PNND

Parliamentary action to ensure equal participation and sustainability in disarmament initiatives

Dear colleagues,

PNND cordially invites you to “Women’s Leadership, Gender Perspective and Gender Approaches in Disarmament Action,” an online event on effective policies and parliamentary action to ensure inclusivity and sustainability in disarmament initiatives.

This is the sixth in a series of international parliamentary events in follow-up to the publication of Assuring our Common Future: a parliamentary handbook on disarmament for security and sustainable development.

Session A: Timed for Asia/Pacific: 7:00 – 8:30 CET. Register here!
Session B: Timed for the Americas/Europe/Africa: 16.00 – 17:30 CET. Register here!

The UN Secretary-General’s report, Securing our Common Future, recommends that in order to sustainably rid societies of the weight of armed violence, disarmament and arms control processes should include all relevant stakeholders and impacted parties. This includes empowering women and ensuring their equal and meaningful participation.

Following in the footsteps of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”, which recognizes the importance of including a gender perspective in peace-related efforts, parliaments should seek to identify and address the barriers that limit the participation of women in peace and disarmament-related matters.

Gender approaches to disarmament and security also address the different and disproportionate impact of weapons proliferation and armed conflicts on women, and incorporate a full range of perspectives and frameworks for security, including national/military, human and common security. These contribute to international processes and parliamentary practices that can make peace and disarmament efforts more inclusive, effective and sustainable.

The event will draw from relevant sections of Assuring our Common Future, including the section on ensuring the participation of women in peace and disarmament.

Objectives of the event:

1.    Increase awareness of the value of gender perspectives and approaches in disarmament processes;
2.    Enhance knowledge of Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security) and good practices for its implementation;
3.    Share examples of effective policies and parliamentary practices that better include  women and gender approaches in disarmament-related efforts.

Languages:

The event will take place as an online webinar. Session A in English. Session B with simultaneous translation in English, French and Spanish.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@yahoo.com. 

Nuclear weapons & climate change: Intergenerational action for a sustainable world

UNFOLD ZERO joins our partners Youth Fusion and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament in inviting you to a unique event Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change on September 9.

The event, which is held in commemoration of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, brings youth leaders in nuclear abolition and climate action together with legislators, experts and civil society leaders in a dynamic inter-generational dialogue.

Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change will focus on two of our time’s most pressing global challenges: climate change and the threat of nuclear war, as well as the links between them. It is structured as an intergenerational dialogue of youth leaders with legislators, experts, officials and other participants.

This will be a hybrid event with some speakers and invited guests participating in-person at the event hub, while most others will participate online.

Time: 2-4pm London / 9-11am Eastern Time USA / 3-5pm Central Europe / 7-9pm Kazakhstan

UNFOLD ZERO is a platform for United Nations (UN) focused initiatives and actions for the achievement of a nuclear weapons free world. It’s an affiliated network of Abolition 2000 and a joint project of Basel Peace Office, Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign, PNND, PragueVision, Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace and Global Security Institute.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org.

[Film Launch] Nuclear Games

On July 23, the eve of the Olympic Games, global youth leaders for peace, climate action, human rights and disarmament will launch

As athletes gather in Japan for the start of the Olympic Games, media attention is focusing on the value of the Games for sports, protection at the Games from the COVID virus, and the Olympic Ideal for Peace and Humanity.

But there are other, more threatening and deadly Games involving Japan – and the entire world – that will continue during the Olympics and after. These Games involve the nuclear arms race and the misguided pursuit of nuclear energy.

Join youth leaders from around the world on July 23 as they launch Nuclear Games, a provocative film plus five ‘manga stories’ and an innovative, animated web documentary designed to attract, educate and engage. Register here!

Program: Nuclear Games launch
A youth-led event organised by Youth Fusion and moderated by Vanda Proskova (Czech Republic)

  • Introduction to Nuclear Games and the issues by:
    • Dr. Andreas Nidecker (Switzerland): President, Basel Peace Office. Creator of the Nuclear Games concept;
    • Kehkashan Basu(Canada): Founder-President, Green Hope Foundation. UN Human Rights Champion. Winner, 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize. Member, World Future Council. Winner of the inaugural Voices Youth Gorbachev-Shultz Legacy Award; 
    • Michaela Sorensen(Denmark): Youth Fusion team member. Gender, Peace and Security Program Officer, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament
  • Excerpts from the web documentary and the five manga stories (see below)
  • Discussion after each manga story with young global leaders including:
    • Divina Maloum (Cameroon): Founder, Children for Peace. Co-winner (with Greta Thunberg) of the 2019 International Children’s Peace Prize;
    • Disha Ravi (India): Founder of Fridays for Future India;
    • Kasha Sequoia Slavner (Canada): The ‘Sunrise Storyteller’. Multi-award-winning young documentary filmmaker;
    • Tatsuro Debroux(Japan): Doctor in Law Pompeu Fabra University. Program Officer, Peace Depot. Japan Coordinator, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament;
    • Aigerim Seitenova(Kazakhstan): Head of Programmes @“Wings of Liberty” Public Foundation
      Member of the Core Group of Youth Experts for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. 

No-First-Use: A powerful tool to achieve a world without nuclear weapons

Dear colleagues,

We draw your attention to the international launch on July 15 of NoFirstUse Global, a campaign platform and network promoting no-first-use policies globally as a measure to prevent nuclear war and to help achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Support for No-First-Use policies is growing in nuclear armed countries and around the world, as evidenced by the recent Open Letter to Presidents Biden and Putin on No-First-Use which was endorsed by over 1200 political, military and religious leaders, as well as legislators, academics/scientists and other representatives of civil society. Find out more by attending the launch event.

Register here for Session B, which is timed for the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LIMFa4HXTzqCVaAKToVr1Q

July 15 Program:

  • Tribute for the 76th anniversary of the Trinity nuclear test;
  • Introductions to NoFirstUse Global from cosponsoring organizations;
  • Video messages from prominent supporters;
  • Launch of a social media action ‘Don’t even think about starting a nuclear war’
  • Questions and comments from the audience/participants

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

Abolition 2000, global civil society network for the elimination of nuclear weapons

PNND members, partners and supporters are invited to participate in the annual meeting of Abolition 2000, the global civil society network for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Abolition 2000 was established in 1995 during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference. Over 2000 organizations from around the world have endorsed the Abolition 2000 founding statement which outlines a mix of incremental and comprehensive measures to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Abolition 2000 builds cooperation between civil society and legislators through its partnership with PNND. The Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to share ideas and initiatives, discuss strategy and build cooperation for more effective campaigns and policy actions.

See below for details about the program. Click here to register for the meeting. We invite you to read the PNND Report for the Abolition 2000 meeting. Additionally, in preparation for the annual meeting, Abolition 2000 has interviewed 6 people, from a range of backgrounds in peace and disarmament. They address the theme of the 2021 annual meeting: How do we move from a dysfunctional world to a world free of nuclear weapons? Click here see the interviews: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNLSpPdpFraCBUmKLTTxP9qTX1vviq3jN

The meeting will be held in two sessions of 90 minutes each:

Session 1: Campaign updates and reports. Strategy discussion on challenges and opportunities to advance nuclear abolition. Introduction of proposals.

Session 2:Discussion of proposals. Abolition 2000 Secretariat report. Fundraising. Affirmation of the Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee and Global Council. Calendar of upcoming events.

In order to enable participation by organisations and activists around the world, Session 1 will be held twice:
Session 1 (a) is timed to suit participation by those from Asia/Pacific.
Session 1 (b) is timed to suit participation by those from the Americas and Europe.

Click here for more information including the Session times for your location. Click here to register for the meeting.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

Intergenerational Dialogue on Gender, Peace and Disarmament

UNFOLD ZEROYouth Fusion and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) cordially invite you to join an inter-generational dialogue on March 8 highlighting the roles of women in the peace, disarmament and security fields, and the importance of including gender approaches to these issues in order to build more effective and sustainable security for all.

The dialogue will be conducted in four mini-panels, each one with a highly experienced woman leader and a youth advocate introducing the sub-topics: Women in disarmament, Shifting security frameworks from nuclear deterrence to common security, Disarmament and sustainability, Nuclear disarmament and a feminist foreign policy, and Nuclear disarmament & grassroots/interfaith action.

The event will also include the launch of the PNND Gender, Peace and Security program, which consolidates and builds upon the work PNND has been doing on gender and nuclear disarmament since their establishment in 2003.

We welcome both women and men to the event. A gender approach is about inclusivity, cooperation and expanding our notions of security. It is not about setting women against, or in competition with, men.

The dialogue will be held by zoom on International Women’s Day, Monday March 8 at 18:30 CET (12:30 Eastern Time USA/Canada). Click here to register.

Speakers

Moderator: Michaela Sorensen (Denmark), UN Youth Association of Denmark. PNND Program Officer on Gender, Peace and Security.

