Today, 26th September, is a day set aside by the United Nations for the world to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament. The day is a stark reminder that nuclear weapons in conflicts such as the present Ukraine war are a serious atmospheric threat to all parts of our precious planet. We know the realities of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and later Chernobyl and we are aware of the efforts the General Assembly has made to set a goal of full nuclear disarmament, yet this threat remains as some political leaders demonstrate how their nuclear resource powers could be used as a way “to win” a war or conflict.

A Crime against Life

Recently the whole U.N. Assembly worked with different states to implement the following goal – “to realise the complete elimination of nuclear weapons” (Vienna Action Plan 2022), knowing that the fallout from nuclear poisonous gas emissions could eliminate millions of innocent people through the use of nuclear war weapons. This specific goal has fallen on deaf ears in many places, so it is necessary on this disarmament day to state again the urgency of this Action Plan

Urgent! Elimination of Nuclear Weapons!

Today we, as concerned citizens, can take time:

• to read and reflect on some references here
• to find some way to make our voices heard
• to email or sign some existing petitions.

Many more references can be found on the web under Nuclear Disarmament – 26th September.

Let us continue to respond “with compassion to critical issues of injustice” and not let this day pass without some positive action, however small.

Stop Nuclear Weapons

To read about Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, please click here.  For more information about the upcoming Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, please click here.

Nora Burke 
Western Province