HISTORY OF GLOBAL NETWORK

The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space was founded in 1992 by the joint efforts of the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice (FCPJ); Citizens for Peace in Space (Colorado Springs); and New York-based Journalism professor Karl Grossman. The inaugural meeting of the Global Network (GN) was held in Washington D.C. City Council Chambers.

Between 1992-1997 the GN was housed in the offices, and subsidized by, the FCPJ. Bruce Gagnon, at that time the Coordinator of the FCPJ, served as Co- Coordinator of the GN with Bill Sulzman from Colorado.

 

Early Global Network Meeting

In 1998 Gagnon left the FCPJ wanting to work full time on space issues and began serving as volunteer Coordinator of the GN as it has begun to make the effort to become a self sustaining membership organization. The GN is governed by a Board of Directors which is elected at its general membership meetings.

GN Co-ordinator Bruce Gagnon at Cancel Cassini demonstration

Since its 1992 founding the GN has met each year in order to bring together key activists who are working on, or are interested in, space issues. It was the intention of the founders to create an organization that would serve as a clearinghouse for space issues and act as a spark to ignite education and organizing in order to build an international citizens movement. The 1997 Cancel Cassini Campaign (that launched 72 pounds of plutonium into space and was featured by the TV program 60 Minutes) was a visible and successful effort.

Stop Cassini demonstration in Darmstadt, Germany, 1997

In 2000 and 2001 the GN organized an International Day of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space.  The October 13, 2001 day of local events drew protests in 19 countries, at 115 locations.  In 2002 the GN will hold Keep Space for Peace Week from October 4-11.

The general membership meetings of the GN have been held in Washington DC; Colorado; New Mexico; Florida; England; Germany and California. It is a tradition that each GN meeting should include some kind of public demonstration at a space related facility or event in addition to the annual conference/meeting.

Citizens for Peace in Space

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