Ideas and Comments

How to use this Page   Click on the -Button or doubleclick on the paragraph you want to edit. Use a new paragraph for a new idea.  To add a comment to an idea, use the  indent button. After each of your ideas or comments, add your name and you can also use your own colour.   Example: We should mention the nuclear weapons convention - Alice I don't know. Is this really that important? - Bob Yes, of course! We mustn't lose track of our final goal! - Eve Ok, you're right. - Bob Yes, but we shouldn't forget how important the implementation of the NPT is! - Peter Especially Article VI! - Paul and so on...

I like the idea of compulsory retirement! Not sure how global that age is though..?

Obviously we can mention the peace prize: 'Obama: you've won it, now earn it!'. As usual, I like taking an informed but innocent approach: We are youth who have had nothing to do with the creation and previous proliferation of these weapons. They serve no purpose and go against to many internationally recognised principles: not to cause suffering, not to threaten war. Their continued existance makes no sense. At a time when the richer western countries should be using their resources to support the poorer ones (especially considering climate change threats) we should not be using our energy and money on such wasteful projects. Young people today have a lot to love but also a lot to fear in the world. We have talked of removing nuclear weapons for so long, why can't we just do it? - Emily

i think one should include obama in the speech, of course in the way you said it: "you've won it, now earn it". - Juliane

I like this idea especially the retirement! I will think about how getting this into the speech maybe one of you already has an idea how to write it?? What you wrote, Emily, already sounds very good -Nina

The use of humor is a great idea. The retirement joke is very funny!! And indeed, president Obama should be reminded of the need that his words have to be followed by action - Welmoed & Franka

Only 14 countries in the world have nuclear weapons on their soil (this includes the nuclear sharing countries in Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey.) These countries, and countries under a nuclear umbrella, need to show their commitment to the NPT by taking steps to disarm. We were very happy to see the German government coalition is committed to having all remaining nuclear weapons withdrawn from Germany. We believe this first step should be followed up by others. Only then a real change can be made. And, if all are courageous enough to first and foremost look at the steps they themselves can taken, then indeed, we believe: Yes, We Can! - Welmoed & Franka

i think its an important thing, that one of the p5-nations finally shows some, how small it may be so far, willingness to move. of course one should say, that these words have to be followed by action, by binding commitment or they'll just remain words. but its a first sign in a different direction. - Juliane

Yes I also think this should be a point in the speech to remember them on their "words" and to demand actions and also showing up that what they are doing right now is NOT going into this direction. - Nina        

I think that we must place the reality of the worlds poor and their faces front and center and demand that they are no longer ignored. Also I think that it is important to stress that nuclear weapons do not exist inside a vacuum, they were created by the very systems of oppression that they reinforce, in disturbing and nightmarish ways, the oppressions of sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and even 21st century democracy and capitalism as they exist in today's world. If we just seek to abolish nuclear weapons, or if we just seek to abolish rape, or if we just seek to abolish hunger, then let us give up now. -- Mike Butler Think Outside The Bomb   

I think you are right we cannot look on nukes isolted. In my view nukes are also a symbol of a way of thinking - nationalism, not seeing what is happing behind the own borders and understanding global connections. I think the abolition of nuclear weapons can only happen in a global society of trust and cooperation and in this society it is also possible to fight hunger and poverty. When you overcome military security you can overcome protectionism because they are supported by the same way of thinking.  - Nina

Truth and Courage. I think part of the message should be about the truth that young people are able and willing to bring to them. The truth about the terrible effects of nuclear weapons in reality during the last 65 years, the huge waste of human/financial resources of their presence/existence today, the truth on the unaccetable and incalculable result of the future use of nuclear weapons. The truth that adults, governments, 'experts', part of the public opionion are self-denying. The courage of the youth to speak truth, to act in a realistic and responsible way, to plan the future. The courage to stand here and now to demand the beginning of negotiations leading to a nuclear weapons free world. (I also like ideas on 65-age-retirement + multiple 1 sentence messages from many world places) - Giorgio A.

 Love it Giorgio. At the moment all people talk about is 'Hope' for everything. We can't do it by hope alone. We need real things and 'truth' and 'courage' sound so strong. We should make the link between the fact that we have these things, as youth, and we want to help the 'leaders' realise their own courage and truth. The young leading the older.. - Emily

Often at these NPT meetings, there is no similar focus on the three pillars of the NPT: disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Often there is a larger focus on non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We believe a more balanced approach is necessary to maintain and strengthen the disarmament and non-proliferation regime.  Therefore, we focus our speach on nuclear disarmament. - Welmoed & Franka

 I totaly agree with you. It is something we have to say clearly that when we are talking about NPT we also talk about Article 6. The youth speech will not be about non-proliferation: we will focus on nuclear disarmament. And when we talk about nuclear energy than that is supports the proliferation of nuclear weapons. - Nina

I think it is also important that the speech has some practical and realistic steps in it that must be taken by the nuclear states. For example, it is vital that the US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe should be removed and that the USA and Russia should reduce their nuclear arsenal. Further, many nuclear weapons are on hair-trigger alert which is very dangerous and unnecessary. Steps to be made are the removal of nuclear warheads from missiles, storing nuclear bombs and cruise missiles away from airports, keeping submarines in seaports and –when these ships sail-establishing alerts that last at least one full day. More generally, the role of nuclear weapons in security doctrines should be diminished, both in nuclear weapons countries, nuclear sharing countries, and in countries sitting under a nuclear umbrella. We think we need to mention one or antoher timebound framework, such as the 13 steps from 2000 (and then have a 23 year old give the statement and say "10 years ago, when I was 13 (in 2000), the 13 steps were agreed") or other stepwise approaches (20 steps in ICNND report). - Welmoed & Franka 

To Welmoed & Franka: I think that your suggestion are correct, but we should keep in mind that this is one (youth) presentation of 10, so are more useful for the general and other 9 NGO presentations, that could include them.

I agree on the concerns. The other statements include concret steps. I more think on demanding a nuclear weapons convention as a framework that is not only timebound but also leads up to the right goal. If we start counting steps we can also call on the CTBT, FCMT... But I think a change in teh security doctrines is not only a step it would be a change of thinking. I think we can include them in this part (sry, I already started to combine your comments to topics secretly...) Maybe we can combine the steps under the topic "end of the madness" to underline the urgent of a swift in thinking about security. How can nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert provide securtiy?? - Nina

Structure

Thanks for quotes! they are perfect and will fit in the speech. Maybe not as statements... I'm still thinking about what kind of statements we should use. Also from sudan we got statements on nuclear weapons not on what life makes beautiful. I thought about it like that: 2-3 quotes why life is beautiful - then a paragraph e.g. on the nuclear doctrines and a needed swift of thinking - than again 2-3 quotes - than again a paragraph on a topic... always read by 2 different people.

 Life is beautiful. Maybe we should keep it.