United for Peace & Justice joined #WeThePeoples2020, a coalition of international civil society organizations to promote United Nations and UN-focused events from the International Day of Peace (Sept. 21) through the International Day for Nonviolence (Oct. 2). On September 21, UFPJ co-hosted the north American premiere of “We Are Many,” an inspiring film that documents how 30 million people in 800 cities throughout the world came together on February 15, 2003 to protest against the Iraq War while also showing how this sparked other historic events.
On September 26, the UN International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, UFPJ took part in a far-ranging Nuclear-Weapon-Free World global civil society program in two parts over 10 hours, with presentations, video messages, art, music, workshops and panels. Click here for the full program. You can view the videos and chat boxes of both sessions. Click here to watch Part 1. Click here to watch Part II. UFPJ National Co-convener Jackie Cabasso’s remarks begin at 1:16:20 in Part II.
The UN General Assembly will hold a High Level Meeting on October 2 to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. It will be streamed on UNTV.
Nuclear abolition advocates around the world are encouraged to call on their governments to participate at the highest level (Prime Minister, President or Foreign Minister) and to affirm that a nuclear war must never be fought, commit to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045 (the 100th anniversary of the UN) and cut nuclear weapons budgets and investments in order to free up resources required to address the COVID-19 pandemic, protect the climate and achieve the sustainable development goals.
Click here for a sample letter to governments, plus names, contact emails and twitter handles for Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers and UN Ambassadors of most countries in the world.
#WeThePeoples2020 is initiated and hosted by the Abolition 2000 Youth Network, Basel Peace Office, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, UNFOLD ZERO and the World Future Council. Click here to find out about other planned events and see a complete list of participating organizations.
