RECEPTION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Thursday 19 July, 2018

Dr Ruth Mitchell, Chair, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Associate Professor Tilman Ruff AM, Founding Chair, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Ms Dimity Hawkins and Mr Dave Sweeney, Co-Founders, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Distinguished guests Ladies and gentlemen

First, I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land upon which we are gathering and pay my respects to their Elders past and present and to any Elders here with us this morning.

Tony and I are delighted to welcome you here today, to honour ICAN as the very first organisation effectively born and bred in Victoria, and indeed Australia, that has gone on to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

It is impressive that, in just over a decade, the personal commitment of a group of passionate Victorians evolved into a Nobel Prize winning global organisation.

As you know well, the issue of nuclear disarmament evokes differing responses amongst individuals, policy-makers, governments and nations.

These are not matters for a Governor to comment upon.

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But what I can observe – and there can be little argument about this – is just how impressive it is when a group of people work and collaborate together to take their local idea across many borders, to enable it to be implemented on a broader scale.

And we can certainly acknowledge the founders’ vision and preparedness to set the organisation free – as it were – to flourish on the bigger stage.

In just 11 years, it grew from its first committee meeting at the University of Melbourne in 2006, to a presence in over 100 nations, across a coalition of close to 500 organisations, and the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.

ICAN has thus joined 24 organisations that have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize since its inception in 1901, so that it is counted in the fine company of organisations such as the the UNHCR, the International Red Cross and UNICEF, amongst others.

Congratulations from your home State, and thank you for sharing the replica Nobel Peace Prize medal and diploma with us today. It is likely to be the closest that most of us will get to this sort of honour.

May I commend Associate Professor Tilman Ruff AM, and the other founding members of ICAN for their tireless work, passion and commitment to their cause.

And, of course, Dr Bill Williams, co-founder of ICAN, who sadly passed away before the Nobel Prize was awarded.

ICAN, like so many of Victoria’s wonderful organisations, is powered by the contributions of volunteers and supporters. I acknowledge every one of you for the generosity that you have shown – locally and globally – to the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize winner, ICAN.

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