Second Draft

Ambassador Cabactulan, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

All day long we are discussing defense, security doctrines, missiles, deterrence, non-proliferation, sovereignty and more. We say that the reason we discuss them is security. But really we know that at the heart of this security, which our governments work so hard to protect, is life. We are all asking ourselves: How can we preserve and protect the life on this planet? What ensures our true security, the true fulfillment of the human rights our governments have committed themselves to?

It is a difficult question, but one thing is clear: Nuclear weapons are not the answer. Nuclear Weapons are immoral and against human nature. The use of a nuclear weapon is an international crime: no human being has the right to kill another one. No nation has the right to define other peoples as "evil" and not worthy to live. Therefore(?) no government has the right to decide whether or not they have nuclear weapons. In holding nuclear weapons, governments take the right for themselves to kill countless people. All governments have committed themselves in the UN charter “to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources". Nuclear weapons provide nothing of this. All they provide is death. We must all realise that every human has the right to live. 

1##As human beings we have the ability to be creative, so let’s not use our ability to destroy the world. Suzy Elwakeel, xx years from Sudan

2## Life is beautiful. Maybe we should keep it.

3## little child

Today, all the money, technology and human intelligence being devoted to death, could be devoted to life. We don't see any need for any country in this world to stick to nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants, to  invest in arms and create - in toxic, radioactive waste - targets for terrorists and the threat of proliferation.  We have the capability to create a world with clean, safe, nontoxic, renewable energy and security based on understanding, respect and tolerance. Why don't we use it? *here we still have to think about how to put this and the next paragraph together...* I would like to get away from the nuclear power topic in this paragraph. Because I think here it is more important to point out how absurd it is to spend all these resources on nuclear weapons instead of trying to satisfy the basic needs of all humans. This would in my eyes make a stronger connection with the next paragraph. Because satisfing the basic needs of al humans is a better and more comprehensive way to create security. Maybe we can bring up the nuclear power topic further below. I think this paragraph flows cleanly into the next. We talk about building a world with renewables, respect, tolerance etc - and the way to that is a shared security, It's a good connection!*

The key phrase (for a safe world) must be shared security: A security every human being can benefit from. Governments need to invest in true security by ensuring enough clean drinking water, sufficient food portions and access to necessary health. You will get what you pay for. So pay for the fulfillment of Millennium Development Goals and not for nuclear proliferation and war.

Nuclear Weapons are not protecting us from potential enemies – they are creating them. In Today’s world young people have friends all around the world. Modern communication and technology connects so many of us. We are growing up in a globalized world and have the unique chance to bring down borders. People in other countries are no longer distant and strange enemies to us. We speak to them every day. 

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5##The concept of a war on European soil ever happening again as it did in World War I and World War II is a concept that the generation born after the end of the Cold War just doesn't compute. – Franka xx years and Velmoed, xx years from the Netherlands

What is needed and what we ask for is the same of any continent of the world, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania.*than do so and send me the comments you get :) we are still missing many many comments* The concept of war ever happening again as it, too often, did after the WWII is a concept that the XXI century generation must not know, even more because the spread of nuclear 'civil' tecnology make all more likely a nuclear weapons use in future wars. *??? Its a comment, we can't make changes...*

6##

My generation was born after the cold war. We had nothing to do with the creation and proliferation of these weapons. They serve no purpose and go against internationally recognized principles: not to cause suffering, not to kill indiscriminately and not to threaten war. The cold war is over and humanity if facing new problems. These 21st century problems can't be solved by 20th century weapons. Nuclear weapons are now 65 years old. Don't you think it's time for compulsory retirement? (something is missing here somehow...)  we are young and we have new ideas, and new means to replace the old nuclear weapons, (like communication, which is becoming much easier and must be the way to resolve conflicts) *I like the idea of putting something about youth here, as if we are replacing the weapons with our new idea of shared security*

7##Dear brothers and sisters, we are living in a strange world, some people are suffering from hunger while others invest in nuclear weapons. Please think of all of us as human beings, and give the priority for surviving instead of killing other people. With big love, Abdelgasim Elgir. Xx years from Sudan

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9##

We, the young generation, have the courage to speak and act on the truth. The truth about the terrible effects of nuclear weapons over the last 65 years, the huge waste of human and financial resources from their presence on this planet. The truth about the unacceptable and incalculable consequences of the future use of nuclear weapons. The truth that nuclear weapons deeply harm plants, animals and habitats and cause irreversible damage to all of us and future generations. The truth that they contribute to the climate crisis. The truth that adults, governments, experts and part of the public opinion ignore. We ask diplomats, experts, members of armed forces, public officials to have the same courage and act on the truth. Don't associate yourself with the failure to act to preserve children from a nuclear war. Don't let your silence during a  work meeting, the weak wording of a document, our self interest in a confortable career,  acquiescence to bosses, be the reason that took away from us the reality of a nuclear weapons free world.

U.S. President Obama has pointed at the desired goal at the horizon: a world free of nuclear weapons. Still we wait for someone to smooth the way *I prefer something like 'make the first concrete step'. 'Smooth the way' sounds a bit ambiguous/inconcrete. Maybe at least 'start the process' or 'make a move'*. (and we are here to smooth the way aren't we? and we hope you are here for that too!) We call all nuclear capable states to take the first step towards Global Zero. Together. The goal must be a binding commitment. We want to receive during this RevConf a binding commitment by USA, Russia, France, China and UK  governments that you are ready to save your, our and future generations from the scourge of nuclear war, a commitment to start in 2011 a Preparatory Conference for the NWC negotiations.*Somehow we don't agree with this step as a next... it must not be a NWC called as such... and I think demand it as a binding commitment of this revcon is too much if you face reality. Sry to say that but I will be happy if Iran does not withdrawl and egypt does not block everything and they confirm that they still like the NPT :) if we make it too concrete and too unrealistic they don't take us serious, and there will be NGO speeches with concrete and realistic demands (CTBT....) they will not start discuss a NWC before CTBT&Co enter into force.* And the time to start serious negotiations is now! We have to decrease the permanent world-shattering threat from nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert now! Concrete steps towards a nuclear weapons convention must be taken now!

Each year now since 2005 we have stood here in front of you, asking and pleading with you to be reasonable and to think about our future, and not to leave us the legacy of fear, threats and death. We have seen no real actions or courageous leadership. So today, once more, it is us who must have the courage to stand here demanding the beginning of real, honest and fruitful negotiations leading to a nuclear weapons free world! 

The decisions taken this month do not only have an impact on us. These decisions are OUR lives; our future. The future of your children, the future of our children and grandchildren, that is what is being decided now. But we have no control to decide if we will live in safety or fear. *really, haven't we?* no I think we sould be more positive!, we are doing our best to assure we will live in safety and not in fear, help us to achieve this goal!*what I meant was, right now we have no control because the decisions are all on THEM. Maybe we can say 'But we must depend on you to make these decisions'. I know we have some power to change things but the point I was trying to make is, by the time WE are in their position, it will be too late/we will still have weapons. They are making the decisions, which we cannot make because we are young, but because we are young it is us who will be affected.*

We call on everybody to face the truth.

We thank you for your attention. And we and all future generations will thank you for abolishing nuclear weapons.