Tony Robinson

1000 candles were lit today spelling out the demand “Nuclear Free Now!” The act was part of an event called NO NUKES 2020 organised by Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation; an organisation established in April 1998 by the City of Hiroshima to promote peace, and to consolidate the city’s activities in peace promotion, globalization, and international cooperation.

One of the 2009 Right Livelihood Awards, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prizes goes to Alyn Ware, World March for Peace and Nonviolence Coordinator for New Zealand – Aotearoa, for “his effective and creative advocacy and initiatives over two decades to further peace education and to rid the world of nuclear weapons”.

With the upcoming special session of the UN Security Council on September 24 approaching, Abolition 2000 calls on world leaders, “to focus attention and promote tangible steps that would reduce the nuclear weapons danger, and move decisively toward a nuclear-weapon-free-world, based on the UN Secretary General’s five – point plan.”

Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, drew attention to the injustice of military spending when the money could be better spent on eradicating poverty and disease.

Organisers of the World March in Ghana today highlighted the issue of the Treaty of Pelindaba to the Deputy Speaker of parliament who promised to investigate and see what could be done to ratify it as soon as possible.

A new initiative has been launched in the Czech Republic: a virtual art gallery of pieces inspired by peace and nonviolence, called “Art for Peace”. It is gathering images created by artists around the world to be freely used by the World March for Peace and Non-Violence activists in their events.

Adopted by the UN in 1996, the treaty can only come into force when 44 specific countries who at the time of negotiations had nuclear technology have ratified it. China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States have yet to do so although during the US election campaign Obama said, “As president, I will reach out to the Senate to secure the ratification of the CTBT at the earliest practical date.”

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, welcomed on Wednesday, Rafael de la Rubia, spokesperson for the World March for Peace and Nonviolence in a meeting focused on the upcoming OAS General Assembly , June 2-3 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

International spokesperson Rafael de la Rubia gathers support for the World March from Delegates and NGOs at the inaugural presentation of the march to the United Nations

A delegation of the World March for Peace at the United Nations joins NGO pressure for nuclear disarmament at NPT PrepCom