Manifesto: Reduce military spending to overcome the crisis
35,000 people die every day in the world from starvation or lack of health-care. There are 1.02 billion people suffering from starvation; in Europe alone 23 million people are unemployed (more than four million in Spain) and half of humanity lives on less than $2 a day.
To improve humanity's quality of life and preserve the planet we must commit resources and time to developing an economy that serves people, the end goal of which is to improve quality of life through education, health, development, justice and human rights.
The reality, however, is that global military spending amounts to $1.55bn (2.7% of global GDP), or $4.246bn a year. Considering the fact that governments often don't publicise these figures in t heir entirety it is possible that they are much higher. This enormous expenditure goes to the maintenance of 21 million soldiers(2.5 million in the EU, 130,000 of whom are in Spain) and to the acquisition of huge amounts of arms ($400bn annually).
In anticipation of the celebration on the 12th of April of the Global Day of Action on Military Spending, promoted by various organisations led by the International Peace Bureau (IPB), we want to add our voice to that of the citizens of the world to show our opposition to this absurd military expenditure.
Because:
. Military expenditure stokes old and new armed conflicts.
. Military expenditure reinforces a culture of violence that incites and justifies violence and wars.
. The privileges of the military-industrial complex, the only beneficiary of this inflated expenditure, must be ended.
. The predominant inertia must end, inertia that bases security on militarism while scorning authentic human security based on the protection of health, the stimulation of education, a healthy environment, access to accommodation, decent employment and respect for human rights..
. A peaceful world does not occur through increased military spending but rather from investment in conflict prevention, democratic governance and disarmament.
Federations, organisations and people who support the Manifesto:
Charities and centres:
Asociación Voluntariado de la Universidad de Valladolid, Càtedra UNESCO de Filosofia per a la Pau de la Universitat Jaume I de Castelló, Centre UNESCO de Catalunya, Federació Catalana d’ONG pel Desenvolupament, Federació Catalana d’ONG pels Drets Humans, Federació Catalana d’ONG per la Pau, Fundación Cultura de Paz, Fundació per la Pau, Justícia i Pau, Plataforma per la Pau de Lloret de Mar, Seminario Galego de Educación para a Paz (SGEP).
People in the field of culture, society and movements for peace:
Toni Albà, Jordi Armadans, Xavier Badia, Siscu Baiges, Alfons Banda, Àngels Bassas, Jordi Borja, Jordi Calvo, Jordi Camí, Manuel Dios Diz, Miquel Àngel Essomba, Francisco Fernández Buey, Tica Font, August Gil Matamala, Rafael Grasa, Eduard Ibàñez, Mar Jiménez, Joel Joan, Kilian Jornet, Gemma Lienas, Lluís Llach, Vicent Martínez Guzmán, Rita Marzoa, Xavier Masllorens, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, David Minoves, Anna Monjo, Jordi Muñoz, Arcadi Oliveres, Pere Ortega, Vicent Partal, Jordi Pigem, Jordi Porta, Raimon, Rosa Regàs, Pep Riera, Martín Rodríguez Rojo, Gervasio Sánchez, Cinta S. Bellmunt, Gabriela Serra, Joan Subirats, Josep-Maria Terricabras, Francesc Torralba Roselló, Francesc Tubau, Feliu Ventura.
