ICAN Cities Appeal

This devastating humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons formed the basis for the negotiations that led to the adoption of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017. The Treaty prohibits the development, manufacture, possession, transfer, stockpiling, and use (or threat of use) of nuclear weapons, thereby laying a solid foundation for their total elimination. A majority of the world’s countries have now signed, ratified or acceded to the Treaty.

We are a steering group member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and calls on all Dutch cities and municipalities to sign the ICAN Cities Appeal. In doing so, cities and municipalities express their concerns about the threat of nuclear weapons and call on the Dutch government to sign and ratify the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty.

‘Our city/town is deeply concerned about the grave threat that nuclear weapons pose to communities throughout the world. We firmly believe that our residents have the right to live in a world free from this threat. Any use of nuclear weapons, whether deliberate or accidental, would have catastrophic, far-reaching and long-lasting consequences for people and the environment. Therefore, we support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and call on our governments to sign and ratify it.’
ICAN Cities Appeal Text

Why cities and municipalities?

Nuclear weapons pose a particular threat to cities, because in many cases cities would be the primary targets of a nuclear attack. Cities and municipalities have a special responsibility for the safety of their residents and should therefore speak out against any role of nuclear weapons in national security strategies. Municipal governments also form a close and active link with their constituents and local social movements. An international coalition of cities can therefore play a game-changing role in breaking the unacceptable status quo in current nuclear weapons policy.

By signing the Cities Appeal, your city or municipality expresses its serious concerns about the threat that nuclear weapons pose worldwide and calls on the Dutch government to sign the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty. The first Dutch municipality to sign the ICAN Cities Appeal was Nijmegen. Since then, Amsterdam, Groningen, The Hague, Hengelo, and other cities and municipalities have also signed (see below for the full list). Worldwide, a large group of cities and municipalities have signed the Cities Appeal, including major cities such as Athens, Bern, Berlin, Helsinki, Manchester, Montreal, New York, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Sydney, and Washington DC.Burgemeesters voor Vrede (the Dutch branch of the global organization Mayors for Peace) supports the ICAN Cities Appeal. Click here for the letter of support from Mayors for Peace NL.

How can I ensure that my city or municipality signs the Cities Appeal?

By having the mayor, city council, or another representative sign the ICAN Cities Appeal and then sending the signed document to nukes@paxforpeace.nl. The motion adopted on the ICAN Cities Appeal from Nijmegen can be found here to inspire your city or municipality.