Programme of the 31th International Rosa Luxemburg Conference

Heading into war: Against militarization madness & mobilization through media

Within three years – by 2029 – the Federal Republic of Germany must become ‘fit for war,’ demands the German government. The targets are Russia and the People's Republic of China. This is because imperialist logic has reached its limits: without a major redistribution war, the West faces a loss of hegemony, with the so-called Third World countries and the BRICS states no longer accepting the dictates of the US and the EU. But this would mean World War III – with unforeseeable and catastrophic consequences. The militarisation of the Western nations is inforced on many levels – through social redistribution in arms production, through incitement and demonisation of designated ‘enemies’. The 31st Rosa Luxemburg Conference aims to highlight the impact of this development on different countries. It will also show what resistance can look like – from alternative media work, trade union protests to civil disobedience.
Things are not going smoothly for those in power. Let's thwart their militaristic preparations – not a single person or penny for World War III!

Conference moderation:
Gina Pietsch (actress, singer)

Admission from 9.30 a.m.

Opening concert by ‘Kontrast’ 10.30 a.m.

Lectures from 11.00 a.m.

Re-armament and the war economy: the role of a class-oriented trade union
Cinzia Della Porta (Italy), trade unionist

The epochal crisis of Western capitalism and its political consequences in the Federal Republic of Germany
Jörg Goldberg (Federal Republic of Germany), Economist

Is the United States facing civil war?
Robert Saleem Holbrook (United States) Director of the Abolitionist Law Centre

What role do the media play in the militarisation of society?
Irene Zugasti Hervás (Spain) Political scientist and journalist
With video message from Pablo Iglesias (Spain) Journalist at Canal Red and Diario Red

Cuba's position and prospects in a multipolar world
Guest speaker from Cuba

Israel's war against the Palestinians
Francesca Albanese (UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories)

Greeting Message from Mumia Abu-Jamal (USA), author, political prisoner,
introduced by Noelle Hanrahan (USA), founder of Prison Radio

International Solidarity Demonstration
Solidarity delegations from various countries

Cultural programme

‘Rumpelkinder – Schmuddelstilzchen’: Andreas Rebers sings Franz J. Degenhardt – with guitarists André Matov and Samuel Halscheidt

Lamis Ammar (Palestine) Solo piece ‘Mein bedrohliches Gedicht’ (My threatening poem) – autobiographical account of the imprisonment of Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour

G.P.S., Garage rock from Berlin

Youth panel
No to conscription!
Militarisation does not stop at young people: they are to be forced into the barracks through conscription. Representatives of various youth organisations discuss: Why should conscription be reintroduced? And above all: How can we fight back together? It's about action, cooperation and taking a clear stand against conscription, militarisation and war!

Panel discussion
Butter instead of guns: What can be done to combat armament, militarisation and the threat of war?
The German government is imposing a gigantic rearmament programme on itself, increasing its liabilities on the bond market for this purpose and already announcing where funds for life support are to be cut in favour of lethal weapons. So far, there has been little social resistance to this, even though the population of this country cannot have any interest in cuts to the welfare state and a dramatically increased threat of war. We want to discuss why this is the case and what can be done about it.
With:
Jan Dieren (Member of the Bundestag, SPD)
Tatjana Sambale (DKP Party Executive)
Yusuf As (DIDF)
Nadja Rakowitz (Association of Democratic Doctors)
Ulrich Thoden (Defence Policy Spokesperson for The Left Party in the Bundestag)
Moderator: Daniel Bratanovic, Editor-in-Chief, junge Welt

8 pm Closing
Singing the International together

Afterwards
Party at Casa Cuba

Market Square
Left-wing groups, publishers and organisations introduce themselves at the conference.

Free childcare will be provided during the conference.

Conference languages: German, English, Spanish (simultaneous translation)

Subject to change without notice.