The UN celebrated International Day of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education
On March 5, the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, in cooperation with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Reppi Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies at Cornell University, organized an event dedicated to the International Day of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education. The event was attended by the Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN and Chairperson of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, as well as representatives of UN Member States, academia, youth and civil society. caravan-info.kg.
In her opening speech, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN A. Kasymalieva emphasized the importance of disarmament and non-proliferation education in the current tense geopolitical situation. The diplomat stressed the urgent need to raise awareness of the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, especially among young people.
The event included a panel discussion on the topic “History, Successes and Challenges of Nuclear Disarmament Education”. The session provided participants with the opportunity to interact with leading experts in the field of nuclear disarmament and education, focusing on strategies aimed at effectively educating students and ensuring equitable access to disarmament education.
The initiative to proclaim March 5 as International Day of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education belongs to the Kyrgyz Republic, which on October 4, 2022, on behalf of a number of countries, submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly, which was subsequently co-sponsored by Turkmenistan.
On 7 December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution stating: “The General Assembly, recalling that the promotion of peace and security is among the fundamental purposes and principles of the United Nations, and recognizing the related importance of education as a tool for the promotion of peace, security, disarmament and non-proliferation, decides to designate March 5 as the International Day of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education.” International Day of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education aims to promote awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people. It reminds the international community of the need to curb the arms race and promote initiatives aimed at ensuring peace and security.
The UN calls upon all its agencies, Member States, civil society, academia, the media and individuals to observe this International Day in an appropriate manner, including through all outreach tools. Noting the military use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and lethal autonomous weapons, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on world leaders to invest in “machines of peace, not machines of war” and to honor their disarmament commitments.
