Latest News
May 12, 2008
As of May 12th 2008, 32 new member cities have joined Mayors for Peace and Mayors for Peace now count 2,226 member cities in 129.
We welcome the Mayor of Hargeisa as the first member from Somaliland, Africa. We also count new members in Australia (1), Belgium (4), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (2), Italy (1), Japan (14), Mali (1), South Africa (1), Spain (2), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1) and Venezuela (1).
We welcome the Mayor of Hargeisa as the first member from Somaliland, Africa. We also count new members in Australia (1), Belgium (4), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (2), Italy (1), Japan (14), Mali (1), South Africa (1), Spain (2), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1) and Venezuela (1).
May 7, 2008
LATEST
The past month we welcomed the news for financial support for the campaign from the Mayor of Amay and Saint-Leger (Belgium), Oxford (UK), the Cities of Leichhardt and Melbourne (Australia) and the City of Middelkerke (Belgium).
An increasing number of cities are responding to the letter of the Executive Conference concerning financial support for the 2020 Vision campaign. Today the campaign can count on financial support from 76 cities, including annual contributions of 250,000 euro from the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 2008 we aim to match these annual contributions of the 2 founding cities with the other 2,000 strong membership. This must be possible.
We are happy to register the positive response of the Cities of Leihhardt, NSW and Melbourne (Australia), 65 cities and municipalities from Belgium, Duncan, BC (Canada), Koprivnica (Croatia), Malakoff (France), Bloemendaal and Maasgouw (Netherlands), Riudecanyes (Spain), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland) and Oxford (UK). Following the successful Belgian pilot-project most cities continue to use the 0,025 €/inhabitant per year, sometimes committing the city annually all the way up to 2020..
The leadership by the City of Geneva using this formula with over 185.000 inhabitants is path-breaking and sets an example for larger cities. The 0,025 € -formula seems to be an honest formula for almost all Cities to demonstrate solidarity towards the Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who carried the financial responsibilities for the past 25 years.
The past month we welcomed the news for financial support for the campaign from the Mayor of Amay and Saint-Leger (Belgium), Oxford (UK), the Cities of Leichhardt and Melbourne (Australia) and the City of Middelkerke (Belgium).
An increasing number of cities are responding to the letter of the Executive Conference concerning financial support for the 2020 Vision campaign. Today the campaign can count on financial support from 76 cities, including annual contributions of 250,000 euro from the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 2008 we aim to match these annual contributions of the 2 founding cities with the other 2,000 strong membership. This must be possible.
We are happy to register the positive response of the Cities of Leihhardt, NSW and Melbourne (Australia), 65 cities and municipalities from Belgium, Duncan, BC (Canada), Koprivnica (Croatia), Malakoff (France), Bloemendaal and Maasgouw (Netherlands), Riudecanyes (Spain), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland) and Oxford (UK). Following the successful Belgian pilot-project most cities continue to use the 0,025 €/inhabitant per year, sometimes committing the city annually all the way up to 2020..
The leadership by the City of Geneva using this formula with over 185.000 inhabitants is path-breaking and sets an example for larger cities. The 0,025 € -formula seems to be an honest formula for almost all Cities to demonstrate solidarity towards the Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who carried the financial responsibilities for the past 25 years.
May 6, 2008
Today 317 of a total of 589 Belgian Mayors have joined Mayors for Peace. With 53,82% of Belgian Mayors supporting the 2020 Vision Campaign Belgium has highest membership worldwide. The previous weeks we welcomed Saint-Léger, Virton, Liedekerke, Schaarbeek and Faimes as new members.
Furthermore already 65 Belgian Cities and Municipalities have committed financial support for the 2020 Vision Campaign. The Citiy Council of Amay, Hamois, Middelkerke, Waasmunster and Waregem were the latest Belgian councils to approve financial support (full list below). An appeal for financial support has been mailed recently to the entire membership in 127 countries.
* Support us now! We encourage all member cities to make financial contributions to the campaign.We can provide you with the resolution in Dutch, French, German and Spanish. Click here for sample City Council resolution
* Individual donations are welcome on our account. Click here for account information
Furthermore already 65 Belgian Cities and Municipalities have committed financial support for the 2020 Vision Campaign. The Citiy Council of Amay, Hamois, Middelkerke, Waasmunster and Waregem were the latest Belgian councils to approve financial support (full list below). An appeal for financial support has been mailed recently to the entire membership in 127 countries.
* Support us now! We encourage all member cities to make financial contributions to the campaign.We can provide you with the resolution in Dutch, French, German and Spanish. Click here for sample City Council resolution
* Individual donations are welcome on our account. Click here for account information
April 11, 2008
On the day of April 10th 2008 we recorded for the first time over 683 visitors to our website as an increasing number of cities and NGO's put our banner with a link to the 2020 Vision Campaign. In three months time, we tripled the amount of visitors to the 2020 Vision Campaign website.
It is clear that the potential for growth is enormous. As there is still a small number of cities which give visibility to their membership through their website using our banner. You can find and download it here (below).
