Author: A. Stanley Thompson

2016 Evening for Peace Introduction

by David Krieger

By training and profession, Noam Chomsky is one of the world’s leading linguists. By choice and commitment, he is one of the world’s leading advocates of peace with justice. His ongoing analysis of the global dangers confronting humanity is unsurpassed. He is a man who unreservedly speaks truth to power, as well as to the People. Like Socrates, he is a gentle gadfly who does not refrain from challenging authority and authoritarian mindsets.

He is a man who punctures hubris with wisdom. He confronts conformity with critical thinking. He is a dedicated peace educator and his classroom is the world. The Boston Globe calls him “America’s most useful citizen.”

It is an honor to have him with us, and it is my great pleasure, on behalf of the Directors and members of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, to present Noam Chomsky with the Foundation’s 2016 Distinguished Peace Leadership Award.

To read more, click here.

Revolt

by Ray Acheson

The adoption of resolution L.41, establishing a conference in 2017 to negotiate a legally binding treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, represents a meaningful advancement towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. It also represents a revolt of the vast majority of states against the violence, intimidation, and injustice perpetuated by those supporting these weapons of mass destruction.

Revolt, wrote philosopher Albert Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus, is “one of the only coherent philosophical positions…. It challenges the world anew every second.” Camus explored the theme of revolt across many books and novels, finding that struggle not only “gives value to life” but also that it is an obligation, even in the face of adversity, power, and overwhelming odds.

The act of prohibiting nuclear weapons is an act of nonviolent, positive, courageous revolt.

To read more, click here.

Nuclear Weapons – The Time for Abolition Is Now

by Robert Dodge

Nuclear weapons present the greatest public health and existential threat to our survival every moment of every day. Yet the United States and world nuclear nations stand in breach of the 1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty which commits these nations to work in good faith to end the arms race and to achieve nuclear disarmament. The rest of the world is finally standing up to this threat to their survival and that of the planet. They are taking matters into their own hands and refusing to be held hostage by the nuclear nations. They will no longer be bullied into sitting back and waiting for the nuclear states to make good on empty promises.

At the United Nations on October 27, 123 nations voted to commence negotiations next year on a new treaty to prohibit the possession of nuclear weapons. Despite President Obama’s own words in his 2009 pledge to seek the security of a world free of nuclear weapons, the U.S. voted “no” and led the opposition to this treaty.

To read more, click here.

United Nations Committee Calls for Outlawing Nuclear Weapons

On October 27, the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for negotiations in 2017 on a “legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.” The vote was 123 nations in favor, 38 opposed, and 16 abstaining.

The United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and Israel – all of which possess nuclear weapons – opposed the resolution. China, India and Pakistan – also nuclear-armed states – abstained. Most notable among the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations was North Korea, which voted in favor of the resolution.

The resolution was originally sponsored by Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa, but had 55 co-sponsors when it came to a vote. The resolution will now go to a full UN General Assembly vote in December. According to the resolution, negotiations will take place in March, June and July of 2017.

“United Nations Committee Calls for Outlawing Nuclear Weapons,” Associated Press, October 27, 2016.

U.S. Nuclear-Armed Submarine Visits Guam

The USS Pennsylvania, one of the United States’ 14 nuclear-armed submarines, is visiting Guam. A U.S. Navy statement said, “This specific visit to Guam reflects the United States’ commitment to its allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific” region. Other countries in the region – most notably China and North Korea – will undoubtedly view this overt activity with nuclear weapons to be a direct threat.

The USS Pennsylvania carries 24 Trident II D-5 missiles, each of which can carry multiple independently targeted nuclear warheads. Each nuclear warhead on board is many times more powerful than the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Barbara Starr and Brad Lendon, “U.S. Sends Message to Adversaries with Nuclear Sub Visit, Drills,” CNN, November 1, 2016.

Air Force Wins Golden Fleece Award for Refusing to Disclose Costs of New Nuclear Bomber

Taxpayers for Common Sense has awarded the U.S. Air Force the “Golden Fleece Award” for refusing to release the overall costs of the B-21 bomber program. The B-21 is intended to be a new delivery vehicle for the Air Force’s nuclear weapons.

Refusing to release the overall costs, the Air Force argues that doing so would give too much information about the proposed nuclear bomber to U.S. adversaries. Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “I am having a difficult time understanding how the public disclosure of a single contract award value funded from an unclassified budget request is going to give the enemy more information on the capabilities of a new bomber than what the Air Force has already disclosed. All I can see is that keeping it a secret deprives the American taxpayer of the transparency and accountability they deserve.”

“Golden Fleece: The Air Force B-21 Raider Attack on Your Wallet,” Taxpayers for Common Sense, October 4, 2016.

Watchdog Groups Call for New Environmental Impact Statement at Nuclear Weapons Facility

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance and Nuclear Watch New Mexico sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz calling for a new Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Y-12 is a manufacturing plant that produces the thermonuclear cores (secondaries) for U.S. nuclear warheads and bombs.

In August 2016, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) gave itself the green light to proceed with construction of the Uranium Processing Facility, a bomb plant originally intended to replace aging facilities. However, the letter notes, a new Environmental Impact Statement is required when “there are substantial changes to the proposal or significant new circumstances of information relevant to environmental concerns.”

“This is about safety — protection of workers, the public and the environment,” said OREPA coordinator Ralph Hutchison. “When it comes to nuclear weapons materials, there can be no shortcuts. They (NNSA) have changed their plan significantly, and the law requires them to re-do the environmental analysis. It’s as simple as that.”

“Watchdogs Call for New Environmental Impact Study for Nuclear Bomb Plant,” Nuclear Watch New Mexico, October 28, 2016.

Russia Suspends Nuclear Agreements with U.S.

Russia has backed out of three nuclear agreements with the United States in the latest indications of rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Russia and the United States together possess over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Perhaps the most significant agreement that the Russians have backed out of is the plan to “dispose of” 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium. Russia also backed out of an agreement to cooperate on nuclear- and energy-related scientific research, as well as an agreement to work together to convert six Russian research reactors to use low-enriched uranium.

In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush unilaterally abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which has led to the development and deployment of U.S. missile defense systems in Europe.

Lidia Kelly, “Russia Suspends Nuclear Agreement, Ends Uranium Research Pact with United States,” Reuters, October 5, 2016.

Sequestration Could Threaten Nuclear Modernization Plans

Frank Klotz, head of the United States’ National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), stated that if Congress does not ease budget caps for the coming year, “all bets are off” for nuclear weapons modernization programs. Klotz was advocating for an exemption to budget restraints, similar to what NNSA has received in the past two budget cycles. NNSA has oversight of the development, maintenance and disposal of nuclear warheads.

The United States is in the midst of a planned 30-year, $1 trillion “modernization” effort to upgrade its nuclear arsenal, delivery systems and production infrastructure. Klotz said, “God forbid if sequestration rears its ugly head again, [all bets are] doubly off.”

Aaron Mehta, “NNSA Head: ‘All Bets Are Off’ for Warhead Modernization Under Sequestration,” Defense News, October 4, 2016.

Marshall Islands Can’t Sue the World’s Nuclear Powers, International Court of Justice Rules

On October 5, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court, declared that the Court does not have jurisdiction in lawsuits filed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands against the United Kingdom, India and Pakistan. The decisions focused only on the question of jurisdiction and did not address the merits of the cases.

The judges voted 8-8 on the question of jurisdiction in the case of the Marshall Islands vs. the United Kingdom. Judge Ronny Abraham of France, President of the Court, issued the casting vote in favor of the United Kingdom’s position that the ICJ lacks jurisdiction.

Phon van den Biesen, Co-Agent of the Marshall Islands in the cases, said, ““We are extremely disappointed. The court is very divided and turned down the case on a microformality. It’s difficult to understand that it finds no jurisdiction even when the parties have ‘opposite views.’ The opposing views on nuclear weapons are obvious to anyone.”

