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UN General Assembly adopts annual culture of peace resolution with US and Israel opposed

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Excerpt from United Nations press release

Turning to a draft resolution titled “Follow-up to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace” (document A/79/L.111), introduced by Bangladesh’s delegate, the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Grenada).  The text stresses the importance of addressing the underlying drivers of violence and conflict to promote a culture of peace, urging the appropriate authorities to provide age-appropriate education in children’s schools that builds a culture of peace and non-violence. 

The representative of the United States, in explanation of vote, expressed strong support for conflict prevention and peacebuilding but opposed resolution “L.111”, calling it excessively lengthy.  He stated that the United States would “no longer reaffirm the 2030 Agenda as a matter of course”.  He objected to the use of the term “gender”, affirming his Government’s policy of recognizing only two sexes.  He also cited its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change and non-participation in the Sevilla Commitment.  

– – – – Actions proposed in the text of the resolution– – – –

Follow-up to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace

sponsored by Bahrain, Bangladesh, Nepal, Qatar, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan and Viet Nam:

1. Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace is to strengthen further the global movement for a culture of peace, and calls upon all concerned to renew their attention to this objective;

2. Invites Member States to continue to place greater emphasis on and expand their activities promoting a culture of peace at the national, regional and international levels and to ensure that peace and non-violence are fostered at all levels;

3. Invites the entities of the United Nations system, within their existing mandates, to integrate, as appropriate, the eight action areas of the Programme of Action into their programmes of activities, focusing on promoting a culture of peace and non-violence at the national, regional and international levels;

4. Commends the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for strengthening efforts to mobilize all relevant stakeholders within and outside the United Nations system in support of a culture of peace, and invites the Organization to continue to enhance communication and outreach, including through the culture of peace website;

5. Commends the practical initiatives and actions by relevant United Nations bodies, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the University for Peace, as well as their activities in further promoting a culture of peace and non-violence, in particular the promotion of peace education and activities related to specific areas identified in the Programme of Action, and encourages them to continue and further strengthen and expand their efforts;

6. Stresses the importance of addressing the underlying drivers of violence and conflict to promote a culture of peace;

7. Encourages Member States, United Nations entities and other relevant actors to adopt a holistic approach to the cross-cutting dimensions of peace, development, humanitarian action and human rights in order to prevent the recurrence of conflict and violence and build lasting peace;

8. Underlines that early childhood development contributes to the development of more peaceful societies through advancing equality, tolerance, human development and promoting human rights, and calls for investment in early childhood education, including through effective policies and practices, towards promoting a culture of peace;

9. Encourages Member States, United Nations entities, regional and subregional organizations and relevant actors to consider instituting mechanisms to involve youth in the promotion of a culture of peace, tolerance and intercultural and interreligious dialogue and develop, as appropriate, an understanding of respect for human dignity, pluralism and diversity, including, as appropriate, through education programmes, that could discourage their participation in acts of terrorism, violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, violence, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination;

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Question(s) related to this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

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10. Encourages the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations to increase its activities that focus on peace education and global citizenship education in order to enhance an understanding among young people of values such as peace, tolerance, openness, inclusion and mutual respect, which are essential in developing a culture of peace;

11. Encourages the United Nations peacebuilding architecture to continue to promote peacebuilding and sustaining peace activities, as outlined in its resolutions 72/276 and 75/201, and to advance a culture of peace and non-violence in postconflict peacebuilding efforts at the country level, and recognizes the important role of the Peacebuilding Commission in this regard;

12. Emphasizes the critical importance of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and in this regard calls upon States to promote the values of a culture of peace, inter alia, in countering rising inequalities, discrimination, exclusion, hate crimes and violence;

13. Urges the appropriate authorities to provide age-appropriate education in children’s schools that builds a culture of peace and non-violence, including lessons in mutual understanding, respect, tolerance, active and global citizenship and human rights;

14. Encourages the involvement of media, especially the mass media, in promoting a culture of peace and non-violence, with particular regard to children and young people; A/79/L.111 25-11852 7/7

15. Commends civil society, non-governmental organizations and young people for their activities in further promoting a culture of peace and non-violence, including through their campaign to raise awareness of a culture of peace and the peaceful settlement of disputes;

16. Encourages civil society and non-governmental organizations to further strengthen their efforts to promote a culture of peace, inter alia, by adopting their own programme of activities to complement the initiatives of Member States, the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, in line with the Declaration and Programme of Action;

17. Invites Member States, all entities of the United Nations system and civil society organizations to accord increasing attention to their observance of the International Day of Peace on 21 September each year as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, in accordance with its resolution 55/282 of 7 September 2001, and of the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, in accordance with its resolution 61/271 of 15 June 2007;

18. Acknowledges that 2024 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on a Culture of Peace by the United Nations at the fifty – third session of the General Assembly in 1999;

19. Encourages Member States, United Nations entities, civil society and other stakeholders to follow up on the discussions held during the High-level Forum, convened by the General Assembly on 2 August 2024 to commemorate the twenty – fifth anniversary, on the theme “Cultivating and nurturing the culture of peace for present and future generations”, by reflecting on the enduring significance of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace;

