This Saturday morning, peace activists campaigned for disarmament and a nuclear weapons-free world, with a vigil in Ellwangen, southwestern Germany. Ellwangen Mayor Michael Dambacher, in his capacity as a member of the “Mayors for Peace,” also took part in the rally, which called on members of the Baden-Wuerttemberg state parliament and of the Bundestag, to support and sign the UN ban on nuclear weapons (TPNW). .
On the first anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force one year ago on January 22, 2021, Ruesselsheim Mayor Udo Bausch (non-party) also expressed his deep concern about recent developments. “An increase in tensions between nuclear-armed states is reaching levels not seen in decades, military spending is rising worldwide. The threat of nuclear war is growing,” Bausch said. “As ‘Mayor for Peace’ and a member of the international Mayor for Peace initiative, I am committed to ensuring that the citizens of Russelsheim can live free from nuclear threats. Any use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic, far-reaching and long-lasting consequences for people and the environment,” warns the Mayor.
The city council of Rüsselsheim decided in May 2021 to join the city appeal of the German section. of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. ICAN calls on cities worldwide to achieve the accession of their respective countries to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by signing a city appeal.
In Spain, more than thirty Spanish organizations, including Pressenza, are calling on the government of Spain to exercise leadership for peace through the state’s accession to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
The petition has been sent to the government of Pedro Sánchez through various channels. The letter delivered to the government was presented to the media by Josep Mayoral -Mayor of Granollers and president of Mayors for Peace (Europe)-, and Ana Barrero -president of the Association of Investigation of Peace (AIPAZ), among others.
“"We call on the Spanish government to accede to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to support its subsequent ratification in the Congress of Deputies. And as a first step in this direction, we call on Pedro Sánchez’s government to follow the example of Norway and Germany, two NATO partners, and for Spain to attend the first Conference of States Parties to the TPNW in Vienna from 22 to 24 March 2022 as an observer state.
The Spanish government has an excellent opportunity to exercise peace leadership vis-à-vis its EU and NATO partners by aligning itself with the majority will of the Spanish and world population in favor of the effective prohibition of nuclear weapons.
Indeed, a recent survey established that 89% of the Spanish population believes that Spain should join the Treaty (only 4% oppose it) and various initiatives have been supported by several parliamentary groups. Despite all efforts, the goal of the Spanish government’s accession to the NPT has not yet been achieved.``
The international Mayors For Peace organization has signed up 8063 cities in 161 countries, including 220 in the U.S.. see
