Secretary-General, in Message to Nagasaki Conference, Says Only Complete Abolition of Nuclear Weapons Can Remove Their Danger to Humanity

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, delivered by Kim Won-soo, Under-Secretary General and Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, to the sixty-first Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs — “Nagasaki’s Voice:  Remember Your Humanity”, in Nagasaki, Japan, today:

I am pleased to send this message of support to the sixty-first Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs.

I applaud your choice of the significant venue of Nagasaki, a global symbol of human resilience in surmounting senseless tragedy.  I will never forget my encounters with the Hibakusha who have survived the nuclear attacks against Japan.  Inspired by their powerful advocacy, I have repeatedly challenged leaders to heed the calls of these courageous individuals to finally rid the world of nuclear weapons.

In this effort, I am inspired by the visit in September of His Holiness Pope Francis to the United Nations.  In an impassioned speech supporting our work across the global agenda, he called on the international community, in striving for peace and security, to always remember the human face of conflict.

This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the first and last use of nuclear weapons in war, as well as the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations.  It is a time for reflection and action.

The United Nations has just succeeded in adopting the visionary 2030 Agenda along with a set of ambitious, but achievable Sustainable Development Goals.  In order to achieve truly transformative progress, we are aiming for a universal, meaningful climate agreement at the Climate Change Conference in Paris this December.

Now the world must refocus and re-energize its attention on another existential issue:  nuclear weapons, the most perilous arms ever invented.  Only their complete abolition can remove the danger they pose to humanity.  I urge the international community to find common ground and come together to achieve our shared dream of a world free of nuclear weapons.

In this effort, we count on the invaluable contributions of the Pugwash Conference, with its bold mission and proud history.  The United Nations fully supports you in our common quest for a safe, secure and sustainable world.  In this spirit, I wish you great success.