By Nikos Stergiou

On July 7, 2017, an almost decade-long, non-violent international mobilization of organizations and entities achieved one of the greatest victories of organized civil society at an international diplomatic level. It was the day that the text of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was adopted by 2/3 of the member countries of the United Nations. Three years later, it has already been signed by 84 states, 46 of which have ratified it. There remain only 4 more for it to come into force. https://www.icanw.org/signature_and_ratification_status

It took a vast campaign and the mobilization of organizations, entities and citizens during more than a decade to achieve this result. This coordinated effort led to the creation of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018. From the beginning of the struggle, the principles of the process for a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons were established, based on the ethics of non-violence: the use of nuclear weapons is immoral, absolute and indiscriminate due to the uncontrollable magnitude of the catastrophe they cause to mankind and the environment. Also, the vast financial resources which are needed for the maintenance of 13,000+ nuclear warheads approached $73 billion in 2019. These funds could be channeled towards public services – Health, Education, Protection of the Environment and Quality of Life. https://www.icanw.org/global_nuclear_weapons_spending_2020

From the date when it comes into force, TPNW prohibits nations from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, possessing, storing, using or threatening to use nuclear weapons or allow the deployment of nuclear weapons on their territory. It also forbids them from assisting, encouraging or inciting anyone to participate in any of these activities. It is a question of “the beginning of the end of nuclear weapons”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDr89x6u_Os

The 9 countries which currently possess nuclear weapons have not signed or ratified TPNW. Quite a few of them did not even participate in the discussions at the UN on the final text. In Europe, only 6 countries have signed and ratified TPNW, three of them from the EU. Greece did not participate in the discussions on the final text of TPNW, abstained from voting on its approval, and has not signed or ratified the final text, noting that it is one of the 21 countries bound by individual agreements or treaties (e.g. NATO) to host nuclear warheads if needed.

Within this insanity of the ‘usefulness’ of nuclear weapons and their delusional defense, especially by the states which possess them, the call for the ratification of TPNW by those states which have not yet done so continues. Since nuclear weapons were designed to destroy cities, local communities and municipalities all over the world play an important role in raising the question of human (if not planetary) survival. With great joy, the international community which supports TPNW accepted into its fold the first two municipalities from Greece which signed the petition addressed to the Greek Government to ratify TPNW. The municipalities of Ancient Olympia and Ayios Evstratios lead the way with courage for other municipalities in our country so that Greece will unite with whichever countries struggle for a world without the fear of a nuclear catastrophe.

The “World without Wars and Violence” movement, as an international partner of ICAN, calls upon other municipalities to follow the example of Ancient Olympia and Ayios Evstratios and create a strong movement in Greece to push for the ratification of TPNW by the Greek Government. The time has come for us to put an end to nuclear weapons before they put an end to humanity.

*Nikos Stergiou is the president of the Greek branch of the organization “World without Wars and Violence”.

Translation by Jeannette Arduino, from the voluntary Pressenza translation team. We are looking for volunteers!