Here, we wish to thank the cities of Fremantle and West Torrens (Australia), Grieskirchen (Austria), Durbuy, Ieper & Laakdal (Belgium), Burnaby, Duncan and Whistler (Canada), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Baden-Baden, Berlin-Lichtenberg, Cölbe and Berlin-Lichtenberg (Germany), Fossacesia (Italy), la Sénia (Spain); and, finally, Akron, Ohio and Northampton, Massachusetts (US). Let us know if your city has also put the banner on the index page of your city.
Help us publish your membership of Mayors for Peace and your support for the 2020 Vision campaign. Download this banner from our website here and ask the City webmaster to put it on a very good visible place on the indexpage of the your city website.
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To download the above images to your computer, right-click (Windows) or click-and-hold (Mac) and choose "save file/image as...".
April 1, 2008
Click on the link above for details
Between March 18 and April 1st, 2008 another 25 cities have joined Mayors for Peace. Thus, the Conference involves 2,195 cities in 128 countries and regions around the world. New members are from Australia (1), Belgium (2), Canada (2), Denmark (1), Italy (1), Japan (16), Venezuela (1) and US (1). The Mayor of Sucre is our first member in Venezuela bringing our membership up to Mayors in 128 countries..
Remarkable is the surge of new members from Japan in 2008 where we now count 118 members. For the past 25 years membership had been limited to the founding cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Asia today counts 333 members of Mayors for Peace.
We welcome the Mayor of Chicago, the third largest US city, for joining Mayors for Peace. With another 2 Canadian members North-America now counts 188 members.
Between March 18 and April 1st, 2008 another 25 cities have joined Mayors for Peace. Thus, the Conference involves 2,195 cities in 128 countries and regions around the world. New members are from Australia (1), Belgium (2), Canada (2), Denmark (1), Italy (1), Japan (16), Venezuela (1) and US (1). The Mayor of Sucre is our first member in Venezuela bringing our membership up to Mayors in 128 countries..
Remarkable is the surge of new members from Japan in 2008 where we now count 118 members. For the past 25 years membership had been limited to the founding cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Asia today counts 333 members of Mayors for Peace.
We welcome the Mayor of Chicago, the third largest US city, for joining Mayors for Peace. With another 2 Canadian members North-America now counts 188 members.
March 27, 2008
On Thursday March 27th a delegation presented to the Italian Parliament 67.248 certified signatures of Italian citizens asking the Republic of Italy to be declared a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone. For six months almost 100 local committees of concerned citizens, assisted by mayors and councillors, collected signatures for a law in order to declare Italy a "Nuclear Weapon Free Zone". The platform of local authorities and social movements grew steadily following the first official signatures of the Mayors of Ghedi and Aviano during a ceremony on 30 September 2007. The airforce bases of Ghedi and Aviano in northern Italy host a total of 90 US nuclear weapons against the will of the Italian people.
Lisa Clark, the coordinator of the campaign for a Nuclear Free Future declared: "If the will of the People is upheld and the draft law is approved, Italy could become the second European state that declares itself Nuclear Weapon Free. At present, Austria is the only European country with a Nuclear Free Constitution. Today already 113 States in the world outlawed nuclear weapons and declared regional Nuclear Weapon Free Zones: Central and Southern America, Africa, the Pacific and Oceania, Central- and South-East Asia and also Mongolia."
Lisa Clark, the coordinator of the campaign for a Nuclear Free Future declared: "If the will of the People is upheld and the draft law is approved, Italy could become the second European state that declares itself Nuclear Weapon Free. At present, Austria is the only European country with a Nuclear Free Constitution. Today already 113 States in the world outlawed nuclear weapons and declared regional Nuclear Weapon Free Zones: Central and Southern America, Africa, the Pacific and Oceania, Central- and South-East Asia and also Mongolia."
March 26, 2008
In August 2006, the US Defense Logistics Agency packaged and sent four nose-cone fuel assemblies to Taiwan instead of the four replacement Huey helicopter battery packs they had requested. The nose-cones, which trigger the nuclear warheads on Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles, were not noticed as missing until 18 months later.
March 18, 2008
More details about all the 45 new member cities when you click on the link above
Between February 28th and March 18, 2008 another 45 cities have joined Mayors for Peace. Thus, the Conference involves 2,170 cities in 127 countries and regions around the world. New members are from Belgium (5), Canada (1), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (1), Italy (2), Japan (32), Luxembourg (2) and Spain (1). In February already 97 cities had joined the network.
With an average of 2 to 3 new member cities a day it is clear that the 2020 Vision campaign continuous to attract strong support. It doubled our expectation as we had hoped to attract at least one new member per day for the 2008 - 2010 period where we prepare the Decisive Decade for Nuclear Disarmament. We wish to thank all the Mayors, their staff and civil society for their ongoing support.
Further support needed
Between February 28th and March 18, 2008 another 45 cities have joined Mayors for Peace. Thus, the Conference involves 2,170 cities in 127 countries and regions around the world. New members are from Belgium (5), Canada (1), Czech Republic (1), Denmark (1), Italy (2), Japan (32), Luxembourg (2) and Spain (1). In February already 97 cities had joined the network.
