Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) is a non-profit international organization
on the roster in consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council
. The organization is founded for and noted for its opposition to nuclear weapon
s.
Founded in 1982, the Foundation aims to enhance global security by initiating and supporting efforts to reduce the dangers of nuclear weapons; strengthening international law
, institutions, and governance; and working to educate youth with the goal of empowerment
. Their stated mission is to "advance initiatives to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat to all life, to foster the global rule of law
, and to build an enduring legacy of peace through education and advocacy".
, Wallace Drew, Charles Jamison, and Kent Ferguson
in the belief that dialogue and diplomacy were necessary to prevent war, and that citizens should play a significant role on issues of war
, peace
, and nuclear weapons abolition.
to educate other students and the community about the University’s involvement with the Los Alamos National Laboratory
and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
. More directly, the foundation also holds leadership training for those students who want to become more involved in the nuclear non-proliferation battle. The NAPF is also currently working with Paul K. Chappell
, author of Will War Ever End?: A Soldier's Vision Of Peace For The 21st Century, who travels all over the United States to speak at universities about the myth of violence being innate in humans, the strength of love, and the need to strive for peace.
, a coalition of seven international organizations working with “middle power” governments toward a global nuclear disarmament agenda. The NAPF also prepares policy briefs on the NPT’s progress for State delegates, members of Congress and UN Missions. The Foundation also helped establish a coalition of civil society organizations working to establish a United Nations Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS) to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. Lastly, the NAPF created and maintains several websites, including nuclearfiles.org http://www.nuclearfiles.org, a compendium of educational and research information on the Nuclear Age which was recently made part of a National Science Foundation
educational consortium entitled Nuclear Pathways.
International organization
An intergovernmental organization, sometimes rendered as an international governmental organization and both abbreviated as IGO, is an organization composed primarily of sovereign states , or of other intergovernmental organizations...
on the roster in consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
. The organization is founded for and noted for its opposition to nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s.
Founded in 1982, the Foundation aims to enhance global security by initiating and supporting efforts to reduce the dangers of nuclear weapons; strengthening international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, institutions, and governance; and working to educate youth with the goal of empowerment
Empowerment
Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, racial, educational, gender or economic strength of individuals and communities...
. Their stated mission is to "advance initiatives to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat to all life, to foster the global rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
, and to build an enduring legacy of peace through education and advocacy".
Background
The organization was founded by five individuals: David Krieger, Frank KellyFrank Kelly
Frank Kelly is an Irish actor, singer and writer, whose career has covered television, radio, theatre, music, screenwriting and film. He is best known for his role as Father Jack Hackett in the comedy Father Ted. He is the son of the cartoonist Charles E...
, Wallace Drew, Charles Jamison, and Kent Ferguson
Kent Ferguson
Kent M. Ferguson is a retired diver from the United States. He competed for his native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics, finishing in fifth place in the Men's 3m Springboard event....
in the belief that dialogue and diplomacy were necessary to prevent war, and that citizens should play a significant role on issues of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
, and nuclear weapons abolition.
Goals
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation seeks to end nuclear proliferation and to create a "world at peace, free of the threat of war and free of weapons of mass destruction". The NAPF does this by advancing initiatives to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat to all life, to foster the global rule of law, and to build an enduring legacy of peace through education and advocacy.Activism
Currently the NAPF works through several outlets to promote its cause, including the following: distributing informative DVD's, sending a monthly newsletter, holding conferences nationwide, and involvement on University campuses through the creation of the Youth Empowerment Initiative (YEI). The YEI currently works with the students at the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
to educate other students and the community about the University’s involvement with the Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
. More directly, the foundation also holds leadership training for those students who want to become more involved in the nuclear non-proliferation battle. The NAPF is also currently working with Paul K. Chappell
Paul K. Chappell
Paul K. Chappell is an Iraq War veteran, and Peace Leadership Director for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.He graduated from West Point in 2002....
, author of Will War Ever End?: A Soldier's Vision Of Peace For The 21st Century, who travels all over the United States to speak at universities about the myth of violence being innate in humans, the strength of love, and the need to strive for peace.
Accomplishments
The NAPF has co-founded the Middle Powers InitiativeMiddle Powers Initiative
The Middle Powers Initiative , a program of the Global Security Institute, is dedicated to the worldwide reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons, in a series of well-defined stages accompanied by increasing verification and control....
, a coalition of seven international organizations working with “middle power” governments toward a global nuclear disarmament agenda. The NAPF also prepares policy briefs on the NPT’s progress for State delegates, members of Congress and UN Missions. The Foundation also helped establish a coalition of civil society organizations working to establish a United Nations Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS) to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. Lastly, the NAPF created and maintains several websites, including nuclearfiles.org http://www.nuclearfiles.org, a compendium of educational and research information on the Nuclear Age which was recently made part of a National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
educational consortium entitled Nuclear Pathways.
See also
- Anti-nuclear movement
- Council for a Livable WorldCouncil for a Livable WorldCouncil for a Livable World is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons...
- Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation