2015
has
arrived,
bringing
new
opportunities
and
challenges
for
our
committee.
There
is
growing
awareness
of
the
importance
of
disarmament,
peace
and
security
issuesissues
that
we
help
bring
to
light
with
our
programming
and
our
online
and
print
Disarmament
Times
publications.
We
are
noticing
elevated
concern
over
drones
and
other
autonomous
weapon
systems.
We
see
clearly
what
the
proliferation
of
the
types
and
numbers
and
the
lethal
effectiveness
of
weapons
is
doing
to
men,
women
and
children
around
the
globe.
Non-combatantsinnocent
civilianssuffer
more
than
anyone
else
from
weapons
sold
to
enrich
investors
and
companies
in
the
worlds
wealthiest
countries,
which
harm
many
of
the
worlds
poorest
and
most
vulnerable.
With
renewed
vigor,
we
commit
ourselves
to
inform
and
advocate
for
the
elimination
of
all
such
weapons
and
to
turn
our
financial
and
intellectual
assets
towards
peaceful
endeavors.
The
Quakers,
probably
more
than
any
other
faith,
have
consistently
highlighted
the
price
of
weapons
and
military
spending,
which
clearly
comes
at
the
cost
of
more
peaceful
endeavorslike
maintaining
and
building
our
schools,
hospitals,
roads,
parks,
museums
and
concert
halls.
As
the
military
industrial
complex
continues
to
reap
its
bloody
profits
and
thrive,
the
worlds
health,
education,
trade
and
cultural
institutions
remain
woefully
underfunded.
We
stand
as
people
of
faith,
shoulder
to
shoulder
with
secular
activists,
to
end
war
and
the
commerce
of
weapons.
We
cannot
allow
a
culture
of
war
to
rob
us
of
the
opportunity
to
do
whats
necessary
to
make
this
a
better
world
for
generations
to
come.
Lets
work
together
to
make
2015
the
year
we
make
this
world
a
safer
place.
In
peace,
Bruce
Knotts
President,
NGO
Committee
on
Disarmament,
Peace
and
Security