Nuclear armed and allied governments that are parties to the NPT should replace their reliance on nuclear deterrence with common security, according to Pursuing Peace, Security and Nuclear Disarmament through our Common Humanity, a joint Inter-faith and Values Appeal to the 2024 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Prep Com. The Appeal has been endorsed by 79 faith-based organizations and an additional 170 faith and values based leaders and individuals.
States Parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) are meeting at the United Nations in Geneva from July 22-August 2 to discuss nuclear-risk-reduction, non-proliferation and disarmament – as the world is embroiled in devastating armed conflicts, an erosion of multilateralism and the rule of law, increased risks and specific threats to use nuclear weapons, and a renewed nuclear arms race.
“Nuclear deterrence violates key principles and values underlying all the major religions and faiths, including justice, fairness, reciprocity, guardianship/stewardship, protection of creation (the world), common humanity, social responsibility, human dignity and respect,” says Bruce Knotts (Unitarian, USA), Co-convenor of the World Federalist Movement working group on faith and values based perspectives which has coordinated the appeal. “These principles and values are similar to the basic tenets of international law, and if utilized better, could help governments to collectively navigate toward a peaceful and sustainable future.”
The Appeal makes five concrete recommendations arising from these principles to the governments meeting at the NPT conference in Geneva, including to:
- Prevent nuclear war and protect creation (the world) by affirming that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible and illegal, and to implement this by adopting no-first-use policies and taking all nuclear weapons off high-readiness to use (high alert);
- Embrace reciprocity and the ‘Golden Rule’ (treat others the way you would want them to treat you) by replacing nuclear deterrence with a common security framework, i.e. one that does not threaten or diminish the security of others but ensures security for all.
- Affirm our common humanity through enhanced use of global governance mechanisms such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations to resolve international conflicts, build national security and achieve nuclear disarmament.
- Acknowledge our social responsibility by ending investments in nuclear weapons (over $100 billion per year) and re-purposing these investments to address basic human needs.
- Implementing our responsibilities as guardians of the earth for future generations by committing to achieve the global elimination of nuclear weapons no later than the 75th anniversary of the NPT.
“We are heartened that the appeal has been endorsed by faith and values based individuals and organizations from all continents (except Antarctica) and from a wide variety of traditions including Bahá’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Pagan, Quaker, Sikh, Unitarian, Zoroastrian and more,” says Ayleen Roy (Hindu, Austria) a representative of the WFM working group who presents the appeal to a plenary session of the NPT conference today (July 23). “We hope that the governments will appreciate the positive and forward-looking recommendations we are presenting, and will take action on them.”
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Contacts:
Geneva: Alyn Ware. Phone +41 788 912 156. ware@wfm-igp.org
Vienna: Ayleen Roy. Phone +43 650 809 4363. ayleen@pnnd.org
New York: Bruce Knotts. Phone +1 703 629-5212. brucefk@gmail.com
Quotes by some of the other endorsers:
“Nuclear weapons are one of two existential threats facing humanity; the other is climate change. People of faith and goodwill must unite in the face of this devastating and growing threat to all people and our world.”
Dr. Stephen M. Colecchi (Christian, USA)
Retired Director, International Office of Justice and Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
“Treaty action must be complemented by the higher values of our faith traditions to treat all the members of our human family with justice, forgiveness and love on this fragile planet.”
Arthur Lyon Dahl (Bahá’í, Switzerland).
International Environment Forum
“As a life-long Peace activist, I affirm the NPT for the sake of my grand nieces and nephews and for the future of all our CHILDREN”
Sister Mary Beth Moore (Catholic, USA)
Member of Pax Christi Long Island
“The criminal nature of nuclear weapons is clearly established under the law, both the law of nations and the US Law of Land Warfare among others.”
Kary Love (Humanist, USA)
Attorney at Law who has represented nuclear disarmament activists in US court actions.
“As a grandmother it is obscene to me that $90 billion is spent annually on the development of nuclear weapons, the sole purpose of which is destruction, when that sum could be used to alleviate so many of the problems currently faced by humanity and the planet we live on. The state of the world we are handing on to future generations is something I am deeply ashamed of.”
Nancy Gregory (Quaker, New Zealand)
“In our troubled times, life-affirming principles such as expressed in this Appeal deserve wide support. They relate, in important ways, to freeing the world from the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, to improved global governance, and respecting the rights of future generations.”
Francis Hutchison (Ecumenical/ Humanist, Australia)
Member, Human Survival Project & International Network of Museums for Peace
“I give voice to the outraged protest of Christian conscience, and I proclaim … that all men whatever their race or religion, have the right to be respected by individuals and by states.”
Bénédicte Kusendila, (Catholic, Belgium) citing Pierre-Marie Théas in 1942, POW and co-founder of Pax Christi.Peace Spirituality, Pax Christi Vlaanderen
“It is impossible to imagine Jesus of Nazareth sponsoring or using Nuclear Weapons.”
Jonathan Hartfield (Anglican, New Zealand)
Convenor, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship New Zealand
“Even Animals do not deserve to be killed by nuclear weapons how much more human beings. No to Nuclear weapons.”
Hashim Yussif (Muslim, Ghana)
Progressive Democrats Association of Ghana
“I am glad my Church, and faiths worldwide, are starting to question whether war can ever be just. There can never be a just use for nuclear weapons. They should not exist.”
