The Congress of Antiwar Initiatives, held in Berlin on December 3-4, 2022, was the first major gathering of antiwar and humanitarian activists. The activists agreed to form a joint platform, or network, to work together to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, help the war’s victims, and address other consequences of Putin’s regime.
THE CONGRESS IN NUMBERS
297 participants
Various individuals and groups including members of Anti-War Initiatives, non-profit organizations, political movements, and funds, as well as professionals from the fields of media, culture, education, and economy, participated in the Congress
30 counties
The participants in the Congress came from nearly 30 countries across the EU, Southern Caucasus, Australia, the UK, and the US
12 topics to discuss
Twelve brainstorming sessions, masterclasses, and discussions were held at the Congress. These topics were formulated based on Anti-War Initiatives’ queries and were pre-elaborated in focus groups.
After the Congress, many people observed that it was the most diverse and balanced representation of the Anti-War movement since the beginning of the war.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THE CONGRESS
The Congress aimed to organize the cooperation of Anti-War initiatives, increase their efficiency and visibility, and work together towards returning Russia to a path of peaceful and democratic development.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CONGRESS
After the Congress, a temporary contact group consisting of 65 participants was formed with the aim of creating a future alliance or platform for civil anti-war and humanitarian initiatives.
The group meets 1-2 times a month and communicates in a separate chat.
Seven internal groups have been created to consider various issues, such as the formation of goals and values of the platform, the target audience, structure and management, publicity, digital solutions, exchange of experience and joint learning, and attraction of new resources.
The contact group aims to launch the platform in the first half of 2023. The group has also released a joint statement on the anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine