Pacifist calls for peace continue to dominate the public discourse. However, how moral is it to suggest that laying down arms and embracing nonviolence is the sole path forward? Can we truly ask a country under attack by a ruthless aggressor to simply stand down?

The intervention PEACE DEMANDS JUSTICE AND THE COURAGE TO DEFEND IT symbolically took place on Ukraine's Independence Day in Berlin's government district, a pacified area encompassing the German Parliament and other key state institutions. Drawing on Immanuel Kant's ideas from On Perpetual Peace, it reminds us that peace, if it is to have any meaning, must be built on justice. For Ukraine, this means recognizing the right to self-defense against a brutal russian invasion

Consider this honestly: What would you do if someone attacked you or your loved ones? Naturally, you would defend yourself. Now imagine many people acting together to protect themselves and each other from aggression. If self-defense is justified individually, then national defense against an aggressor is a large-scale exercise of the same right

Calling for peace without the means to defend oneself or the courage to confront an aggressor promotes submission. Ignoring the need for defense while advocating for peace betrays the fundamental principle of justice. Seeking peace without acknowledging the need for justice and self-defense is to demand the impossible: pursuing peace without the means to protect its very existence

Striving for ideals is important, but lasting peace is not merely a utopian dream. Well-spoken words and symbols alone do not end wars. We cannot achieve peace without confronting reality and understanding the necessary conditions, which must be met through lawful actions. Without this, our efforts risk becoming an empty gesture, ignoring the immense losses Ukrainians endure. Thus, it is our moral duty and collective responsibility to support Ukraine in its defense, reinforcing our shared aspiration for lasting peace

150 cm x 4500 cm, spray paint on paper

The intervention was made possible with the support of all participants