lay down your arms events
A Day of Peace in Mehedeby
Held at Mehedeby, Dissidentklubben
22nd August 2026
Programme for the Day
1
1
Welcome to Betlehem Chapel
Custodians of the chapel and its Peace Park
Arne Ruth - Former Chief Editor & Cultural Editor of Dagens Nyheter and Expressen
2
2
The Nordic Peace organisation LayDownYourArms (LDYA), Dag Hammarskjöld and the Mehedeby Peace Park
John Y Jones
Co-Chair of LDYA
Neutrality and Cooperation in the Nordic Countries in Modern Times and Mehedeby as a Peace Symbol

Arne Ruth
Former Chief Editor & Cultural Editor of Dagens Nyheter and Expressen
3
3
Up against a military juggernaut with peaceful means
  • via Zoom
Omar Barghouti
Head the BDS-campaign, awarded The LayDownYourArms Peace Prize for 2026
4
4
Militarisation in the Nordic Countries today. We must turn the tide!
Tomas Magnusson
The campaign to end American bases in the Nordics and Co-Chair of LDYA
5
5
What is the war against Iran all about?
  • via Zoom
John Kiriakou
West Asia expert, former CIA-analyst and agent
6
6
Introducing Dissident Klubben
Mattias Forsgren
High School Teacher & Dissident Club

Håkan Julander
Actor, Poet & Dissident Club
7
7
The challenges of peacebuilding in and around Iran
Mehrdad Darvishpour
Sociologist and associate professor at Mälardalens Högskola in Sweden
8
8
Appreciation Ceremony
Arne Ruth
Former Chief Editor & Cultural Editor of Dagens Nyheter and Expressen
9
9
Can the Kurds contribute to demilitarization in West-Asia?
Ögmundur Jonasson
Former Icelandic Minister of the Interior, longtime former journalist, unionist leader and peace activist
10
10
The Nuclear Challenge to Iran and Ukraine
Ola Tunander
Retired PRIO-research professor and prolific author
Close
Event organised by Lay Down Your Arms
Made on
Tilda