Events

The Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations opens with the words, “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.” These opening words continue to serve as a reminder that the UN itself was created to help prevent war, and to never forget the ruin that war can bring upon the world.

Since the UN's creation, the international community has not seen a conflict with the same level of global catastrophe caused by the Second World War, which motivated governments toward its creation. Unfortunately, the “scourge of war” has not disappeared. Now, nearly 70 years after the Charter's signing, ongoing violent conflicts continue to inflict unimaginable suffering around the world. Some, such as the current crises in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, have resulted in untold innocent deaths.

The implications of militarization touch every corner of the global village. Over $1.7 trillion is spent annually on armaments, making up about 2.5 percent of the world's GDP. 

This MLT Congress will bring together a diverse and high-level panel to assess the role of war in recent human history and how far humanity has advanced in limiting the scourge of war, particularly since the signing of the UN Charter. The Congress will seek to address the root causes of conflict and will highlight key aspects of this topic, including the knowledge that peace comes through strength, the question of increasing militarism in society, and the view that war should be abolished, just as the institutions of slavery, colonialism, apartheid and legal impediments for the equal voting rights of women have been eliminated.