The Assembly took place in an iconic country whose people fought and defeated like only few other peoples, all-powerful adversaries such as the Japanese empire as an invader, the French colonialists who occupied Indochina and the American imperialists who slaughtered the country with over 3 million victims and with consequences to this day .

After the meeting of the outgoing Executive Committee on November 21, which reviewed the work done by the EC in the last years and the preparations for the Assembly to start, all international delegates paid homage to the historical revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Mausoleum and visited the premises where he lived and worked. On the same day, 22^nd November, a briefing session about Vietnam was held in which the President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, made a presentation of the achievements, progress and challenges Vietnam is facing today, on national and international level. Many questions were answered along with short interventions by guests were made.

The session of the Assembly began on 22^nd November with the welcome speech of the Vietnam Peace Committee by its President Uong Chu Luu, former vice-Speaker of the National Assembly of Vietnam, who saluted all participants on behalf of the host organisation, stating the historical importance of the XXII Assembly of the WPC for the first time on Vietnamese soil, wishing success and fruitful outcome to its deliberations. Thus, the VPC President declared the opening of the WPC assembly.

The Assembly continued with the speech of the outgoing President of the WPC, Socorro Gomes who underlined: “It is a great honor to return to this country, where its heroic people upholds a fruitful work in search of economic prosperity and social development, the consolidation of their independence, opening new pages of progress, performing a sovereign role in the world. We reiterate our full solidarity with their constructive efforts and, once more, condemn those who caused the colonialist war that left tragic and indelible consequences. Here, criminally, weapons of mass destruction were used, like Agent Orange, which caused prolonged and damaging consequences for the country. But the Vietnamese people were able to achieve their liberation and rebuild their nation, which demonstrates their revolutionary character.  Socorro Gomes stated in her speech furthermore: Humanity lives a troubled time, marked by chronic economic and social crises for which it finds no solutions, surrounded in contradictions and political and military conflicts, militarist escalation, wars that are spreading and intensifying the threat of a nuclear hecatomb. This conjuncture brings complex challenges to the organizations that struggle for world peace, social justice, the peoples’ rights, and equality between the nations”. Socorro Gomes concluded her speech by stating: “Facing this complex and challenging scenario, the World Peace Council is called upon to play a uniting, organizing and mobilizing role to confront the militarist forces causing wars, interventions and coups, and to move forward, in the struggle for peace and the peoples’ emancipation This struggle will require from us ever greater clarity of purpose, spirit of unity, initiative, and militancy, to open a clear path in this historical crossroads where humanity finds itself.”

During  the presentation of the Report  of the outgoing General Secretary, Thanassis Pafilis, who, thanked the Vietnam Peace Committee on behalf of the WPC and expressed the undivided solidarity of the WPC to the heroic people of Vietnam, he noted: "In the years that have passed since the 21st Assembly of the WPC in Sao Luis, the WPC developed multifaceted action in conditions of tension of imperialist aggression, heightened rivalries between monopolies and states that give rise to wars, in conditions of the intensity of capital's attack against the working class, the peoples, the youth, in conditions of a capitalist crisis that worsens the lives of the people for the profits of the few, of those who steal wealth from the many who produce it". He highlighted the rich actions of the WPC against the imperialist plans of the USA - NATO - EU, the solidarity actions for the people of Palestine, Western Sahara, Cuba, Venezuela, but also for the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya that were the victims of the long-standing imperialist wars of interventions by the US, NATO, the EU and their allies.

Referring to recent developments, after condemning the imperialist war in Ukraine, he noted: "The recent NATO Summit in Madrid in June 2022 reviewed, renewed and accelerated a series of decisions from previous years. This war machine is increasing its aggression even more through the NATO 2030 strategy and the New Strategic Concept that it is preparing for the next year. Old and new pretexts, such as hybrid threats, cyber security and the so-called climate crisis, the energy crisis, etc. are mobilized to pave the way for new interventions. The WPC participated in the mass demonstration of June 26 in Madrid, with its own distinct presence. (....) The NATO 2030 Strategy foresees the strengthening of the military means of the alliance, but also its technological modernization, its planned expansion around the world, its enlargement with new members, but also the development of partnerships with dozens of states, the formation of ready combat units, the integration of Sweden and Finland, the sending of troops to Eastern Europe, around Ukraine. This is what the creation of 30 infantry units, 30 naval units and 30 aviation units aims at, which, being fully equipped, have the ability to intervene within 30 days on any front chosen by NATO. NATO forces are spread across the globe, from Afghanistan and the NATO protectorate of Kosovo to the Baltic, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Africa."