With an average of 2 to 3 new member cities a day it is clear that the 2020 Vision campaign continuous to attract strong support. It doubled our expectation as we had hoped to attract at least one new member per day for the 2008 - 2010 period where we prepare the Decisive Decade for Nuclear Disarmament. We wish to thank all the Mayors, their staff and civil society for their ongoing support.
Further support needed
March 18, 2008
Picture report: click on link above
Mayors for Peace participated in a 3-day event "From Genocide into Peace" at the invitation of the Governerate of Sulymanyah, the Mayor of Halabja and the Regional Government of Kurdistan, Iraq. All events took place in the Region of Kurdistan, Iraq and marked the 20th anniversary of the gas attacks on the city of Halabja. The gas attack on the City of Halabja in March 1988 killed around 5,000 civilians.
Mayors for Peace participated in a 3-day event "From Genocide into Peace" at the invitation of the Governerate of Sulymanyah, the Mayor of Halabja and the Regional Government of Kurdistan, Iraq. All events took place in the Region of Kurdistan, Iraq and marked the 20th anniversary of the gas attacks on the city of Halabja. The gas attack on the City of Halabja in March 1988 killed around 5,000 civilians.
March 10, 2008
NEW DELHI: India aspires for a non-violent, atomic weapons-free world and believes that the international community should conclude “universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable prohibitions on nuclear weapons” leading to their complete elimination, Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari said here on Sunday.
March 5, 2008
Arab countries will walk away from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty if Israel ever officially acknowledges it has nuclear weapons, the Arab League announced in a statement Wednesday.
March 5, 2008
WASHINGTON: The commander of US strategic forces said on Tuesday the United States will need nuclear weapons as a deterrent for the rest of the 21st century and should move now to field more modern weapons.
Air Force General Kevin Chilton said new, more reliable nuclear weapons would enable the United States to reduce the large inventory of non-deployed weapons it keeps as a hedge.
Air Force General Kevin Chilton said new, more reliable nuclear weapons would enable the United States to reduce the large inventory of non-deployed weapons it keeps as a hedge.
February 28, 2008
BREAKING NEWS - 68 Japanese cities join Mayors for Peace - more details about all new member cities when you click on the link above
Mayors for Peace now counts 2,125 members which means there are 97 new members since last month January 28th. An average of 3 new cities joined every single day, which brings us well up to speed to reach the goal of one average city a day for the 2008 - 2010 preparations for the Decisive Decade on Nuclear Disarmament. This is very positive and empowering news for all of us and we hope that more people will get involved with the 2020 Vision Campaign of the Mayors for Peace today. Contact us today if you would like to help in your region or country.
Mayors for Peace now counts 2,125 members which means there are 97 new members since last month January 28th. An average of 3 new cities joined every single day, which brings us well up to speed to reach the goal of one average city a day for the 2008 - 2010 preparations for the Decisive Decade on Nuclear Disarmament. This is very positive and empowering news for all of us and we hope that more people will get involved with the 2020 Vision Campaign of the Mayors for Peace today. Contact us today if you would like to help in your region or country.
January 28, 2008
Hiroshima - Ypres, January 28th 2008 – At a press conference in Hiroshima, Japan, Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba announced that the 2020 Vision Campaign of Mayors for Peace is successful in preparing for the Decisive Decade for Nuclear Disarmament. Mayor Akiba, also President of Mayors for Peace, declared, “An ambitious membership drive which begun last January has come to fruition: we now have 2,028 Mayors in 127 countries rallying for the 2020 Vision!”. Over 400 new members joined Mayors for Peace during 2007 (1).
January 22, 2008
A small group of warlords promote the first use of nuclear weapons as a core element for NATO's future security policies. Here is a worrying report published in the Guardian.
January 19, 2008
January 15, 2008
Mayor Luc Dehaene, chair of the Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign, welcomes today's statement by Kissinger et al in today's Wall Street Journal (1). However he urges nuclear weapons states not to hesitate any longer and keep the focus on the final goal. “We see these proposals as part of
January 10, 2008
Click URL above for latest list of Belgian members.
More positive news from Belgium to start 2008 with good faith.
More positive news from Belgium to start 2008 with good faith.
December 17, 2007
The past 2 weeks another 45 cities have joined Mayors for Peace. Thus, the Conference involves 1,982 cities in 126 countries and regions around the world. The aim to have 2,020 members before the New Year is realistic and within reach. Click the URL above for details of new members accounted for on December 17th 2007.
December 12, 2007
Details new members October 2007 http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/english/topic/list/43.htm
Details new members November 2007 http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/english/topic/list/44.htm
Details new members November 2007 http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/english/topic/list/44.htm
December 8, 2007
Below is a reaction of NATO-boss De Hoop-Scheffer and Dutch Minister of
Foreign Affairs to the Op-ed of the Mayors for Peace marking the 20th
anniversary of the INF treaty.
Free translation of front page article in "Reformatorisch Dagblad", The
Netherlands, Saturday December 8th 2007
Foreign Affairs to the Op-ed of the Mayors for Peace marking the 20th
anniversary of the INF treaty.
