EBCO - European Bureau for Conscientious Objection

17/05/2026

On International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, Al Jazeera’s explains what it means for people who object to fighting in wars today and what happens when they do.
https://youtu.be/6s7IE6Y-heM

On International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, Al Jazeera’s explains what it means for people who object to fighting in wars today and what hap...

17/05/2026

Commemoration to Jean Van Lierde, historical figure of Belgian and international conscientious objection to military service, first EBCO President.
Commemoration for the 20th anniversary of his death and the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Visit to the park dedicated to him, his home and his grave at the cemetery of the Brussels municipality of Watermael-Boitsfort. ☮️
"TU NE TUERAS POINT - PAIX, JUSTICE ET LIBERTÉ"
"Thou shalt not kill - Peace, Justice and Liberty"

16/05/2026

Happy to meet for our EBCO General Assembly, bringing together conscientious objectors and activists ☮️ from Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and UK, at the Peace House in Brussels, kindly hosted by Agir pour la Paix 🙏

16/05/2026

The new publication 'Voices of Peace, Stories of Conscientious Objectors from Europe and beyond' was presented on the International Day of Conscientious Objection (15/5) at the Peace House in Brussels! ☮️
Thank you Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA), Connection e.V., War Resisters' International, Agir pour la Paix🙏
Read these inspiring stories of conscientious objectors from Europe and beyond 🌍🌏🌍
From eight countries: Belgium, Greece, Eritrea, Türkiye, Israel, Finland, Russia, and Spain.
💡 Conscientious objectors are people who refuse the war system. This can mean refusing to serve, wanting to leave the army after joining, refusing to be enlisted, refusing to train for war, or refusing to support or take part in any war activities.
Each story is unique and comes from a different background. From Spanish artists to Russian human rights activists, the desire to live in peace transcends gender, age, and location.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part and shared their stories. This publication would not exist without you. 💙
You can read these stories here 👉
https://www.qcea.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/QCEA_Voices_of_Peace.pdf
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🤝 This project is a collaboration between Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA), Connection e.V., War Resisters' International, and Agir pour la Paix.
Big thanks to everyone involved in the creation of this publication:
Authors: Celina Bebenek and Andrew de Sousa (Quaker Council for European Affairs), Zaira Zafarana (Connection e.V.), Semih Sapmaz and Natalia García Cortés (War Resisters’ International).
Editorial support: Julia Montier and Charlène Poupon Brengel (Agir Pour La Paix), Mikheil Elizbarashvili (Peace and Service Network), Gill Alcock and Kate McNally.
Translation from French: Daniel Flynn.
Design: Beatrice Romagnoli and Celina Bebenek.
Image credit ©Asis Percales for Fine Acts

16/05/2026

✊ On International Conscientious Objection Day, we stand with those who refuse violence, militarisation, and conscription.

Conscientious objection is a commitment to life, dignity, and collective care in a world shaped by war.

📢Today, we call for the right to refuse to kill to be guaranteed everywhere

15/05/2026

On May 15th, International Conscientious Objection Day, we join together to send a clear and powerful message: we reject militarisation and affirm the right to refuse to kill, in response to growing efforts to promote military service as a solution to today’s crises.

15/05/2026

On International Conscientious Objection Day, the return of military conscription reveals a systemic push to institutionalize militarism. Forcing civilians into the war machine treats human lives as expendable resources. We must protect the fundamental right to refuse to kill! https://worldbeyondwar.org/conscientious-objection-could-change-the-world/

15/05/2026

This week, representatives from Pax Christi International, EBCO (European Bureau for Conscientious Objection), Connection e.V., War Resisters’ International, and the Quaker Council for European Affairs came together at the European Parliament for a series of exchanges with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). These meetings provided an important opportunity to raise awareness of the ongoing violations of, and insufficient protections for, the human right to conscientious objection to military service across Europe.

This week, representatives from Pax Christi International, EBCO (European Bureau for Conscientious Objection), Connection e.V., War Resisters’ International, and the Quaker Council for European Affairs came together at the European Parliament for a series of exchanges with Members of the European ...

12/05/2026

‼️EBCO NEW ANNUAL REPORT ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN EUROPE‼️

This year’s EBCO Annual Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe is published in a context marked not only by the continued acceleration of militarisation across the continent and beyond, but also persistent and widespread violations of international and human rights because of wars. 💥

This report stands both as documentation and as a tool for advocacy. In a time increasingly defined by preparation for war, it reaffirms a fundamental principle: the refusal to participate in war is not only a protected right, but a necessary condition for building a just and lasting peace. ☮

Read the full report or browse by country:
https://www.ebco-beoc.org/press-release/2026-05-11-press-release-ebco-annual-report-2025

29/03/2026

EBCO mission to Kyiv, Ukraine, for Yurii Sheliazhenko , EBCO Board Member and Secretary of the Український Рух Пацифістів. The message of our member organisations all around Europe is clear and strong, and we express it in all our languages: we stand in SOLIDARITY with Yurii ☮️
Please read our recent joint statement condemning arbitrary detention and ongoing threats against conscientious objector Yurii Sheliazhenko: https://ebco-beoc.org/press-release/2026-03-24-joint-statement-arbitrary-detention-yurii-sheliazhenko

29/03/2026

An 8-hour blockade in Pisa stopped a train transporting weapons linked to broader military operations across the Mediterranean. War depends on logistics. People organized together can disrupt those logistics. https://worldbeyondwar.org/italian-activists-block-transport-of-weapons/