Welcome to the 2023 Volkel Peace Actions

focussing on the climate and a nuclear free world

August 4th  to 10th 2023

Volkel Air Base, Netherlands.

Hiroshima commemoration  –   blockade  –   vrede scheppen/digging for life –  peace camp 

Peace: In 2023 a new generation American nuclear bombs (B61-12) is deployed on the European NATO airbases Volkel (Netherlands), Kleine Brogel (Belgium), Büchel (Germany), Aviano and Ghedi (Italy) and Incirlik (Turkey). We protest against this and call for a nuclear-free world and the empowerment of the people to counter occupation, oppression and injustice with nonviolent means.

Climate: the F-35 and F-16 fighter-bombers at Volkel air base emit over 10 tons of CO2 per flight hour practicing to bomb the world with new, even ‘better’ nuclear bombs in the next war. And when those nuclear bombs are used, it is very harmful to the climate and to all life on earth.

Globally, the military sector is estimated to generate around six per cent of all CO2 emissions. However, military emissions were kept out of the Kyoto protocol & Paris agreements. We desire a world without any military CO2 emissions and until that time, we demand the global military CO2 emissions to be included in the IPCC calculations & follow up Paris agreements.

The military is an important pillar of a rapacious system. If we want system change, we should not only look at the massive military CO2 footprint, but also look at the role the military plays in systems of dominance and imagine & live other ways to share this planet with all creatures large & small.

International: Activists from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the United States and possibly other countries get together for these days of action. Our common language will be English.

Action: By our actions we practice nonviolent resistance against the death machine.

–    We vigil during rush hour at the base.

–    Commemoration: On Sunday, August 6, we commemorate the victims of the bomb on Hiroshima.

–    Blockade: On Monday the 7th of August at 12pm we are organizing a blockade of the Volkel airbase, where US owned nuclear weapons are kept at hairtrigger alert. There will be an action- bus leaving from Amsterdam Sloterdijk in the morning and travel via Den Bosch Central Station to Volkel AFB and back. Join the signal for more info: https://ap.lc/QggP7
We kindly ask you to sign up for the bus through this form.

–    Vrede Scheppen: On Wednesday, August 9 (Nagasaki Day) we dig one or more tunnels under the fence with the intention of sitting on the runway to stop practicing for war & global destruction.

In all actions during this week we adhere to the nonviolent guidelines. (See below).

Code of nonviolence:

– We behave kindly in word and deed toward police, military, plane spotters and all other people.
– We will not run or make threatening movements.
– If we are stopped or summoned to leave the road, we will not resist arrest (but going limp & getting dragged away or walking along on the arm of one or more officers is fine).
–  We prefer everyone to say their name and welcome the legal consequences.
– Anyone who wants to be at an action must have participated in nonviolent action training and have one or two buddies.

If you have any questions, mail to volkelpeacecamp@gmail.com

This action is endorsed by the following organizations: