We can abolish nuclear weapons!
40,000 people formed a peace symbol in Central Park, New York City, 2005.
People have worked towards the goal of nuclear disarmament for 62 years.
During that time the number of nuclear weapons has reduced from 65,000 in 1968 to the roughly 26,000 we live with today, with hundreds still on "hair trigger" alert, ready for launch in just minutes.
Nuclear weapons have not been used in war since the bombings of civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, largely because of an organised and visible anti-nuclear movement including scientists that had worked on the bomb, doctors, politicians, authors, activists and thousands of people who protested in imaginative and effective ways ever since nuclear weapons were invented, but especially during the height of the Cold War in the 1960's, 70's and 80's.
Inspired by the efforts and successes of this movement, the ICAN effort is the next stage of doctors, mayors and citizens joining with governments to work for a Nuclear Weapons Convention - a treaty that would finally establish the process, define terms and set the conditions for abolishing nuclear weapons.
In 2007 ICAN was launched globally: politically, within communities, networking with non-government organisations, online, on YouTube, MySpace and Facebook to make the message clear:
ican, you can, we can abolish nuclear weapons.
