The Peace Party learned a new word this month – “Westlessness”.  it emerged at the annual Munich Security Conference held between 19th and 21st February, 2020 at the Bayerische Hof Hotel in the centre of the Bavarian city.  To quote from the Conference Website (https://securityconference.org/en/) “the term refers to a divided and, in some parts, increasingly illiberal West that seems to be retreating from the global stage”.  The “Western” idea, the Website states, is one where “actors commit to individual freedoms, democracy and the rule of law”.

The Conference should, of course, be providing up-to-the-minute ideas for action for promoting peace and security in our world by drawing together the main players on that world stage.  The Peace Party was extremely disappointed to discover that no senior UK government figure was present to bring and share ideas with representatives from the USA, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Korea, India and China, among others.

The Peace Party was pleased to learn that topics discussed included, besides Western unity, the threats from extreme nationalism which can lead to global insecurity, the importance of the “European Project”, climate change and the role of women in peace and security.

The accompanying image shows the main hall when the Conference was opened by German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.