Schedule of Activites
Saturday, July 22
Arrive at JFK Airport at 1pm, meet at Check-In Desk for Condor Airways. Each traveller is allotted 1 carry-on bag (8kgs) and 1 checked bag (23kgs). Flight departs at 16:25.
Sunday, July 23
Upon your arrival at the airport, you are entitled to claim a complimentary 80-minute ticket for Geneva Public Transport (Zone 10). Simply head to the luggage retrieval hall, where you will find the ticket machine doling out freebies at the push of a button – no strings attached!
Arrivals
Dr. Ivana Hughes - 9:15 am; Brock, Christian, and Kenneth - 9:25 am, Thomas - 835 am, Alicia, Pranthai, Nicholas, Bobby, and Lizzie -10:05am
Take Bus 10 towards Geneve, Rive. Get off at Guye Bus Stop (2 minute walk to hotel)
Accommodations: MEININGER Hotel Genève Centre Charmilles
Lunch (Free Time): if you have energy, you may want to travel to Gare Cornvain - Recommended Cafe - Istanbul Kebab; other places nearby: Starbucks, McDonald's, and Movenpick Ice Cream Parlor. Please note: avg. cost of McDonald's is around 23 CHF/25 USD. Easy to walk from Cornvain to Bans des Paquis. ICAN Office is located near Cornvain. Cornvain may be the only place that has a pharmacy open on a Sunday. Please be careful of pickpocketers near the train station!
Cultural Group Dinner - Buvette des Bains, right on the lake. There might be swans!
18:00: Networking Event
ICAN Campaigners Meeting at Place de Cornavin 2 with food and drinks provided. (Register Here)
Monday, July 22nd, 2024
8:30am - Pick up badges at the Pregny Gate (Bring your digital pass and passport)
Directions: Av. de la Paix 14a, 1202 Genève, Switzerland
10:00 - 13:00: Opening of the Session in the General Assembly Hall
Opening of the Session: General debate on issues related to all aspects of the work of the Preparatory Committee (Venue: General Assembly)
NOTE: Make sure at least two are distributing flyers for the Side Events we are hosting this week to delegates as they enter (prior to the General Debate) - Christian will provide these flyers.
NOTE: We will leave Opening Session early (11:15am) for the first Side Event
11:30 - 13:00: Our Side Event
11:30 - 13:00 Nuclear Abolition: A World Free of Nuclear Weapons Side Event (Sponsored by NAPF and RTT) (Venue: Room XXIII)
13:15 - 14:30: Second Side Event
13:15 - 14:30 Advancing complementarity of the TPNW with other disarmament and non-proliferation treaties, focusing on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons (Sponsored by Ireland and Thailand) (Venue: Room XXII). Lunch will be provided.
15:00-18:00: Afternoon Session in General Assembly
15:00-18:00: General Debate Continues on issues related to all aspects of the work of the Prep Com (Venue: General Assembly)
NOTE: Pay careful attention to Kiribati's Remarks
☀️Video Vlog of What happened on Day 1 - due at 18:00☀️
Debrief immediately after plenary session outside of the General Assembly Room
18:00 - Reception Hosted by Kazakhstan
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024
10:00 - 1300: Morning Session in General Assembly
General Debate Continued (On issues related to all aspects of the work of the NPT) (Venue: General Assembly)
13:15 - 14:30: Side Event
13:15 - 14:30 Addressing Non-compliance of the NPT: Case Study on the DPRK (Sponsored by France and the Republic of Korea in Room XXII at the Palais des Nations)
15:00 - 18:00: Afternoon Session in General Assembly
15:00 - 18:00 - NGO Statements (Including NAPF and Youth Statements!)
16:00 - 17:30: Afternoon Side Event
NOTE: Attendance for this is TBD, since this event runs concurrently with NGO statements (Including the Youth Statement)
Mayors for Peace Youth Forum: Youth involved in peace share their peace activities and advocate for a nuclear-free world through exchanging their ideas. (Organized by Mayors for Peace, Venue: Room XXIII Building E)
18:00 to 20:00 - Our Event at the Graduate Institute!