With reference to the role of the European Union, Thanassis Pafilis highlighted its further militarization in order to more effectively serve the needs of European monopolies, through its Global Strategy, but also its "Strategic Concept", so that it can operate both autonomously and in addition to NATO ,a fact recorded, among others, by the establishment of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the European Initiative for Interventions, etc., within the framework of the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).

Concluding, he noted "Despite the negative correlation of forces and the militarization of international relations, we are optimistic that the anti-imperialist peace movement is gaining strength and our Assembly is such proof that we are holding high the flag of anti-imperialist struggle and solidarity."

The opening ceremony of the XXII assembly of the WPC was also attended by Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam Union for Friendship Organisations (VUFO), which contributed decisively to the success of the Assembly. The special chief guest of the opening was Tran Thanh Man Standing Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Vietnam and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who welcomed warmly all delegates to Vietnam and to the Assembly.  As per decision of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, the Supreme Order of Friendship was awarded to the World Peace Council and separately to Socorro Gomes, Thanassis Pafilis and Iraklis Tsavdaridis, for their contribution to the anti-war, anti-imperialist, peace movement. The order was awarded by Tran Thanh Man in a very emotional fraternal ceremony.

During the rich and diverse program of the 22nd WPC Assembly, the international delegates were received by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, the local authorities of Hanoi, the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front of Vietnam Do Van Chien, as well as by officials of the Vietnam Peace Committee and the Vietnamese Union for the Friendship of Peoples (VUFO), who were the hosts of the events. The international delegates had also the opportunity to visit the Quang Ninh province where one of the most emblematic sites is situated, the Halong Bay whereas all international guests enjoyed the marvelous environment and local hospitality.

During the Assembly and after the presentation of the five regional reports, a rich discussion took part in which more than 50 delegates and guests took part. The greetings speeches of five International Organisations and structures were conveyed by their representatives such as Rafael Cardino, member of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Union (WFTU), Aritz Rodriguez, President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), Annie Raja, Vice-President of the Women International Democratic Federation (WIDF), Jun Sasamoto, Member of the Bureau of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) and Corazon Valdez from the Asia-Europe Peoples’ Forum (AEPF).

After the organizational and financial reports the 22nd Assembly of the WPC elected its new Executive Committee (EC) consisting of 40 organizations. At its first meeting, the new Executive Committee elected a 13-member Secretariat, consisting of movements from the following : All India Peace& Solidarity Organisation (India), Greek Committee for International Détente &Peace (Greece), Portuguese Council for Peace & Cooperation (Portugal), U.S. Peace Council (USA), South African Peace Initiative (South Africa), Palestinian Committee for Peace &Solidarity (Palestine), Cuban Institute for the Friendship of the Peoples(Cuba), Cyprus Peace Council (Cyprus), Syrian National Peace Council (Syria), Sudan Peace& Solidarity Council (Sudan), Brazilian center for the solidarity of the peoples and struggle for Peace ( Brazil), Nepal Peace &Solidarity Council (Nepal) and  Japan Peace Committee (Japan).

During the first session of the new EC, Pallab Sengupta on behalf of the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization (AIPSO) was elected unanimously as the new President of WPC, while Thanassis Pafilis and Iraklis Tsavdaridis were re-elected unanimously to the posts of General and Executive Secretary respectively, representing the Greek Peace Committee (EEDYE). Words of thanks and appreciation were expressed by Iraklis Tsavdaridis and Thanassis Pafilis about Socorro Gomes for the 14 years of contribution and service to the WPC as its President.

The Executive Committee appointed also five Vice-Presidents from respective number of regions, namely: Elisa Salvador, President of the Angolan League for the Friendship and Solidarity of the Peoples (LAASP), Alfred Marder, President of Honor of the U.S. Peace Council (USPC), Uong Chu Luu, President of the Vietnam Peace Committee (VPC), Milan Krajca, Chairman of the Czech Peace Movement (CMH), Jamshid Ahmadi, Coordinator of the Association for the Defense of Peace, Solidarity and Democracy, Iran (ADPSD)

During the meetings of the Executive Committee of 21^st and 24^th November the following five (5) new Member Organisations were affiliated to the World Peace Council:

• Tunisian Council for Peace and Solidarity
• Kuwaiti Peace and Solidarity Committee
• Network of Struggle for Peace & International Solidarity, SOLI Puerto Rico
• Western Sahara Peace Council
• Solidarwerkstatt Austria

The Assembly of the WPC discussed and unanimously approved a political declaration.

POLITICAL DECLARATION

“We Strengthen the Anti-imperialist Struggle and Solidarity

for a World of Peace and Social Justice”

22^ndWorld Peace Assembly 2022 – Political Declaration 

The 22nd Assembly of the World Peace Council, held in Ha Noi from 22^ndto 24^thNovember 2022, hosted by the Viet Nam Peace Committee, in which 108 delegates and guests from 58 organizations from 53 countries participated, concluded with the adoption of the following declaration:

1. The World Peace Council held with pride its 22^nd Assembly in November 2022 in Viet Nam, in a land that is renowned for its heroic people who, for many decades, resisted and successfully defeated the hegemonic, colonial, and imperialist forces that invaded and destroyed their country, killing millions of people. In particular, the Assembly took note of the ongoing consequences of the toxic “Agent Orange” used by the US military in the US war against Viet Nam, with continuing consequences for new generations up until today. The Assembly expressed its wholehearted solidarity with the families of the victims and demanded rightful compensation and relief from the US companies and authorities which bear responsibility.

2. In a period of deep and ongoing systemic economic, social, and ecological crisis, the world is facing new dangers and threats to peace resulting from increasing imperialist interference and aggression. Humanity is facing the serious danger of a generalized war of global dimensions. However, this is also a time of new struggles on the part of the peace-loving peoples of the world to counter and stop the pro-war tendencies. We need to recall past lessons from historical struggles and strengthen and unite all peace forces in a strong mobilization against the “enemies of peace”, with the aim of preventing new tragedies from occurring in the future.

3. The timing of the WPC Assembly was “affected” by the COVID-19 pandemic and could not be held in 2020. More than 4.5 million people on the planet lost their lives and hundreds of millions were infected. The unequal and unjust access to and distribution of the medicine and vaccines necessary to save lives in the different continents, and within each country, underlines once more the mechanisms and tools used in a world dominated by capital and imperialism. At the same time, solidarity actions and efforts undertaken by various countries to combat the effects of the pandemic should be valued, as is the case of Viet Nam and Cuba, among other examples.

4. The six-year period since the last WPC Assembly in Brazil has been rich with activity and struggle. During the first half of this period, the WPC and its member organizations in the various continents promoted and participated in street actions and demonstrations, seminars, debates, congresses and regional meetings among many other initiatives. These were intense moments for reflection, sharing opinions and experiences, in all of which we firmly held high the flag of peace and anti-imperialist solidarity. Through penetrating analysis of the main threats to peace, and by proposing clear tactics aimed at the widest possible unity, we helped to strengthen the broad movement for humanity’s most noble ideals. In this process, we have strengthened our WPC with new members and friends, as well as our convictions, our hope and our confidence in the peoples’ will to move forward and achieve a world in which peace, sovereignty, democracy, and social justice will triumph. During the second part of this period, due to the health pandemic, the WPC and its members were forced to adjust their ways of working to the conditions and many of our activities were held on virtual basis. Nevertheless, the WPC “restarted its engines” in November 2021 and held regional meetings and undertook regular activities up to the 22^nd Assembly.

5. During this period, the WPC reaffirmed its firm commitment to strengthening the international mobilization for peace, as an international organization struggling for peace and against the root causes of imperialist wars, misery, hunger, and exploitation, as well as advocating for a new international order based on peace, equitable and sustainable development, social justice, and solidarity.

