A group of organisations and activists – among them DiEM25 – united under the Counter-Summit Coalition for Peace and Justice, is organising a demonstration and counter-summit against NATO in The Hague on June 21 and 22.

In the weekend leading up to the NATO summit, the coalition wants to voice a dissenting viewpoint. Through panel discussions, workshops and lectures, the counter-summit will address the dangers of NATO’s military policy and alternative solutions for sustainable and just peace.

This will be followed by a demonstration against the NATO war summit. The organisation expects a diverse group of participants from home and abroad.

DiEM25 co-founder Yanis Varoufakis recently said: “NATO is like the Mafia: creating insecurity to sell security, creating threats to sell protection. It’s a protection racket. NATO creates wars, monsters like [Vladimir] Putin and Saddam [Hussein], and uses them to justify its own monstrosities – turning Europeans into its slaves.”

The Counter-Summit Coalition believes it is time for a different narrative. Spokesperson Guido van Leemput says: “If you open the newspapers, you would think that NATO keeps us safe. But the arms race they are driving and the war language they are uttering only makes the world more unsafe. Anyone purchasing this many weapons is bound to use them at some point.”

With NATO countries divided among themselves and the alliance seemingly in the greatest crisis since its existence, the need for an alternative is also growing. “In The Hague, they want to save NATO with more defence spending, but we want solutions for lasting peace and justice instead. We want to start the conversation with everyone who is afraid, angry or worried about the growing militarisation. Not the security of a select group of rich countries, but the security of people should be central,” Van Leemput adds.

Opposition to increasing militarisation is broad. Olaf Kemerink, also a spokesperson for the coalition, mentioned: “From local residents taking action against training grounds, to Palestinians being bombed with NATO weapons. From climate activists who know that the war industry is destroying the planet, to trade unionists who see that investments in weapons lead to cuts in education. We want to bring these groups together.”

The Counter-Summit Coalition thus aims to boost the momentum of the anti-war movement. Van Leemput: “That is badly needed, because we cannot let Rutte’s and Trump’s war machine keep chugging.”

In the coming period, the organisation will be organising the counter-summit and demonstration and spreading its message. Through activism, lectures and articles, they will raise awareness of the opposition to militarisation and the need for alternatives.

Van Leemput: “We are here for anyone who is scared, angry or worried by increasing militarisation. Whether that is about the war in Ukraine, the danger of nuclear weapons, or the NATO mission to keep out war refugees while NATO itself fuels conflict. We want to start the conversation with anyone who is open to it, and we hope that everyone who also stands for peace and justice will join us.”

Kemerink: “NATO is not there for ordinary people, but serves the interests of a small group of rich countries and the arms industry. Therefore, an alternative will have to come from the people themselves. For that we could use all the help we can get.”

For more information and opportunities to support the Counter-Summit Coalition, see here. Donations are welcome through the following link.

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