100-day countdown to International Day of Peace

(June 13, 2009) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday launched a campaign asking governments and citizens of the world to focus on the important issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The UN chief launched the so-called “WMD-WeMustDisarm! Campaign” as he kicked off the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace on September 21. “The end of the cold war helped lift the burden of nuclear catastrophe from a generation that had lived under its cloud since the end of the Second World War,” Ban said, “Nonetheless, the threat persists, as recent events attest.” He warned that “unless we vigorously work for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, we will continue to face threats from existing nuclear weapons, as well as additional risks that more States, even terrorists, might acquire and deploy such weapons potentially annihilating millions of people.” In the 100 days between June 13 and September 21, the UN and its partners will use Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, email, text message, radio etc. to raise awareness about the costs and dangers of nuclear weapons. The International Day of Peace, observed each year on 21 September, is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence.