We denounce the army’s presence in the Saló de l’Ensenyament 2012

Desmilitaritzem l’Educació campaign and the Catalan Confederation of NGOs for Peace, Human Rights and Development reported the presence of the army in Education Fair to be held in Barcelona from 21 to 25 March and asked to Education Department of the withdrawal.

This year, the army has been invited again to participate in the Education Fair in Barcelona. Since the conviction that the goal of educational institutions and agents is the promotion of peace education, science, respect, peaceful coexistence and dialogue, we believe that the army is incompatible with these principles and moreover, given the critical state of public budgets and cuts in social and personal made, we consider unacceptable that funds are spent (more than 2.5 million euros) in the promotion and advertising of the Armed Forces to increase their recruitment.

Desmilitaritzem l’Educació campaign and the Catalan Confederation of NGOs for Peace, Human Rights and Development consider that the projected image of the military as a humanitarian aid organization that is not as a tool for the exercise of organized violence is misleading and hide their true role of defense of interests more spurious. Also, do not believe that human security must be guaranteed with violent means, but by investing in education, health, human rights, access to jobs and housing, environmental protection.

The participation of the Armed Forces in education fair, as they argue, is a step in the normalization of the army and its inclusion in the educational, to promote the so called culture of defense and the military spirit, and improve its image to encourage military recruitment.

Therefore, the Desmilitaritzem l’Educació campaign and the Catalan Confederation of NGOs for Peace, Human Rights and Development expressed its total opposition to the participation of the spanish army at the Saló de l’Ensenyament and ask the Department of Education, acting as coordinator, and the Fira de Barcelona, ​​as an organizer, to withdraw the invitation for this and future editions, and to demilitarize  education.

Desmilitaritzem l’Educació Campaign is made up of different actors of civil society organizations such as first and second level, schools, unions, civic networks and other coordinators who created this initiative in 2008 with the slogan “Arms do not educate, arms kill. “