Kia ora, welcome!
My name is Alyn Ware and I’m a peace educator and nuclear disarmament consultant.
On this blog, I will write about nuclear disarmament, peace education and other things that interest me, including ecology, vegetarianism, sports & peace, prevention of violence.
Recent blog articles
UN Conference on establishing a Middle East WMD-Free Zone: Will it lead anywhere?
The Middle East is a region where nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs arise from, and contribute to, tensions, instability and conflict. The 2003 invasion of Iraq was launched by the US and the UK with the stated purpose to ‘disarm Iraq of weapons of...
UN Human Rights Committee condemns the threat or use of nuclear weapons and other WMD
by Alyn Ware* On October 30, 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted a new General comment No. 36 (2018) on article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), on the right to life. According to the General Comment (paragraph 3), the...
Containing the nuclear weapons corporations: Nuclear weapons divestment in the United States
The United States spends over $60 billion annually on nuclear weapons – more than the other eight nuclear-armed States combined. This colossal amount of spending on nuclear weapons is unnecessary, regardless of whether or not you support unilateral nuclear disarmament...
Speaking & Events
2020:
- Feb 19. New York. PNND/IPU Parliamentary roundtable: Parliamentarians and the UN Disarmament Agenda.
- Feb 9-11. PyeongChang, South Korea. PyeongChang Peace Forum.
- Jan 10. Basel. Basel Peace Forum
- Jan 9. Basel. Climate, peace and security: From youth voices to policy action. Launch of the Peace and Climate action of European Youth (PACEY) Award.
2019:
- Dec13-14. Brussels. EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference.
- Dec 3-4. Seoul. Speaker at the Seoul Peace Conference hosted by Seoul Mayor. Alyn Ware Seoul presentation.
- Dec 2-3. Tokyo. Meetings with PNND Japan and Religions for Peace.
- Nov 19: Basel. Basel Peace Office AGM. My annual report as BPO Director.
- Oct 20-Nov 1: New York. UN General Assembly and Count the Nuclear Weapons Money.
- Oct 13-17. Belgrade. Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly: Advancing parliamentary action on the climate and nuclear disarmament.
- Oct 7-8: Prague. Lay down your arms international conference
- Sep 21-27: New York. Global Week for Peace, Climate, SDGs and Nuclear Abolition. Including the International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
- Sep 12-17 Cairo. World Future Council Annual meeting.
- Sep 11: Edinburgh. ATOM Project and PNND event with Karipbek Kuyukov in Scottish Parliament.
- Sep 9: London. ATOM Project and PNND event in the House of Commons
- Sep 5: Vienna. Move the Nuclear Weapons Money and Pension fund divestment roundtable
- Sep 2: Geneva. Cooperation amongst NWFZs to advance a nuclear weapon free world, Diplomatic roundtable to commemorate the International Day Against Nuclear Tests
- July 21-28: Mumbai and Delhi. Right Livelihood Foundation speaking events
- July 17-21: Dhaka. PNND and nuclear divestment meetings
- July 4-8: Luxembourg. Advocacy at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
- June 20: Washington DC: Roundtable event on Move the Nuclear Weapons Money. USA Launch of Global Peace Index
- May 8: New York. Panel: Cooperation towards Nuclear Weapon Free Zones.
- May 7: New York. Move the Nuclear Weapons Money event at the UN;
- May 5: New York. Annual meeting of Abolition 2000, the global network to eliminate nuclear weapons. Co-chair of new working group Peace, disarmament and SDGs: Global week of action Sep 21 – 26;
- May 1: New York. PNND event at Non-Proliferation Treaty Prep Com. Parliamentary actions for nuclear disarmament.
- April 12-13: Basel. Nuclear weapons and fossil fuel divestment conference.
- Mar 18-22: New Zealand. Peace Bike Ride
- Feb 15: Canberra. PNND event in parliament on nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament
- Feb 8-10: Seoul, South Korea. PyeongChang Global Peace Forum. Adopts Resolution on Peace in Korea and 5-Point Action Plan for Global Peace.
- Jan 30: Global. Release of Mayors & Parliamentarians call on on Russia and the U.S. to preserve the INF Treaty
- Jan 16: Basel, Switzerland. European Regional Meeting of Parliamentarians and City Leaders on
Nuclear Disarmament and Divestment - Jan 15: Basel. Public event. Investing in peace and sustainability – divesting from fossil fuels and war.
- Jan 14: Basel. Basel Peace Forum: Action to highlight Euoropean weapons exports.
2018:
- Jan 12: Trento, Italy. A Nuclear-Weapon-Free World. Is it desirable. Is it feasible. Presentation at the ISODARCO Winter Course
- Jan 14-15: Basel, Switzerland. Where are the Nukes? Are you banking on the bomb? Pavilion at the Basel Peace Forum.
- Feb 22-23: Vienna, Austria. Information booth for parliamentarians at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Session.
- Mar 8. Prague, Czech Republic. Presentation for Nuclear disarmament Update, Prague Institute of International Relations.
- Mar 15-18. Prague, Czech Republic. Presentations to the regional Model United Nations (plenary, UN Security Council and UN General Assembly sessions).
- Mar 24-27: Geneva, Switzerland.138th IPU Assembly. Side-event on new PNND/IPU/SCRAP project on comprehensive disarmament. Intervention to IPU Assembly on nuclear disarmament and SDGs.
- March 28: New York, USA. Press conference at the UN to launch Move the Nuclear Weapons Money platform and civil society statement supporting diplomacy in North East Asia.
- April 5. Tauranga, NZ. Presentation to the United Nations Association AGM, Implementing the United Nations goals of peace and disarmament.
- April 12. Wellington, NZ. Public presentation Nuclear Threats, Diplomacy and the United Nations.
- April 19. Geneva, Switzerland. Co-chair of diplomatic round-table on Reviving Nuclear Threat Reduction and Disarmament.
- Apr 23. Geneva, Switzerland. Organiser and Chair of Parliamentary Action for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World, side event at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Prep Com.
- April 28. Geneva, Switzerland. Co-chair of the Abolition 2000 AGM.
- May 1. Geneva, Switzerland. Organiser and speaker at the event Nuclear weapons and the law on human rights and future generations
- May 11: New York, USA. Co-Chair of the Abolition 2000 International Strategy Meeting.
- May 24: Geneva, Switzerland. Press conference at the UN to release the international appeal of women legislators Common security for a sustainable and nuclear-weapon-free world.
- June 3: Berlin, Germany. Interview with Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) for the Move the Nuclear Weapons Money campaign.
- June 7-9. The Hague, Netherlands. Events in the Peace Palace and Humanity House to commemorate the 175th birthday of Bertha von Suttner, first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
- June 11-12. Berlin, Germany. Consultation event with German NGOs on the Move the Nuclear Weapons Money Campaign including on nuclear weapons divestment in Germany.
- Jun 25-27. London, UK. Parliamentary event to release the CND report on military diversification and economic conversion.
- July 1-4. Basel, Switzerland. Planning meetings for a regional conference in 2019 on a European Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone and on nuclear weapons divestment in Europe.
- July 7-11. Berlin, Germany. Information booth for parliamentarians at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session
- July 12-14. Buchel, Germany. International Action Camp outside military base where US nuclear weapons are deployed.
2017:
- Jan 20: Vienna consultation on nuclear disarmament negotiations and parliamentary action. NH Danube Hotel, 9:30-11:30
- Jan 24: Geneva consultation on nuclear disarmament negotiations and parliamentary action. Right Livelihood Foundation Office, Maison de la Paix. 13:00-15:00
- Jan 26: Washington DC consultation on nuclear disarmament negotiations and parliamentary action. Green Cross International Conference Room, L St and 15th. 9:30-12:00.
- Feb 15: New York consultation on nuclear disarmament negotiations and parliamentary action. Bahai Conference Room, 866 UN Plaza. 10:00-12:00.
- Feb 23-24: PNND information booth at Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe winter meeting, Vienna.
- March 7. London. PNND briefing and discussion on Nuclear risk-reduction measures, disarmament negotiations and the role of parliamentarians. Millbank House, House of Lords, London, UK. Hosted by PNND Co-President Baroness Sue Miller.
- March 22: Berlin. PNND/UNFOLD ZERO consultation event on nuclear disarmament negotiations.
- March 27-31: New York. First session of UN negotiations for a nuclear prohibition treaty.
- April 3: Dhaka, Bangladesh. PNND side event Nuclear-risk-reduction and achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world at the 136th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union.
- April 5-7: Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2017 PNND Assembly. Adoption of the Parliamentary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.
- April 20-22: Berlin. Workshops for the Evangelische Schule Berlin Centrum.
- April 25: Fribourg, Switzerland. No weapons for Mass Atrocities. Public event at Fribourg University.
- May 2-12: Vienna, Austria. Conference of States Parties to the NPT (Preparatory Meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference).
- Oct 14-18: St Petersburg. Panel at IPU Assembly and release of the Parliamentary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World
- Nov 10-11: The Vatican. Meeting Pope Francis and participating in the Vatican Conference on Nuclear Disarmament.
- Nov 12: Bonn. Presentation to the Parliamentary Meeting of the COP 23 Climate Change Conference.
- Nov 15: Madrid. Keynote speaker for two parliamentary events.