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“Paper Lanterns” showcases powerful story of atomic bomb survivor in search of reconciliation and friendship
On 16 August 2022, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Government of Japan co-hosted a film screening of the documentary film “Paper Lanterns”, which tells the inspiring story of Shigeaki Mori, a Japanese atomic bomb survivor from Hiroshima, who spent four decades searching for the identities of twelve American prisoners of war killed in the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and reaching out to their families to help them to put closure on their tragedy. “Paper Lanterns” tells a story of reconciliation and friendship between former enemies as it follows Mr. Mori in…
Stepping it up for diversity, equity and inclusion at the NPT Review Conference
During the first week of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the United States and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) brought together some hundred diplomats, policymakers and civil society representatives to exchange ideas on the role of diversity, equity and inclusion in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. The event, which took place on 3 August, was timely. Despite commitments to women’s equal, full and effective participation in all disarmament and non-proliferation decision-making processes,…
University students and peace advocates conclude Disarmament Toolkit online course
With a view to equipping university students, peace advocates and other practitioners with conceptual, political and technical information on peace and disarmament issues, the United Nations Office for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the India-based civil society organization the Prajnya Trust organized an online “Disarmament Toolkit” course from 4 to 8 July 2022. Over one hundred university students and practitioners from civil society organizations, academia, UN agencies, international organizations and governments joined the course,…
Looking back at 2021 edition of Africa Amnesty Month
A total of 1,602 weapons were destroyed in March and April 2022 when three African countries officially marked the end of their “Africa Amnesty Month” project with a public destruction event. Madagascar, Niger and Uganda participated in the joint United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs – African Union project which aims to reduce illegal gun ownership and illicit flows of small arms and light weapons in Africa through encouraging citizens to voluntarily hand over illegally held small arms under the condition of anonymity and immunity from legal prosecution. The project, initiated in…
Young experts and senior leaders discuss advancing the youth, non-proliferation, and disarmament agenda in series of side-events to the NPT Review Conference
On 2 August 2022, young people across the world gathered online to share their perspectives on advancing the youth, non-proliferation, and disarmament agenda during two side-events to the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The two sessions form part of a wider series of side-event co-organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and BASIC’s Emerging Voices Network, to engage and empower young leaders on discussions taking place on nuclear…
Educators and experts from Japan discuss ways to unlocking the full potential of disarmament and non-proliferation education.
Educators and experts are the keys to help young people and the general public think critically about the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and military arms races. Effective and accessible disarmament and nonproliferation education (DNPE) means providing resources and support to educators and experts as well as students. On 28 May, Ms. Yukimi Kubo at the United Nations for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) virtually joined the annual academic conference of the Japan Association of Disarmament Studies to present the Office’s efforts for…
Exploring the future of youth in disarmament in the Vienna Conversation Series Podcast
As a new addition to its Vienna Conversation Series, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Vienna Office released a podcast entitled “Where next for youth in disarmament?”. This roundtable-style event aimed to engage youth in a dynamic exchange of views to raise awareness of disarmament’s centrality in addressing global challenges and to amplify fresh thinking on the future vision for disarmament in an era of uncertainty. Together with UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, two youth representatives were…
UNODA and IAEA host webinar on the role of nuclear and radiological safety in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology ahead of the 10th NPT Review Conference
On 7 July, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a webinar on the role of nuclear and radiological safety in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology as the final webinar on the pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) (disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy). The goal of this webinar was to foster dialogue on the importance of nuclear safety through expert testimonies and consideration of questions regarding how the NPT and…
UNODA and IAEA host webinar on non-proliferation and nuclear security ahead of the 10th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
On 5 July, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a webinar on non-proliferation and nuclear security as the second of three webinars on the pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) (disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy). UNODA and the IAEA have co-organized a series of similar webinars since 2020 as one way of maintaining momentum in the lead up to the Tenth NPT Review Conference, which has been postponed on multiple occasions due to the COVID-19…
2022 GGE on UN Register on Conventional Arms concludes work with forward-looking recommendations to promote participation, relevance, and continuing operation of the Register
The 2022 Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA) concluded its work in Geneva on 17 June, providing a series of recommendations to ensure the relevance of this important transparency and confidence-building instrument. Of particular note, the GGE: recommended that Member States report on international transfers of rotary-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicles; provided a description of small arms and light weapons for reporting on exports and imports of such weapons and recommended this to be listed below the descriptions of the…