Welcome to Umeå (Ubmeje) and Umeå University (Ubmeje Universitiäthta) for a conversation on nonviolent and peaceful resistance to militarisation and autokratisation in US, UK and Sweden!

Outline:

Welcome and opening remarks by Ingvar Rönnbäck, Founder of Another Development Foundation

Conversation 1: Resisting Militarisation in US, UK & Sweden

Panelists:

Phill Gittins, Director of Education, World BEYOND War, UK Office

Joanne Sheehan, Staff at War Resisters League, US and former Chair of War Resisters International

Kerstin Bergeå, Chair of Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, Sweden

Conversation 2: Resisting Autocratisation in US & Sweden

Panelists:

Jamila Raqib, Executive Director, Albert Einstein Institution, US

Stellan Vinthagen, Professor of Nonviolent Direct Action and Civil Resistance, Amherst University, US and Professor of Sociology, Sweden

Kristin Wicksell Bukhari, Communication Strategist, Arena Opinon and Arena Idea

Seinab Hilowle, Committed member of the democracy-promoting, intersectional organization StreetGäris, Sweden

Conversation 3: On Cross-context Learning and Collaboration. What Can Activists and Movements Do?

This conversation is for the participants of the event and will be facilitated by Stella Fischer, Independent International Consultant and Facilitator who has worked in Sweden and internationally with and through nonviolence

The first two conversations will be facilitated by Elisabeth Olivius, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Umeå University.

Why this event?

It is well known, and internationally recognized, that Sweden is undergoing fundamental changes due to political dynamics in Sweden and internationally.

Sweden is now a member of NATO, and has recently signed a defence cooperation agreement (DCA) with the US. Our current government has also established a close partnership with the Swedish Democrats – a political party who have their roots in neonazi and fascist ideology.

Boarders that was not possible to cross before have now been moved – and the changes have been rapid.

There are many ways of reflecting on these changes for examples taking into account that militarism and racism are not new phenomenon in the Swedish society, however now part of an political accepted discourse who combines argument for the defence of democracy.

For activists and movements in Sweden with an interest for nonviolence, peace, human rights, climate justice, i.e. development alternatives, these changes have deep impacts.  A need for talks on how to mobilize people for resilient struggle and effective actions has been highlighted by many.

In this open conversation we are happy to welcome invited activists and scholars from US, UK and Sweden who are working for alternatives to militarisation, autokratisation and fascism in their own countries and globally.

We have organized this event from the basis of the conviction that dialogue, learning and collaboration between our respective countries are important, and that these dialouges, learning exchanges and partnerships need to be supported and strengthened.

We do believe that this event will attract first of all students at Umeå University, civil society activists, groups and movements from Umeå and Sweden as well as teachers, researchers and cultural workers. The event will be open for the public with opportunities for attending physically at Umeå University or digitally.

Our aims for this event are:

  • To increase knowledge about antiwar organisations and movements based in US, UK and Sweden who actively resists the systems of/for war and militarism in their own countries and globally, and about how these organisations and movements are working
  • To increase knowledge among about organisations and movements based in US and Sweden who are working against autocratisation and fascist tendencies
  • To inspire to cross-context learning and collaboration on nonviolent action and resistance between organisations and movements from US, UK and Sweden

By participating in this event, we would be happy if the participants would feel that they are part of a global movement and not alone and isolated, if they experienced new insights on opportunities for how to resist militarisation and autocratisation through nonviolence and on how to be engaged for peace and freedom in their own local and national context, but also through transnational collaborations and exchange.

Organizers:

Department of Political Science, Umeå University

Swedish Fellowship of Reconcilliation

Swedish Section of Women´s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

Another Development Foundation

Umeå Association for the Sami People (Såhkie)

Center for Sami Research (Vardduo), Umeå University

Härnösands People´s High School

Studiefrämjandet