The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) visited Ukraine from 15 to 20 of August 2022 and repeats its call on Russia to immediately end its war in Ukraine. “We witnessed the devastating impact of the Russian war against Ukraine, including the loss of civilian lives, the continuing suffering of the population, the mass destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, as well as the damage to the environment”, EBCO President Alexia Tsouni stated today.
In Kiev EBCO met with the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (UPM) and expressed EBCO’s support and solidarity. A peace flag with the word “peace” written in all the languages of EBCO member organisations was given as a gift by EBCO President to UPM President Ruslan Kotsaba and Executive Secretary Yurii Sheliazhenko. “We deeply appreciate the work of the UPM promoting human rights, non-violence and peace”, Alexia Tsouni said.
EBCO and UPM members visited the “Oasis of Peace” in Kiev, inaugurated in 2020 to commemorate 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi, and honoured him with a symbolic action in front of his statute and the inscription “Be the Change that you wish to see in the world”.
A peace poetry event for Ukraine entitled "Make Poetry, Not War", with conscientious objectors and activists from Europe reading peace poems for Ukraine and in solidarity with UPM, was co-organised by EBCO and War Resisters' International (WRI) on 18 August 2022 (you can watch the video recording of the event here: https://youtu.be/Fdoh8Sb-w84 and you can read the poem collection here).
EBCO reiterates its call for peace and human rights protection. More specifically:
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INTERVIEWS please contact:
Alexia Tsouni, EBCO President (+306974461210; ebco@ebco-beoc.org)
“Make Europe Not War”