06 October 2017

ICAN receives Nobel Peace Prize

In recognition of success in banning nuclear weapons

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded today the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons".

“The Cluster Munition Coalition warmly congratulates ICAN for this well-deserved recognition”, said Firoz Alizada, Campaigns and Communications Manager. “Years of advocacy and campaigning efforts by the whole ICAN membership and many other civil society actors paid-off this summer when the treaty was adopted. Survivors of nuclear weapons have had such an important role in this victory.”

A broad range of campaigners and civil society members from across the world contribute to ICAN’s activities, including the Hibakusha and other communities affected by nuclear weapons.

On 7 July 2017, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of the Nuclear Weapons was adopted. It prohibits nations from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, transferring, possessing, stockpiling, using or threatening to use nuclear weapons, or allowing nuclear weapons to be stationed on their territory.

Nine countries together possess around 15,000 nuclear weapons. In its statement today, ICAN urged all nations to “reject these weapons completely – before they are ever used again.”