Sep 26: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

September 26 is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

PNND encourages parliamentarians and members of civil society to commemorate the day by watching the UN High Level meeting on UNTV,  joining the Gorbachev/Shultz Legacy Youth Award event (online) and/or endorsing the global appeal Protect People and the Planet (see below for details).

September 26 is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This was established by the UN General Assembly in 2013 to 'raise public awareness and to seek deeper engagement on nuclear disarmament matters', and to urge governments to commence negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention, a global agreement of nuclear armed, nuclear allied and non-nuclear states to eliminate nuclear weapons under strict and effective international control.

The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons occurs this year amid increased international tensions, armed conflict and nuclear threats, making nuclear risk-reduction an important aspect of the day.

Today, humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.... On this important day, let us commit to forging a new consensus around defusing the nuclear threat for good and achieving our shared goal of peace.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres

UN High Level Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament

September 26. 10:00 - 13:00 and 15:00-18:00 Eastern Time USA
United Nations, New York
Watch on UNTV

This high-level meeting (of government leaders) will raise awareness about the threat posed to humanity by  nuclear weapons and the necessity for their elimination in order to mobilize international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. The event will also include 2-3 speakers from civil society.

Gorbachev / Shultz Legacy Youth Award ceremony

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
September 26. 2pm Eastern time USA / 8pm Central Europe Time

Online event. Register to join.

Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons (a project of the United Religions Initiative) honours Youth Fusion with the 2022 Gorbachev / Shultz Legacy Youth Award.

Event includes:

  • Introduction to the Voices Gorbachev / Shultz Legacy Youth Award;
  • Excerpt from the video The Bomb: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, a dialogue between George Shultz and Mikhael Gorbachev in 2020;
  • Inspiring examples of youth action and inter-generational cooperation on peace and nuclear disarmament.
  • Young speakers from Czech Republic, Mozambique/Denmark, Sweden/UK, Kazakhstan/Switzerland and Russia.

Scottish Parliament Motion recognizes the award to Youth Fusion

Youth Fusion’s aim and intention is to inform, educate, connect and engage their fellow young citizens across the globe and that, through their innovation, hard work, determination and intelligence, they have achieved a growing influence across the age ranges and the international body politic...
Scottish Parliament Motion S6M-05649: Youth Fusion Receives Voices Gorbachev/Shultz Legacy Youth Award 2022

Endorse Protect People and the Planet: Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World

A Global Appeal to end the nuclear threat, abolish nuclear weapons and shift the weapons budgets and investments to support public health, COVID-19 recovery, the climate and sustainable development.

The Protect People and the Planet Appeal was launched on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Sep 26, 2020, and remains open for endorsement until significant progress is made by governments on the calls in the Appeal.

It was presented to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2021, and will be presented again to the UNGA during Disarmament Week, October 24-30, 2022.