Free translation of front page article in "Reformatorisch Dagblad", The
Netherlands, Saturday December 8th 2007
December 6, 2007
Full text of Op-ed below. With link you can access news item with Belgian Mayor Theo Kelchtermans asking for withdrawal US nukes from his territory
December 3, 2007
A new assessment by American intelligence agencies released Monday concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen, contradicting a judgment two years ago that Tehran was working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb.
November 24, 2007
Meeting November 21 -22, 2007 in the historic Palazzo Vecchio as guests of the Mayor of Florence, Leonardo Domenici, the 7th Executive Conference of Mayors for Peace vowed to provide global leadership in preparing for the Disarmament Decade called for by the UN General Assembly. This third phase of the 2020 Vision Campaign will be launched in Geneva in May 2008, on the fifth anniversary of the speech made there by Mayors for Peace President, Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba of Hiroshima, in which he proposed a mayors campaign against nuclear weapons.
November 23, 2007
November 22, 2007
It was the Association’s first General Meeting and it had the responsibility to approve the Statutes of the Association in conformity with Belgian law; to nominate and elect members of the Association’s Board of Directors, and designate Secretariat officials.
November 9, 2007
Click the link above for more information and full report
October 31, 2007
Click link above for full speech of Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba during UCLG conference
Jeju final declaration http://www.cities-localgovernments.org/uclg/upload/template/templatedocs/UCLG_Final_Declaration_ENG.pdf
Jeju final declaration http://www.cities-localgovernments.org/uclg/upload/template/templatedocs/UCLG_Final_Declaration_ENG.pdf
October 30, 2007
Please find below the speech of Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba during a plenarary session on "City Diplomacy: Local Governments Building Peace" of the 2nd World Conference of the Union of Cities and Local Governments, Jeju, South Korea. More news about the Conference will be posted here soon.
October 21, 2007
ALEX SALMOND has made a major bid to win international backing for his government's campaign to rid Scotland of nuclear weapons, the Sunday Herald can reveal.
October 20, 2007
October 18, 2007
October 12, 2007
On Friday the 12 the German members of the Mayors for Peace held their third annual national conference in Hannover.
October 3, 2007
Click link for more information about the IPPNW Conference
Here is a message of support from the Mayor of London, a member of Mayors for Peace, for the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) conference ‘The Final Epidemic: Preventing Proliferation and Achieving Abolition’, 3 and 4 October 2007
Here is a message of support from the Mayor of London, a member of Mayors for Peace, for the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) conference ‘The Final Epidemic: Preventing Proliferation and Achieving Abolition’, 3 and 4 October 2007
October 1, 2007
Click the link to see new member cities
October 1, 2007
On 1 October 200 people gathered at the main square of the Italian town Ghedi, to launch a new campaign to declare Italy a NWFZ through a legal initiative. The Mayors of Aviano, Castenedolo and Ghedi were the first to sign the new law proposal declaring Italy a nuclear-weapon-free country. A very significant event, as Aviano and Ghedi are the two Italian cities where US nuclear weapons are stationed.
High resolution pictures on our website: http://www.2020visioncampaign.org/pages/287
September 29, 2007
Please find here a report of our presence at the General Conference of the Union of Baltic Cities in Pärnu, Estonia. Mayors for Peace was especially welcomed and encouraged by the new membership of Mr. Mart Viisitamm, Mayor of Pärnu. An event which was well-covered in local media.
The UBC Conference was excellent, and showed a very active involvement of its members. It was especially encouraging to see how Climate Change received a prominent place on the agenda. An excellent example how Cities have to tackle global problems on a local level.
September 8, 2007
High resolution pictures on http://www.2020visioncampaign.org/pages/296
September 4, 2007
Scientists are secretly working on the design of a revamped British nuclear warhead.
September 3, 2007
During the CND Conference "US Missile Defence: towards a new cold war?" Mr. Jan Neoral, the Czech Mayor of Trokavec, announced the creation of a new mayoral association opposing the deployment of the US NMD radar in the Czech Republic. On Saturday September 1st already 85 Czech mayors had joined the new association. Mr. Jan Neoral was the first Czech mayor who organised a referendum in the Czech Republic concerning NMD. A large majority of Czech citizens are opposed to the NMD system.
Mr. Jan Neoral was one of the first Czech Mayors to join with the Mayors for Peace last month. He will encourage the other Czech mayors of the new association to register their membership for Mayors for Peace. This new initiative demonstrates how local authorities can effectively make a difference in decision-making on international issues.
Speech by Mayor Neoral at end of this story
Mr. Jan Neoral was one of the first Czech Mayors to join with the Mayors for Peace last month. He will encourage the other Czech mayors of the new association to register their membership for Mayors for Peace. This new initiative demonstrates how local authorities can effectively make a difference in decision-making on international issues.
Speech by Mayor Neoral at end of this story
August 31, 2007
August 16, 2007
August 9, 2007
August 6, 2007
In an Op-ed published in two quality papers, Belgian members of Mayors for Peace marked Hiroshima Day by calling on their government to withdraw US nuclear weapons from Europe and end NATO's reliance on nuclear deterrent.
August 6, 2007
The Czech Mayors Mr. Josef Hála, mayor of Jince, and Mr. Jan Neoral, mayor of Trokavec, published an Op-ed today in two Belgian quality papers - De Morgen & La Libre Belgique- in co-operation with Abolition 2000 Belgium. Both mayors have taken the lead in opposing NMD and were the first to organise referenda where the inhabitants overwhelmingly rejected NMD to be deployed in their area.
In the Peace Declaration Mr. Tadatoshi Akiba, the mayor of Hiroshima, praised the leadership of Czech mayors opposing NMD during his speech this morning marking the 62nd anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.
Also the inhabitants of nine other Czech municipalities in central and west Bohemia area overwhelmingly rejected the construction of a U.S. radar base on Czech territory in local referenda and one village in a poll. In these referenda seven towns and villages in Rozmital pod Tremsinem, Bezdekov pod Tremsinem, Vesin, Sedlice, Volenice, Vranovice and Vsevily, in central Bohemia area, bordering on the Brdy grounds, where the planned U.S. base is to be located. An absolute majority of voters participated in referenda in most of municipalities. A majority of inhabitants expressed disagreement with the radar base. In west Bohemia area, most inhabitants of villages Hurky and Stitov said no to the U.S. base in referenda, while in Mesno the radar base was rejected in a poll.
In the Peace Declaration Mr. Tadatoshi Akiba, the mayor of Hiroshima, praised the leadership of Czech mayors opposing NMD during his speech this morning marking the 62nd anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.
Also the inhabitants of nine other Czech municipalities in central and west Bohemia area overwhelmingly rejected the construction of a U.S. radar base on Czech territory in local referenda and one village in a poll. In these referenda seven towns and villages in Rozmital pod Tremsinem, Bezdekov pod Tremsinem, Vesin, Sedlice, Volenice, Vranovice and Vsevily, in central Bohemia area, bordering on the Brdy grounds, where the planned U.S. base is to be located. An absolute majority of voters participated in referenda in most of municipalities. A majority of inhabitants expressed disagreement with the radar base. In west Bohemia area, most inhabitants of villages Hurky and Stitov said no to the U.S. base in referenda, while in Mesno the radar base was rejected in a poll.
August 6, 2007
Hiroshima, Augusts 6th 2007 - Please find here the speech of Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba which he gave during the 62nd anniversary ceremony of the bombing of Hiroshima.
August 5, 2007
The following article was published in the Observor. In 1967, while the public was being given useless advice on how to "survive" a nuclear war, the British Government struggled to come to grips with the truth that little would remain of the country other than a large group of bureaucrats in a massive bunker.
The article ends with the following sentence:
"The financial cost is touched on: 'It is not yet possible to give overseas posts any clear guidance on how the operations described in the memorandum [to ship vital imports] would be paid for, largely because it is impossible to say what any country's money would be worth after global nuclear conflagration.'"
Much the same could be said of a SINGLE well-targetted nuclear terrorist attack, as was found by the Rand study on a terrorist attack on Long Beach / Los Angeles Harbor.
AT
The article ends with the following sentence:
"The financial cost is touched on: 'It is not yet possible to give overseas posts any clear guidance on how the operations described in the memorandum [to ship vital imports] would be paid for, largely because it is impossible to say what any country's money would be worth after global nuclear conflagration.'"
Much the same could be said of a SINGLE well-targetted nuclear terrorist attack, as was found by the Rand study on a terrorist attack on Long Beach / Los Angeles Harbor.
AT
July 30, 2007
July 13, 2007
Nuclear forces stood at an estimated 26,000 nuclear warheads in 2006 according to SIPRI. World Military Expenditures rose to US $1204 billion, or over US $2,000,000 every single minute last year according to the annual report released in Stockholm last month..
July 3, 2007
Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi was one of the special guests joining nuclear experts from around the world marking the 50th anniversary of the first meeting of nuclear scientists in Pugwash, Nova Scotia in Canada in 1957.
June 26, 2007
The picture shows Mayors of municipalities around the Ghedi nuclear airforce base in northern Italy asking for the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons, on August 6th 2005 in front of the base. On June 26th 2007 five Mayors from municipalities surrounding Ghedi published an open-letter seeking withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Italy.
June 26, 2007
This speech was delivered by Minister Margaret Beckett at the annual Carnegie Endowment Non-Proliferation Conference in Washington DC. News reports say that it was cleared with Gordon Brown who will soon be the new UK Prime Minister.
While many very positive points are made in this speech, they are undermined by the Minister's refusal to entertain the possibility of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world "in my lifetime," saying, "My sadness at such a thought is real." She does not provide a case for this pessimism, while using it to justify the decision to proceed with Trident replacement. In the 1980s, most people thought that they would have to live under Cold War circumstances the rest of their lives. Within a decade, all that changed. So cheer up Margaret, there is still hope for you in 2020!
AT
While many very positive points are made in this speech, they are undermined by the Minister's refusal to entertain the possibility of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world "in my lifetime," saying, "My sadness at such a thought is real." She does not provide a case for this pessimism, while using it to justify the decision to proceed with Trident replacement. In the 1980s, most people thought that they would have to live under Cold War circumstances the rest of their lives. Within a decade, all that changed. So cheer up Margaret, there is still hope for you in 2020!
AT
June 25, 2007
Los Angeles, June 25th 2007 - A resolution proposed by the Mayors from Ohio, Nevada, California and Florida calls upon the nations to spurn the use of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and work for their elimination. The new resolution concludes:
“Be it further resolved that the United States Conference of Mayors stands united in opposition to the initiation of nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare under any circumstances and regardless of the target.
“Be it further resolved the United States Conference of Mayors shall remain engaged in this matter until our cities and citizens, and the cities and citizens located throughout the world, are no longer under the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical devastation.”
“Be it further resolved that the United States Conference of Mayors stands united in opposition to the initiation of nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare under any circumstances and regardless of the target.
“Be it further resolved the United States Conference of Mayors shall remain engaged in this matter until our cities and citizens, and the cities and citizens located throughout the world, are no longer under the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical devastation.”
June 25, 2007
The following news article gives a good account of the last-minute decision taken by the U.S. Conference of Mayors calling for a "swift and prudent redeployment" of US forces in Iraq. (The complete resolution is appended at the end.)
I would like to add this personal note. On June 23rd, a "Defining Moment" video dealing with the USCM's response to the Vietnam War was shown during lunch. I happened to be sitting at the same table as Providence, RI, Mayor David Cicilline. After the video ended, he turned to the others at the table and asked no one in particular, "Why don't we have a resolution on the War in Iraq?" To which, I responded, "That's a very good question." The exchange ended there, but obviously, the thought had taken hold in the Mayor's mind. (Mayor Cicilline is a member of Mayors for Peace, and will host the 2009 US Conference of Mayors summer meeting.)
AT
I would like to add this personal note. On June 23rd, a "Defining Moment" video dealing with the USCM's response to the Vietnam War was shown during lunch. I happened to be sitting at the same table as Providence, RI, Mayor David Cicilline. After the video ended, he turned to the others at the table and asked no one in particular, "Why don't we have a resolution on the War in Iraq?" To which, I responded, "That's a very good question." The exchange ended there, but obviously, the thought had taken hold in the Mayor's mind. (Mayor Cicilline is a member of Mayors for Peace, and will host the 2009 US Conference of Mayors summer meeting.)
AT
June 25, 2007
Click the link above to see the US CM video on Mayors for Peace
June 15, 2007
June 5, 2007
May 16, 2007
Mayors for Peace has endorsed the Live Earth concerts. The concerts will be held in nine major cities this summer, July 7th (07/07/07). In a letter about Live Earth, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba says that the event and campaign will make many more people aware of the capacity of humans to fundamentally alter the global climate, and that awareness should be raised not only about global warming, but also nuclear winter.
In line with the endorsement, Live Earth and Mayors for Peace have established mutual links. Please use the link to Live Earth under Links to find out more about the concerts. To see the link that Live Earth has established to Mayors for Peace click here.
May 11, 2007
May 3, 2007
Please note the following speeches by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba are appended at the end of this article:
Address of the President to the Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference
“Needed: an over-arching approach to nuclear disarmament talks.” presented at the Mayors for Peace workshop on Launching Talks on Achieving a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.
Address of the President to the Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference
“Needed: an over-arching approach to nuclear disarmament talks.” presented at the Mayors for Peace workshop on Launching Talks on Achieving a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.
April 30, 2007
April 24, 2007
The Conference on Disarmament has before it a proposal jointly crafted by the six ambassadors who have presided or will preside over its 2007 sessions. The 'P6' proposal has very broad support, but a few countries have asked for additional time to consider it. Are they simply stalling? To give them an opportunity to demonstrate their good faith, the CD concluded its winter session without a decision, but empowered the current president to convene a 'special session' so that the proposal could be adopted before its spring session begins (14 May).
On 13 April, the President of Mayors for Peace, seeing this as a moment of truth for the Conference on Disarmament which has done no productive work in over ten years, called upon Heads of Government to urgently communicate directly with each other in the coming weeks to ensure a breakthrough is achieved. This, below, is a generic version of that letter. The 2020 Vision Campaign urges other groups to make similar appeals for leadership.
On 13 April, the President of Mayors for Peace, seeing this as a moment of truth for the Conference on Disarmament which has done no productive work in over ten years, called upon Heads of Government to urgently communicate directly with each other in the coming weeks to ensure a breakthrough is achieved. This, below, is a generic version of that letter. The 2020 Vision Campaign urges other groups to make similar appeals for leadership.
April 19, 2007
Abolition 2000 Europe, ISIS Europe, Mayors for Peace, Olof Palme International Center and Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament organized a succesfull International Conference today in the European Parliament on "A Comprehensive Approach towards Nuclear Disarmament".
During this conference we explored the possibilities and opportunities for the EU to become increasingly involved in promoting non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. The timing of this conference worked well with the run-up to the next Non-Proliferation Treaty PrepCom from April 30 to May 11 2007.
High-resolution pictures of the conference can be found on http://fme.sincerethought.org/gallery/v/2007/EP
During this conference we explored the possibilities and opportunities for the EU to become increasingly involved in promoting non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. The timing of this conference worked well with the run-up to the next Non-Proliferation Treaty PrepCom from April 30 to May 11 2007.
