Date/Time
Date(s) - Friday - Sep 26, 2025
12:00 am
Categories
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
Join people all over the world on September 26 in an event or action to support the global elimination of nuclear weapons.
About Nuclear Abolition Day
In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/32 declaring September 26 to be the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The principal objective of the day is to “enhance public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination, in order to mobilize international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.”
Every year on this date, the UN holds a high-level meeting of world leaders to discuss “urgent and effective measures” to achieve global nuclear disarmament. At the same time, citizens around the world organize events and undertake actions to support nuclear weapons abolition.
September 26 is also the anniversary of one of the times in which humanity has come perilously close to nuclear war. On this date in 1983, a nuclear weapons early warning facility in Russia detected an apparent incoming ballistic missile attack from the USA (later confirmed as a false alarm). Colonel Stanislav Petrov, Duty Officer at the facility, broke protocol by not affirming to senior command that the early warning satellites were detecting incoming nuclear missiles, thus preventing a possible ‘launch-on-warning, retaliatory nuclear strike’ from Russia, which would have triggered nuclear war.
Message from the United Nations Secretary-General
Every year, the UN Secretary-General releases a statement (message) leading up to the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons and addresses the High-Level Meeting on September 26.
In his September 2024 message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that:
“Growing geopolitical divisions and mistrust are driving tensions to new heights. Instead of dialogue and diplomacy being deployed to end the nuclear threat, another nuclear arms race is taking shape, and saber-rattling is re-emerging as a tactic of coercion. We need to stop the madness before it’s too late.”
Joint Appeal for Nuclear Abolition Day
We invite individuals and organizations to endorse the Joint Appeal for September 26.
The appeal calls on governments to use the opportunity of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons and the UN High Level Plenary Meeting on September 26 to announce concrete plans to prevent nuclear war, shift nuclear weapons budgets and investments to strengthen the UN, advance peacekeeping and conflict resolution, accelerate steps to protect the climate, and meet human and economic needs as required under Article 26 of the UN Charter.
Stop Nuclear Weapons: Peace is in our Hands
A social media action that can be done anywhere, either on its own or in conjunction with other actions and events for September 26.
A hand raised with palm facing forwards is a universal message to stop. Hands are also what we use to greet each other, create things and build cooperation. For this social media action, we use our hands to symbolically stop nuclear weapons and build cooperation for a peaceful, nuclear-weapon-free world.
- 1. You can use either your hands or download the September 26 hand graphic to use for a photo;
- You can choose to use your hand as is, or draw the classic peace sign on your hand, or write something on your palm such as STOP;
- Or you can join with colleagues in a handclap, high five or holding hands for peace and nuclear abolition (creativity is welcomed);
- Post your photo on social media using the hashtag #NuclearAbolitionDay and handle @youthfusion2000.
