AVA Mission Statement

American Voices Abroad Berlin adopted this mission statement in November 2003 as amended below. We, as U.S. citizens living abroad, share the following general objectives:

1. To promote peace, to oppose wars of aggression by the United States, and to take action toward these ends in relation to U.S. policy.
2. To promote economic and social justice in U.S. policy.
3. To affirm the rights of all people to democratic self-determination and the right to resist injustice and tyranny.
4. As a coalition, to maintain nonviolence in our tactics and direct actions.
5. To raise awareness that a fully and accurately informed public is essential to the survival of democracy.

Our goals following from the above objectives are:

1. To call for the repeal of the USA Patriot Act and of any other new legislation infringing upon inalienable rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
2. To reject the Bush administration national security strategy of Sept. 2002 which includes the doctrine of preemptive and preventive war.
3. To oppose the occupation of Iraq and to work toward withdrawal of U.S. troops; to support viable self-determination for Iraq; and to demand multilateral measures to rebuild that country.
4. To promote openness and transparency in the U.S. government.
5. To insist upon free and fair elections in the United States.
6. To encourage pluralism and diversity in US society, media, and political debate.
7. To promote fair trade agreements which foster human development and general prosperity instead of the current system of maximizing exploitation.
8. To promote recognition of the United Nations as the primary forum for international law.
9. To demand and promote responsible and just US foreign policy with respect for international law.
10. To promote resolution of international conflicts through an international justice system.
11. To address US domestic economic justice issues and reorient budgetary priorities away from war.
12. To develop a worldwide network of U.S. citizens living abroad to promote our objectives and support those in the United States and our countries of residence with whom we share goals.
13. To promote dialogue between our countries of residence and the United States of America.