ICAN Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty to Enter Force

My guest today is from The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) which is a coalition of non-governmental organizations promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty.

Alicia Sanders-Zakre is the Policy and Research Coordinator at the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. She directs and coordinates research on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, and general nuclear weapons policy. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) enters into force on January 22, 2021.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a coalition of non-governmental organizations in one hundred countries promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty. This landmark global agreement was adopted in New York on July 7, 2017. After the 50th country ratified the treaty in October 2020, then the date for the treaty to go into effect became January 22, 2021.

They were awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for their “work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons” and “ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons”.

Sanders-Zakre discussed the historic treaty and its process. She also discussed the universities that are involved in nuclear weapons research, including the University of Arizona. More information is about the treaty is available at ICANW.org.

I learned about ICAN and Sanders-Zakre from local anti-nuclear stalwarts Jack and Felice Cohen-Joppa. The Nuclear Resister networks the anti-nuclear and anti-war resistance movement while acting as a clearinghouse for information about contemporary nonviolent resistance to war and the nuclear threat. Our emphasis is on support for the women and men jailed for these actions.  This blog is the online companion to the quarterly Nuclear Resister newsletter, a more comprehensive chronicle. More information about their organization and newsletter and local efforts is available on their website nukeresister.org.