While the world today face multi-dimensional (social, economic, political and environmental) crises, we also see the increasing militarism and wars happening in many countries (i.e. Myanmar, Palestine, etc). Militarism and wars remain a dominant strategy used by global powers to maintain and sustain control territories and resources of weaker countries whose peoples continue to resist imperialist domination and struggle for their rights to self-determination.

Though of different contexts, Myanmar and Palestine genocides and ethnic cleansing are blatant violations of international declaration of human rights and the international humanitarian law. Yet, the United Nations and international instrumentalities have been helpless to stop the genocides, militarism and wars.

Amidst these brutal realities, we have seen solidarity campaigns and movements building up in different countries to support the peoples of Myanmar and of Palestine as well as other oppressed and occupied nations and countries around the world. But the question on how to become effective in these movements and struggles in order to succeed remain a challenge.

The International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE) Philippines is an educational (and research) organization that launches an annual Asian Regional School (ARS) for researchers and social activists coming from different parts of Asia (South and South East). It started in 2008 and this year is its 12^th Asian Regional School.

Like the previous years, public events (usually a Public Forum) on major issues like the Forum in June 2014 on Between Hegemony and Multipolar World, Who’s Afraid of Far Right in 2018, to name a few, that were relevant to the conditions of peoples around the world specially the Asian countries, launched by IIRE Philippines together with network of social movements, political groups and academic centers in Manila.

This year’s public event is entitled BUILDING SOLIDARITY FROM BELOW!
The Intensifying Wars in Myanmar and Palestine: Effects on its Peoples and the Role played by the Regional and Global Power co-organized with the Focus on Global South, International Peace Bureau, LABAN Kababaihan (Women Fight) and the UP-CIDS Program on Alternative Development.

The Forum provided a space for latest updates and discussion on the current state of genocide of the people in Myanmar and Palestine including updates on other militarism and wars now impending within the Asia region. The event also included updates and profound discussion about existing internal struggles of the armed ethnic organizations and the National Unity Government with its Peoples Defense Force and the Palestinian people.

Two speakers were invited to trigger the discussion - Dr. Emma Leslie, of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS) and Steering Committee Member of the South East Asia Women Mediators and Peace Negotiators from Siemreap, Cambodia spoke via zoom about the Myanmar issues and Ms. Judy Miranda of the Partido Manggagawa and No to War Philippines about Palestine issues. Aside from updates from the ground, they also discussed the role and the dynamics of the regional and global powers in the intensification of the conflicts and presented perspectives and recommendations on how social movements should take the challenges of the day.

Participants from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Australia, The Netherlands, USA and several progressive organizations and individuals (via online and in person) exchanged perspectives, positions and campaigns from respective contexts on the Palestine and Myanmar struggles and on how to further strengthen and consolidate the existing efforts of solidarity campaigns at the international level.

UP CIDS Conference Hall, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City / 24^th April 2024, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

International Institute for Research and Education - Manila