High-resolution pictures of the conference can be found on http://fme.sincerethought.org/gallery/v/2007/EP
April 18, 2007
Mayor Iccho Itoh was brutal shot and killed while campaigning for a fourth term as Mayor of Nagasaki. Condolences on his death have been streaming into Mayors for Peace from all corners of the world. We anticipate that a website will be created to memorialize this leader in the fight to abolish nuclear weapons, meanwhile condolences should be sent to this email address: hisho@city.nagasaki.lg.jp . We publish below the messages from the President of Mayors for Peace and the UN Secretary General.
April 8, 2007
March 26, 2007
Comment from the Campaign Manager:
It is important that the public -- and their leaders -- fully appreciate the monstrousness of nuclear weapons. This study does not really break any new ground; IPPNW warned the world about the medical consequences of nuclear weapons in the 1980s. But, in a world that quickly forgets, it never hurts to be reminded.
The main weakness of this report is its fatalistic attitude. Rather than aiming to prevent use of nuclear weapons, it seems to accept that use will occur and works to mitigate the impact at the margins. Mayors for Peace has launched the 2020 Vision Campaign to achieve a world freed from the nuclear threat by 2020 and the Cities Are Not Targets project challenges the notion that cities are legitimate targets for military bombardment of any sort.
The study appears to incorrectly assume that a 20 kiloton explosion would not create a firestorm. Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were consumed by firestorms, and the bombs used against them had yields less than 20 kilotons.
Finally, I will state the obvious: the effects of cities burning and people being irradiated are the same whether they are in the United States or anywhere else in the world.
It is important that the public -- and their leaders -- fully appreciate the monstrousness of nuclear weapons. This study does not really break any new ground; IPPNW warned the world about the medical consequences of nuclear weapons in the 1980s. But, in a world that quickly forgets, it never hurts to be reminded.
The main weakness of this report is its fatalistic attitude. Rather than aiming to prevent use of nuclear weapons, it seems to accept that use will occur and works to mitigate the impact at the margins. Mayors for Peace has launched the 2020 Vision Campaign to achieve a world freed from the nuclear threat by 2020 and the Cities Are Not Targets project challenges the notion that cities are legitimate targets for military bombardment of any sort.
The study appears to incorrectly assume that a 20 kiloton explosion would not create a firestorm. Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were consumed by firestorms, and the bombs used against them had yields less than 20 kilotons.
Finally, I will state the obvious: the effects of cities burning and people being irradiated are the same whether they are in the United States or anywhere else in the world.
March 17, 2007
Report on CEMR and UCLG meetings, Paris, 14-16 March
Large strides were made over three days in
March 14, 2007
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament that calls for a delegation of MEPs to attend the first meeting of Preparatory Committee for the 2010 NPT Review Conference. Mayors for Peace will also have a delegation in
Among other recent important documents, the resolution cites the Rome Declaration of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates convened by Mayor Walter Veltroni and former
Previous EU Parliament resolutions on the NPT have cited the "Mayors Campaign" as a positive new development; this year, the resolution adopts the vision perspective of the 2020 Vision Campaign. Operative paragraph 5 reads :"[The parliament] Affirms that, for multilateral efforts to be effective, they must be set within a well-developed vision of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world at the earliest possible date." (Perhaps next year it will explicitly adopt the target date 2020!)
Paragraph 7 underscores the importance of the "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament" agreed upon at the 1995 NPT Review Conference and the "13 Practical Steps" agreed unanimously at the Year 2000 NPT Review Conference, asserting that they must be "improved upon and implemented in order to make progress and to avoid regress or standstill."
As is customary, the resolution concludes with instructions to the the Council President on the distribution of the resolution to other bodies. Mayors for Peace is grateful for being among the three non-governmental bodies explicitly mentioned, the other two being the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament.
The full text of the resolution follows. The 'tinyurl' above will take you to the document on the European Parliament's website.
March 12, 2007
Three Vice Presidents of Mayors for Peace have written to their colleagues in Europe urging them to mobilize in support of the Cities Are Not Targets project. The letter has gone to the over 1000 members of Mayors for Peace in Europe. Mayors, whether or not their cities are affiliated yet with Mayors for Peace, and Campaigners everywhere in Europe are ask to follow up on the proposed course of action; please see the left-hand column for more details.
March 12, 2007
Every year, the Mayors for Peace Secretariat in Hiroshima produces a Newletter that covers some of the previous year's highlights and points to future activities. The 2020 Vision Campaign, of course, features prominantly in the report. The Newsletter can be accessed in PDF format by going to:
Please feel free to print up copies and use it in your Campaign work!
http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/english/library/newsletterpdf/25.pdf
Please feel free to print up copies and use it in your Campaign work!
March 8, 2007
Following on the massive public rallies in the UK against the replacement of the Trident nuclear-weapon system, the former President of the Soviet Union and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has written to the London Times to express his dismay with the course of action proposed by the Government of Tony Blair. See also (February 24) the text of Mayor Akiba's video message to the Trafalgar Square rally.