Mary Johnson (Catholic, USA)
“To see the level of international and inter-faith support endorsing the Interfaith Appeal to the NPT gives further confidence in humanity’s ability to achieve our aim of a world without nuclear weapons.”
Bill Kidd MSP (Humanist, Scotland)
Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament
“Pursuing peace and justice through Common Security, not nuclear weapons, is fully aligned with my values as a humanist”
John Vlasto (Humanist, UK)
Chair of the World Federalist Movement
“We have the privilege to consciously take bold and inspired actions that can touch the hearts of so many people in our global community. Take this courageous step, now!”
David Wick (Interfaith, USA).
President, Pathways To Peace
“It cannot be overemphasized that Article VI’s “good faith” must apply not only to “disarmament” but also “non-use/threat”.
Aaron Tovish (Good Faith, Philippines)
Member, NoFirstUse Global Steering Committee
“With 5 major wars and 33 other conflicts killing 300,000 people a year, and 1.5% of world population displaced we need to wake up as a species and demand peace and cooperation.”
Michael Leggett (Christian, UK)
Member of Churches Together in Redhill and District. Member, Reigate and Redhill Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Surrey)
“As we reach what the French philosopher Sartre called the self-suicide with the nuclear era, it is more than timely for Humanity to be consciously more prone to rush to the ban of nukes!”
Dr Larrafi (Muslim, Morocco)
Senior Lecturer at University Ibn Tofail
“The era of senseless religious wars is over. Intrinsically, all religions promote peaceful coexistence. We, the practitioners of world religions, are the problem – not the religions. We have invented all sorts of weapons to destroy humanity, including nuclear weapons, which don’t have a place in religious principles or today’s world.”
Alimi Salifou (Muslim, Nigeria)
Partnership for Future Generations in Africa / iRelief Waqf Foundation
“We urge the leaders of the eight billion humans of the world to honour our relationship with all the diverse life on this blue speck in space, that they strive for peace in wakeful community across our global home.”
Jon Grundy (Druid, UK)
Trustee of The Druid Network
“Expanded scientific evidence-based perception of the nature of reality endorses the worldviews of ancient and indigenous knowledge holders in the recognition of our interbeing. It empowers us to envision an ecological civilization, where the structure and values of our governance and economic systems are in service to all Life that model loving care and respect, resulting in the realization of a Culture of Peace.”
Dr. Elena Mustakova (Bahá’i, Bulgaria)
Chair, Unitive Global Governance Collaborative of Thought Leaders
“We, the human race, pride ourselves on being an advanced species. Yet, no other species on this planet undertakes an action to harm our living home. Collectively we have been failing each other, our future generations and other creatures we share this planet with for our narrow selfish or individual interests. We live interconnected lives. Truth and justice that lives through us all should help us become courageous to step beyond those narrow interests, even when we are not personally affected to remind us we are all the same; many parts of a whole. May we become wiser, so that we may all have a future.”
Radhiga Dey (Mystic, Australia)World Citizens Association Australia
“We live in a historic moment of escalating military confrontation and investment in nuclear weapons modernisation – which last year reached $91.4 billion. This contributes to the threatening rhetoric for world peace, while at the same time we are witnessing the fracturing of dialogue and multilateral action. Peace is about generating options for good living”.
Montse Serrano (Catholic, Spain)
Comisión General Justicia y Paz (General Commission for Justice and Peace).
“No more war, never again war!”
Dolores Hall, DMin (retired), citing Pope Paul’s comments to the UN
“We live in an age of anger and war. Military activity has significant impacts on the environment adding to the climate crisis narrative. Not only can nuclear weapons be destructive to the socio-environment, planet and human rights but military activities produce extensive amounts of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions contributing to climate change. These all affect youth, their future, their livelihoods and basic human rights. History has taught humanity tough lessons on war and nuclear weapons will leave a trail of destruction that could not only destroy the very fabric of peace but the heart of humanity and the earth. We all are interconnected, and our decisions and actions have an impact on the whole. Let us make decisions and actions that is with ethical leadership that benefits the welfare of humanity, the earth and its creatures.”
Merylene Chitharai (Hindu, South Africa)
Member, Religions for Peace International, Global Interfaith Youth Network, African Interfaith Youth Network and African Council of Religious Leaders.
“We advocate for peace, security, and nuclear disarmament in the spirit of our shared humanity. This interfaith and values-driven appeal to the 2024 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Prep Com embodies our collective determination to create a world where compassion prevails over conflict and unity conquers division. Together, we can light the way to a future free from the threat of nuclear weapons, a future where the bonds of our common humanity strengthen the foundation of global peace.”
Terhemba Akende Ubula (Christian, Nigeria)
House of Hilkiah Foundation
“Nuclear weapons are an existential threat to humanity, and we need to get rid of them before they get rid of us. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) aims at 1) preventing new nations from acquiring nuclear weapons, and 2) setting the nuclear armed nations on the path of nuclear disarmament. The NPT has been reasonably successful at the first task, but has completely failed at the second. The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) may provide a more hopeful path: it entered into force on 22 January 2021 and there are currently 93 signatories and 70 states parties.”
Dat Duthinh (Quaker, USA)
Member of Frederick Friends Meeting, Frederick MD
“We are commanded to beat swords into Plowshares. Let us all works towards establishing the Peaceable Kingdom.”
Pierre Fidelia (Catholic, USA)
Pax Christi Metro New York, Inc