[sust-mar] 6 upcoming webinars & 7 take action and more for peace, earth & justice

[Tamara Lorincz]

Hello Sust-Mar!

I hope everyone is well despite these terrible times with wars raging and a lot of suffering across Canada and around the world.

I wanted to share a list of 16 upcoming webinars and 7 action alerts related to peace, earth & justice below. Please scroll down and feel free to share.

It is shameful that the Carney Liberal government is spending $64 billion this year on the military and celebrating reaching the 2% of GDP target, the highest level of military spending since the Second World War: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/03/26/prime-minister-carney-announces-canada-has-achieved-nato-2-defence and see also the latest NATO Defence Expenditures report: https://www.nato.int/content/dam/nato/webready/documents/finance/def-exp-2025-en.pdf  This rise in military spending represents an opportunity cost of not funding programs for women, children, environment, climate & peace.

Worse still, today, the Department of National Defence announced that the American subsidiary General Dynamic in Quebec will get $1.4 billion in tax dollars for the production of more guns and bullets! Canada is preparing for war: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2026/04/minister-lightbound-underscores-investment-of-14-billion-into-domestic-ammunition-production.html  This is a grave threat! This militarization of the Canadian economy is getting almost no Parliamentary opposition.

Also, my article “Carney’s plan to militarize the melting Arctic threatens peace at the top of the world” has just been published by Ricochet Media: https://ricochet.media/climate/carneys-plan-to-militarize-the-melting-arctic-threatens-peace-at-the-top-of-the-world/ *I would be grateful if you could retweet and share on X: https://x.com/ricochet_en/status/2041877681650769982 and share on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/ricochetmedia.bsky.social The Canadian government should work with all Arctic states to make the region a zone of peace and cooperation not a new battlefield against Russia.

*A rare but big sign of hope! Taiwan and China are peacebuilding! “Kuomintang Leader Warns Taiwan on 'Post-Ukraine' Risk: First mainland visit in 10 years seeks peace ahead of Trump's trip.”  It is very hopeful that Taiwanese KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun is in China now on an “historic journey for peace”! She is the first KMT leader who has visited the Chinese mainland in a decade: https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en/2026/04/07/LQFCGAUOYZFZNNA4VB4PNE7VDM/
Before her trip, the Chairwoman said “If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize even the slightest chance, every possible opportunity, to keep Taiwan from being ravaged by war.” See this report on her trip: https://x.com/CCTV_Plus/status/2041808133501415935
The last time Cheng Li-wun was in China was twenty years ago and she talked about the “remarkable development and progress China has made” during that time. Cheng Li-wun said she does not want Taiwan to become a battlefield. She doesn’t want Western weapons!: See here: https://x.com/i/status/2041561417866998101 and https://x.com/apocalypseos/status/2041763179496403407
*The U.S. and other NATO allies have been recklessly arming Taiwan, militarizing the Indo-Pacific, and fomenting conflict and division between China and Taiwan instead of encouraging peacebuilding. The Taiwanese woman leader is defying this Western militarization and choosing peace instead! This gives me hope!

The Global Campaign Against Military Spending runs from April 9 to May 10: https://demilitarize.org/ see more details below. Carney is increasing military spending and cutting social and environmental programs across the federal government. i.e. The Liberal government is cutting the Canada Water Agency implementing the Canadian Water Strategy: https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-water-agency-budget-cuts/ but it is investing tens of billions on the Defence Investment Agency and Defence Industrial Strategy to ramp up weapons production and exports. This is wrong.

In solidarity for peace, earth & justice,
Tamara

UPCOMING EVENTS & TAKE ACTION

(1)
ONLINE & IN-PERSON: The New Nuclear Arms Race
Wed. April 8, 5 p.m. ET
Online & in-person at 60 Lowther Ave, Toronto
Matt Korda is the Associate Director for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, and Associate Senior Researcher with the Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/P-OH4vETRGmUHJH1V1Tc3Q#/registration
In person: https://www.scienceforpeace.org/events-1/the-new-nuclear-arms-race

(2)
WEBINAR: Cuba Under Siege: What Happens Next?
Wed April 8 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT
Rafael Hernández, leading scholar of both Cuban politics and Cuba-US relations takes on the question of the outlook and options for Cuba in the face of the US all out siege and oil blockade.  How long can Cuba hold out?  What is the nature of the crisis internally?  What are the plans and prospects for the Cuban government in the face of this dire situation?
Organized by Massachusetts Peace Action. https://masspeaceaction.org/event/cuba-under-siege-what-happens-next/

(3)
WEBINAR “A Feminist Perspective on Climate Change and Militarization” : Wednesday, April 8 at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET with speaker Dr. Diana Ojeda, Colombian geographer, & moderator Tamara Lorincz, VOW & WILPF-Canada member. Register in advance here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/e18lLqWPTCql6NpCvK6Z-g#/registration
All welcome. Organized by the IPPNW-Canada.

