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6-9 August: International Fast for the 70th Anniversary of Hiroshima-Nagasaki

30 July 2015

Groups of activists in several EU countries and in the United States have decided to fast for four days, from 6 August, the anniversary of Hiroshima, until 9 August, the anniversary of Nagasaki, to express their total opposition to nuclear weapons and to call for their abolition. WILPF International supports this grassroots movement aiming at total and universal nuclear disarmament.

A member of WILPF at the origin of the movement in France

Solange Fernex, former President of WILPF France, initiated this movement in 1983 by fasting for 38 days to oppose nuclear armament in France. WILPF France continues to be at the forefront of this struggle and is one of the founding members of the movement “Collectif Armes Nucléaires Stop” and a member of the network “Sortir du Nucléaire” in France.

WILPF International strongly supports this movement calling for global abolition of nuclear weapons and aiming at raising public awareness on the menace they pose for humanity. To learn more about WILPF International’s advocacy efforts in raising awareness on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and the need to negotiate a treaty to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons, please click on the following link dedicated to WILPF’s Disarmament Programme.

What the fasters stand for

Nine countries still possess over 16,300 nuclear weapons and arrogantly consider that they have the right to possess such weapons for their national security, whereas the rest of the world calls for their urgent dismantlement for the sake of mankind’s security. The recent Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the United Nations in May 2015 confirmed the categorical and irreconcilable opposition between these two groups.

Nuclear weapons are the most destructive devices ever created and the current global stockpile of nuclear bombs could produce a global catastrophe whether provoked by human folly, error, or by accident. Nonetheless, the culture of militarisation continues and expenditures on new nuclear arsenals in the context of modernisation programmes are planned to exceed 1,000 billion Euros over the next 10 years, while these vast amounts of funding could rather be spent on human security, economic, social and environmental programmes.

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Be part of the movement!

Public opinion needs to be alerted on this issue and to speak with one voice: the possession, development and military use of nuclear weapons must be banned! You can join this movement either by fasting or by participating to the events that will take place from 6 August until 9 August in several countries across Europe and in the United States.

We have compiled below the list of activities and relevant contact details if you want to participate to the fast and the related events.

FRANCE:

– For information on the programme of actions organised in Paris, click on the following link: http://vigilancehiroshimanagasaki.over-blog.com/pages/Programme_69_aout_2014-8933594.htm

– For information on the programme of actions organised in Dijon-Valduc (Centre for the modernisation of French Nuclear weapons), please contact Jean-Marc Convers at jeanmarc.convers (@) gmail.com

– For information on the programme of actions organised in Bordeaux-Mégajoule (laser research center for perfecting new nuclear weapons), please contact Dominique Baude at baude.dominique (@) laposte.net

GERMANY:

– For information on the programme of actions organised in Büchel (Nato base where 20 nuclear weapons are stationed), please contact Matthias-W. Engelke at mwEngelke(@)outlook.de

UNITED KINGDOM:

– For information on the programme of actions organised in London, please contact Angie Zelter at reforest(@)gn.apc.org

USA:

– For information on the programme of actions organised in Livermore Lab, California (NIF laser for perfecting new nuclear weapons), please contact: Marcus Pegasus at pegasus(@)lovarchy.org
– For information on the programme of actions organised in Los Alamos, New Mexico (laboratory for the modernisation of US nuclear weapons), please contact Alaric Balibrera, at alaricarrives(@)gmail.com
– For information on the programme of actions organised in Kansas City, Missouri (National Nuclear Security Administration centre), please contact Ann Suellentrop at annsuellen(@)gmail.com

Let us know in the comment field below how you plan to take part in this important campaign!

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

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