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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE November 4, 2007
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| August 10, 2007 |
New York, USA – No More Nukes! The Global University and BANg! take their call to the UN |
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Peace Boat’s Global University and European network BANg! came to the UN headquarters in New York to push for nuclear disarmament |
For most students, political protest might involve waving a few placards. Perhaps a march in demonstration. Maybe even a petition. Not so for Peace Boat’s Global University (GU). As the ship glided past the Statue of Liberty and into the heart of Manhattan, 15 Japanese GU students and five European youth activists seized the opportunity to take their message of ‘no more nuclear weapons’ to the top. They had come to the world’s foremost corridors of power at the United Nation’s to meet with Sergio Duarte, High Representative of the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) and find out what more can be done to rid the world of nuclear weapons. |
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| A GU student shares what they have learnt about nuclear issues with all of Peace Boat’s participants |
Over the past three weeks, the Global University – an intensive peace education programme run onboard the Peace Boat – has been exploring current nuclear issues, including the continued stockpile of 27,000 nuclear warheads around the world. The students developed an in-depth understanding of the nuclear problems we all face as they heard first-hand from nuclear specialists. Energy expert, Manami Suzuki engaged students as she showed how the technological capability of nuclear power production can often lead to the production of nuclear warheads. Atomic bomb survivor Michimisa Hirata used his experience of the Hiroshima attack to highlight the ongoing threat nuclear weapons pose to our very existence. |
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| Emily Freeman and four other members of BANg! joined the ‘no more nukes’ delegation to the UN |
Before making their way across the Atlantic, the GU students went beyond the classroom as they took part in an exposure tour of the UK, joining up with youth network, BANg! (Ban All Nukes generation!). The five BANg! representatives came from across Europe, meeting the group in Faslane, UK – home to Britain’s nuclear weapons arsenal, held aboard the Trident submarine system. It was a chance for both parties to support the anti-nuclear campaign and learn about the peaceful means being used in Faslane to protest against the renewal of these warheads. |
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| The UN’s Non-Proliferation Treaty obliges the major nuclear powers to ultimately disarm |
Arriving at the UN, the GU students and BANg! were determined to keep up the pressure on the world’s governments to halt further development of nuclear weaponry and to push forward disarmament. As they themselves put it, “we do not want to be the next generation to inherit this nuclear danger”. Yet, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) – the UN agreement set out in 1970 to reverse the nuclear arms race – is stalling. Although committed to reducing the nuclear firepower of the five major nuclear states – China, France, Russia, UK and US – as well as preventing the creation of new atomic powers, it is making little headway on either front. If the youth activists are to ensure they are not left this legacy, they have to act now. |
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| Sergio Duarte, UN High Representative of the ODA was keen to engage in communication with the group |
In the international space of the UN’s headquarters, the group huddled together, sharing the peace sign in solidarity and readying themselves to meet High Representative Sergio Duarte, an advocate of disarmament for the past 40 years and key architect of the NPT. “Ganbatte!” (good luck!) they each whispered as they made their way to his office. Mr Duarte was pleased to welcome his visitors. “The UN works for its member states but also for civil society, so this channel of communication is very important to us” he noted before going on to give a quick overview of his own work. |
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| Shohei Hattori was eager to ask Mr Duarte what more could be done to ensure nuclear disarmament |
The ODA seeks to eradicate weapons of mass destruction and control conventional arms. Ten years ago they were successful in banning the use of landmines, notorious for their deadly impact on civilian populations well after conflict has ended. Yet there has been virtually no progress on nuclear disarmament. GU student Shohei Hattori was the first to delve in, dismayed by the outcomes of the last meeting of the NPT in 2005. In the political wrangling, an agenda for disarmament and non-proliferation was not even set. “What can we do to get these countries to work together and start taking action?” he asked. |
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| Mr Duarte believes in the power of civil society in pressuring governments to make change |
“The problem is most countries still base their defence doctrines on the possible use of nuclear weapons,” explained Mr Duarte. “But through the work of civil society, we now have the instruments to prevent proliferation and begin the disarmament of these weapons,” he went on, using the existence of the NPT as an example. “Countries may not be doing this as quickly as we wish, but still, they are doing it. I think if groups like yours continue this work, we can make disarmament a reality in our lifetime”. |
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| There was much discussion around the table on the importance of both disarmament and non-proliferation |
BANg! member, Georgia Coles-Riley, kept up the questioning, asking the UN High Representative whether he thought the UK should take the lead on nuclear disarmament as its government debates to replace the Trident system. “I do think we need to look at this issue in its entirety, so it was good to hear UK minister Margaret Beckett saying we should look at non-proliferation and disarmament as two sides of the same coin,” he replied, suggesting such a move would help encourage other states to resist the development of nuclear weapons. |
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| Several GU students and BANg! members pledged to continue the fight against nuclear weapons |
Yet it is not just up to governments to make nuclear disarmament happen – it also requires the power of the people, Mr Duarte reminded the group. “We need people like you to keep raising the consciousness of this issue and continue to pressure governments,” he rallied. And all were pleased to do just that by taking their call for no more nuclear weapons to Mr Duarte himself. Inspired by his positive outlook and hope for future progress, many made a pledge to keep up the pressure, planning to take action at the coming meeting of the NPT Preparatory Committee in Geneva next year.
Keep up to date with the ODA’s work and the progress of nuclear disarmament at:
http://disarmament.un.org
Read the joint Peace Boat and BANg! appeal on Nuclear Weapons
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