World Day Against War : December 10-11-12, 2022 

We, the undersigned workers, labour activists, youth activists from 32 countries, participating in the World Conference Against War and Exploitation, For a Workers International (29-30 October 2022), declare: 

It is urgent that all the forces opposed to the war, belonging to the labour movement, make their voices heard. 

We decide to invite, in each of our respective countries, on 9, 10 and 11 December, the labour organizations and activists to organize in any and all possible forms (picket lines, meetings, rallies, press conferences, etc.) on the following slogans : 

– Immediate and unconditional cease-fire !
– Russian troops out of Ukraine ! NATO troops out of Europe !
– Foreign troops out of the countries they occupy !
– Not one penny, not one weapon for this injust war !
– Billions for wages, education, healthcare – not for the war !
– No support whatsoever to warmongering governments ! 

 Appeal from the World Conference
Against War and Exploitation, For a Workers’ International Paris, 29-30 October 2022 

We, workers, young people, activists of the labour and democratic movements from 47 countries and all continents, take up the words of Jean Jaurès, the historic figure of international socialism, on the eve of the outbreak of the 1914 war: « Capitalism carries war within it, just like the cloud carries the storm.” 

This formulation is still of burning relevance today. 

In 2022, wars are ravaging every continent, causing massacres, devastation, famines and epidemics. Tens of millions of people are being driven out of their countries. We are witnessing a formidable retreat of human civilisation, threatened with pure and simple disappearance. 

The peoples and workers of the world are against war. They know that it means ever more oppression and exploitation. 

We declare without the slightest hesitation that these wars and the destruction and barbarism that they unleash are the product of the decomposition of the capitalist system based on 

the private ownership of the means of production —a system which, in order to reap ever greater profits, does not shrink from any aggression. 

The workers know that in the name of the « war effort », all governments, whatever side of the front line they are on, organise deregulation, unemployment, the destruction of education and public services, the dismantling of factories, the desertification of the countryside. 

Workers know: War is always used by governments to force labour organisations to give up their independence and submit to the State. 

Like all workers, we condemn the war unleashed by order of President Putin on 24 February 2022 in Ukraine. From the very beginning of the conflict, we have called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country. 

Like all workers, we note that the major capitalist powers, under the aegis of the Biden administration, NATO and the European Union, have done everything to provoke this conflict, and are doing everything to stoke it. 

As we meet, over 100,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. Tens of thousands of troops have been massed by NATO on the Ukrainian and Russian borders. 140 billion dollars have already been allocated by the United States and the European Union to the war effort, mainly to overarm Ukraine. 

Politicians and the media are openly talking about the risk of a possible 3rd world war and the use of nuclear weapons. 

Workers are not deluded: The growing intervention of the imperialist powers in Ukraine is aimed at extending the domination of the multinational corporations – especially the U.S. multinationals – over the whole world. President Biden has warned that beyond Russia, China will be the target. 

Every minute, governments spend $4 million on war. Yes: $4 million a minute, over $2.1 trillion a year, on war! Meanwhile, hunger in the world affects 800 million people and food insecurity affects 2.3 billion people – figures that are constantly increasing! Four million dollars per minute for war! And there is a lack of funds to save the tens of millions of children who die every year from diseases that we know and can treat. 

Therefore, while we demand the withdrawal of Russian troops, we also demand the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Europe. We call for the dismantling of NATO, the withdrawal of all foreign occupation troops from all countries of the world, and an end to all imperialist and neo-colonial interventions. 

The war in Ukraine cannot be detached from the long chain of wars that have been ravaging all continents for more than half a century, wars that 

are always fomented by the capitalist powers and whose map of wars generally overlaps the map of the riches of the subsoil. 

The workers have no common interest with the multinationals, nor with the capitalists of the different countries, nor with their own governments. Yet it is clear that in the major capitalist countries the leaders of the labour organisations refuse to genuinely oppose the war. 

In the United States, they support the warlike ventures of President Biden; in the European Parliament, their elected representatives vote for resolutions that aggravate the sanctions against the Russian people, over-arm the belligerents and strengthen the links with NATO. 