20. Requests the President of the General Assembly to consider convening a high-level forum, as appropriate, and within existing resources, devoted to the implementation of the Programme of Action on the occasion of the anniversary of its adoption, during the seventy-ninth session, and requests the Secretariat to provide the required logistical support for its effective organization within their respective mandates and existing resources;

21. Invites the Secretary-General, within existing resources, in consultation with the Member States and taking into account the observations of civil society organizations, to explore mechanisms and strategies, in particular strategies in the sphere of information and communications technology, for the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action and to initiate outreach efforts to increase global awareness of the Programme of Action and its eight areas of action aimed at their implementation, including through public information activities by the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat;

22. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session a report, within existing resources, on actions taken by Member States, on the basis of information provided by them, and those taken system-wide by all concerned entities of the United Nations to implement the present resolution;

23. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its eightieth session the item entitled “Culture of peace”.

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

Changing the Narrative: Why West African Media Is Embracing Peace Journalism

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An article by Mohammed Ibrahim from Peace News

In a media landscape often dominated by sensationalism and conflict-driven content, a quiet revolution is taking place. Across West Africa, radio stations are tuning into peace. These media houses are shifting their focus to peace journalism, using their platforms to promote dialogue, resolve conflicts, and build resilient communities.

At the forefront of this movement is Radio Peace, a community radio station located in the Central Region of Ghana. Co-initiator and Station Manager David Kwesi Ghartey-Tagoe explained that the station was born out of a desire to uplift marginalized voices in the region.


“The Central Region, once the seat of government and the cradle of education, ironically became one of the most deprived. We named the station ‘Peace’ because peace is a prerequisite for development,” he told Peace News Network (PNN).

When Radio Peace began operations in 1999, the region was grappling with numerous family and chieftaincy disputes. While not violent, these conflicts had the potential to escalate. The station responded by adopting participatory strategies like Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools to include community voices in its programming. 

Ghartey-Tagoe said that rather than rushing to break news, the station takes time to ensure that every side is heard, which he noted was necessary for accuracy and fairness. In 26 years, he said, the station had never been sued. 

One example of the station’s impact was in Effutu, a community plagued by annual chieftaincy disputes during its Deer Hunt Festival. “The Chief was often barred from attending the festival by rival factions. Police presence became routine. Through participatory programming and giving voice to all sides, the situation has calmed. The Chief now attends without incident,” he said.

Despite challenges in maintaining audience engagement, Radio Peace strikes a balance between entertainment and education. Ghartey-Tagoe added that the station does not believe it is in competition with anyone but itself, and that it sets its own goals and involves the community as much as possible.  

This model is resonating beyond Ghana. Peter Nsoesie, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of DASH TV in Douala, Cameroon, is designing a peace journalism module for his station.

“Peace is essential because unresolved issues over land, family, and resources can spiral into crises. Back in 2007, a community radio [station] called Voice of Manyu helped resolve several land disputes in Mamfe through peace journalism,” Nsoesie shared. He emphasized that radio remains the most trusted medium in communities, even in the era of social media.

The Nigerian perspective echoes the same commitment. Ahmed Maiyaki, Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC) located in North Western Nigeria, said broadcast stations have continued to focus on peace building content as a result of the wide impact and reach it drives on targeted audience, especially radio. 

He explained that Radio stations play a critical role in building and promoting peace among diverse communities across the West Africa region.  “It gives a platform for community and citizens’ engagement initiatives and advocacy with wide and indisputable reach to all segments of society,” he said. 

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Question(s) related to this article:

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

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Maiyaki shared a recent example where his station played a role in de-escalating tension and reprisal after some travellers were killed by local militias in Plateau State in North Central Nigeria on June 12. “The special program was designed to douse tension and mitigate possible escalation of the conflict,” he said.

He said that KSMC has continued to initiate robust and citizen-centered content that builds and promotes peace and social cohesion in Kaduna State and beyond. KSMC does this, he said, by reaching five radio stations across the state, producing and broadcasting content in local languages for the state’s diverse people. 

From Ghana, a presenter with Nananom FM 92.5, Mohammed Umar Al-Hussein highlighted how the station’s morning show ‘Maakye Show’ includes segments dedicated to promoting peace and discouraging youth involvement in drugs.

“The world has seen enough of the disasters brought by conflict. Peace journalism fosters relationships, national growth, and human rights. Its impact is real. Our listeners now understand the value of peace and seek to avoid conflict,” Al-Hussein said.

Aisha Gambo, a solutions journalism expert with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), supports this paradigm shift. “People are tired of hearing bad news with no solutions. Peace and solutions journalism are changing that narrative. They report on responses to social issues so that other communities can learn and adapt,” she explained.

While she hasn’t yet published a story that directly de-escalated tension, Gambo ensures her reporting never incites violence or hatred. She noted that after years of covering crime and corruption “with minimal change,” peace or solutions journalism may possibly be able to deliver “the transformation we seek.”

Ibrahima Yakubu, Team Lead for the Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ) Nigeria, believes the entire continent is gradually embracing this approach because of its measurable impact.

“Peace journalism is reshaping Africa. In Nigeria, it is helping eliminate fake news and reduce division,” he said. “For example, in 2016, when a state governor falsely accused a religious sect of terrorism, it was peace journalists who investigated and cleared the air. The community now lives peacefully.”

Yakubu also cited an incident in Southern Kaduna, where panic spread following reports of Fulani ‘terrorists’ migrating into the area. Peace journalists investigated and revealed the truth that the migrants were not terrorists. Their reporting restored calm to the community. “Peace journalism reduces tension by sticking to facts, not social media speculation. That’s how we stop chaos before it begins,” Yakubu emphasized.

Factors contributing to the trend

Factors contributing to the trend of media embracing peace journalism in West African countries include the desire to promote peaceful conflict resolution, a focus on community building and social harmony, and efforts to address hate speech and misinformation.

Other factors include promoting positive narratives and facilitating understanding among warring communities in these countries.

A Difficult But Growing Movement

Several challenges remain in implementing peace journalism in West Africa. The interviewees agreed that there is a lack of awareness and training on peace journalism practices among the majority of practitioners in the region.

Insecurity is another challenge. Many journalists promoting peace journalism face intimidation and harassment in some hostile communities. Poor working conditions also hinder journalists from practicing peace journalism, as it requires resources to move around and gather information for reports.

Religious and regional divisions pose another major challenge, as some journalists tend to write in ways that protect their religion or ethnicity.

Still, as conflict and misinformation continue to pose challenges, peace journalism offers a hopeful path forward one that turns up the volume on truth, understanding, and unity. “So the increase in media going for peace stories means the future of Africa is bright,” said Al-Hussein of Nananom FM.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Lula opens BRICS Summit with call for investment in peace and security

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An article from BRICS Brazil

At the opening of the 17th BRICS Summit this Sunday, July 7, in Rio de Janeiro, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presented an overview of the multilateralism crisis, highlighting the emergence of multiple conflicts and their impacts on national autonomy, security, and the global economy.

During the plenary session entitled “Peace, Security, and the Reform of Global Governance,” Lula was unequivocal in urging countries to shift spending away from military efforts and toward the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda—not toward war.

“It is easier to allocate 5% of GDP to military spending than to commit the 0.7% promised for Official Development Assistance. This shows that the resources to implement the 2030 Agenda do exist—they are simply not made available due to a lack of political will. It is always easier to invest in war than in peace,” said the Brazilian president.

Lula also underscored the role of the founding BRICS countries in building “a new multipolar reality for the 21st century.”

Advocating for a reform in global governance, he emphasized the bloc’s ability to become “a force capable of promoting peace and of preventing and mediating conflicts” thanks to its diverse realities.

“We can lay the groundwork for a renewed system of governance. To overcome the crisis of trust we now face, we must fundamentally reform the Security Council by making it more legitimate, representative, effective, and democratic,” Lula argued.

Read President Lula’s full speech during the BRICS session on ‘Peace and Security, Reform of Global Governance

For the fourth time, Brasil is hosting a BRICS Summit. Of all of them, this one is taking place amid the most adverse scenario.

The United Nations recently marked its 80th anniversary on June 26 of this year, and we are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism.

The advent of the UN marked the defeat of Nazi-Fascism and the birth of a sense of collective hope.

The vast majority of countries that currently comprise the BRICS were among its founders.

Ten years later, the Bandung Conference refuted the division of the world into zones of influence and advanced the fight for a multipolar international order.

BRICS is an heir of the Non-Aligned Movement.

With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is once again in check.

Advancements that were arduously achieved, such as the climate and trade regimes, are at risk.

Amid the worst sanitary crisis in decades, the global health system is being subjected to an unprecedented attack.

Absurd intellectual property demands still restrict access to medication.

International law has become a dead letter, as has the pacific resolution of controversies.

We are before an unprecedented number of conflicts since World War II.

NATO’s recent decision feeds the arms race.

It is easier to designate 5% of the GDP to military spending than to allocate the 0.7% that has been promised for Official Development Assistance.

This demonstrates that the resources for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda do exist; however, they are not available due to a lack of political priority.

It is always easier to invest in war than in peace.

The UN Security Council meetings often follow a script we know all too well: they end in a loss of credibility and paralysis.

Lately, the Council is not even consulted before acts of war begin.

Old rhetorical maneuvers are just being recycled to justify illegal interventions.

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(Click here for the speech in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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Just as we saw with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the past, the instrumentalization of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s work now risks the reputation of an organization that is fundamental for maintaining peace.

The fear of a nuclear catastrophe has returned to our daily lives.

To the detriment of negotiated solutions, recurring violations of state territorial integrity are undermining efforts to stop the proliferation of atomic weapons.

Without the support of International Law, the failure of the actions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria tends to repeat itself with even graver impacts.

The consequences for the stability of the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in the Sahel, have been disastrous and are felt to this day.

In the void left by unresolved crises, terrorism has found fertile ground.

Hate ideology must not be associated with any religion or nationality.

Brasil repudiated the attacks in Kashmir.

Absolutely nothing justifies the terrorist actions perpetrated by Hamas.

However, we cannot remain indifferent to the genocidal practices by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

The solution to this conflict will only be possible with the end of the Israeli occupation and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State within the 1967 borders.

The Brazilian Government denounced the violations of Iran’s territorial integrity, just as it had done in the case of Ukraine.

The parties engaged in the war in Ukraine must urgently deepen a direct dialogue that aims for a ceasefire and a lasting peace.

The “Friends for Peace” group, formed by China and Brasil and comprising countries from the Global South, aims to identify potential avenues for ending hostilities.

Meanwhile, other extremely serious crises around the world remain ignored by the international community.

In Haiti, we had MINUSTAH — but the international community abandoned the country too soon. Brasil supports the urgent expansion of the role of the UN Mission in that country, combining actions in the fields of security and development.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

During the eight decades of functioning of the United Nations, not everything was a failure.

The Organization played a central role in the decolonization process.

The prohibition of the use of biological and chemical weapons is an example of what the commitment to multilateralism can achieve.

The success of UN missions in East Timor demonstrates that it is possible to promote peace and stability.

Since 1968, Latin America has chosen to be a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone.

The African Union also consolidates its leadership in conflict prevention and resolution on the continent.

If international governance does not reflect the 21st century’s new multipolar reality, it is up to the BRICS to contribute to bringing it up to date.

The bloc’s representativeness and diversity make it a powerful platform, capable of promoting peace, preventing, and mediating conflicts.

We have the opportunity to lay the foundations of a reinvigorated governance model.

To overcome the trust crisis we are immersed in, we must promote deep transformations in the Security Council.

Increase its legitimacy, representativeness, effectiveness, and democratic character.

Include new permanent members from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

This is more than a question of justice.

This will ensure the very survival of the UN system.

This is the spirit of the “Call to Action on Global Governance Reform”, launched by Brasil’s G20 Presidency.

Postponing this process makes the world much more unstable and dangerous.

Each day that goes by with an archaic and excluding international structure is a day lost in the search for solutions to the grave crises that beset humanity.

Thank you very much.

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Israel: Tens of thousands of protesters at Hostages Square call for an end to the Gaza war

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An article from Arab News

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Israel on Saturday [June 28] to demand that the government secure the release of 49 hostages still held in Gaza.


A crowd filled the “Hostages Square” in central Tel Aviv. Image: Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency/IMAGO

It was the first rally by hostages’ relatives since Israel agreed a ceasefire with Iran on June 24 after a 12-day war, raising hopes that the truce would lend momentum to efforts to end the Gaza conflict and bring the hostages home.

Emergency restrictions in place during the war with Iran had prevented the normally weekly rally from taking place.

A crowd filled “Hostages Square” in central Tel Aviv, waving Israeli flags and placards bearing the pictures of Israelis seized by Palestinian militants during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The deadly attacks prompted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to launch a fierce military offensive in Gaza, vowing to crush Hamas and free the hostages.

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Questions related to this article:
 
How can we be sure to get news about peace demonstrations?

How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

(Continued from left column)

Twenty months and several hostage exchanges later, 49 of those seized are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead — raising pressure on Netanyahu’s government.

“The war with Iran ended in an agreement. The war in Gaza must end the same way — with a deal that brings everyone home,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main body representing the relatives, in a statement to mark the rally.

Some demonstrators called on US President Donald Trump to help secure a ceasefire in Gaza that would see the captives freed, hailing his backing for Israel in the conflict with Iran.

“President Trump, end the crisis in Gaza. Nobel is waiting,” read one placard, in reference to a possible peace prize for the US leader.

“I call on Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump,” one released hostage, Liri Albag, said at the rally.

“You made brave decisions on Iran. Now make the brave decision to end the war in Gaza and bring them home.”

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Other sources about the demonstration include the following: Haaretz, Times of Israel and France 24
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European Protests against NATO

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A survey by CPNN

People took to the streets to protest against the NATO meetings where European countries pledged to increase military spending..

In Rome, a report by the People’s Dispatch, said that “some 30,000 people took to the streets on June 21 to protest war and rising military expenditures. Organized under the banner “Disarmiamoli!” (Let’s disarm them!), the demonstration brought together workers, grassroots trade unions, student collectives, and social movements. Protesters condemned the expansion of military budgets across Europe, coming at the direct expense of public services like healthcare, education, and other public services.”


Frame from the video of anti-NATO protest in Brussels published by the Times of India.

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Questions related to this article:
 
How can we be sure to get news about peace demonstrations?

(Continued from left column)

In The Hague, where NATO was meeting, Euro News reported that “hundreds of people gathered on Sunday to protest against NATO, rising military spending, and the risk of war with Iran. The protest comes two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague, where leaders are expected to discuss increasing defence budgets. “Let’s invest in peace and sustainable energy,” Belgian politician Joe d’Haese said addressing a crowd in a park near the summit location.”

A video of anti-NATO protest in the Netherlands was published by DRM News.

Is it a problem of censorship by the Western media? In order to find videos of the anti-NATO demonstrations Belgium and additional videos from the Netherlands, we had to go to media based in India.

A video of anti-NATO protest in Brussels was published by the Times of India.

A video of the anti-NATO protest in the Hague was published by the Hindustan Times.

There was an article about the Hague protest in The Guardian, but its subject was mainly the arrests of protesters, rather than the purpose of the demonstration.

And there was also an article about the Hague protest in Reuters, but its subject was mainly about protesting the attack of Israel and the US on Iran, rather than the rearmanent agenda of NATO.

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Hundreds of Thousands March Against US-Backed Israeli Aggression in Tehran

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An article by Jake Johnson from Common Dreams (reprinted according to Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran and other cities across Iran on Friday to protest Israel’s illegal and escalating assault as the U.S.—Israel’s top ally and arms supplier—considers entering the war, which killed or wounded more than 2,600 Iranians during its first week.


Iranians protest Israeli attacks in Tehran on June 20, 2025. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi called Friday’s demonstrations “unprecedentedly large.”

“We have to keep in mind that a considerable proportion of Tehran’s population has decided to get out of the city amid the attacks, but still we see huge numbers,” said Asadi. “Since day one of these strikes, we’ve seen this strong sense of anger from ordinary citizens. Now they’re taking to the streets to express that.”

Protests also broke out in the capitals of Iraq and Lebanon as Israel and Iran traded missile strikes, and Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Geneva for talks with European Union and United Kingdom officials.
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Questions related to this article:
 
How can we be sure to get news about peace demonstrations?

(Continued from left column)

In an interview ahead of the talks, Araghchi called the United States “a partner in this crime” and said that Iran is unwilling to engage in negotiations “until this aggression stops.”

Citing an unnamed senior Iranian official,  Reuters reported that Iran “was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that any proposal for zero enrichment—not being able to enrich uranium at all—would be rejected, ‘especially now under Israel’s strikes.'”

The mass demonstrations came as U.S. President Donald Trump weighed options—including the use of a nuclear weapon—to directly join Israel’s attack on Iran. The White House said Thursday that a final decision from the president will come within two weeks.

Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council, said in a statement Friday that “the use of nuclear weapons to prevent the mere possibility of nuclear weapons is not strategy—it is a waking nightmare.”

“A nuclear strike would massacre Iranians indiscriminately and unleash devastating radioactive fallout across Iran and the region, spreading terror, panic, and irreversible harm,” said Costello. “We should never have come to this point. But we are here. And we must raise our voices, urgently, against Netanyahu’s war of aggression and the warmongers cheering it on. The path forward is diplomacy, not devastation. We must shut this Pandora’s box before more horrors are unleashed.”

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USA: No Kings rallies in all 50 states

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According to the American Civil Liberties Union , more than 5 million people participated in the No Kings rallies on June 14 to protest the escalating abuses of power by President Trump. Here are photos of No Kings rallies from all 50 states:

ALABAMA


 Montgomery resident Lyn Head holds a protest sign at the “No Kings” rally in Montgomery, Alabama on June 14, 2025. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)
(Alabama Reflector)

ALASKA


Protesters line the street in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News/AP. (CNN)

)

ARIZONA


Frame from a video of NoKings protest in Phoenix, Arizona. (AZCENTRAL)

ARKANSAS

Protesters carry signs across the Broadway Bridge between Little Rock and North Little Rock on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Thousands of people gathered for the No Kings march and rally, part of a nationwide show of dissent against President Donald Trump’s administration. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate). (Arkansas Advocate)

CALIFORNIA


Demonstrators march in the “No Kings” protest with a President Donald Trump balloon in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (AP News)

COLORADO


Marchers participate in the “No Kings” protest in downtown Denver. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios. (Axios)

CONNECTICUT


Hartford: Demonstrators outside The Connecticut State Capitol chant during a No Kings protest that event organizers said an estimated 7000 people attended. Mark Mirko/Connecticut Public. (NPR)

DELAWARE


More than a thousand people gathered in Wilmington on June 14, 2025, as part of “No Kings” day, a national day of protest planned on President Donald Trump’s birthday and the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration.  ESTEBAN PARRA/DELAWARE NEWS JOURNAL. (Delaware Online)

FLORIDA


Demonstrators hold a “No Kings” rally in West Palm Beach, Florida, on June 14, 2025, near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.
GIORGIO VIERA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES. (CBS News

GEORGIA


People take part in a “No Kings” protest at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images. ()

HAWAII


A huge crowd of demonstrators rally outside the State Capitol for Honolulu’s “No Kings” protest against the Trump administration today, one of several held around the state and about 2,000 across the country. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM. (Star Advertiser)

IDAHO


Thousands of protesters gathered outside of the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise Saturday, June 14, 2025 as part of the national “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump and his administration. Sarah A. Millersmiller@idahostatesman.com. (Idaho Statesman)

ILLINOIS


Protesters gather at Daley Plaza holding placards and chanting slogans during a “No Kings” demonstration in Chicago, Illinois, on June 14, 2025.
Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images. (Common Dreams)

INDIANA


Protesters chant and march on Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a ‘No Kings’ protest at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. (USA Today)

IOWA


Protesters from Nebraska and Iowa gather at Council Bluffs’ Tom Hanafan Park on what organizers say was a day of public demonstrations against President Donald Trump. (Courtesy of Blue Dot Nebraska/Blue Dots United). (Nebraska Examiner)