(4)
WEBINAR: Money Beyond Borders: Global Currencies From Croesus to Crypto
How secure is the dollar’s position as the world’s leading currency?
April 9, 2026. 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Organized by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Register: https://quincyinst.org/events/money-beyond-borders-global-currencies-from-croesus-to-crypto/

(5)
WEBINAR: Is Peace Still The Most Important Topic on Earth, as JFK claimed?
Apr 10, 2026 07:00 PM
Speaker: Timmon Wallis is the Executive Director of NuclearBan.US. He has a PhD in Peace Studies and has spent a lifetime working for peace. He has worked as a peace worker in several war zones and has run training programs for others going into dangerous situations. He helped establish the world's first international unarmed civilian peacekeeping mission that has been monitoring a ceasefire in the southern Philippines since 2009. He took part in the negotiations which led to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017 and has led several peace organizations. His latest book, Nuclear Abolition: A Scenario, describes one possible pathway to the total abolition of nuclear weapons.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/eYC_WUE6QRCA7v_2SABVew?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ3swFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFqbkV4MGRkVHUzeWVJWWhjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn4hHVBHgo93JKMarPl7XTtkzCoC03ybtSitZrj9eXENDQ73YlmmNHQdy3Wm_aem_ThXoHP3v0oHpUEdJWV-bcg#/registration

(6)
WEBINAR: Lecture & Discussion: End the 500-Year War Against Africa Now!
Start: Friday, April 10, 2026• 07:00 PM CEST (check local time)
Speakers: Guy Feugap, Africa Organizer for World BEYOND War. He is a secondary school teacher, writer, and peace activist, based in Cameroon. He has long worked to educate youths for peace and non-violence. His work has put young girls in particular at the heart of crisis resolution and awareness raising on several issues in their communities. He joined WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom) in 2014 and founded the Cameroon Chapter of World BEYOND War in 2020. & Wolfgang Lieberknecht is a co-coordinator of the World BEYOND War International Peace Factory Wanfried chapter. https://actionnetwork.org/events/end-the-500-year-war-against-africa-now/?clear_id=true

(7)
ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH “Canada & NATO: Myth of a Global Peacekeeper”: Join author Owen Schalk and peace activist Sarah Borbridge for a book launch and discussion at @mcnallyrobinson on April 10th, 7pm CT / 8pm ET. As Canada continues its support for rampant US imperial aggression and a commitment to its own colonial and imperial project, understanding Canada’s role in NATO, past and present is more important than ever. More info: https://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/event-18921/Owen-Schalk-Book-Launch Watch it here on https://www.youtube.com/live/aLMfVuzIHso

(8)
ONLINE MEETING: Global Women United for Peace Against NATO (GWUAN)
GWUAN will be meeting this Saturday 11th April at a time more suitable for our friends in India and Australia, so I hope they'll make every effort to join us! Time: New York - 7.30am / London - 12.30 noon / Helsinki - 2.30pm / Delhi - 5.00pm / Canberra - 9.30pm
Please register in advance here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/JuOcjfHOS8G15CsFO8OZgg
Women against NATO: https://www.womenagainstnato.org

(9)
WEBINAR: “Shelter from the Storm: How Climate Change Is Creating a New Era of Migration with author Julian Hattem”
Saturday, April 11 at 10 AM Pacific Coast Time, 10 AM Arizona Time, 1 PM East Coast Time, and 19 hours Central European Time and 18 Kinshasa Time.
Author and native of Arizona Julian Hattem will address global migration and climate change. Julian is author of Shelter from the Storm: How Climate Change Is Creating a New Era of Migration. Julian Hattem is a journalist, writer, and editor focused on politics, government, and migration for more than fifteen years. He has reported from four continents and is currently the editor of Migration Information Source, the online magazine of the Migration Policy Institute, and founder and host of the podcast Changing Climate, Changing Migration. The zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89896585053

(10)
WEBINAR: Socialist Chinamaxxing: How China’s achievements are a product of its socialist system
Sunday, Apr 12 from 10 am to 12 pm EDT, Organized by the International Manifesto Group. Great line-up of speakers! Register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/socialist-chinamaxxing-how-chinas-achievements-are-a-product-of-socialism-tickets-1985962699896?aff=oddtdtcreator

(11)
WEBINAR: Venezuela: What Really Happened January 3? What is Happening Now?
Mon April 13 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm EDT
Two leading activists and former members of the Bolivarian government will speak to these questions, and then answer yours as we continue to build a movement to support the Bolivarian Revolution, the Venezuelan people, and the President of that country, kidnapped and held for ransom.
Organized by Massachusetts Peace Action.
https://masspeaceaction.org/event/venezuela-what-happened-january-3/

(12)
WEBINAR: U.S. Military Spending with William Hartung & more!
April 15: Tax Day in the USA (15:00h EDT, 12:00 PDT, 21:00 CEST) - Join our webinar about US military spending during Tax Day, with David Vine (Dismantle the MIC), Bill Hartung (Quincy Institute), Savannah Wooten (Public Citizen / People over Pentagon) and others. Register: https://forms.komun.org/tax-day-webinar-gdams-26

(13)
WEBINAR: Fossil Fuel Treaty webinar on the upcoming Santa Marta conference to transition away from fossil fuels.
Thursday April 16, 2026, 14:00 GMT: https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/santa-marta-network-briefing
The webinar will be in English with interpretation into Spanish, Portuguese, and French
This one-hour session will orient you on the Santa Marta conference, covering the Colombian political context, participation opportunities, and how our network can most effectively advocate for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. It will also focus on the strategic importance of advancing the Fossil Fuel Treaty at this critical moment and why aligning around this demand will be essential for shaping successful outcomes in Santa Marta. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F_VljfJTRyuhF0oQE90caw#/registration

(14)
WEBINAR: Ukraine War: Its End-Game Could End Up in Nuclear War with Dr. Peter Kuznick
Tue April 21 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EDT
Register: https://masspeaceaction.org/event/ukraine-war-its-end-game-could-end-up-in-nuclear-war/
Our guest speaker is Prof. Peter Kuznick of American University, founder of the Nuclear Studies Institute and longtime advocate for nuclear disarmament. He will discuss how the Ukraine War is the most likely international flashpoint that could lead to WWIII between the US/NATO and Russia, which would probably mean a catastrophic nuclear war. Now in its fifth year, Prof. Kuznick will discuss the growing possibility of a Ukrainian military defeat later this year after Russia mounts an anticipated major offensive this spring or summer. Russian forces not only could push Ukrainian troops entirely out of the eastern region of the Donbas, but also continue advancing west to the Dnieper River, effectively occupying half of Ukraine’s territory and threatening major cities like Kharkiv and Odessa. Peter Kuznick is Professor of History and founder and Director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University. A longtime advocate for nuclear disarmament, he has written extensively about science and politics, nuclear history, and Cold War culture. He is the author of Beyond the Laboratory: Scientists as Political Activists in 1930s America (2019); the co-author of Rethinking the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with Akira Kimura; and Rethinking Cold War Culture (2010) with James Gilbert. He and Oliver Stone co-authored the 10 part Showtime documentary film series and book both titled The Untold History of the United States. Organized by Massachusetts Peace Action.
Register: https://masspeaceaction.org/event/ukraine-war-its-end-game-could-end-up-in-nuclear-war/

(15)
WEBINAR “Women in Conflict Zones”: on Wednesday, April 29 at 12:00pm ET (find the time in your time zone<https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Webinar%3A+Women+in+Conflict+Zones&iso=20260429T12&p1=179&ah=1&am=30>), the Women in Conflict Zones webinar will focus on the widening war in the SWANA/Middle East region launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Featuring women’s voices from Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and the West Bank. Retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel Ann Wright will open the webinar with the latest update on U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) activities in the region. Dr. Jamila J. Ghaddar will talk about her work archiving conflicts across the region. WILPF member Shirine Jurdi of WILPF Lebanon will share her experiences. This webinar aims to create a space for examining the gendered impacts of war and violent conflict for all people who experience gender-based oppression. Register: https://worldbeyondwar.org/women-in-conflict/?clear_id=true

(16)
WEBINAR: FROM POWER POLITICS TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION
May 2nd 7.30am New York, 12.30pm UK, 9.30pm Canberra
Please register in advance here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6RrczllOTPW_henM0mwqEw
An Australian diplomat, Burton was experienced in Cold War diplomacy, civil strife, reforming organizations, resistance to change.  He had 'been there' and he found much to criticize. He knew that words and ideas were not enough: there needed to be instruments of change.
This webinar will outline the main principles of his pioneering work. Burton was key to the foundation of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) in 1964, and of the Conflict Research Society in the UK. He thought that words and ideas were not enough: there needed to be instruments of change. Global Women for Peace United Against NATO present this informative and important webinar discussing aspects of the work of John W Burton.

TAKE ACTION

(1)
CONSULTATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: Share your thoughts about Canada’s 2026-2029 Draft Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Deadline May 12: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/transparency/consultations/share-your-throughts-draft-2026-2029-federal-sustainable-development-strategy.html

(2)
PLAN AN EVENT TO STOP THE INCREASES TO MILITARY SPENDING: Join us from April 10 to May 9 for the Global Days of Action Against Military Spending and stand against war and militarization worldwide. Share it widely. Visit https://demilitarize.org/ for more details and updates.

