Drones are now rapidly proliferating around the globe enabling belligerents to kill at distance with virtual impunity. At the same time, military planners are pushing ahead with incorporating AI into military systems despite grave concerns about the development of autonomous weapons, while behind the scenes, a number of states now see space as a war-fighting domain and are gearing up for space war.

In conjunction with Leicester CND and to remember the wonderful Penny Walker, Drone Wars are a holding a one-day, online conference to inform and build our campaigning to challenge these developments.

Penny Walker: Guardian and Peace News obituary

 Speakers include:

Dr Elke Schwarz is Lecturer in Political Theory at Queen Mary University, and previously a Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Leicester. She is author of ‘Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies’ and a member of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC).

Roy Jones is a veteran peace campaigner and founder of Parc Against Darc, the campaign to oppose the placing of a deep space radar in Pembrokeshire. He was par of a successful campaign in the 1990s to resist a similar initiative and campaigns tirelessly in his locality and nationally against the planned radar.

Dr Jill Stuart is based at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is an expert in the politics, ethics and law of outer space exploration and exploitation. She is a frequent presence in the global media on the issue and regularly gives lectures around the world

Elizabeth Minor is an Advisor at Article 36, where she focuses on research, policy analysis and advocacy on issues including autonomous weapons, armed drones, explosive weapons in populated areas, the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the under-representation of women and lower income countries

Chris Cole  is a long-time peace activist and founder of Drone Wars UK. He is regularly invited to speak to conferences, public meetings and the media on drones, targeted killing and remote warfare. He is a trustee of the Trust for Research and Education on Arms Trade (TREAT).

Dr Helen Dexter is an Associate Professor of International Politics at the University of Leicester and is passionate about education which prioritises equality inclusion and compassion. She is on the Editorial Board of the new Journal of Pacifism and Nonviolence.

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