☀️ 2nd Vlog Video is Due at the end of the day ☀️
Wednesday, July 24th, 2024
9:00 - 9:45: Government briefing for NGOs
Ireland (Hosted by Reaching Critical Will in Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations).
NOTE: all meetings with governments are under Chatham House Rule, so please no tweeting
10:00 - 13:00: Morning General Assembly Session
Cluster 1 Issues on Nuclear Disarmament issues under point 1: implementation of the provisions of the Treaty relating to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, disarmament and international peace and security (articles I and II and preambular paragraphs 1 to 3; article VI and preambular paragraphs 8 to 12; article VII, with specific reference to the main issues considered in this cluster); security assurances (Security Council resolutions 255 (1968) and 984 (1995); effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons). (Venue: General Assembly)
10:15 - 11:45: Side Event
Looking Beyond Nuclear Deterrence: Insights and Deliberations towards a World without Nuclear Weapons (Sponsored by Hiroshima Prefectural Government/ Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe)) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
15:15 - 17:45: Side Event
Connecting Peace of Mind to the World (Sponsored by the Nagasaki Youth Delegation) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
15:00 - 18:00: Afternoon General Assembly Session
Continuation of Cluster 1 issues (Venue: General Assmebly)
☀️ 3rd Vlog Video is Due at the end of the day ☀️
Thursday, July 25th, 2024
9:00 - 10:30: Government briefing for NGOs
The United States (Sponsored by Reaching Critical Will) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
10:00-13:00: Morning Session in General Assembly
Cluster 1-specific issue – Nuclear disarmament and security assurances. (Venue: General Assembly)
10:00 - 11:30: Side Event
Under the NPT, is it legal to increase nuclear arsenals? (Sponsored by ICAN France) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
11:45 - 13:00: Side Event
The P5/N5 Process and Sustainability of the NPT (Sponsored by The Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
13:00 - 14:45: Side Event
Nuclear Sharing Arrangements: challenges to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) (Sponsored by China Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
15:00-18:00: Afternoon Session in General Assembly
Cluster 1-specific issue (Continued) – Nuclear disarmament and security assurances. (Venue: General Assembly)
15:15 - 17:45: Side Event
A Gamble of Our Own Choosing: Forecasting Nuclear Futures (Sponsored by Open Nuclear Network (ONN) and Forecasting Research Institute (FRI) (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations) Register here.
☀️ 4th Vlog Video is Due at the end of the day ☀️
Friday, July 26th, 2024
10:00 - 13:00: Morning Session in General Assembly
Cluster 2 issues (NPT/CONF.2020/1, annex V), issues under point 2: implementation of the provisions of the Treaty relating to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, safeguards and nuclear-weapon-free zones (article III and preambular paragraphs 4 and 5, especially in their relationship to article IV and preambular paragraphs 6 and 7; NPT/CONF.2026/PC.II/INF/3 23-11723 3/4 articles I and II and preambular paragraphs 1 to 3 in their relationship to articles III and IV; article VII). (Venue: General Assembly)
(OPTIONAL) 10:00 - 12:45: Side Event
Humanitarian Impacts and the NPT: A Dialogue on Advancing Opportunities and Situating Obstacles (Sponsored by BASIC and IPPNW (Venue: Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
13:00 - 14:45: Side Event
Action Steps to Implement the Article VI of the NPT (Sponsored by the Arms Control Association in Room XXIII at the Palais des Nations)
13:15 - 14:30: Main Side Event
Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Detonations: A Raison D'etre for Nuclear Disarmament (Sponsored by the Philippines and New Zealand in Room XXVII at the Palais Des Nations)
15:00 - 18:00: Afternoon Session in General Assembly
Cluster 2 Issues Continued (Venue: General Assembly)
☀️ 5th Vlog Video is Due at the end of the day ☀️
19:00: Final Night with the Team (Celebrate Olympics Opening)
Relaxation, Sports Bar - Pickwicks Pub near the palais
Resource Guide
What is the NPT?
