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The Hague – On Saturday, June 21, a coalition of Dutch peace organizations will host former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a keynote speaker at the Counter-Summit for Peace and Justice. Corbyn is widely recognized as a leading figure in the international peace movement. The Counter-Summit, organized in response to the NATO summit, aims to bring together peace activists from across the Netherlands and abroad for in-depth discussions. On Sunday, June 22, the coalition will follow up with a Protest for Peace and Justice. With a march through The Hague — which police initially refused to permit — the organizers want to show that there is indeed resistance to growing militarization.

The coalition is proud to announce the first two keynote speakers for the Counter-Summit: Jeremy Corbyn and Peter Mertens. Mertens is the general secretary and a member of parliament for the Belgian Workers’ Party (PVDA/PTB), which plays a prominent role in opposing militarization in Belgium. Coalition spokesperson Guido van Leemput stated:

“Throughout his political career, Corbyn has consistently spoken out against war. From the anti-nuclear movement to the Iraq invasion — Jeremy was always at the forefront. He has also been a long-time advocate for the rights of the Palestinian people. The same goes for Mertens and the PVDA.”

The organizers hope the Counter-Summit will energize the anti-war movement at home and abroad, and see the involvement of well-known activists like Corbyn and Mertens as a crucial step in that direction.

Jeremy Corbyn himself emphasized the importance of raising a voice for peace and justice:

“Blowing up the profits of arms companies while the public treasury is drained to boost military spending is a threat to us all. Instead of investing in weapons of mass destruction, we should be investing in real security: our schools, hospitals, and housing — to ensure everyone can live a happy and healthy life.

We must work together across borders, not to dominate, but to build a world based on peace, human rights, and dignity for all. That’s why I’m proud to join the Counter-Summit in The Hague.”

The day after the Counter-Summit, on Sunday, June 22, the Protest for Peace and Justice will take place at Koekamp. Initially, police had refused to allow the planned march past the Peace Palace, but that decision has now been reversed. The organizers are relieved that the march can go ahead.

“News coverage is dominated by military voices and politicians demanding more money for weapons. Anyone who questions that narrative is immediately dismissed as a friend of Putin. That’s why it’s especially important that our demonstration is given space,” said Olaf Kemerink, spokesperson for the coalition.

To help make the events possible, the coalition is also raising donations via:

👉 https://firestarterfund.nl/campaigns/13

The Hague – A group of organizations and activists, united under the banner of the Counter-Summit Coalition for Peace and Justice, is organizing a demonstration and counter-summit against NATO in The Hague on June 21 and 22. On the weekend before the NATO summit, the coalition aims to raise a critical voice. The counter-summit will feature panel discussions, workshops, and lectures addressing the dangers of NATO’s military policies and exploring alternative solutions for sustainable and just peace. The event will culminate in a demonstration against the NATO war summit. The organizers expect a diverse group of participants from both the Netherlands and abroad.

Spokesperson Olaf Kemerink explains:

“While many people are afraid of further military escalation, NATO is coming to The Hague to prepare for more war. Rutte and Trump won’t bring peace — they’re organizing a war summit to decide that even more money should go to the arms industry.”

The Counter-Summit Coalition believes it is time for a different voice. Spokesperson Guido van Leemput adds:

“If you read the newspapers, you’d think NATO is keeping us safe. But with the arms race they are fueling and the war rhetoric they promote, the world is only becoming more dangerous. Those who stockpile weapons will eventually want to use them.”

Now that NATO member states are increasingly divided and the alliance appears to be in its biggest crisis since its founding, the need for an alternative grows.

“In The Hague, they want to ‘save’ NATO with more defense spending, but we want solutions rooted in sustainable peace and justice,” Van Leemput says.

“We want to engage with everyone who feels fear, anger, or concern about increasing militarization. Security should center people — not just the safety of a select group of wealthy nations.”

The resistance to militarization is broad. Kemerink explains:

“From local residents resisting military training zones, to Palestinians being bombed with NATO weapons. From climate activists who know the war industry destroys the planet, to union members who see that weapons spending leads to cuts in education — we want to bring all of these groups together.”

The Counter-Summit Coalition hopes to help revitalize the anti-war movement.

“That is urgently needed,” Van Leemput says.

“We cannot allow the war machine of Rutte and Trump to keep rolling forward unchecked.”

In the coming period, the coalition will work on organizing the counter-summit and demonstration, while spreading its message. Through activism, lectures, and articles, they aim to draw attention to the dangers of militarization and the need for alternatives.

“We’re reaching out to everyone who feels fear, anger, or concern about the increasing militarization,” says Van Leemput.

“Whether it’s about the war in Ukraine, the threat of nuclear weapons, or NATO’s role in keeping out refugees from wars it helped fuel — we want to start a conversation with anyone who’s open to it, and we hope everyone who cares about peace and justice will join us.”

Kemerink concludes:

“NATO does not serve ordinary people — it serves the interests of a small group of wealthy countries and the arms industry. That’s why the alternative will have to come from the people themselves. And we can use all the help we can get.”

For more information and ways to support the Counter-Summit Coalition, visit tegentopcoalitie.nl.

Donations are welcome via: https://firestarterfund.nl/campaigns/13.