On Peace, Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

45th Anniversary 1967-2012

Secretariat General SG/05.2012 AGENCY FOR THE PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

OPANAL’S REPORT ON PEACE, NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND NON-PROLIFERATION EDUCATION AND TRAINING 2010-2012

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Between 2010 and 2011, the Agency focused its educational activities on promoting the importance of the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Latin America and the Caribbean and its contribution to regional peace and security; as well as on the Agency’s new agenda regarding nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. To these ends, the Secretary-General participated in activities carried out by Member States, inter alia: the Conference on “Challenges of OPANAL in the Agenda of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation” at the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI); the Seminar “Latin America and the Caribbean facing Disarmament and Non- Proliferation: Challenges and Opportunities”, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay; the International Seminar on “Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: Towards the elimination of Nuclear Weapons”, organized by the Non-proliferation for Global Security Foundation, in Buenos Aires-Argentina; the “VII Conference of Forte de Copacabana International Security: A European-South American Dialogue” organized by the Brazilian Centre for Foreign Affairs and Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS); the Seminar “Peace, security and development in Latin America” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru; and the “Seminar on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction” organized by the Committee on Hemispheric Security of the Organization of American States and the Inter- American Defense College, in Washington D.C. In March 2012, the Secretary General took part in Experts Workshops designed for OPANAL Member States on the Universalization of International Legal Instruments on Nuclear Security; this was a propitious opportunity for the Secretary-General to stress that the responsibility for Nuclear Security rests entirely with each and every State, and that this obligation is attached to the principles of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.

2. OPANAL considers relevant to strengthen the relationship with civil society. Therefore, it promotes and participates in various activities which seek to raise awareness about the importance of nuclear disarmament. To this end, the Office of the Secretary-General has helped to organize in the region lectures in educational institutions and elsewhere, interviews and publications in the mass media, and events attended by the public. Some of the highlights were: the anniversary commemoration of the victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, organized by the Government of Mexico City (2010); a distinguished lecture on “The Contribution of the Treaty of Tlatelolco to the process of nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation” at Universidad de las Americas, Puebla-Mexico (2012), taking part 250 students from eight different universities in 4 different countries; a lecture on “nuclear-weapon-free zones and their significance for nuclear disarmament” given during the commemoration of the 54th Anniversary of the proclamation of the abolition of nuclear weapons by the President of Soka Gakkai International (2011); and the lecture on “The contribution of NWFZs to the course of disarmament”, delivered during the observance of the 44th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco. At the next anniversary observance, Ambassador Sergio Duarte, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, delivered the distinguished lecture on “The significance of NWFZs in the nuclear disarmament process”. In addition, there were several interviews, publications in print media, television and radio; among them an article entitled “La agenda regional para el desarme nuclear” in the February 2011 issue of Diálogo Político magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Argentina; the production in English of the documentary Let´s say no to nuclear weapons (2011) aimed at reaching a wider audience, including the Caribbean States, International Organizations and Member States to other NWFZs; and the redesign of the Agency’s web page so that it gives a better picture of its work and makes the public realize about the importance of the NWFZs. (http://www.opanal.org)

3. The relationship with academic sectors has been another major work area. The Agency has collaborated with the Non-Proliferation for Global Security Foundation in conducting a regional postgraduate course in Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (2011 and 2012); it offers internship programmes for students from various universities. It also signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Latin American Institute for Educational Communication (ILCE) – an autonomous international body comprising 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries and devoted to education through the use of information and communications technology. Thanks to this Agreement the documentary Let´s say no to nuclear weapons and several educational interviews have been broadcast on free-to-air TV.

4. Since 2009, the Agency has offered an online course in Spanish on Nuclear Disarmament; 2012 is the first year to be delivered in English. The course’s academic coordination is under the supervision of Mexican Eminent Ambassador Miguel Marin Bosch. Moreover, since 2011 the Agency has been working with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-LIREC) on an educational project that is expected to be completed in 2012, particularly on a course proposal on Disarmament and Non- Proliferation Education. At the global level, the Office of the Secretary-General represented the NWFZ in Latin America and the Caribbean at the forum convened by the IAEA Director-General (November 2011) to share experiences of possible relevance to the creation of a NWFZ in the Middle East.

5. On 14 and 15 February 2012, when the 45th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco was commemorated, it was a good occasion for the Agency to organize a two-day International Seminar on “The experience of the NWFZ in Latin America and the Caribbean and the perspective toward 2015 and beyond”; taking part 22 OPANAL Member States, NWS signatories to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and Member States of other NWFZs; as well as representatives of International Organizations related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation (the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the IAEA Director General, the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO, the Secretary-General of ABACC and OPANAL Secretary-General). Delegates from NGOs and other organizations from official sectors also attended the Seminar, inter alia: Majors for Peace, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non- Proliferation and Disarmament, Soka Gakkai International, Peace Boat, Global Action to Prevent War, Non-Proliferation and Global Security Foundation, Monterey Institute for International Studies, experts and academic staff of different institutions and countries.

In five different panels, participants were able to reflect on the Agency’s vision for the immediate future, and on the areas where NWFZs could work together with civil society. The last panel was devoted to sharing experiences and considering how to help create other NWFZs in the world, especially in the Middle East.

6. The Agency is convinced that Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education is part of a greater instruction: Education for Peace. In this regard, the Office of the Secretary-General has contemplated to continue with the programmes already implemented, with special emphasis on civil society-oriented education, in which Member States would play an essential role. This initiative seeks to strengthen OPANAL’s participation in regional and international educational programmes on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and to promote a culture of peace.