ICAN around the world
ICAN Launch
ICAN was launched in a series of events throughout the world during 2007.
'Securing Our Survival (SOS): The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention'
The international Launch in Vienna, including ICAN's Felicity Hill, (centre).
On April 30, 2007 ICAN was launched at the Vienna nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) meeting, along with the book 'Securing our Survival (SOS): the Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention'
The panel featured Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima, Dr. Ron McCoy of IPPNW, Dr. Carlos Vargas of Costa Rica, as well as co-authors of the Nuclear Weapons Convention, Alyn Ware, Jurgen Scheffran and Felicity Hill.
Read the statements of Mayor Akiba and Dr. Ron McCoy.
Launch in Malaysia
Physicians for Peace and Social Responsibility launched ICAN at the Dewan Jemerlang Faculty of Medicine at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Speakers included former Foreign Minister YM Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen, Professor Dr. Ikram Shah Ismail (Dean of the Faculty of Medicine), Dato' Seri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan (Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies), Dr. Bill Williams (MAPW) and Dato' Dr. Ronald McCoy (President of Physicians for Peace and Social Responsibility).
IPPNW was delighted that the Malaysian government took the opportunity to talk about ICAN in their General Debate statement at the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:
"On a lighter note, I am pleased to announce that Malaysia in Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in particular the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation (INESAP) and the International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms (IALANA) had yesterday the privilege of re-launching the updated version of a publication entitled 'Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention'. In essence, the book contains updated information on the elements of a draft Nuclear Weapons Convention, which is envisioned as a means of further strengthening the NPT regime.
"Incidentally, the launch of the book coincides with the launching of a global grassroots educational campaign, known as the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The campaign is spearheaded by NGOs including among others, IPPNW, INESAP, IALANA and the Hiroshima based Mayors for Peace, with the aim of generating political will for nuclear disarmament through educating and engaging the public as well as policy makers by highlighting the feasibility of abolishing nuclear weapons through a Nuclear Weapons Convention."
Launch in Canada
About 30 peace activists hoisted signs, sang and gave speeches in a vigil in central Halifax opposing nuclear weapons. Physicians for Global Survival partnered with Voice of Women and Mayors for Peace in announcing the Canadian launch of an international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons. A petition was circulated urging Mayor Peter Kelly to make Halifax known as a city that opposes nuclear weapons. "The public needs to tell our politicians that the public is knowledgeable about the effects of nuclear weapons and the urgency of the situation. Such public demonstration then puts the onus on our politicians to create the 'political will' to proceed with the necessary treaties to totally abolish this class of weapon," said Nancy Covington of Physicians for Global Survival. "Here in Halifax, instead of hiding the ships that come into the harbour under the cloak of the ‘neither confirm nor deny’ policy, maybe instead it should be made publicly known that this vessel may in fact be hiding nuclear weapons on board," Ms. Covington said.
Senator Roméo Dallaire, in an article on nuclear issues published on 18 April, promoted the need for a Nuclear Weapons Convention and introduced ICAN:
"There is an exciting, international campaign underway this month that hopes to jolt global awareness of the dire threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons. I am a proud endorser of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and am excited to be working with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and Mayors for Peace, in the attempt to educate a new generation of people about the true nature of nuclear weapons.
The website, www.icanw.org, indicates a number of ways that each and every Canadian can participate and make a real difference."
Launch in India
With a resolve to build public opinion to abolish nuclear weapons, the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) launched the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in India from Gaya and Patna.
In Gaya over 150 faculty members and medical students participated in a meeting at the A N Magadh Medical College, Gaya - the place of enlightenment of Lord Buddha, in the state of Bihar on 21st April 2007 - the eve of Earth Day. Chief Guest at the function and Magsaysay awardee, Dr. Sandeep Pandey, supported the ICAN initiative which is essential to save mother earth.
General Secretary of IDPD, Dr Arun Mitra, called upon all medical professionals to come forward to fulfill their duty to prevent disease and save mother earth from catastrophe of nuclear weapons.
Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh, Secretary Bihar state, said that they would continue this campaign up until the world congress, to be held in Delhi. Mr.Shri Prakash, an activist from Jadugoda Organisation Against Radiations, gave a detailed account of the effect of radiation on people around Jadugoda mines. Abhinav Singh, a medical student, assured that the students of his college and state would strive hard to make the campaign a success and reach out to the general public.
Others who addressed the meeting included Associate Professor Gyane & Obst Dr Ramadhar Tiwari, Medical Superintendent of the college and hospital Dr S.N. Sharma, Associate Professor Medicine Dr K K Lohani and Dr. V.K. Singh, Dept of Psychiatry.
Besides medical students, Ujjwal, Mehtab, Rakesh, Pranay and Gaurav actively participated to make the event a success. They assured full cooperation of their institution in this movement and distributed ICAN literature.
On Earth Day, 22nd April, a public meeting was organised at Patna jointly by the IDPD, Indian Medical Association and Shri Krishna Science Center. Over 300 doctors, medical students, teachers, lawyers, social activists, youth activists and women activists attended this meeting. The session began with a peace song by the popular theatre group Indian People's Theatre Association.
Dr S L Mandal, one of the founding members of IDPD, Dr Sajidanand Kumar Secretary IMA Bihar and Dr Devi Singh Shekhawat, Director of the Science Center, assured of full support to this initiative.
Dr Sandeep Pandey, Dr Arun Mitra, Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh, Mr.Shri Prakash, Dr Shakeel Rehman and Dr Abhay Gaur addressed the meeting. A very vibrant question and answer session was held after the speeches.
As a part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) organized a seminar at Agra, the city of Taj Mahal in the state of Uttar Pradesh on 27th April 2007.
Dr Sudhir Dhakre, National Secretary IDPD, gave introductory remarks about IPPNW and IDPD. Dr Bill Williams, Vice President MAPW Australia, gave a detailed account of ICAN. Dr L S Chawla, President IDPD, elaborated on the relationship between poverty, war and nuclear weapons.
Dr Arun Mitra, General Secretary IDPD, spoke at length on the need for renewable energy resources as opposed to nuclear power for electricity generation. Dr R S Chauhan presided over the meeting, with Dr Davinder Gupta presenting a vote of thanks. Dr Sanjeev Verma, Secretary IDPD UP assured of spreading ICAN's message and Dr S K Singh helped in organising the meeting.
Launch in Australia
Assoc. Professor Tilman Ruff and Professor Joeseph Camilleri
ICAN was launched in Australia on 23 April at a luncheon event at Parliament House, Melbourne, featuring Judge Weeramantry, formerly of the International Court of Justice, former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, and Professor Fred Mendelsohn, Director of the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine.
A video message was sent by former Foreign Minister and Weapons of Mass Destruction Commissioner Gareth Evans, and Nobel Laureate Jody Williams.
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Judge Chistropher Weeramantry, Dave Sweeney (Australian Conservation Foundation) and Dimity Hawkins (ICAN Australia Committee)
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
(Photos: Adam Dempsey)
Launch in USA
The US component of the ICAN campaign was launched with a lobbying day in Washington aimed at stopping the Bush administration's plans to build the "reliable replacement warhead" (RRW), a new thermonuclear bomb.
Representatives from Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) visited the offices of 58 members of the House and Senate urging members to eliminate funding for the RRW.
This new hydrogen bomb is the first stage in the Bush administration's ambitious "Complex 2030" program to create new design and production facilities for a new generation of nuclear weapons and to ready the Nevada testing site so these weapons may, possibly, be tested in future.
The lobby day was the first step in an ongoing campaign to block funding for this new weapon, which would be a clear violation of US obligations under Article VI of the NPT.
PSR has been tracking the defense funding bill as it moves through the Congress and will continue to meet with members of Congress and to do public education work, write editorials, etc, to stop this weapon and promote nuclear disarmament instead.
The ad below ran on 1 May 2007 in newspapers near the University of California, whose Lawrence Livermore Lab will be building the bomb if it is funded.
Launch in Norway
ICAN was launched with a seminar at the Nobel Institute, a street demonstration in Oslo, and a concert celebrating the life of Dr. Albert Schweitzer.
On Saturday 21 April 2007, students (MedFred) from the Medical Schools of Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Tromsoe arranged street campaigns in their respective cities. Dressed in white coats and flanked by a new ICAN banner they collected signatures on a petition to the Norwegian Government calling for a ban on nuclear weapons. They handed out ICAN flyers and envelopes with sunflower seeds.
In Oslo the students were interviewed by the Norwegian radio and the event was videotaped.
On Sunday 22 April 2007, two concerts were held in Oslo as part of "Symphony of the Earth".
The afternoon saw cooperation with the conscientious objectors on a jazz concert for youth at which four appeals on Albert Schweitzer and ICAN were contributed by Jan Helge Solbakk, Lachlan Forrow, Trygve Berge and Stine Rödmyr, respectively.
In the evening a concert was held at the Vestibule of the University Library with Christiane Engel, Albert Schweiter's grandchild, playing Mozart's piano concerts no. 6 and 13 together with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra.
Two appeals, by Inga Bostad, Vice Rector of the University, and Kjersti Johnsrud, Council member of IPPNW Norway, commemorated Albert Schweitzer's appeals 50 years ago and their relevance for the ICAN campaign. The first half of the concert with the appeals was videotaped.
On Monday 23 April 2007 was a seminar "Reverence for Life. Commemoration of Albert Schweitzer's antinuclear weapons appeal 23, April 1957" at the Nobel institute in Oslo with the following speakers:
* Christiane Engel, Physician and Musician: Albert Schwitzer - my grandfather.
* Jan Helge Solbakk, Chief of Bioethics Section UNESCO: Albert Schweitzer - a dangerous man.
* David Ives, Exec.Dir. Albert Schweitzer Institute University of Quinnipiac: Reverence for Life - Ways of application
* Ole Danbolt Mjös, Chairman of the Nobel Committee: Albert Schweitzer and the Nobel Peace Prize.
* Ingvild Fossgard Sandöy, Board member of IPPNW Norway: Is Schweitzer's appeal still relevant?
* Lachlan Forrow, President of Albert Schweitzer Fellowship: Symphony for the Earth (including ICAN).
The whole seminar was videotaped. Signatures were collected for a petition to the Government, both at the concerts and the seminar.