Introduction to the PNND Gender, Peace and Security Program: Vanda Proskova (Czech Republic). Vice-Chair, PragueVision Institute for Sustainable Security. PNND Program Officer on Gender, Peace and Security.

Closing Comments: Alyn Ware (Czech Republic/New Zealand), PNND Global Coordinator.

 

Youth speakers

  • Kehkashan Basu, (UAE/Canada) Founder of Green Hope Foundation, UN Human Rights Champion, Winner of the 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize & Winner of the First-Ever Voices Youth Gorbachev-Shultz Legacy Award for Nuclear Disarmament 
  • Vanessa Lanteigne, (Canada) National Coordinator of Voice of Women, One of the winners in the 2020 UN #75Words4Disarmament Youth Challenge
  • Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo, (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Europe Liaison Officer for United Religions Initiative. Board member of European Interfaith Youth Network
  • Yasmeen Silva, (USA) Partnerships Manager for Beyond the Bomb, Team member of the 2020 Count the Nuclear Weapons Money action in New York
  • Nico Edwards, (Sweden/UK) PNND Gender, Peace and Security Program Officer

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For information on the NGO Committee on Peace (Vienna), contact the Chair: Helga Kerschbaum | Pax Romana | helga.kerschbaum@aon.at

PyongChang Peace Forum 2021 Plenary Session: Peace Agenda 2045

Dear Friends of PyeongChang,
Welcome to PPF 2021! You are cordially invited to register for the three sessions on Peace and SDGs hosted by PNND, APSD, PCK in partnership with many international CSOs during the PPF 2021. The outcome of the sessions will be incorporated into the PyeongChang Agenda for Peace (PCAP) 2021.
The Plenary Session (English/Korean) will focus on “Peace Agenda 2045” and be held from 10:00 to 11:40 am, Monday, February 8, 2021.

A zoom or youtube link and background materials will be sent to those who have registered here in advance. Pre-registration is available here: http://bit.ly/21ppf4youth

Please visit http://ppf.or.kr/en/index.asp to register for other sessions.

Contact and inquiries PPFpeacemakers@gmail.com / asia@apsd2030.org

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. 

PyeongChang Peace Forum Parallel Session: Global Civic Agenda on Peace and SDGs

Dear Friends of PyeongChang,
Welcome to PPF 2021! You are cordially invited to register for the three sessions on Peace and SDGs hosted by PNND, APSD, PCK in partnership with many international CSOs during the PPF 2021. The outcome of the sessions will be incorporated into the PyeongChang Agenda for Peace (PCAP) 2021.
The Parallel Session No 10 (English/Korean) will focus on the Global Civic Agenda on Peace and SDGs 2021.

A zoom or youtube link and background materials will be sent to those who have registered here in advance. Pre-registration is available here: http://bit.ly/21ppf4youth

Please visit http://ppf.or.kr/en/index.asp to register for other sessions.

Contact and inquiries PPFpeacemakers@gmail.com / asia@apsd2030.org

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. 

Target 2045: A New Rallying Call for Nuclear Weapons Elimination

Target 2045: A new rallying call for nuclear weapons elimination

Co-sponsors: In-Depth News, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, UNFOLD ZERO and #wethepeoples2020

A number of calls have been made recently, by non-nuclear governments and civil society organisations, to the nuclear armed and allied countries to commit to achieving the global elimination of nuclear weapons at least by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United Nations (if not sooner). These include recent statements to the UN High Level Meeting on the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, and global appeals launched by #wethepeoples2020 and World Beyond War.

This target of 2045 appears far into the future for those of us who believe that nuclear disarmament can and should be achieved much earlier. However, setting a goal of 2045 could provide a global rallying call to build a stronger movement, and would avoid being dismissed as unrealistically early by those who rely on nuclear deterrence. (See 2045: A New Rallying Call for Nuclear Abolition, In-Depth News, Oct 22, 2020)

This webinar will explore the political value of setting 2045 as the target date by which the global elimination of nuclear weapons should be achieved, if not before.

Register here!

Speakers:

H.E. Mr Magzhan Ilyassov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations

Mr. Saber Chowdhury, MP, Honorary President, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Co-President, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament

Mr. Ramesh Jaura, Editor-in-Chief & Director-General, IDN-InDepth News, flagship agency of the non-profit International Press Syndicate group

Ms. Vanda Proskova, Vice-Chair, PragueVision Institute for Sustainable Security, Co-chair, Abolition 2000 Youth Network

Chair: Mr. Alyn Ware, Member, World Future Council, Global Coordinator, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com.