Nuclear abolition more important than ever before!

Abolition 2000 Update: Annual Campaign and Networking Meeting.

Dear friends and colleagues,

Thank you for your interest in the global abolition of nuclear weapons, and in Abolition 2000.

Since its establishment in 1995, Abolition 2000 has served as a broad international network, open to any organization or individual that supports the Abolition 2000 call to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. Abolition 2000 provides a space to share information and initiatives, discuss strategies, and build collaboration.

The work of Abolition 2000 has become even more vital. The threat of nuclear weapons has jumped again into the centre of global concerns, with increased tensions between nuclear-armed States and uncertainty on nuclear-use policies under the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump.

Abolition 2000 campaigners ‘preventing’ a nuclear missile from being launched in front of the German Parliament, during the 2016 Abolition 2000 Annual Meeting in Berlin.

On January 27, the hands of the Doomsday Clock were moved to 2.5 minutes to midnight, as a reflection of the increased risk of a nuclear catastrophe.

On the other hand, there are new opportunities for civil society to make a difference.

UN hosted negotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons began in New York next week. The NPT Review cycle resumes in May. And the UN has decided to hold a High level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament in 2018, similar to the very successful UN high level conferences in 2015 and 2016 on sustainable development, climate change and refugees.

This is the time for nuclear disarmament advocates and activists to join together to share campaigns, strategies and inspiration.

We therefore invite you to join us in Vienna on May 1, 2017 for the Abolition 2000 Annual General Meeting. This takes place just before governments meet in Vienna for the two-week-long deliberations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Prep Com from May 2-12. Abolition 2000 will be at the NPT to lobby the governments to take action for nuclear abolition.

Everyone is welcome. Everyone is important. Everyone can make a difference.

At the Abolition 2000 AGM, participants will share reports on actions and campaigns, analyse the current political climate, discuss strategies and build cooperation.

We will also affirm the Abolition 2000 Global Council and Coordinating Committee, and discuss Abolition 2000 services, such as the website.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to the Basel Peace Office, which is helping organise the Abolition 2000 AGM.

Yours
Alyn Ware
Director, Basel Peace Office
Member, Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee

Caroline Leroy
Program Director, Basel Peace Office