News
Recent years have seen a slowdown and stalemate in the fields of non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction and in 2003, former top United Nations weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix was invited to set up and chair The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC).
The Commission's report - containing sixty concrete proposals on how the world could be freed of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons - was presented to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York on 1 June.
Dr Hans Blix will formally present this report to the World Council of Churches
at a reception on 15 June 2006, from 17:45-19:00
at the Ecumenical Centre, 150 route de Ferney, Geneva
After the presentation ceremony, the audience will be invited to engage in open discussion (English only) with Dr Blix.
On the following day,
A seminar on "Disarmament for development"
is being organized by
the International Peace Bureau (IPB) with the WCC
at the Ecumenical Centre, 150 route de Ferney, Geneva
16 June 2006, 09:30-17:30
This seminar will look at such topics as military vs. social spending, the effects of weapons on sustainable development, anti-personnel landmines and other explosive remnants of war, and the question of small arms.
Earlier, on 15 June and within the framework of his tour of world political and religious capitals, Dr Blix will attend an all-day event on "Strengthening civil society engagement with the Conference on Disamament: pro-active strategic involvement on nuclear issues" being organized by the NGO Committee for Disarmament at the Palais des Nations.
Representatives of the press are welcome at these events. French-English interpretation will be provided for the 16 June seminar at the Ecumenical Centre.
The report of the The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission is available at:
http://www.wmdcommission.org/sida.asp?id=9
More information on the 15 and 16 June events at the Palais des Nations, and the Ecumenical Centre, respectively, is available from the International Peace Bureau at: http://www.ipb.org/web/
A WCC 9th Assembly minute on the elimination of nuclear arms is available on the WCC website at:
www.wcc-assembly.info/en/theme-issues/assembly-documents/1-statements-documents-adopted/international-affairs/report-from-the-public-issues-committee/nuclear-arms.html
Information on WCC work on peace-building and disarmament is available on the WCC website at: