UNFOLD ZERO Newsletter

Posted: 22nd January 2024

The Doomsday Clock and the UN Summit of the Future:
Time to end the nuclear threat

Jan 23: Doomsday Clock announcement
Jan 24: Anniversary of UN Res 1(1)
Jan: 26: Intergenerational Forum and PACEY Award Ceremony
Feb 2: Abolition 2000 Annual General Meeting

On January 23, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will announce the new setting for the Doomsday Clock. The Clock is a symbolic graphic that warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies of our own making. It is a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet.

In January 2023, the hands of the clock were set to 90 seconds to midnight, indicating an increased existential threat to humanity nuclear risks, climate change, disruptive technologies, and biosecurity. To find out the setting of the Clock for 2024, watch the 2024 Doomsday Clock announcement live.

January 24. Anniversary of UN Resolution 1 (1)

Role of the UN Summit of the Future

First session of the United Nations General Assembly, January 24, 1946

On January 24, 1946, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus its very first resolution, Res 1(I), which established a commission of the UN Security Council to ensure the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.

The ensuing Cold War dashed the early hopes of the commission implementing the resolution, as nuclear weapons became entrenched in the policies of the USA, Russia and the three other permanent members of the Security Council – China, France and the UK.

However, the UN resolution remains valid as setting a core objective of the United Nations, and contributing to customary international law requiring the global abolition of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

The UN Summit of the Future (September 22-23, 2024) provides a unique opportunity to advance the full implementation of UN Res 1(I).

We invite you to join UNFOLD ZERO in calling on governments to commit at the UN Summit of the Future to eliminate nuclear weapons globally no later than 2045, the 100th anniversary of the UN. To join this call, please endorse Protect People and the Planet: Appeal for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World if you have not already done so).

Other simple actions you can take to commemorate January 24

Endorse Nuclear Taboo: From norm to law, if you have not already done so (click here for the full statement and list of endorsers);
Join the 2024 Intergenerational Forum on Peace, Climate, Nuclear Disarmament and the UN Summit of the Future and the PACEY Award ceremony on January 26 to learn about and support youth projects for nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament (see PACEY Award finalists 2024);
Register for the Abolition 2000 Annual General Meeting (being held on February 2) to share/learn about nuclear disarmament campaigns/initiatives from around the world (and join those that interest you);
Undertake a social media action such as Don’t even THINK about starting a nuclear war;
Encourage your parliamentarian/legislator to join Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament if they are not already a member.

Don’t even THINK about starting a nuclear war social media actions outside embassies of the USA, UK, Russia and China.

PACEY Award Ceremony, January 26

Three prizes of €5000 each
Join the event. Celebrate youth action. Vote for your choice for winners
Friday January 26. 10am Eastern Time USA / 4pm Central Europe Time

The Peace, nuclear Abolition and Climate Engaged Youth (PACEY) Award ceremony will place as an online event on Friday January 26. Three prizes of €5000 each will be awarded at the event for youth-led projects that have the potential to make a significant difference on peace, nuclear disarmament and climate issues.

The event will include short presentations from the nine youth projects chosen by the jury to be the finalists (from the 75 nominated projects). The audience will then vote to determine the three winners. In addition, the Award ceremony will include short presentations from a sample of the previous PACEY Award winners.

The PACEY Award ceremony will be preceded by the Basel 2024 Intergenerational Forum on Peace, Climate, Nuclear Disarmament and the UN Summit of the Future (10am CET), a hybrid event bringing together policy makers, youth activists and professionals to discuss critical issues of peace, climate and nuclear threats, and initiatives to protect the future.

Abolition 2000 Annual General Meeting

Keeping the nuclear abolition network connected
February 2/3, 2024

Abolition 2000, the global civil society network for the elimination of nuclear weapons, will hold its 28th Annual General Meeting (on-line) on February 2 and 3, 2024. This will be a unique opportunity for:

sharing of reports from Abolition 2000 working groups and affiliated networks and campaigns;
discussion of the evolving challenges of nuclear disarmament;
exploration new perspectives and strategies in our collective efforts.

Join the Abolition 2000 AGM