ICAN Campaigner Forum
2 March 2025
Riverside Church, New York

On April 4, 1967, renowned civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, delivered a speech at Riverside Church in which he said “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.” 

On 2 March, 2025, in advance of the third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, ICAN held a campaigner forum in the iconic Riverside Church in New York City. With the elevating risks of nuclear weapons use and the need to increase global popular understanding of the cumulative, complex, cascading and catastrophic effects if they are used- ICAN is calling for people to join us with the fierce urgency of this moment.

This meeting brought together over 350 participants in attendance from 35 countries, connecting ICAN partners and allies in efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and support justice for those affected by nuclear weapons use and testing. This interactive campaign event also provided a moment for ICAN partners and allies to renew and revive relationships with one another, strengthening the global movement to end nuclear weapons.

Programme

Welcome

• Hon Melissa Parke, ICAN Executive Director
• Ivana Hughes, Scientific Advisory Group, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, neighbour

The human story of nuclear weapons

• Dr. Lee Taejae, Second generation Korean hibakusha
• Hinamoeura Morgant-Cross, member of the Assembly of French Polynesia

Dealing with nuclear weapons from deterrence to apathy

• Molly McGinty (IPPNW),
• Dr Rhys Crilley (Univ of Glasgow),
• Sven Clement (MP from Luxembourg),
• Ambassador Marthinus Van Schalkwyk (South Africa),
• Edwick Madzimure (WILPF)

Simultaneous sessions 

• Nuclear Justice | This session will focus on working as part of and with affected communities. Both in the TPNW context, and also profiling work that is being done to create connections across the globe.  Participants will be asked to share their own work and experiences, and to talk about ways to amplify efforts with one another. Facilitated by Pam Kingfisher & Yerdaulet Rakhmatulla
• Connecting campaigns | This session will discuss the campaigning efforts underway to link across issues- from climate, to human rights, biodiversity, children’s rights, and more. Participants will be asked to share their current efforts across these different fields as a way to find synergies in approaches and identify cooperative opportunities. Facilitated by Lucero Oyarzun & Anduin Devos 
• Stigmatising nuclear weapons | This session will discuss opportunities in the coming period to devalue nuclear weapons, including through the new UNGA study on effects of nuclear war, the 80th anniversary of the invention of nuclear weapons, and building on current campaign efforts. Participants will be asked to share their plans for the year ahead, specific moments to mark, and to consider ways in which they can take advantage of these opportunities to further their campaign efforts. Facilitated by Daniel Högsta & Jemila Rushton
• Universalisation & Implementation all things 3MSP | This session can focus on the upcoming week at the 3MSP, and bring together the advocacy team for a significant preparations session to dive into issues including: universalisation, setting up the next intersessional process, mandates and more. Facilitated by Tim Wright & Muhadi Sugiono 

Closing Plenary

• Amb. Akan Rakhmetullin, Kazakhstan, President of the third TPNW Meeting of States Parties

Photos