NFLA delighted to share important webinar recording from a joint event on peace, security and disarmament with the Mayors for Peace and ICAN

The UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) shares today on its website a recording from a webinar held on the 4th December on peace, security and disarmament progress in Europe over the next decade. (1)

The joint webinar was the first main event of the European Chapter of Mayors for Peace; and was held in cooperation with the NFLA and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Today is International Human Rights Day and the third anniversary of ICAN receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

The webinar brought leading European Mayors together with senior representatives from ICAN and an expert academic speaker from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It looked at ways European cities can pass resolutions of support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and suggested ways to promote locally a culture of peace. Over 370 towns, cities and counties around Europe, North America, India and Australia have passed such resolutions. (2)

The webinar also considered the practical ways for Local Authorities to promote safe, resilient and more peaceful cities. This part of the webinar was held in conjunction with the Global Parliament of Mayors. Over 220 participants engaged in the webinar.

The webinar was recorded and is now available on YouTube. It can be watched at the following link – 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-34yb-2C3E 

Amongst the speakers in the webinar (3) were:

• The Mayors of Hiroshima, Manchester, Barcelona, Oslo and Granollers gave powerful messages of support and outlined why they had engaged on passing resolutions of support on the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

• Representing the Global Parliament of Mayors was the Mayor of Braga, who outlined their work on promoting peaceful cities and safer cities reducing violence in urban areas over the next decade by 50%.

• A former Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Eddy Newman, profiled how the city had positively responded to the May 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack as a case study on the promotion of safe and peaceful cities.

• Representing ICAN was its Executive Director Beatrice Fihn and its Campaigns Director Daniel Hogsta, outlining their work on the TPNW and promoting a world free from nuclear weapons.

• The keynote academic speaker was Dr Tytti Erasto of SIPRI, who considered the TPNW and its interaction with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as likely currents in peace, security and disarmament in Europe over the next few years.

• The webinar was moderated by the NFLA Secretary, UK & Ireland Mayors for Peace Secretary and Manchester City Council officer Sean Morris.

For the NFLA, the webinar is a part of its ongoing work to promote a nuclear weapons free and more peaceful world. NFLA commemorated its 40th anniversary in November and it was originally established in 1980 through the passing of similar resolutions calling on the reduction of nuclear weapons. (4)

NFLA is a member of the ICAN coalition and a close partner of the Mayors for Peace. Its host authority Manchester City Council is a Vice President of Mayors for Peace and the Vice Chair of the European Chapter of Mayors for Peace, as well as the Chair of the UK and Ireland Chapter of Mayors for Peace.

The new European Chapter will help to embed and deepen interest in these issues over the next few years, and this first webinar is to be very much welcomed. 

The TPNW will be entering into force on January 22nd, 2021 given that 50 states have now ratified it. Zimbabwe and Niger have now signed the TPNW and begun the process of ratification, along with 36 other states. NFLA, the European Chapter of Mayors for Peace and ICAN are coordinating a joint statement of leading cities who support the TPNW to go out in time for that entry into force in January 2021.

NFLA Steering Committee Chair, Councillor David Blackburn said:

“I warmly welcome this excellent and inspiring webinar and encourage those who were unable to attend it to watch the full recording of it. NFLA remains dedicated to promoting peace education and initiatives for a nuclear-weapons-free world. We look forward to continuing our close relationship with the Mayors for Peace and ICAN as we try to promote further the TPNW, engage with nuclear weapon states through the NPT Review Conference and call on a different mindset to encourage real and peaceful security policies. There is a different way forward for the world and this webinar shows the importance of Local Authorities in engaging at the international level.” 

Ends – for more information please contact Sean Morris, NFLA Secretary, on 00 44 (0)7771 930196.

Notes to Editors:

(1) Link to the joint webinar –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-34yb-2C3E 

(2) List of cities who have passed resolutions on the TPNW can be found at: https://cities.icanw.org/ 

(3) Flyer for the webinar - https://www.nuclearpolicy.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/M4P_NFLA_ICAN_BPC_European_Webinar.pdf 

(4) NFLA 40th anniversary webpage - https://www.nuclearpolicy.info/news/40th-anniversary-of-the-nfla/