Report by Ms. Evelyn Kamissek, the City of Hannover, Germany
Wars, climate change and a global threat to democracies: it is against this backdrop that the Mayors for Peace Flag Day took place on July 8. This year, around 600 cities in Germany once again sent a clear signal against wars and for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons by hoisting the Mayors for Peace flag in front of their town halls.
According to the latest annual report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the global stockpile of nuclear warheads has fallen to an estimated 12,121. The number of warheads kept on high alert has risen to around 2,100. Nine countries have nuclear weapons, with the USA and Russia possessing most of the acutely operational weapons. China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal. SIPRI sees efforts to modernize stocks in all nuclear-armed states.
In addition, the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is accompanied by Russia’s withdrawal from international treaties, such as the New START Treaty, which was extended for five years in 2021 and regulates the limitation of strategic nuclear weapons between the USA and Russia, as well as the CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty).
Mayor Onay stated as follows on this day:
“We are celebrating our Flag Day again this year under challenging conditions. For Mayors for Peace, advocating nuclear disarmament and the peaceful coexistence of all people remains the common goal. We therefore expect the two major nuclear powers, the USA and Russia, to declare their willingness to negotiate a successor agreement to the New START treaty. One thing is also clear: nuclear weapons tests must remain a taboo!”
We are particularly pleased to receive a video message from the President of Mayors for Peace, Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima, who addressed the German members on this year’s Flag Day.
Photos: courtesy of the City of Hannover