Marlise Simons, “Marshall Islands Can’t Sue the World’s Nuclear Powers, UN Court Rules,” The New York Times, October 5, 2016.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of November, including the November 24, 1961 incident in which all communication links between Strategic Air Command and NORAD went dead, leading officials to assume a full-scale Soviet nuclear attack was underway.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

My Journey at the Nuclear Brink

On October 24, 2016, William Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, delivered a lecture at All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. The event, co-sponsored by Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force, and Peace Action New York State, was based on Secretary Perry’s recent book entitled My Journey at the Nuclear Brink.

Click here to access a video of the event.

Nuclear Disarmament: The Missing Link in Multilateralism

In a new paper for Chatham House, Patricia Lewis, Beyza Unal and Sasan Aghlani outline the connections between nuclear disarmament and some of the key issues facing humanity today. So far, enormous effort has been invested in tackling these challenges; for example, in climate change prevention and mitigation, socio-economic development, and establishing and implementing the rule of law. Furthermore, recent efforts over the protection of cultural heritage in conflict, stemming the rise of terrorism, developing cybersecurity, understanding gendered impacts and addressing urgent public health issues have all benefited from energized governmental and non-governmental diplomatic actions.

To download a copy of the paper, click here.

Science and Society

An updated and enlarged edition of the book Science and Society, by John Scales Avery, will be published this month by World Scientific. The book was developed by Avery as a text for a class he was teaching at the University of Copenhagen about the vast social consequences of scientific and technological progress. The sections of the course dealing with modern times addressed topics such as genetic engineering, nuclear weapons, sustainability and climate change.

For more information and a link to order the book at a discount, click here.

Noam Chomsky Receives NAPF Distinguished Peace Leadership Award

Noam Chomsky was honored with NAPF’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award at this year’s Evening for Peace on October 23 in Santa Barbara, California.

A capacity crowd of over 300 people, including 100 students from local high schools and universities, attended the event. Video and photos of the event will be available here by mid-November.

Thanks to all of the generous sponsors, attendees and volunteers who made this memorable event possible.

Symposium: The Fierce Urgency of Nuclear Zero

On October 24-25, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation hosted a symposium with leading nuclear disarmament academics and activists. The symposium, entitled “The Fierce Urgency of Nuclear Zero: Changing the Discourse,” was an intimate brainstorming session designed to elicit new and innovative thinking on how to arrive at nuclear zero.

There was general agreement that a nuclear war poses an existential threat to humankind and that the warning sirens are now sounding.  There is hope that such a war can be avoided, but that hope, while necessary, is not sufficient to end the nuclear threat now facing humanity and other forms of complex life on the planet.  Hope must be joined with action to end the nuclear weapons era in order to abolish nuclear weapons before they abolish us.

Click here to view selected items from the symposium. In the coming weeks, we will be adding more photos, video and audio of symposium sessions.

Peace Literacy Skills at Quantico Marine Corps Base Middle/High School

At the Quantico Marine Corps Base Middle/High School in Quantico, VA, the Parent Educator Association (PEA) invited NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell to address their Model UN class and an assembly of 8th grade and high school students, teachers, and administrators.

Helene Brown, PEA chair and married to a Marine with two sons in the school, said, “Paul really impressed them with how different our world is today in terms of freedom and equality, providing us hope for our future. Many were also impressed by how different things can be even in different parts of the world.”

“As a child in school, I spent many years learning to read and write, but I did not learn peace literacy skills,” Chappell said. “The ideals and skills I use to wage peace I learned in the military.”

To read more about Paul’s recent trip, click here.

“We must teach an elemental truth: that status and prestige belong not to those who possess nuclear weapons, but to those who reject them.”

— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“As others prepare for war, we must prepare for peace. We must answer the mindless call to arms with a thoughtful, soulful call to resist the coming build up for war. A new, resolute peace movement must arise, become visible and challenge those who would make war inevitable.”