6. After the dissolution of the USSR and the overthrow of socialism in the of Central and Eastern Europe and the fundamental change in the international balance of forces, the world faced a huge setback in which the great democratic and social achievements of the post-war period (including decolonization and national independence; social, economic and cultural development; and the expansion of the international rule of law in areas such as peace and sovereignty and other important principles of international relations established in the UN Charter and international law) were systematically and aggressively weakened from the 1990s. During this period, imperialist forces intensified their drive to impose and maintain their dominant position in the world while fiercely competing for a bigger share of markets and spheres of influence.

7. The current international situation demonstrates that imperialism pursues and intensifies its policy of threats, blackmail, sanctions, blockades, and aggression, trying to prevent the sovereign development of the peoples, including their right to determine for themselves their own path of development, all matters relating to the sovereign use of national resources and the pursuit of an independent foreign policy.

8. Since the last WPC Assembly, we have witnessed an increased level of imperialist aggressiveness and heightened arms race, the reinforcement and expansion of NATO and the appearance of new military alliances, ongoing plans to control the Middle East and its resources; the destruction and partition of Libya by NATO into different protectorates serving the imperialist powers and their regional allies; and the imperialist intervention in Syria, with the aim of overthrowing the legitimate government, which failed, but kept the country under a multi-part occupation — in the Northeast by the US and its allies, in the Northwest by Turkey, and in the Golan Heights by Israel. All the while, the above forces are “recycling” and utilizing fundamentalist armed mercenaries for their plans in Libya, Yemen, and other countries, along with the creation and promotion of the “Islamic State” and others, as assets in the imperialist plan for destabilization and fragmentation of the region.

9. Throughout this time, colonization, ethnic cleansing, and terrorism by the State of Israel against the Palestinian people has continued. With the open support of US and UK imperialism, and the complicity of the EU, new provocations were added: attacks on the Palestinian Gaza Strip; movement of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; the Israeli “National Law,” which is further discriminating against non-Jewish citizens in Israel, establishing an “Apartheid-like state;” the expansion of settlements in the Palestinian West Bank; cuts to resources for UNRWA; and the closure of the PLO office in Washington D.C. All the above are continuing under the Biden-administration in the USA.

10. A very serious situation has developed in and around Ukraine in recent years. After the coup within Ukraine in 2014, which brought successive reactionary governments into power (including Nazi forces), the population of the Eastern provinces of Donbas was for eight years brutally attacked and bombed by the regime in Kiev with the support of the US, UK, EU, and NATO. More than 14,000 people lost their lives by 2022, while a massacre took place on 2^nd May 2014 in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, in which anti-government protesters were set on fire and brutally executed in the Trade Union Building of the city — events which the WPC denounced in 2014.

11. The war in Ukraine did not start on 24^th February 2022 when the Russian army started its military action in that country. In previous years, NATO had developed its plans to extend its reach and encircle Russia militarily in a belt from the Artic and the Baltic Sea to Bulgaria, together with deployment of troops and Missile Defense Shields in Poland and Romania, US withdrawal from major disarmament treaties and the carrying out of military manoeuvres and diversified provocations along the borders of Russia, particularly from 2020. After attacking countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, NATO targeted Russia openly, tried to demonize its leadership, and promoted anti-Russian hysteria and hatred. A long time before the war broke out discussions were already underway about the affiliation of Ukraine to NATO.

12. The peoples of Russia and Ukraine were living peacefully together in the framework of the USSR, where the fraternal bonds and unifying spirit of the Soviet Union led its peoples to great social, scientific, and economic achievements. The disintegration of the USSR, despite the referendum of 1991, which was overwhelmingly in favor of maintaining the USSR, led to the restoration of capitalism and acute social problems and setbacks. Control was taken everywhere by the privatized corporations and big monopolies in all sectors and political life. We reject the anti-Soviet and anti-communist political campaigns, particularly the rhetoric about the Bolsheviks and the October Revolution, who allegedly organized a “Red Coup”, the result of which was the creation of Ukraine, clearly showing the nature of the forces that are ruling in the former Soviet Union.

13. From the first moment in 2014 until today, the WPC has not endorsed the war in the Ukraine. We are committed to the just cause of the peoples who must live peacefully together in control of their resources and lives. The WPC Secretariat took a position on 25^th February, which we reiterate, by calling for the end of hostilities, the peaceful settlement of differences by dialogue and negotiation, and denouncing NATO’s expansionist strategy. Never before were so many modern and sophisticated weapons delivered to one country than have been given by NATO countries to Ukraine. They are increasingly fuelling the war. The WPC is troubled by the rhetoric pushing for use of nuclear weapons, which would lead to a new World War and the destruction of humanity. The WPC took and continues to take a principled position, based on international law, including for respect of the right of the peoples to sovereignty and independence and for the peaceful solution of international conflicts and for non-interference in the internal affairs of states. The WPC does not accept any unilateral recognition of territories and borders, which thus far has been used, and can be abused in the future, by imperialist powers in other corners of the world.

14. We express our serious concern about the continuing suffering and loss of innocent lives during the war in Ukraine. In addition to the people of Ukraine and Russia, with thousands of casualties and destruction, the conflict is deepening, with much political manipulation, double standards and a growing “Russo phobia” by the West and NATO that does not cease in its efforts to expand its military and hegemonic domination at European and world level, while the peoples of Europe and the world are at the same time paying a high price for this war. We reject the economic sanctions by the US and EU against Russia, and we denounce vehemently the “games” played to replace Russian Natural Gas by US Natural Liquid Gas (NLG). These are not only fueling the profits of the US, UK, and EU monopolies but also impoverishing masses of people through the soaring prices of electricity and heating and the price-hiking of food. At the same time, we demand the immediate end of the war in Ukraine and call upon the parties to resolve all issues through peaceful negotiation.

15. The implementation of US military strategy that targets Asia & Pacific, including China, is reaching new levels. Increased global military spending, which reached more than two trillion USD in 2021, militarization of the planet and space and new developments in nuclear “defense” and weapons technology, which have increased their threat levels, are of great concern. Imperialism has intensified interventions, including coups, to halt and reverse the democratic, sovereign economic and social achievements in many areas of the world. The new reactionary military treaties such as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)” between the USA, India, Japan and Australia and the agreement between the US, UK, and Australia (AUKUS), in addition to the existing US military treaties with Japan and South Korea, are increasing the threats and dangers to peace and security in the region and are clearly aimed at China.

16. The United States' doctrine of “full-spectrum dominance” defines its global orientation and combines dismantling sovereign countries in the Middle East, confronting the expansion of the emerging economy of China, and promoting openly full-scale war against Russia, as overtly demonstrated by NATO. This reflects fierce rivalry and NATO’s strategy of creating a comprehensive “wall of containment” against Russia which extends through the Balkans and Eurasia. It is an action led by NATO, the UK, and the EU, which have been expanding their war machine and seeking the incorporation of former USSR republics into NATO.

17. However, the world situation is characterized not only by threats to peace, but also by the growing movements and struggles for a world of peace and justice. As we have witnessed, peoples’ movements in different parts of the world are playing ever more important roles in the defense of peoples' rights, their right to self-determination and sovereignty. Recent examples are the huge demonstrations against NATO during its Summit in Madrid (June 2022) in which the WPC participated, the massive protests and actions against the old and new US/NATO military bases, and the demonstrations for peace and against NATO in many countries.

18. As an organization and movement struggling for a cause that concerns all of humanity, we feel connected to the hardships affecting the majority, the deprived and oppressed peoples all over the world, imposed by an unjust socio-economic system. The current threats of war are directly related to the wide range of multi-dimensional crises affecting the world. The dominant economic system increasingly shows its exploitative and oppressive nature, in the contradictions between those owning capital and those dispossessed. In addition to economic and financial aspects, the systemic crisis also affects energy resources, food, and the environment.

19. As the exploitation of workers, employees and peoples intensifies, the liquidation of workers’ rights is extended and policies of cutting public spending result in the deterioration of education, health and other public services that are essential for social well-being. The crisis is deepening social polarization and inequalities in the distribution of wealth and manifests itself as particularly destructive.

20. The reality before our eyes also shows that imperialism instigates reactionary, obscurantist, anti-democratic, and anti-communist conceptions, and instrumentalizes extreme right-wing, xenophobic, fascist forces to attack freedoms, rights, democracy, and sovereignty.

21. While the all-around crisis is escalating and the peoples’ struggle for their rights, for development and progress, for protection of the environment, an end to poverty and hunger, and a just world, the US-UK-EU, together with their