We appeal to all workers and youth, to activists of all origins in the labour movement, to labour organisations: Reject any form of “sacred union” / national unity with the warmongering governments and the capitalists whose interests they defend. 

The only union that is consistent with the cause of peace and social justice is the union of the workers and peoples of the whole world. 

Down with war! 

Down with exploitation! 

Workers of the world, labour organisations, oppressed peoples, let us unite against war and exploitation, to impose peace and preserve the future of humanity.

 Endorsers of the appeal 

Algeria. BELHADJ Amel, activist; BENTALEB Abdelkader, Comité d’organisation des socialistes internationalists, COSI (Organizing Committee of Internationalist Socialists); BOUGUERRA Mohamed, Comités unitaires pour le parti ouvrier (Unitary Committees for a Workers Party); KAHINA Nadine; MAHDI Adlène, Cercles des jeunes pour le socialism (Circles of youth for socialism); SABRY Nadia, COSI.
Azania/South Africa. PHANGWA Mandlenkosi, Azanian section of the Fourth International.
Belarus. IVANOV Yuri.
Bangladesh. CHOWDHURY Baddruduja, Democratic Workers’ Party; DEWANJEE Amlan, Democratic Workers’ Party.
Belgium. AIME Emilie, teacher; BRIKE Lionel, education trade unionist; DARMONT Eléonore, student; GIARROCCO Roberto, UnitéEenheidscomité committee; K. Olga, social worker; MONSIEUR Serge, President CGSP ALR Vivaqua.
Benin. ASSOGBA Innocent, trade unionist; GNONLONFOUN Liliane, trade unionist.
Brazil. APPEL Emmanuel José, philosophy professor, UFPR (retired), PT Curitiba; CALDAS Andrea, university professor, PSOL-Curitiba; HOMEM Anísio G., editor, PT Curitiba; JACOBS Pedro, director of the 39th trade union nucleus of CPERS-Porto Alegre; RIBEIRO Cláudio, retired labour lawyer, PT founder, Curitiba; SANTANA José Carlos, PT Porto Alegre.
Burkina Faso. COULIBALY Adama, Alternative patriotique panafricaine APP-Burkindi.
Burundi. HATUNGIMANA Richard*; HAVYARIMANA Aline*; HAVYARIMANA Renovat*; IRAMBONA Alice*; IRIZA Allégresse*; KABURA Claver*; NDAYATUKE Désiré*; NIBARUTA Fleur, Association des mères célibataires, AMC(Association of Single Mothers); NININAHAZWE Alice*; NTIHWANYA Clément*; NSHIMIRIMA Fidélité*; SINZINKAYO Jérôme*.
Canada. MUBEZA Pamella, women’s rights activist*; NKUNZIMANA Paul, labour activist.
Chile. LAPERTE Marcela, Independent Movement for the Rights of the People (MIDP); SALGADO Edouardo Neira, MIDP; ITURRA Sixto, MIDP.
China. LEONG Apo; An anonymous workers’ activist based in Beijing; BING Lin.
Congo. BAKALA Joachim.
Egypt. CHAABAN Essam, writer-journalist and researcher in anthropology (Cairo University).
France. ADOUE Camille, Federation of Young Revolutionaries (FJR); BAHLOUL Maïa (FJR); BARROIS Jean-Pierre; CHARMONT Claude, trade unionist; CORBEX Pascal, FO trade unionist; DAIRE Jérémie, FJR; DE MASSOT François; DORIANE Olivier; DUPUY Martine, national secretary of the POID; DUTHEIL Daniel, FO trade unionist; FERNANDES Grégory; FERRE Dominique; KEISER Christel, POID national secretary; GLUCKSTEIN Benjamin, CGT trade unionist; GLUCKSTEIN Daniel, POID national secretary; JARY Éric, trade unionist; LISCOËT Catherine; MAS Nicole; MICHAUD Isabelle, CGT trade unionist; NOSZKOWICZ Patrice, CGT trade unionist; OURABAH Saïd; PIERROT GUIMBAUD Maël (FJR); POCHON Vincent, national secretary of SUD Chimie; ROBEL Paul, doctor; SAUVAGE Jeanne; TEMPEREAU Lucile; UHALDE Paul (FJR).
Germany. ALBERT Lara, member of Die Linke, trade unionist IG Metall; GANGL Andreas, trade unionist Ver.di, member of the strike committee of Amazon; HINTERMEIER Peter, trade unionist IG Metall, president of the local union of the DGB of Sömmerda; MULLER Norbert, trade unionist Ver.di (Frankfurt); NAUMANN Claudius, president of the council of staff delegates of the Free University of Berlin, spokesperson of the company section Ver. di, member of the Committee for a Workers’ Party; SAALMULLER Peter, SPD activist (Idstein), Ver.di trade unionist; SCHADE Vera, member of Die Linke; SCHULLER Klaus, member of the AfA (SPD workers’ commission), EVG trade unionist, member of the IOC monitoring committee; SCHUSTER H.W., International Socialist Group (ISG).