KANSAS


Community members gather at Watson Park for Lawrence’s No Kings protest as part of a nationwide movement, June 14, 2025. They hold signs with messages such as “Make America kind again” and “Rejecting kings since 1776”. Molly Adams / Lawrence Times. (Lawrence KS Times)

KENTUCKY


Thousands packed Jefferson Square Park, the steps of Metro Hall and Jefferson Street in Louisville, Ky. as part of the “No Kings” protest on Saturday, June 15, 2025. (USA Today)

LOUISIANA


Protestors walk down Decatur Street during the No Kings Day of Action protest in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune) STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER. (NOLA)

MAINE


‘No Kings’ protestors rally in Lincoln Park in Portland on June 14, 2025. Esta Pratt-Kielley/Maine Public. (Maine Public)

MARYLAND


Video from Maryland (CBS News)

MASSACHUSETTS


Protesters march along a street in Boston. | Kelly Garrity/POLITICO. (Politico)

MICHIGAN


People take part in a “No Kings” protest outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on June 14, 2025. JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES. (CBS News)

MINNESOTA


St. Paul: Demonstrators rally outside the Minnesota State Capitol building.
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images. (NPR)

MISSISSIPPI


A demonstration against the Trump administration was attended by several hundred protestors on the grounds of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Many attendees of the “No Kings Day” event held homemade signs declaring various causes of protest.  SARAH WARNOCK/SPECIAL TO THE CLARION LEDGER. (Clarion Ledger)’’

MISSOURI


St. Louis: Robert Hull, a 76-year-old demonstrator from St. Charles, left in green, protests alongside his granddaughter Maddie Flynn, 29 of Wentzville, center, during the No Kings protest, in downtown St. Louis. “I cannot stand to see injustices perpetrated against groups of people,” she said. “I have the privilege to speak up and my grandpa taught me to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves.” Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public. (NPR)

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Question related to this article:

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

(article continued from left column)

MONTANA


Demonstrators take part in the “No Kings” protests in Livingston, Montana. Photo: William Campbell/Getty Images. (Axios)

NEBRASKA


Roughly 2,000 protesters in downtown Lincoln protest the Trump administration on Jun. 14, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner).(Nebraska Examiner)

NEVADA


Protesters during the No Kings demonstration against President Donald Trump organized by the Northern Nevada chapters of Indivisible and the 50501 movement in front of the Capitol in Carson City on June 14, 2025. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent). (a href=”https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/photos-thousands-gather-for-no-kings-protests-across-nevada”>The Nevada Independent)

NEW HAMPSHIRE


Protesters began arriving in downtown Concord at noon on Saturday, June 14, 2025, about an hour before the scheduled start of the No Kings event. By early afternoon people lined both sides of the street in front of the State House. (Photo by Dana Wormald/New Hampshire Bulletin). (New Hampshire Bulletin)

NEW JERSEY


A “No Kings” rally takes place on Springwood Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (USA Today)

NEW MEXICO


Thousands of Santa Feans join millions of other Americans in communities nationwide for a “No Kings Day” rally at the Roundhouse and a march to the Plaza on Saturday. The event is part of a nationwide protest against what demonstrators see as the Trump administration’s growing authoritarian stance and his pricey military parade in Washington that also took place Saturday. Jim Weber/The New Mexican. (Santa Fe New Mexican)

NEW YORK


People take part in a “No Kings” protest in New York on June 14, 2025. Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP. (Common Dreams)

NORTH CAROLINA


People protest in Asheville, North Carolina. Allison Joyce/AFP/Getty Images. (CNN)

NORTH DAKOTA


Emily Mizell, right, of Bismarck holds up her sign and cheers at passing cars near the Capitol in Bismarck during the nationwide No Kings protests on June 14, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor). (North Dakota Monitor)

OHIO


Demonstrators march down a street in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jason Whitman/NurPhoto/Associated Press. (CNN<:a>)

OKLAHOMA


Tulsa: Protesters gather for protest in downtown Tulsa. Ben Abrams/KWGS. (NPR)

OREGON


Demonstrators cross the Hawthorne Bridge as they take part in the “No Kings” protest, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane). (AP News

PENNSYLVANIA


Philadelphia: Demonstrators fill Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Yuki Iwamura/AP. (NPR)

RHODE ISLAND


Video of protest in Providence. (ABC6

SOUTH CAROLINA


Thousands attend a protest at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia Saturday, June 14, 2025, as part of the coast-to-coast “No Kings” grassroots protest event in opposition to the Trump administration. (Photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette). (SC Daily Gazette)

SOUTH DAKOTA


Sioux Falls demonstrators line Minnesota Avenue as part of the national “No Kings” protest. (Argus Leader

TENNESSEE


People demonstrate during a “No Kings” protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV/AP. (NPR)

TEXAS


People gather at the “No Kings” nationwide demonstration on Saturday, June 14, 2025 in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via AP). (AP News)

UTAH


(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) An estimated 10,000 walk the streets of downtown Salt Lake City for a No Kings demonstration on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (S L Trib)

VERMONT


A drone view shows protesters holding a “We the People” sign in Bennington County, Vermont. Michael Beach/Reuters. (CNN)

