Canadian Pugwash participation was in evidence at the 63rd Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs in Hiroshima, Japan. Four Canadians were present: CPG Chair Cesar Jaramillo, Director Paul Meyer, Jennifer Simons and (student-youth Pugwash member) Vivienne Zhang.
The Conference commemorated the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings, as well as the 70th anniversary of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, and the 30th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize to Sir Joseph Rotblat and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. The 63rd Pugwash Conference sent a strong message to the world: No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis. No more war.
The Declaration released, entitled “80 Years After the Atomic Bombing, Time for Peace, Dialogue and Nuclear Disarmament” states in part:
“From Hiroshima, we affirm with conviction that nuclear weapons must never be used again, under any circumstances, since a nuclear war could destroy not only nations but the future of humankind itself. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not only tragedies of war but represent enduring moral ruptures in the conscience of humankind. If such a future is to be averted, dialogue must replace confrontation. The Pugwash movement was founded on “dialogue across divides,” and history shows that even in times of deep hostility, such dialogue has made disarmament possible.”
Our colleague, and CPG Chair, Cesar Jaramillo delivered two presentations: “NPT at the breaking point: Seven fault lines for the 2026 RevCon” and “Self-Defence and IHL: Reconciling Necessity and Restraint in the Middle East“.
CPG Director Paul Meyer chaired a plenary session on “Practical Steps and Instruments for Nuclear Disarmament” and was a speaker on a plenary panel on “Disruptive Technologies and Nuclear Weapons”. His remarks for this plenary panel as well as a presentation on outer space for the working group are linked.
Our colleague Dr. Jennifer Simons, who is on the (International) Pugwash Council, was a major funder of the conference, and also spoke.
The conference working groups also released their subject area reports, all linked below:
Report of Working Group 1: Nuclear Disarmament and the Future of Arms Control
Report of Working Group 2: Nuclear Energy and Non-Proliferation
Report of Working Group 3: Asia-Pacific and Nuclear Weapons
Report of Working Group 4: Conflict and WMD in the Middle East
Report of Working Group 5: European Security
Report of Working Group 6: Emerging Technologies and their Implication for Conflict