Great Britain. CHOLEWKA Stephan, Secretary of Rochdale Trades Council *; Mc NALLY Doreen, Unite Community NW 567 Branch, Liverpool*; RIMMER Antony, Liverpool 47 Surcharged Councillor, Merseyside Pensioners Association, Liverpool Unite Community NW 567 Branch*; RUST Jo, Secretary of King’s Lynn & District Local Union, independent councillor in King’s Lynn*.
Greece. GUHL Andreas, activist.
Haiti. DUPONT Berthony, Haiti Liberté; THELOT Myrlène, Haiti Liberté.
Hungary. SOMI Judit, labour activist.
India. NAMBIATH Vasudevan, trade unionist; PATIL Aba Maruti, trade unionist; RANADE Milind, trade unionist; SUBBASH Naik Jorge, Spark group.
Italy. BRANDELLERO Luigi, worker, Tribuna Libera editorial staff; GRANAGLIA Dario, worker, delegate and trade unionist FIOMCGIL; GRILLI Monica, teacher, delegate and trade union leader; FASCIANA Lillo, trade unionist; PANTELLA Agata, teacher; PRESTIPINO Fabrizio, teacher, Tribuna Libera editorial staff; VARALDO Lorenzo, school headmaster, Tribuna Libera coordinator. Morocco. AYOUB Malik, editor of the newsletter Lettre ouvrière et d’information (Labour Information Newsletter); LAMINE Sakina; J. Smaïl, member of the Moroccan Workers’ Youth, JOM/UMT.
Mexico. CERVANTES Israel, Casa Obrera del Bajio; DIAZ CRUZ Maria de Lourdes, Moviemento Nacional por la transformacion Petrolera; ORTEGA Marisela, Instituto de formación política del Partido MORENA (Political Institute of MORENA); PLUMEDA Liliana Aguilar, Internationalist Communist League, SUAREZ Lidia, professor, de la Universidad Pedagogía Nacional (National Teachers University.
Pakistan. GULZAR Nasir, All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation; ILYAS Muhammad, All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation; JAMIL Rubina, All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation.
Palestine. EL KHATIB Naji, Secular Palestine.
Peru. RIVERA SALVADOR Julio, MINKA, Unitary Union of Electrical Workers.
Philippines. MIRANDA Judy, Workers’ Party (PM); MIRANDA Randy, Workers’ Party (PM).
Portugal. CASIMIRO José, workers’ activist, Left Bloc (BE); HENRIQUES José, O Trabalho and BE activist; PINTO Victor, linguist, O Trabalho activist; VARELA Raquel, history teacher and researcher; ZILHAO Adriano, O Trabalho and BE activist.
Romania. CRETAN Constantin, National Federation of Labour (FNM); CRETAN Marioara, League of Workers of Romania.
Russia. FEDOROV Sergei, activist.
Senegal. N’DIAYE Marcel.
South Korea. SIKHWA Jung, trade union activist; SANG Soo Ha, trade union activist.
Spanish State. MARTIN Reme, retired, labour activist; PEREZ DOMINGUEZ Eulogio.
Sri Lanka. MUDUNKOTUWAGE Saman.
Sweden. BAYRAKDAR Faraj, poet.
Switzerland. FENNIBAY Dogan; FIASTRI Marzia.
Togo. DJAOURA Tiguena; LAWSON Messan, PADET.
Tunisia. GUESMI Lotfi, trade unionist.
Turkey. BILGIN Cemal, IKEP (Workers’ Own Party); EROL Pinar; OZANSU Mehmet, IKEP (Workers’ Own Party); SOYLU Bedri.
United States. BACCHUS Natalia, Assistant to the President, Baltimore Teachers Union (Maryland)*; BENJAMIN Alan, Socialist Organizer; BROWN Diamonte, President, Baltimore Teachers Union (AFT, AFL-CIO) (Maryland)*; KHONSARI Niloufar, lawyer and immigrant workers’ rights activist; KNOX Lisa, lawyer, immigrant workers’ rights activist; LUMUMBA Nnamdi, Organiser, Ujima People’s Progress Party (Maryland); MARQUEZ DUARTE Fernando David, member of UAW 2865, Decolonial Collective*; ROJAS Désirée, President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (AFL-CIO)*; SHONE Mya, Socialist Organizer; WHITE Connie, Member, Continuations Committee of Labor & Community for an Independent Party (LCIP)*; HEINZE BALCAZAR Ivonne, member of the California Faculty Association (Dominguez Hills-CSU, California)*.
Zimbabwe. MAFA Mafa Kwanisai, Chimurenga Vanguard. 