(3)
SIGN THE GDAMS 2026 APPEAL: Sign the Appeal and a Call to Action Against Global Militarization: https://demilitarize.org/media_news/gdams-2026-appeal-a-call-to-action-against-global-militarization/

(4)
SIGN THE PETITION: Canada: Sanction Israel's E1 Settlement Project Now!
Israel is finally moving ahead with a criminally dangerous settlement project in the occupied West Bank – called “E1” – that will permanently sever the north from the south, carving up Palestine into disconnected enclaves. This is classic colonial divide-and-conquer.
That’s why we are asking you to add your voice to our urgent campaign.
Sometimes referred to as Israel's “doomsday” settlement, the E1 expansion would permanently entrench Israeli annexation and foreclose any viable path to a just political resolution. To underscore the point, Israel's Finance Minister Smotrich has explicitly said that the project is intended to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
Sign: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/canada-must-sanction-israels-illegal-e1-settlement-project?source=direct_link&referrer=group-cjpme

(5)
SIGN THE PETITION: Our call stands: Stop the Prisoners’ Execution Law
This law was passed by the Israeli Knesset on March 30, 2026. Its passing marks a dangerous and unprecedented escalation in Israel’s pursuit of Palestinian erasure. This law mandates the death penalty for Palestinians accused of causing the death of an Israeli citizen ‘deliberately or through indifference,’ from a motive of racism or hostility against an Israeli citizen and with the aim of harming the State of Israel and ‘the national revival of the Jewish people in its land’. It includes two distinct tracks: in the occupied West Bank, military courts would impose the death penalty under military law, by a simple majority of judges rather than a unanimous decision. In ‘Israel’ and occupied East Jerusalem, the death penalty would apply under Israeli criminal law. The wording of the legislation makes clear that it will function as yet another apartheid policy and genocidal tool, in that it will apply exclusively to Palestinians, entrenching Israel’s racial domination, subjugation, and destruction of the Palestinian people. In all cases, sentences would be mandatory, carried out by hanging within 90 days, and expressly exempt from commutation. This puts thousands of Palestinian detainees – including children – at imminent risk of execution. Sign here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/our-call-stands-stop-the-prisoners-execution-law

(6)
EMAIL YOUR MP: BUILD HOMES NOT PIPELINES
https://leadnow.ca/campaigns/pipelinesgenett/?source=email-260407-genMP-kick-wide-enviro&link_id=1&can_id=08297aacfa6299b1025e006dffcf983d&email_referrer=email_3181683&email_subject=firstname-default-friend-s-mp-big-oil

(7)
SIGN THE PETITION: Tell the Canada Pension Plan: Divest from ICE
https://leadnow.ca/campaigns/cpp-ice-pet/?source=email-cppice-pet-wide&link_id=0&can_id=7cd2346711654f14ffcb44c8a30a13e9&email_referrer=email_3169748&email_subject=canada-pension-plan-investing-in-ice

RESOURCES

(1)
SIPRI to co-host intensive course on WMD non-proliferation and disarmament in June
SIPRI and the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) are pleased to announce that they will host a course on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) non-proliferation and disarmament in an era of technological convergence. This intensive, in-person course will take place in Stockholm on 23–25 June 2026 and is now open for applications. The course is aimed at graduate students and early career professionals in technical or natural science disciplines and will include lectures by leading experts, as well as interactive sessions designed to apply concepts to real-world scenarios. Participants will be introduced to the foundations of WMD non-proliferation and disarmament, with a particular focus on the governance challenges posed by dual-use science and technology. In a security environment marked by geopolitical fragmentation, interstate conflict, erosion of arms control norms, and rapid scientific and technological change, the course will explore how non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament frameworks are adapting to address the evolving threats. Click here for more information, including how to apply. The deadline for applications is 10 April 2026.
https://www.sipri.org/news/2026/sipri-co-host-intensive-course-wmd-non-proliferation-and-disarmament-june

(2)
FYI: On April 13-18, the National Week of Action against LNG “Not in our National Interest” – this week aims to position LNG as not in our national interest with actions that directly engage with key decision makers such as federal MPs, relevant Ministers, and Export Development Canada.
See list of events across Canada: https://linktr.ee/NotInOurNationalInterest
Organized by a coalition of environmental groups including Stand.Earth.

(3)
NEW GROUP “No to NATO”
Website:  https://notonato2026.org/en
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DWrg88mDXyi/
*They are preparing for a protest and counter-summit during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye: https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2025/08/20/turkiye-to-host-2026-nato-summit-in-ankara

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