VIRGINIA


Charlottesvile, VA.: People take to the streets to protest. Shaban Athuman/VPM News. (NPR)

WASHINGTON


Seattle: Demonstrators cheer after getting a horn from the Seattle Monorail while marching from Cal Anderson Park to Seattle Center. Megan Farmer/KUOW. (NPR)

WEST VIRGINIA


‘No Kings’ demonstrators rallied at the West Virginia Capitol, Charleston, June 14, 2025. (WV Public)

WISCONSIN


Drone footage shows scale of Milwaukee No Kings protest. Cathedral Square Park was filled with people attending the No Kings protest against the Trump administration. (JS Online)

WYOMING


The Jackson Police Department estimated anywhere from 225 to 300 people gathered on the Town Square for a “No Kings” protest Saturday, June 14, 2025. Participants estimated 500. (Rebecca Huntington/WyoFile). (Wyo File)

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, North America,

Protest and National Guard in San Antonio, Texas

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

Headline and photo from the Texas Monthly

Greg Abbott Sent the Texas National Guard to San Antonio. Protesters Threw a Fiesta.

The stage was set for a photo-worthy showdown in the Alamo City. Instead, protesters marched to mariachi and conjunto music and lots of honking.


People gathering in protest of ICE raids at San Antonio City Hall on June 11.

– – – – – –

Transcript of PBS interview by Geoff Bennett with mayor of San Antonio from PBS, Public Broadcasting Service

Geoff Bennett:
Mayor Nirenberg, welcome to the “News Hour.”
How would you characterize what unfolded in San Antonio last night? What did you see and what did it signal to you?


Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas:

It was a peaceful demonstration in opposition to very cruel and inhumane ways that the Trump administration is carrying out its interpretations of immigration law.


Once again, San Antonio has demonstrated that we have a long tradition of peaceful demonstrations and protests in support of human rights and civil rights. And it was there last night. And it was also monitored and supported in people exercising their First Amendment rights by our San Antonio Police Department, which does a great job in supporting people’s right to assemble.

Geoff Bennett:


Governor Abbott says the decision to send in the National Guard will allow for what he called a more robust response. Do you agree?


Ron Nirenberg:


Well, we don’t need the National Guard. We know how to handle these kinds of protests and demonstrations. We have a long history of that. We didn’t ask for the Guard. We weren’t notified about it. My hope is that DPS and the San Antonio Police Department will remain coordinated.


But, in my estimation, this kind of anticipatory show of force only feeds into the people that want to escalate tensions. And that’s not the goal if our effort is to protect public safety.

(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

(article continued from left column)

Geoff Bennett:


And how does that complicate your job as mayor?


Ron Nirenberg:


Well, number one, this nation and our democracy is founded on the right to exercise speech and to assemble and to oppose dictatorial law — or dictatorial rule. And that’s what people are doing here in the street of San Antonio and so many other places.


It ought to be supported by people, at the same time protecting public safety. And that’s what we have continued to remind our community. There is a way to do this right and also make your voice heard. And that is to ensure nobody gets harmed and property isn’t damaged. That’s what the police department here is very good at supporting. And they’re going to continue to do that.
National Guard hasn’t been deployed in San Antonio in a very, very long time. And we don’t see it’s necessary, given what we saw last night and what we have seen repeatedly over the years.


Geoff Bennett:


How have the ICE raids affected the San Antonio community?


Ron Nirenberg:


Well, San Antonio is an international city. We are a binational community by heritage. We are a community that’s the largest Latino majority in the country.
And so we treat people with dignity and respect and compassion, and that goes for immigrants too. And so the kind of really cruel and inhumane approach to immigration policy that you have seen from the Trump administration really rips at the fabric of families here. And that’s why you’re seeing the resistance and the opposition out in the street.


We stand up for our neighbors. We stand up for the people that we work with and go to school with and who fight our battles in the military for us. And that’s going to continue. It’s making people very angry. It’s making people who have immigrated here fearful. And that rips away the fabric and social cohesion that is an earmark of the San Antonio community. That’s why people are upset.


That’s why I, frankly, agree with their anger. And that’s why we need to peacefully assemble and oppose these kind of inhumane laws and try to bring some reason back into our lawmakers.

Geoff Bennett:
Ron Nirenberg, the mayor of San Antonio, thank you for joining us this evening. We appreciate it.


Ron Nirenberg:
Thanks for having me, Geoff.


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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, North America

Mazin Qumsiyeh: keep the hope alive

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from the blog of Mazin Qumsiyeh

There are now credible reports from many sources that the levels of extermination and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Gaza strip is higher than officially released and in 19 months could be over 250,000 [1]. The evidence is so compelling that all human rights organizations and the UN documented GENOCIDE and ETHNIC CLEANSING [2].