— Dennis Kucinich, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I am deeply convinced that a nuclear weapon-free world is not a utopia, but an imperative necessity. We need to constantly remind world leaders of this goal and of their commitment. As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is a danger that someday they will be used: as a result either of accident or technical failure, or of evil intent of man – an insane person or terrorist. We must therefore reaffirm the goal of prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons.”

— Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, in a speech marking the 30th anniversary of the Reykjavik Summit.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

The Simple Act of Pushing a Button

by David Krieger

“Since the appearance of visible life on Earth, 380 million years had to elapse in order for a butterfly to learn how to fly, 180 million years to create a rose with no other commitment than to be beautiful, and four geological eras in order for us human beings to be able to sing better than birds, and to be able to die from love. It is not honorable for the human talent, in the golden age of science, to have conceived the way for such an ancient and colossal process to return to the nothingness from which it came through the simple act of pushing a button.”

I recently came across this quotation by the great Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and recipient of the 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature. The quotation is from a 1986 speech by Garcia Marquez entitled “The Cataclysm of Damocles.” In the short quotation, he captures what needs to be said about nuclear weapons succinctly, poetically and beautifully. With a few deft literary brushstrokes, he shows that the journey of life from nothingness to now could be ended with no more than “the simple act of pushing a button.”

To read more, click here.

Banning Nuclear Weapons Is Crucial for Global Health

by Ira Helfand, Tilman Ruff, Michael Marmot, Frances Hughes and Michael Moore

Before this year ends, the United Nations general assembly can take a decisive step toward ending one of the most urgent threats to public health and human survival in the world today. UN member states can and must mandate negotiations on a new treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons.

Banning and eliminating nuclear weapons is a high global health priority. The general assembly has the opportunity to move us towards this critical goal. It must not fail to act.

To read more, click here.

Statement from the Holy See on Nuclear Abolition Day

by Archbishop Bernadito Auza

My delegation believes that nuclear arms offer a false sense of security, and that the uneasy peace promised by nuclear deterrence is a tragic illusion. Nuclear weapons cannot create for us a stable and secure world. Peace and international stability cannot be founded on mutually assured destruction or on the threat of total annihilation. The Holy See believes that peace cannot be solely the maintaining of a balance of power. On the contrary, as Pope Francis affirmed, “Peace must be built on justice, socio-economic development, freedom, respect for human rights, the participation of all in public affairs and the building of trust between peoples.”

Lasting peace thus requires that all must strive for progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. For our own good and that of future generations, we have no reasonable or moral option other than the abolition of nuclear weapons.

To read more, click here.

Non-Nuclear States Push for Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons

On September 28, six countries introduced a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly urging the commencement of negotiations in 2017 for a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The six countries – Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa – are urging countries “to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons.”

The draft resolution “calls upon States participating in the conference to make their best endeavours to conclude as soon as possible a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.”

Many nuclear-armed nations have expressed outright animosity toward this nuclear disarmament effort. Anita Friedt, a high-ranking official in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, said that the United States believes “pursuit of such a ban is unrealistic and simply impractical” and “could actually end up harming” broader, tangible efforts toward disarmament.

A vote is expected around the end of October.

Jamey Keaten, “Non-Nuclear States Advance Push for UN Treaty to Ban Nukes,” Associated Press, September 28, 2016.

UN Security Council Adopts U.S.-Drafted Resolution Against Nuclear Testing

On September 23, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution introduced by the United States calling on all countries to end nuclear weapons testing. The resolution coincides with the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. and a few other nuclear-capable countries have not ratified.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate expressed outrage over the move, saying that it aimed to sidestep the authority of the Senate to ratify international treaties. Many Republicans threatened to withhold the $32 million per year that the U.S. contributes to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization if the vote went ahead.

Kambiz Foroohar, “UN Adopts U.S.-Drafted Plea for Stalled Nuclear Test Treaty,” Bloomberg, September 23, 2016.

Sen. Markey and Rep. Lieu Introduce Bills on No First Use

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) have introduced bills into the Senate and House of Representatives that would eliminate the ability of the President to conduct a nuclear first strike without an explicit declaration of war from Congress.