The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. On 11 May 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including five nuclear-weapon States (China, Russia, US, UK, France). More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty’s significance.
Article VI
Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.
Cluster 1: Specific Issue - Negative Security Assurances
A negative security assurance is a guarantee by a nuclear weapon state (a state that possess nuclear weapons) that it will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states (states that do not possess nuclear weapons). No international legally-binding treaty or resolution containing negative security assurances exists, despite repeated calls by a number of non-nuclear weapon states. This undermines a sense of security for states that have renounced nuclear weapons and reinforces the misconception that the possession of and right to use nuclear weapons will deter aggression and increase security.
What Is Preparatory Committee (PrepCom)?
Article VIII of the NPT requires all states to convene every five years for a review conference of the NPT. In the three years leading up to every review conference, States convene annually for 10 days at Preparatory Committee sessions. Review conferences and their associated PrepComs ensure that the NPT remains viable and active amongst the Parties to the treaty.
Views of the P5
China
China has a strict policy to never to be the first to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons. It has also pledged not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states or nuclear weapon free zones at any time or under any circumstances. {S/1995/265}
France
France pledged not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states that belong to the NPT, except in invasion or attack on it or any of its territories or its armed forces, its allies, or a state toward which it has a security commitment, if it conducts or sustains this attack in alliance with a nuclear weapon state. After requests by many different countries, France sought to make its negative assurances similar to the Russia Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. {S/1995/264}
Russia
Like France, Russia is committed to not using nuclear force unless it or any of its allies or territories is invaded or attacked in any other way by a non-nuclear weapon state in conjunction with a nuclear weapon state. {S/1995/261}
United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Like France and Russia, the United Kingdom is committed to not using nuclear force unless it or any of its allies or territories is invaded or attacked in any other way by anon-nuclear weapon state in conjunction with a nuclear weapon state. {S/1995/262}
United States
United States: Like France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, the United States is committed to not using nuclear force unless it or any of its allies or territories is invaded or attacked in any other way by anon-nuclear weapon state in conjunction with a nuclear weapon state. {S/1995/263}
The US Nuclear Posture Review in 2011 reserved the right to use nuclear weapons in the case of a biological or chemical weapons attack as well. The revised posture released in 2010 states: The United States will continue to strengthen conventional capabilities and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in deterring non-nuclear attacks, with the objective of making deterrence of nuclear attack on the United States or our allies and partners the sole purpose of U.S. nuclear weapons.
The United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners.
The United States will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states that are party to the NPT and in compliance with their nuclear nonproliferation obligations.
Important State Groupings
Arab Group: A group of States predominantly located in the Middle East and Northern Africa that have made an ongoing commitment to pushing the “Resolution on the Middle East,” which calls for establishment of a regional zone free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). They hold that this resolution serves as NPT’s “fourth pillar,” and maintain support for the review conference that is contingent on making progress on this issue
New Agenda Coalition (NAC): Established in 1998 and currently comprised of Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Africa, this coalition of states calls for a new nuclear disarmament agenda. They specifically call for the nuclear-weapon states to commit to nuclear disarmament and begin multilateral negotiations to lead to the elimination of nuclear weapons through a Nuclear Weapons Convention.
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM): organization of States that did not formally align with the US or USSR during the Cold war and seek to remain independent. Their goals are to work against imperialism and neocolonialism, and moderate their relations with all big powers. Presently, they also aim to facilitate a restructuring of the international economic order.
Nonproliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI): Founded in 2012, is a group of states within the framework of the NPT that focus on practical steps to promote the consensus outcomes of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, including advancing the nuclear disarmament agenda and increasing transparency in nuclear weapon states fulfillment of their disarmament commitments
Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament: Launched in 2019, with 16 non-nuclear member States. The aim of the Initiative is to reduce polarization between countries and take concrete steps towards the common ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.