Anti-War Aotearoa and Greenpeace have announced a joint March for Peace, calling on New Zealanders to gather at Aotea Square on 20 June 2026. The hīkoi will demand that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the Coalition Government prioritise people and the planet over imperial aggression and immediately halt any involvement in US-led wars.
The groups are urging the Government to implement fully independent foreign policy grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, diplomacy, and international law.
Niamh O’Flynn, Programme Director at Greenpeace Aotearoa, says the nation’s environmental and international priorities are fundamentally linked.
“We oppose Luxon and the coalition Government allowing Aotearoa to be drawn into Trump’s wars, and we strongly oppose the minerals deal being negotiated to fuel those wars,” says O’Flynn. “We call for an independent foreign policy in Aotearoa that prioritises peace, upholds the UN charter, and supports the wellbeing of people and the planet. We must not sell off Aotearoa’s natural places to the highest bidding war-monger.”
A spokesperson for Anti-War Aotearoa says the march is a necessary public response to escalating imperial aggression, the erosion of international law, and a dangerous shift in domestic priorities.
“We are marching because Aotearoa needs to become a voice for peace and reason in an increasingly unstable world, rather than acting as a supporting player in these illegal, foreign wars,” Anti-War Aotearoa spokesperson Gabriella Brayne says. “We demand that the New Zealand government places immediate sanctions on Israel to end the genocide in Gaza, gets fully behind the ICC and ICJ cases against war crimes, and pulls public funding from militarisation so it can be invested into health, housing, and education,” said Brayne.
The marchers will unite behind several core demands:
- The government must condemn the illegal US-Israeli attack on Iran, which has caused global instability.
- No military support or deployment of New Zealand troops, aircraft, naval assets, rockets, or intelligence support to US-led wars of aggression.
- New Zealand must refuse any war minerals deals with the Trump administration.
- Implement immediate and meaningful sanctions on Israel to help end the genocide in Gaza. New Zealand must stand with those living under occupation and demand an end to the collective punishment of civilians.
- Consistently uphold the UN Charter and support the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) cases regarding war crimes, including South Africa’s case against Israel.
Organisers are encouraging the public to bring a friend, a banner, a sign, or a drum to hīkoi for peace over power.
EVENT DETAILS:
What: March for Peace
Hosted by: Anti-War Aotearoa & Greenpeace Aotearoa
When: Noon, Saturday, 20 June 2026
Where: Aotea Square, Auckland
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