Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire opposes NATO’s recent adoption of the Readiness Action Plan and calls for individuals and governments around the world to take a stand for peace and against violence. Mairead argues that we should be approaching new challenges to security with nonviolent tools such as dialogue, justice and negotiation rather than more weapons and war.
‘What is needed now,” states Mairead, “are cool heads and people of wisdom and not more guns, more weapons, more war.” She calls on leaders to own their political leadership and find alternative, nonviolent means of addressing security risks and threats.
In early September, Wales hosted the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government where member states adopted the Readiness Action Plan. The Plan includes a package of measures that may be used to respond to ever-changing security threats. The Plan includes increased military presence and enhanced response capabilities.
Mairead believes that peace is possible. But she argues that the implementation of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan will have detrimental effects for the global movement away from war and weapons to cooperation and dialogue.
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Read the full version of Mairead’s op-ed
Read more about NATO’s Readiness Action Plan