of a movement that was initiated at a huge meeting at the Dôme de Paris last October. 

Queues to enter snaked around the corner. The atmosphere throughout was defiant but also hugely enthusiastic. 

In the Great Hall the first session opened with a celebration of the unprecedented Palestine movement in Britain, then members of parliaments and trade union leaders were joined by anti-war and pro-Palestine activists from the US to Iran and Bahrain, including Mustafa Barghouti from the Palestinian National Initiative. The conference was also addressed by Ukrainian and Russian activists.

Delegates spontaneously sang the internationale in many different languages as they left the Hall.

The Conference is one of the most significant anti-war events in recent decades. It adopted a statement which summarised the key issues and called for three international days of demonstration and action.

1. A joint international day of demonstrations in support of a free Palestine on 10 October. 
2. A day of action proposed by dockworkers in Italy, France and Greece, date to be confirmed. 
3. An international weekend of demonstrations against militarisation, the drive to war and conscription on 21 and 22 November. 

 It’s time to organise 

It is vital we build on the great success of this conference. 

If you are not a member already now is the time to join Stop the War. The conference shows the importance of building our movement and how crucial StW is to the international opposition to war and militarism.
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​We also call on anti-war activists to start organising now.

• Get trade unions to adopt the statement at national regional and branch level.
• Publicise the days of action. 
• Widen the movement for welfare and against warfare.
• Join Stop the War.