A critical discussion of British militarism for Armed Forces Day 2023
with Ellis Brooks, Peace Education Coordinator, Quakers in Britain
Despite the many costly crises in our society, increases in military spending continue along with the sale of arms abroad. Wars prevail. Armed Forces Day offers a clear opportunity to shine a light on the normalisation of militarisation and society’s willingness for this to go unquestioned.
Based on excerpts from the film ‘War School’ shown on the big screen to structure and enable discussion, we will learn about the reasons behind the Army’s efforts to make 10,000 annual visits to schools. Despite mounting pressure and criticism Britain continues to recruit children into the Army year on year – the only European country to do so.
Ellis Brooks is the Peace Education Coordinator for Quakers in Britain and one of the coordinators of Our Shared World, a coalition of over 150 organisations working to realise or Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 in England. As well as teaching, Ellis has worked for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom, campaigning on human rights, climate justice, disarmament and migrant justice.
