Citizen Campaigns

Citizen Campaigns

Introduction

Within a year after atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945, citizen campaigns formed to oppose further development and use of nuclear weapons. They have persisted to this day. Many anti-nuclear organizations have a long history. Others formed in recent years.

Here we describe a sample but realize that we cannot offer a complete inventory. Some have a religious base, others are from the civic sector. Some are coalitions, but most are individual organizations. We divide them into three subsections:

International

The desire to eliminate nuclear weapons is global in scope. This gains expression in worldwide religious bodies and associations and in international civic-sector organizations. Here are some of them.

Religious

Anglican Peace and Justice Network. A recognized network of the global Anglican Communion is made up of representatives from Anglican provinces.

Holy See, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Promotes justice and peace in the world in the light of the Gospel and of the social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church

Pax Christi International. A non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement working on a global scale. Is now engaged in a campaign to abolish nuclear weapons.

Religions for Peace. A global coalition of representatives from the world’s great religious dedicated to stopping war, ending poverty, and protecting the earth.

World Council of Churches. Brings together 349 churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world. Within a concern for peace and justice the WCC advocates nuclear disarmament and control of the spread of other weapons of mass destruction.

Civic

Abolition 2000. A network of over 2000 organizations in more than 90 countries worldwide working for a global treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy. Publishes Disarmament Diplomacy, a journal of news, documentation and opinion pieces on disarmament and arms control negotiations.

British American Security Information Council (BASIC). Works in Europe and North America to seek a safe and peaceful world, one without the threat of war and nuclear destruction.

Global Zero. A campaign initiated in December 2008 by 100 leaders from around the world to promote the phased, verified elimination of nuclear weapons. Will hold a Global Zero Summit in February 2010 in Paris.

International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms. Works for elimination of nuclear arms, strengthening of international law, and development of effective mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES). Promotes responsible and sustainable use of science and technology. Within this framework the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation concentrates on nonproliferation and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction. In August 2009 INES launched Scientists for Nuclear Weapons-Free World.

International Peace Bureau. Has a long history of work for a world without war since founding in 1891. Nuclear disarmament is a long-time concern.

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. A nonpartisan federation of national medical organizations in 62 countries dedicated to preventing nuclear war and abolishing nuclear weapons.

Mayors for Peace. Formed by the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, seeks the abolition of nuclear weapons. Organization has membership from 3,104 cities in 134 countries and regions.

Middle Powers Initiative. Eight international non-governmental organizations work closely with “middle power countries” to encourage the nuclear weapons states to move to a nuclear weapon-free world.

Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. A global network of over 500 parliamentarians from more than 70 countries working to prevent nuclear proliferation and achieve nuclear disarmament.

Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. Seeks to bring scientific insight and reason to bear on the catastrophic threat posed to humanity by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

Reaching Critical Will. Promotes and facilitates engagement of non-governmental actors in United Nations processes related to disarmament. A project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.