Over 400 antiwar/anti-imperialist and Palestine solidarity activists convened in St. Paul, MN, April 5, 6, and 7, in the first major conference of the US antiwar movement since before the Pandemic of 2020 and 2021. Geographical representation ranged from Maine and New York to California and the Pacific Northwest, and from Minnesota to New Orleans and Florida, as well as Canada. There were international representatives from a number of countries.
More than 50 national and local groups participated – most notably the Black Alliance for Peace, the US Palestinian Community Network, American Muslims for Palestine, Veterans For Peace, CodePink, US Peace Council, Green Party Action Committee, BAYAN USA and International League for People’s Struggle, Bolivarian Circle, Just Peace Advocates from Canada, Sanctions Kill Campaign, Task Force on the Americas, China-US Solidarity Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Workers World Party, Alliance for Global Justice, Socialist Action, Party of Communists-USA, Struggle La Lucha, Coalition for Civil Freedoms and Movement Against War and Occupation (MAWO).
Conference hosts included Minneapolis-based Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), local Antiwar Committees, Twin Cities Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine. There were community based groups from around the country including the Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Bronx Antiwar Coalition, Virginia Defenders, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) Antiwar Committees from Dallas and Denver, and others.
Ajamu Baraka of Black Alliance for Peace and UNAC’s national coordinator Joe Lombardo opened the conference, and the Twin City Free Palestine Coalition provided the Opening Panel recapping lessons from months of struggle. At sundown Friday the Twin Cities Free Palestine Coalition hosted a fast-breaking for Ramadan, followed by a Palestinian drum performance.
The Palestinian issue and delegations inspired a high level of spirited unity against the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza. At its founding 15 years ago, UNAC came together as an antiwar coalition determined to include support for Palestine and united on the demand to “End All US Aid to Israel.”
The Palestinian Resistance struggle was a key focus throughout the conference, generating shared determination and strong unity. Other major issues included “No to NATO,” opposition to the US hybrid war against China, and resistance to racist US government attacks on migrants and people of color.
Greetings and receptions from the UN ambassadors of Sandinista Nicaragua and the Polisario Front of Western Sahara – Ambassador Lautaro Sandino and Dr. Sidi M. Omar, Ambassador of the Polisario Front of Western Sahara – were a highlight of the conference. Ambassador Sandino told participants the Nicaraguan government has filed a charge against Germany in the International Court of Justice for providing weapons to Israel.
Mnar Adley, founding editor of MintPress News, gave an extremely moving account of her family’s experience living in Jerusalem/Al Quds during the Israeli crackdown against the Second Intifada, of the 1990s. Conference participants also heard a greeting from Olga Sanabria Davila, representing the struggle to decolonize Puerto Rico, while William Camacaro of the Alliance for Global Justice raised accelerating US interventions in Latin America and the significance of the return of Diplomat Alex Saab to Venezuela after torturous imprisonment by the US.
More than 50 national and local groups participated – most notably the Black Alliance for Peace, the US Palestinian Community Network, American Muslims for Palestine, Veterans For Peace, CodePink, US Peace Council, Green Party Action Committee, BAYAN USA and International League for People’s Struggle, Bolivarian Circle, Just Peace Advocates from Canada, Sanctions Kill Campaign, Task Force on the Americas, China-US Solidarity Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Workers World Party, Alliance for Global Justice, Socialist Action, Party of Communists-USA, Struggle La Lucha, Coalition for Civil Freedoms and Movement Against War and Occupation (MAWO).
Conference hosts included Minneapolis-based Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), local Antiwar Committees, Twin Cities Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine. There were community based groups from around the country including the Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Bronx Antiwar Coalition, Virginia Defenders, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) Antiwar Committees from Dallas and Denver, and others.
Ajamu Baraka of Black Alliance for Peace and UNAC’s national coordinator Joe Lombardo opened the conference, and the Twin City Free Palestine Coalition provided the Opening Panel recapping lessons from months of struggle. At sundown Friday the Twin Cities Free Palestine Coalition hosted a fast-breaking for Ramadan, followed by a Palestinian drum performance.
The Palestinian issue and delegations inspired a high level of spirited unity against the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza. At its founding 15 years ago, UNAC came together as an antiwar coalition determined to include support for Palestine and united on the demand to “End All US Aid to Israel.”
The Palestinian Resistance struggle was a key focus throughout the conference, generating shared determination and strong unity. Other major issues included “No to NATO,” opposition to the US hybrid war against China, and resistance to racist US government attacks on migrants and people of color.
Greetings and receptions from the UN ambassadors of Sandinista Nicaragua and the Polisario Front of Western Sahara – Ambassador Lautaro Sandino and Dr. Sidi M. Omar, Ambassador of the Polisario Front of Western Sahara – were a highlight of the conference. Ambassador Sandino told participants the Nicaraguan government has filed a charge against Germany in the International Court of Justice for providing weapons to Israel.
Mnar Adley, founding editor of MintPress News, gave an extremely moving account of her family’s experience living in Jerusalem/Al Quds during the Israeli crackdown against the Second Intifada, of the 1990s. Conference participants also heard a greeting from Olga Sanabria Davila, representing the struggle to decolonize Puerto Rico, while William Camacaro of the Alliance for Global Justice raised accelerating US interventions in Latin America and the significance of the return of Diplomat Alex Saab to Venezuela after torturous imprisonment by the US.
UNAC - unacpeace@gmail.com
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