* In a personal capacity 

 Campaigns  

After having heard the presentations of the 47 delegates, the world conference registers and supports the following proposals put forth by the delegates: 

1. The conference was informed about and supports the initiatives of the International Conference of Working Women, in particular the constitution of the International Support Committee for Afghan Women. 

2. The conference was informed about and supports the families of prisoners in Russia and the international campaign for the release of Russian trade union activist Kirill Ukraintsev. 

3. The conference was informed about and supports the international campaign to organize Amazon workers. 

4. The conference was informed about and supports the call by Chinese activists for “workers in all countries to stand up against the preparations for war against the Chinese people”. 

5. The conference was informed about and supports the call for solidarity and the financial campaign to support the workers’ center (Casa del Obrero) of the people of the El Bajío valley in Mexico. 

6. The conference was informed about and supports the call for the unconditional lifting of international sanctions against Zimbabwe. 

7. The conference was informed about and supports the call to oppose any U.S. and/or UN intervention in Haiti. 

8. The conference was informed about and supports the call by the Indian and Pakistani delegates denouncing the oppression suffered by the women of Kashmir who suffer from the permanent war. 

9. The conference was informed about and supports the British delegates’ call for support for the Liverpool dockworkers’ strike for their wage demands. 

10. The conference heard the call of the representative of the association Secular Palestine – which fights for a democratic and secular Palestine and for the right of return of refugees – and supports the struggle of the Palestinian people for their rights. 

11. In the international conference of working women, a Hungarian delegate pointed out the oppression of the Roma populations of Europe who deserve the solidarity of the workers of the world. 

 International Working Women’s Conference 29 October 2022 

Call for 8 March 2023

We, delegates to the International Working Women’s Conference, held on 29 October 2022, call to uphold the continuity of the conferences of the Socialist Women’s International, especially in the fight for the defence and the conquest of our rights, but also the fight against war.

Every day we see more and more the incapacity of the capitalist system to obtain effective equality between men and women and to enable the emancipation of women.

On the contrary, all our governments, in different forms, are constantly undermining our rights in all areas (democratic, social, legal, etc.).

The struggle of women for their specific demands — the fight for equal pay, the fight for the conquest and reconquest of democratic rights, the fight against patriarchy and for our emancipation —requires that our struggle be closely linked to the fight for the defence of the workers’ movement as a whole, to the fight against capitalist exploitation.

We propose to carry this message in our respective countries in appropriate forms, on 8 March 2023, International Women’s Rights Day in the framework of the initiatives taken (public meetings, rallies, demonstrations, etc.).