Meanwhile ‘business’ goes on as usual: billions milked from corrupt Arab dictators, Israeli embassies function around the world (no sanctions), the Zionist lobby infiltrated more organizations and governments globally, blackmailing/extorting weak politicians like Trump and Bin Salman with scandalous videos and information gathered by Mossad agents like Epstein, “Israel” is competing in Eurovision, Arab “leaders” (not one of them elected fairly by people) met in Baghdad to issue yet another useless declaration that their masters feel happy about, famine spreading, expenditure on arms expand to trillions, the climate and environmental global catastrophe deepens, education and healthcare globally get worse.
The tiny 0.5% (in numbers) continue to reap money and get richer from their positions and now own 50% of the world’s money by thievery from the poor [3]. US taxpayers are saddled with trillions in debt thanks to wars fought on behalf of Zionism [4].

The bad news may lead some to despair and tell us we are entering a new dark age [5]. Yet, candles in this darkness are far too many to snuff out by the Zionist/imperial/colonial juggernaut [6]. Actually hundreds of millions of good people acting positively for sustainability, peace and justice.

Look around you for these positive initiatives and support them and create more. Organize. Afterall, every social positive movement came from such people action: there are thousands of examples from women right to vote to civil rights to Zapatista empowerment to Rohingya to Algeria and Vietnam independence.

Even in the heart of the empire today, the movement is tremendous. Look at student movements at universities or even common people in Palestine and how they resist. These are the true heroes. The profiteers (oppressors) will be swept to the dustbin of history. They are the few, we the oppressed are the many and must organize better (it is an existential threat). Action based on knowledge is the best antidote for despair.

For us at the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (palestinenature.org), we do this daily and thus balance our lives by doing positive work/building on the ground and educating globally [6]. This is how we keep our sanity and how we keep the hope alive. We urge you to join us (email PIBS@bethlehem.edu to learn more

(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(article continued from left column)

[1]
Lancet article (till July 2024) and life expectancy losses Lancet abstract

[2]
HRW article, Amnesty article, document

[3] There was increased sales and valuation of arms companies like Elbit,
Rafael, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Lockhead Martins. Companies like
Microsoft and Google help Israeli genocide (e.g. look up Nimbus project).
The Zionist billionaires  (article) with some of the being Israeli (article)
while subservience enriches some goyim/gentiles: Gulf monarchs, Trump,
Mahmoud Abbas’ family and their circle, Elon Musk and this character (article) among hundreds of war/oppression profiteers.

[4]
Sachs article, NY Times article

[5] https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-new-dark-age – very good analysis based on things like what Bisan explains (video) illustrated in Hamas Says Witkoff Personally Promised to Lift Gaza Blockadein Exchange for Edan Alexander (article).

[6] Few examples from thousands just last week:
– Ben Cohen from Ben & Jerry’s confronts RFK Jr. and Congress: “you’re killing poor kids in Gaza and paying for it by cutting medicaid for kids here.” video
– Taxpayers against genocide file historic case in US document
– Cannes Selects Film on Gaza Photographer Fatma Hassona (she was killed by
Israel a day later) video
– Students and faculty at Stanford University announce they are joining the nationwide campus hunger strike movement to protest attacks on academic freedom and complicity in the Gaza genocide. Mondoweiss
– Conservative MP Pritchard does a 90 degree change on Israel.(video)
– 15 May Joint Nakba day event held in Beit Jala (Palestine) (video)
– Medea Benjamin deserves a Nobel Prize for her daily, relentless efforts. Examples: video, video

[7] Check out our facebook page for daily posts about activities
and our short video
Also the evolving plans for the new museum video.
I stand beside the mountain gazelle video.
Example talk given 23 April University of Notre Dame “Conflict, War and Ecology” (video)
(in Arabic) Hima magazine from Lebanon includes an article (page 26-27) about us learning from regional experiences
article.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Mideast

Joint Statement on Palestine by Seven European Countries

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

A press release from the Ireland central website for government services and information

May 16: We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza. More than 50.000 men, women, and children have lost their lives. Many more could starve to death in the coming days and weeks unless immediate action is taken.

Photo by © Abood Abo Salama / SIPA

We call upon the government of Israel to immediately reverse its current policy, refrain from further military operations and fully lift the blockade, ensuring safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian aid to be distributed throughout the Gaza strip by international humanitarian actors and according to humanitarian principles. United Nations and humanitarian organizations, including UNRWA, must be supported and granted safe and unimpeded access.

We call upon all parties to immediately engage with renewed urgency and good faith in negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of all hostages, and acknowledge the important role played by the United States, Egypt and Qatar in this regard.

(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(article continued from left column)

This is the basis upon which we can build a sustainable, just and comprehensive peace, based on the implementation of the two-State solution. We will continue to support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and work in the framework of the United Nations and with other actors, like the Arab League and Arab and Islamic States, to move forward to achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution. Only peace can bring security for Palestinians, Israelis and the region, and only respect for international law can secure lasting peace.

We also condemn the further escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with increased settler violence, the expansion of illegal settlements and intensified Israel military operations. Forced displacement or the expulsion of the Palestinian people, by any means, is unacceptable and would constitute a breach of international law. We reject any such plans or attempts at demographic change.

We must assume the responsibility to stop this devastation.

Kristrún Frostadóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland; Micheál Martin, Taoiseach, Ireland; Luc FRIEDEN, Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; Robert Abela, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta; Jonas Gahr STØRE, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway; Robert Golob, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia; Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government of Spain

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Mideast,