Event: Civil Society, Peace and the Basque Country - London, 4 June

Some eighteen months after the Aiete Conference and ETA's definitive cessation of armed action, civil society in the Basque country organised a social forum to promote civil society participation in the peace process. The Forum addressed three outstanding topics:

• an agenda for disarmament and the reintegration of prisoners and exiles
• a  guarantee of all human rights and democratic freedoms
• how to deal with the past and lay the foundations for future coexistence           

The Forum was held on 14-15 March in Iruñea (Pamplona) and Bilbao, with the participation of twelve international experts. Over 600 people took part in the two sessions - more than 300 requests had to be turned down for lack of physical space.

Lokarri will publish the conclusions of this initiative later this month (May 2013).

Forum organiser Paul Rios and Andy Carl - Director of Conciliation Resources and member of the international panel - will discuss the initiative and the current situation at this meeting, organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues.