For peace as a future: DGB warns against armament madness on World Peace Day

For peace as a future: DGB warns against armament madness on World Peace Day

On September 1, 2025, 80 years after the end of the Second World War, there will be the highest number of armed conflicts since 1945. The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) is using today's World Peace Day to celebrate under the motto "For a policy of peacemaking! Never again war - in Germany, Europe and worldwide!" to draw attention to this worrying situation. The DGB calls for more diplomatic peace solutions and criticizes the increasing military spending, which has a strong impact on education, social projects and public services.

Karsten Priedemann, the DGB regional manager Halle-Dessau, emphasizes the urgency of seeking peace and diplomatic solutions. He is critical of the plans to increase defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product. Priedemann demands that the additional spending should not come at the expense of the social budget, education, research or public infrastructure. He also appeals that Germany should be a peacemaking power that actively promotes disarmament and supports diplomatic solutions.

Peace policy as a key to conflict resolution

The Federal Foreign Office emphasizes that crisis prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding are central elements of German foreign and security policy. These areas form the pillars of the integrated peace engagement, which combines civilian, military and police means in a comprehensive strategy. The aim is to prevent or defuse violent conflicts at an early stage. In addition, stabilization is promoted in order to achieve non-violent conflict resolution.

A crucial goal of peacebuilding is to prevent relapses into violence and to support legitimate actors in order to create security and life prospects for people in regions affected by violence. The Foreign Office carries out numerous measures that also serve to protect Germany's security. These include, among other things, peace mediation and the fight against extremist violence and transnational organized crime.

International cooperation and local initiatives

International challenges such as climate change and cyberspace are increasingly influencing security policy and conflicts. Germany relies on international and multilateral cooperation to resolve complex transnational conflicts. An example of successful integrated peace engagement is the reconstruction of the village of Ngarannam in northern Nigeria following an attack by Boko Haram in 2015. Support from local authorities and the United Nations has helped improve security and enable displaced villagers to return.

Karsten Priedemann and the DGB emphasize that support for education and social projects in Germany must not be neglected. It is important that priorities are set in a way that ensures peace and social stability. A future-oriented peace commitment can therefore only succeed through the integration of diplomatic solutions and investments in social issues.

On today's World Peace Day, the demands of the DGB and the measures of the Foreign Office are an urgent appeal to society and politics to work for a more peaceful world. The DGB calls for participation in the World Peace Day events and, together with many other organizations, demands that peace is a common task.

Further information can be found on the DGB's pages on defense spending and investments in education as well as on the website Foreign Office, where the integrated peace commitment is explained from the perspective of German foreign policy.