March 3, 2007
March 2, 2007
INTRODUCTION by the Campaign Manager:
Two decades ago, the state-of-the-art climate modeling programs showed that an all-out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, involving up to 10,000 nuclear weapons, would trigger a 'Nuclear Winter.' Since then, major advances have been made in climate modeling. What does the most up-to-date model tell us about Nuclear Winter? The news is not good. It is now clear that even a limited nuclear war, involving less than 100 low-yield weapons could trigger a decade of cold climate with drastically reduced growing seasons in key bread-baskets of the world.
Not only would up to 21 million people die locally as a direct result of attacks on cities, but several hundreds of millions would die globally from starvation.
To a nuclear explosion, a city is just an immense tinder box. It is the extreme heat of the resulting firestorm that sends soot particles so high into the upper atmosphere that they cannot be washed out by rain. Yet another reason why nuclear-armed states must accept that 'Cities Are Not Targets!'
A.T.
Two decades ago, the state-of-the-art climate modeling programs showed that an all-out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, involving up to 10,000 nuclear weapons, would trigger a 'Nuclear Winter.' Since then, major advances have been made in climate modeling. What does the most up-to-date model tell us about Nuclear Winter? The news is not good. It is now clear that even a limited nuclear war, involving less than 100 low-yield weapons could trigger a decade of cold climate with drastically reduced growing seasons in key bread-baskets of the world.
Not only would up to 21 million people die locally as a direct result of attacks on cities, but several hundreds of millions would die globally from starvation.
To a nuclear explosion, a city is just an immense tinder box. It is the extreme heat of the resulting firestorm that sends soot particles so high into the upper atmosphere that they cannot be washed out by rain. Yet another reason why nuclear-armed states must accept that 'Cities Are Not Targets!'
A.T.
February 24, 2007
The organizers of the anti-Trident, anti-war rally in London arranged for one message to be shown on the screen above the stage in Trafalgar Square, that pre-recorded message was from Hiroshima by its Mayor on behalf of the international network of Mayor for Peace. The 2020 Vision Campaign thanks especially the leadership of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament for making this possible.
February 24, 2007
This article by icliverpool.co.uk will have to serve as a preliminary report on the anti-Trident protests in the UK. It does not mention Mayors for Peace participation which took two forms: at Trafalgar Square, London's Mayor Ken Livingstone (member) spoke and a video message from Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba (President) was played. Regarding the video, CND President, Kate Hudson, reported, "the crowd was riveted. Please thank Mayor Akiba for providing the message. The march was the largest anti-nuclear demonstration in Britain for twenty years." She added that the police now put their estimate "in the tens of thousands."
Check back later for more detail, photos, and the texts of the mayors' speeches.
Check back later for more detail, photos, and the texts of the mayors' speeches.
February 22, 2007
Mayors for Peace and several other NGOs sponsored a major cultural event at UN Headquarters on the occasion of the Chinese Lunar New Year to celebrate the United Nations International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World
February 22, 2007
During the last days* of his second term as Mayor of Hiroshima, Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba has written to the world's eight nuclear-armed states and to his own national government challenging them to consistently pursue the elimination of nuclear weapons.
(*Due to a rescheduling of the mayoral election to coincide with other municipal elections, Hiroshima will be without a mayor until the winner of the upcoming election is sworn in in April. Citizen Akiba is seeking re-election among several other candidates.)
(*Due to a rescheduling of the mayoral election to coincide with other municipal elections, Hiroshima will be without a mayor until the winner of the upcoming election is sworn in in April. Citizen Akiba is seeking re-election among several other candidates.)
February 22, 2007
Mayors for Peace and its President Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba of Hiroshima, Japan, have been nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the winners of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize, made the nomination. It is the first time Mayors for Peace has been nominated.
February 13, 2007
In Apirl 2005, Mexico hosted a meeting of all the world's nuclear-weapon-free zones. Mayor Akiba was invited to speak as the representative of civil society internationally. On February 14, 2007, the members of the Latin American nuclear-weaponfree zones gathered to mark its 40th year. Mayor Akiba sent the following message to the gathering.
January 31, 2007
January 23, 2007
The op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal by Shultz, Kissinger, Parry, and Nunn got 2007 off to a positive start. The president of Mayors for Peace, Hiroshima Mayor Akiba felt their proposals would benefit from being clearer on how to honor the vision of a nuclear weapon free world. This is his response, which was published by the Wall Street Journal on 23 January.
January 17, 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. and LONDON, January 17, 2007 - Today the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Adjusts Clock From 7 to 5 Minutes Before Midnight; “Deteriorating” Global Situation Cited on Nuclear Weapons and New Factor: Climate Change.
January 4, 2007
Click the URL above for the renewed call made January 15th 2008 by Kissinger, Nunn, Perry and Shultz for a Nuclear-Free World
December 22, 2006
As of December 20, 2006, Mayors for Peace welcomes the 97 new members cities.
December 6, 2006
Once again the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of complete nuclear disarmament.
November 22, 2006
"Mutually assured paralysis" has replaced "mutually assured destruction" as the greatest nuclear threat.
November 19, 2006
Representatives at the Seventh World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome, Italy issued a clear, strong statement on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
August 3, 2005