Rep. Lieu said, “Our Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew the President could launch a massive, potentially civilization-ending military strike without authorization from Congress. Our Constitution created a government based on checks and balances and gave the power to declare war solely to the people’s representatives. A nuclear first strike, which can kill hundreds of millions of people and invite a retaliatory strike that can destroy America, is war. The current nuclear launch approval process, which gives the decision to potentially end civilization as we know it to a single individual, is flatly unconstitutional. I am proud to introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2016 with Sen. Markey to realign our nation’s nuclear weapons launch policy with the Constitution.”

“Congressman Lieu & Senator Markey Introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act,” Office of Rep. Ted Lieu, September 27, 2016.

North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test

On September 9, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear weapon test, thought to be its most powerful yet. The blast registered a 5.0 on the Richter scale, leading experts to believe that the explosive yield was around 10 kilotons. For comparison, the atomic bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, had an explosive yield of approximately 15 kilotons.

Click here to read a statement from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation about North Korea’s most recent test.

Choe Sang-Hun and Jane Perlez, “North Korea Tests a Mightier Nuclear Bomb, Raising Tension,” The New York Times, September 8, 2016.

New Poll Shows 58 Percent of South Koreans Favor Nuclear Armament

A poll conducted by Gallup Korea of 1,010 South Koreans in September found that 58 percent support the idea of the country developing its own nuclear weapons in response to North Korea’s nuclear program. While only 39 percent of people in their 20s supported the idea, three quarters of those aged 60 and above were in support.

“Nearly 60 pct of S. Koreans Support Nuclear Armament: Poll,” Yonhap News Agency, September 23, 2016.

Women Encourage a Peace Treaty to End Korean War

A group of 100 prominent women from 38 countries has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to fulfill his promise to seek a permanent end to the Korean War. The letter urges Ban to “initiate a peace process, together with the UN Security Council president, to replace the 1953 armistice agreement with a binding peace treaty to end the Korean War.”

The letter was organized by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, along with Women Cross DMZ.

“Leading Female Activists Petition UN Chief to Pursue Korea Peace Treaty,” The Japan Times, September 28, 2016.

U.S. Airmen Propose Names for New Nuclear-Armed Bomber

The U.S. Air Force recently held a contest among airmen to find a name for its proposed new B21 nuclear-armed bomber aircraft. With cost estimates already reaching $100 billion, many of the anonymously-submitted entries addressed the outrageous cost. Entries included: Money Pit; Waste of Money; Bombastic Boondoggle; Fundsucker; Hole In the Sky to Throw Money Into; and You Won’t Believe How Much This Cost You in Taxes.

Jacqueline Klimas, “From Trumpnator to Princess Sparklepony: Here Are the 4,600 Names Submitted for the Air Force Bomber Contest,” Washington Examiner, September 22, 2016.

UK Nuclear Weapon Convoys Regularly Involved in Mishaps

Military convoys that transport British nuclear weapons through UK cities and towns have been involved in 180 mishaps in 16 years, according to a new report by Rob Edwards.

Matt Hawkins, spokesman for ICAN-UK, said the report “painted a grim picture of the great risks posed by nuclear convoys,” and that nuclear weapons “only add danger to our lives, exposing us all to the risk of radiation leaks or an attack by terrorists on one of these convoys.”

Rob Evans, “UK Nuclear Weapons Convoys ‘Have Had 180 Mishaps in 16 Years,’” The Guardian, September 21, 2016.

U.S. Defense Secretary Goes On Whirlwind Nuclear Modernization Tour

In September, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited numerous sites integral to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. On a visit to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Secretary Carter said, “If we don’t replace these systems, quite simply they will age even more, and become unsafe, unreliable, and ineffective.” He continued, “So it’s not a choice between replacing these platforms or keeping them … it’s really a choice between replacing them or losing them.”

