International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is an observance focused on raising awareness about the dangers posed by nuclear weapons, promoting disarmament, and advocating for a nuclear-free world. This day seeks to foster collaboration amongst nations and civil society, encouraging efforts to alleviate the destructive impact of nuclear weapons and emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and legally binding agreement towards total disarmament. It is an opportunity to reiterate the global commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and to underline their hazardous consequences on humanity and the environment.

The United Nations General Assembly established International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons as an annual observance in 2013, echoing its long-standing support for a world free from nuclear weapons. For people in the United Kingdom, this day holds particular significance, as the country is a crucial player in the global nuclear disarmament process, being one of the five nuclear-weapon states recognised under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The UK has a vital role in supporting international efforts to reduce nuclear weapons worldwide, as well as promoting nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

In the United Kingdom, the observance of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons includes conferences, seminars, exhibitions, films, and other events that help raise awareness and initiate discussions about nuclear disarmament. Organisations and civil society groups in the UK play a crucial role in campaigning for disarmament, educating citizens on non-proliferation efforts and the consequences of nuclear weapon use. The UK's efforts in promoting international cooperation for a nuclear-free world are significant, and these activities underscore the importance of the occasion, which is observed annually on 26th September.

Facts about this observance

• The only sure way to eliminate the threat posed by nuclear weapons is to eliminate the weapons themselves - UN Secretary-General António Guterres
• The first resolution on nuclear disarmament was actually adopted by the UN in 1946 as its very first resolution reflecting the concern about the use of nuclear weapons.
• September 26th also marks the anniversary of the incident in 1983 when a Soviet Union officer, Stanislav Petrov, averted a potential nuclear war by correctly identifying a reported nuclear missile attack by the United States as a false alarm.
• The UK's nuclear weapons program is estimated to be highly expensive, with modernization efforts involving replacing the aging Vanguard-class submarines with a new class of submarines called the Dreadnought. The Dreadnought program is estimated to cost around £31 billion (approximately $40 billion) over 35 years.
• The UK's nuclear program began in 1940 during World War II as a partnership with the United States and Canada, known as the Tube Alloys project. The project intended to develop atomic bombs before the Axis powers could.

In the News and Trending in the UK for International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

Top things to do in the UK for this observance

• Check out Doomsday: Britain's Cold War Revealed (2019), a British exhibition held at the National Archives which included various films and documentaries about the UK's preparations for nuclear conflict during the Cold War.
• Read The British Nuclear Experience: The Roles of Beliefs, Culture and Identity by John Baylis and Kristan Stoddart.