International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, September 26

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) took a significant step towards global nuclear disarmament by declaring September 26 as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, also known as Nuclear Abolition Day. This declaration was formalized through UNGA Resolution 68/32.

The primary objectives of this international observance are twofold:

1. To enhance public awareness about the existential threat that nuclear weapons pose to humanity
2. To emphasize the urgent necessity for the total elimination of these weapons of mass destruction

Push for a Nuclear Weapons Convention

The UNGA resolution also calls for progress on a nuclear weapons convention. This proposed global treaty would involve nuclear-armed states in the:

• Prohibition of nuclear weapons
• Elimination of existing nuclear arsenals
• Implementation of these measures under strict and effective international control

Historical Significance of September 26

The choice of September 26 for this observance is not arbitrary. It coincides with a critical historical event that underscores the dangers of nuclear weapons:

On September 26, 1983, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear catastrophe. A malfunction in the Soviet nuclear weapons early warning system erroneously detected a United States ballistic missile attack against Moscow. This incident, which nearly triggered a nuclear war, has been dramatically portrayed in the award-winning documentary film “The Man Who Saved the World.”

UN Commemoration: High-Level Meeting

To mark this important day, the United Nations organizes a High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament at the UN Headquarters in New York. This event brings together global leaders and civil society representatives:

• Participants: UN Member States are represented by their highest officials, including Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, or UN Ambassadors.
• Civil Society Involvement: The UN Office of Disarmament Affairs selects two representatives from civil society to address the gathering.
• NGO Attendance: A limited number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are permitted to attend the event. Registration for NGOs closes on August 23.
• Global Access: The High-Level Meeting is live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/, allowing for worldwide viewership.

Global Week of Action: Connecting Critical Issues

The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons falls within a week that addresses several interconnected global challenges:

• September 21: UN International Day of Peace
• September 23: UN Climate Summit
• September 24-25: UN Summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• September 26: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

Recognizing the interrelation of these issues, organizations such as UNFOLD ZERO and Abolition 2000 have initiated a Global Week of Action on Peace, Climate, Sustainable Development, and Nuclear Abolition from September 21-27.

Call to Action

The organizers encourage various stakeholders to participate actively during this week:

• Governments
• Parliaments
• Civil society organizations

Participants are urged to:

1. Take action on any of the designated days
2. Highlight the connections between peace, climate action, sustainable development, and nuclear disarmament in their initiatives.