Support Our Gathering in Seoul, Korea
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Peace Development Fund IncWomen for Genuine Security to feminist antimilitarism IWNAM convening in Seoul Korea May 21-25, 2025
$5,775
raised by 45 people
$15,000 goal
7 days left
New update
Thanks to you we are already over one-third of the way to our goal of $15,000. We are so grateful for your support for this fundraiser and all the other ways over the years. For first-time donors, we are so pleased you have chosen us this time.
We have been hearing from our Korean hosts about their full-on organizing for our gathering. This includes field trips to key sites affected negatively by militarism, militarization, and war to learn more about the history and to listen to stories of affected persons especially women, "darkness stories" as one sister described it. And we and all our other Network regional members are busily preparing.
This time next week, we will all be arriving in Seoul. Please keep us in your thoughts. Also, please forward our request to others who may willing to support us.
In solidarity and with love,
Debbie, Gwyn, Jess, Kathy, Margo, Martha, and Tracy
We are living in an increasingly militarized world where “shooting to kill” is the operating principle and governments worldwide are raising their military budgets to finance wars and preparations for wars. “Over 100 countries around the world raised their military spending in 2024. As governments increasingly prioritize military security, often at the expense of other budget areas, the economic and social trade-offs could have significant effects on societies for years to come,” according to the April 2025 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Still, we are hopeful. Feminist activists around the world are learning together to understand better this moment, to review and re-think our usual ways of creating change, and from examples of successful change work under way, like how Korean feminist activists led their recent successful campaign to impeach the President.
Women for Genuine Security, the US member group of the International Women’s Network Against Militarism, is among those. We'll be meeting our feminist partners from Guam, Hawai’i, Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Palau, and Philippines in Seoul from 21-25 May 2025 to strategize collectively to face what is in front of us. Most especially, we are focusing on ending militarized gender and sexual violence.
WGS is a 100% volunteer-based group comprising students, teachers, faith leaders, language interpreters, organizers, policymakers, writers, and parents. We have worked with our Network partners to develop a shared feminist analysis of militarism and coordinated organizing against the harmful effects of U.S. bases, military budgets, and military operations since 1997. Working together has enabled us to share experiences, information, and effective organizing strategies. We are currently committed to working in 4 languages because interpretation/translation is a crucial component of our political work. Through this translocal organizing we call for an end to all forms of violence and for economic development based on real peoples' needs.
We need your help so that 5 of us can get to the Korea meeting! Please donate what you can and share this request with your networks.
Thank you for all your ongoing support!