The World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) is an international peoples’ initiative aimed at seeking truth about Iraq war and occupation in order to deliver a comprehensive verdict on facts. WTI follows the tradition of moral tribunals like the Russel Tribunal, the International Action Center, the Japanese Tribunal on Afghanistan war crimes and springs from the world anti-war movement. The Tribunal was approved during a meeting in Jakarta (May 2003) and by the Russell Foundation (June 2003), at the European Social Forum in Paris (November 2003) and by the World Social Forum in Mumbay (January 2004). WTI sessions are organized by an international committee and take place in different countries where local groups of volunteers are entrusted with its organization.

WTI takes into account war and occupation crimes, violations of international law and human rights, political and theoretical bases of war and occupation, media manipulation of public opinion and arguments put forward to justify war. Each session features a different approach (informative, legal, ethical, political) and is just a procedure that seeks truth and justice. So far, different groups in various countries have been involved in special sessions which were held in London, Tokyo, Mumbay, Copenhagen, Bruxelles, Berlin and New York. Many others are in preparation in Hiroshima, Stockholm, Paris, Tunis, Rome ,Genoa,and Istanbul (Turkey).

War on Iraq was justified by the United States and United Kingdom on the grounds of absolutely false motivations. Despite the opposition of most members of the United Nations and of the Security Council and the unprecedented protest of peace movements, it was postulated that Iraq invasion was a “noble” violence for the welfare of the people and specifically for the good of Iraqi people. Governments of the United States, Great Britain, Italy and of other allied countries maintain that occupation is needed to save Iraq and prevent “the primary evil of terrorism”, to lead Iraq to “democracy”.

This message, though clearly false, is disseminated daily by most media. Public opinion gives for granted independence and credibility of institutions and of public information from governments, intelligence and communication media. Iraq war unveiled that masters of information are ready to do anything in order to pursue their interests and objectives.

The Italian WTI session wishes to restore truth on war and occupation, preserve collective memory and unveil disinformation mechanisms through some model cases.

It intends to prove that the alleged independence of media was often squandered by those who had to practice and protect it and also that manipulation of public opinion through media was/is a strategic objective of military decision makers. Thanks to mass media subordination the massacre of tens of thousands Iraqi civilians was carried out while infrastructures, everyday life and above all the future of a whole country were being destroyed.

This session will be grounded on a collection of official documents and media information as well as on the testimony of informed people and direct witnesses. National and international sources such as independent journalists, who verified Iraqi reality before and during war and occupation, intelligence and media analysts; accredited and embedded journalists will be heard; independent Public Relations and information professionals will be heard too. Iraqi victims will voice their truth which will be compared with the distorted one of corrupt information and the media.

The proposal of holding a WTI Session in Genova from March 4^th to March 6^th 2005 springs from a group of genoese citizens – scientists against war, university lecturers, peace activists, artists, intellectuals, teachers, social operators etc.. who were joined by people from whole Italy.

We, initiators of this event pledge your support to make this session possible. Your help is welcome under all forms and according to your skills and availability. We need you all.

The Promoting Committee

Ugo Beiso, Norma Bertullacelli, Antonio Bruno, Giovanna Caviglione, Edda Cicogna, Carlo Coffaro, Alessandro Dal Lago , Angelo Gandolfi, Serena Giordano Haidi Gaggio Giuliani ,, Fernanda La Camera, Mariangela Mozzone, Salvatore Palidda, Patrizia Poselli, Sergio Tedeschi