Carter also visited Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where he spoke to members of the military as well as civilians involved in the design and production of nuclear weapons. Carter said, “The nuclear mission is the bedrock of American security….It is what everything else rests upon.”

Aaron Mehta, “Carter: Nuclear Triad ‘Bedrock of Our Security,’” Defense News, September 26, 2016.

International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on October 5

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its judgments on preliminary issues in the three Marshall Islands’ nuclear disarmament cases against India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom on October 5 at 10:00 a.m. local time in The Hague. The judgments will be read in open court.

In all three cases the Court is to address and decide questions of jurisdiction and admissibility. If these questions are decided in favor of the Marshall Islands, the cases will go forward to the merits stage. If the Court decides against the Marshall Islands in any of the cases, the litigation in that case will be ended.

The judgments will be livestreamed on the ICJ website starting at 10:00 a.m. (4:00 a.m. Eastern, 1:00 a.m. Pacific). Click here for a link to the livestream.

“International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on Preliminary Issues in Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Disarmament Cases on October 5 at 10:00 a.m.,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, September 28, 2016.

October’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is Groundswell, the new blog from Peace Action. The blog aims to inform, engage and mobilize readers concerned about a wide range of peace issues.

Recent titles include “Saudi Arms Deal Under Fire,” “Whose Finger? On What Button?” and “Grassroots Campaign Has Made Cluster Bombs Unprofitable.”

Click here to read the blog.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of October, including the October 27, 1969 incident in which President Nixon ordered 18 B-52 bombers to fly with dozens of hydrogen bombs to the eastern border of the Soviet Union. Part of Nixon’s “Madman Strategy,” this was one of the most destabilizing instances of saber-rattling of the Cold War.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

Noam Chomsky to Receive NAPF Distinguished Peace Leadership Award

Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest minds of our time, will be honored with NAPF’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award at this year’s Evening for Peace on Sunday, October 23, in Santa Barbara, California.

We’re calling the evening NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH because that’s what Chomsky is about– truth. He believes humanity faces two major challenges: the continued threat of nuclear war and the crisis of ecological catastrophe. To hear him on these issues will be highly memorable. Importantly, he offers a way forward to a more hopeful and just world. We are pleased to honor him with our award.

The annual Evening for Peace includes a festive reception, live entertainment, dinner and an award presentation. It is attended by many Santa Barbara leaders and includes a large contingent of sponsored students.

For more information and tickets, click here.

Fourth Graders and Peace Literacy

During the 2016 International Day of Peace (September 21), NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell shared Peace Literacy concepts with fourth graders at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The goal for the new NAPF Peace Literacy initiative is to become part of the curriculum for elementary, secondary, and higher education. Chappell explains this urgent need: “As a child in school I spent many years learning to read and write, but I did not learn peace literacy skills. For example, I was never taught how to resolve conflict, calm myself down, calm others down, or deal with the root causes of problems.”

To read more about Paul’s trip to Hawaii, click here. To learn more about Peace Literacy, click here.

Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has announced the winners of its 2016 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards. This annual contest invites poets to “explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit.” Click here to read this year’s winning poems.

To find out more about the poetry contest, including the winning poems from all years of the contest and information on the 2017 contest, click here.

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

— Mother Teresa. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“Let us pledge to work for the total elimination of nuclear weapons with urgency and a sense of collective purpose. Our very survival depends upon it.”

— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (September 26).

“Recent Gallup polls show US public opinion of Russia is at a post–Cold War low, with 65–70 percent of Americans having an unfavorable opinion of the Kremlin. While much of this is certainly informed by real-world actions (Russia’s annexation of Crimea, its bombing of Syrian rebels), the corollary media panic perfectly captured by this 60 Minutes segment—portraying everything Russia does in the worst light possible, and everything the United States does as noble and justified—goes a long way to compounding these fears. And in doing so, making any type of future nuclear de-escalation that much less politically viable.”

— Adam H. Johnson, in an article in The Nation criticizing 60 Minutes for its reporting on the threat of nuclear war.

David Krieger
Mitchell McMahon
Kristian Rolland
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman