About the Arms Reduction Coalition

ARC is a small campaigning NGO based in the UK. ARC was formally launched at a meeting organised by Action for UN Renewal (www.action-for-un-renewal.org.uk) on 7th May 2002 in the House of Commons , London, UK. Under current UK laws we are not allowed to be a charity. ARC is the only group campaigning for a world wide reduction in military and arms spending.

ARC is driven by the ARC resolution (see enclosed leaflet). Our aims include:

• To get an Arms Reduction treaty signed and ratified by the UN. Persuade governments, politicians, and policy makers to reduce resources spent on the military and arms and invest in programmes that benefit humanity and the Earth; such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, conflict prevention, peaceful resolution of conflict, protecting the vulnerable, and maintaining the environment.
• Establish a coalition of many individuals and organisations from around the world.
• Inform the general public of the need for arms reduction. Affect public opinion so they demand a reduction in the resources spend on arms (e.g. to ensure more money is spent on health and education than on the military)
• To make a positive difference to mankind. Address the moral, ethical, logical, political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental issues associated with arms reduction, moving from a culture of violence to a culture of peace

ARC's main activities have included:

• Holding, speaking and asking questions at meetings and conferences. Over the past year ARC has organised multi-group discussions meetings with groups such as Make Poverty History, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Economists for Peace and Security UK, Institute of Development Studies and others in support of the campaign
• Engaging the community through a Stall at music, local and Peace events (with leaflets, petition, newsletters, Books, CDs, Flags, Post cards, UN and peace literature).
• Publishing a quarterly newsletter and frequent ARC Briefs.
• Collecting over 1,000 signatories to our petition via our stall at events in the UK. (over 90% of those asked sign it).
• Maintaining the ARC web site at www.arcwebsite.org which had almost 400,000 hits in the last year.
• Translating the ARC resolution into many languages (using computer software) for our web site.

Globally recognised: ARC Committee members have spoken at various events around the world; such as in Athens, Barcelona, Edinburgh, London, New York, and Prague. ARC will be taking part in the World Peace Forum in Vancouver, conferences in Geneva, London (ARC organised with World Disarmament Campaign). Many in the UN involved with Peace, security and development are familiar with ARC. Since the launch of our Campaign references to Article 26 has increased. For example 'We should recall Article 26 of the Charter of the United Nations, which envisages an international system based on the "least diversion for armaments of the worlds human and economic resources".' Secretary-General Kofi Annan in the foreword to the 2004 'Report of the Group of Governmental Experts on the relationship between Disarmament and Development'.

More than a passive website: Our website includes speeches, articles, poems, extensive links, quotations, free music and a Web Shop. It is a forum for discussion of ARC issues.

Support for local NGOs: We support local Peace, human rights, environment and development organizations around the world by bringing their work and concerns to wider international attention and campaigning for more resources to be allocated to their work. We support international initiates such as Departments of Peace, Make Poverty History, Human Security, Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Disarmament For Sustainable Development, Arms Trade Treaty, Peace Building Commission, The Responsibility to Protect and Civil Society participation in the UN

Planned expansion

During 2006-7 we are seeking funds to forward our campaign in important ways:

• Building the Coalition with special focus on areas of conflict, high military or arms expenditures and the developing world; especially producing resources and systems to assist local ARC groups in Africa, Asia & Latin America.
• Expand Research and Coverage so that the web site provides more resources and information applicable to other countries.
• Writing a draft ARC Treaty as recommended to us at a conference by a visitor involved with the UN from New York.
• Persuade UN Delegations. Establishing ARC Champions at the UN and lobbying UN member states. Promoting alternatives to Military and arms spending such as conversion, transparency, education for disarmament and a culture of peace.
• Package the Message to get it across to a wider audience. Write articles for media, letters to papers (radio, newspapers, magazines). Repackage the message for decision makers, politicians, public, and media; via music, art, videos and literature.
• Get Organisations to Pass ARC Resolutions. Approach political parties, NGOs, unions, churches and conference run organisations with example resolutions and speaking at their conferences.
• Strengthening the ARC Organisation. More Fund raising, getting an office, building membership and local groups.

Please participate and support ARC in any way you can, such as by:

• Endorsing the ARC Resolution and / or becoming a member of the Coalition. Register with ARC so we can keep in touch.
• Informing others of and discussing ARC. Getting Signatories to the ARC Petition, discussing ARC with friends, distributing our literature, enclosing ARC postcards in your newsletter; and web site link, inviting ARC to speak at your meetings.
• Writing letters or articles and producing art (that we can publish) for the public, MPs, Media, professional publications, academics, experts, policy makers or ARC; analysing the ARC Resolution from your perspective.
• Suggest to people in other countries that they join the coalition or form their own national ARC groups.
• Buying goods form the ARC Web Shop (via PayPal) at www.arcwebsite.org. Distribute the FREE music on our web site.
• Agreeing to fund one of ARC's projects (list of over 30 projects available upon request or projects related to your interests) such as translating the ARC resolution into other languages (cost £150 each), or funding the ARC office (£5,000) for a year.
• Any positive and effective support you can think of. ARC is a non-violent campaign. So please nothing violent. Be determined, hopeful and patient. We hope you agree gradual arms reduction practicable and is a must for the better future.
• Sending us a Donation by post or via our Web Site (using PayPal or a Credit Card). Express your support for ARC.

Treasurer, NGO Liaison Officer : Fidel Asante, a London based campaigner for social justice working with groups such as the Make Poverty History Coalition, Lucis Trust, Tara Network and Peace Not War.