As Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons becomes international law, WCC hosts webcast on what’s next

For decades, the WCC has advocated at the international level for cooperative efforts to prohibit the development, testing and use of nuclear weapons, and has worked with churches, those of other faiths, as well as secular organisations to impress upon governments the immorality of nuclear weapons and need for their total elimination. 

Now that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will enter into force, it must be implemented. Speakers will discuss the history of other treaties which have banned weapons such as cluster munitions, land mines, and chemical and biological weapons. As those weapons became delegitimised and stigmatised around the world, governments responded positively to the increased internal and external pressure that they were facing to be on the right side of the history books, and they then committed to a complete legal ban of such weapons.

The nine governments which continue to possess nuclear weapons are facing increased anger regarding the vast sums they are spending each year to maintain their arsenals when these resources could instead be directed towards healthcare, education and all the services needed to protect people from the current coronavirus pandemic as well as future disasters.

Speakers will include:

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, 98th Archbishop of York

Alicia Sanders-Zakre, policy and research coordinator, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary, Pacific Conference of Churches

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, vice-moderator, WCC Central Committee

Watch on Wednesday 27 January, at 15:00 CET

Link to watch the webcast: "WCC partners welcome the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”