Dear ICAN supporters
Welcome to your monthly e-bulletin from ICAN Australia, updating you on the progress we’re making in our worldwide campaign to abolish nuclear weapons and how you can help.

August/September: Join ICAN in calling for a nuclear weapons free world on World Peace Day on 21 September.  Professor Fred Mendelsohn joins ICAN Australia’s management committee and Hawkesdale students in Victoria call for world leaders to disarm.

ICAN act: things to do today

Call for new ICAN partnerships
ICAN Australia now has over 50 partner organisations. We value all our partners who add their voices with ours, calling for a world free from nuclear weapons. Increased partnerships bring increased opportunities for collaborations, so if you have ideas of possible partnerships we should be looking at we’d love to hear from you! Call or email Teri mailto:teri@icanw.org or Dimity mailto:dimity@icanw.org

Sign the Appeal for a Nuclear Weapon-Free World
Sign this Appeal from the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs calling for the negotiations of a nuclear weapons convention, to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons without delay.
http://www.antiatom.org/sig/2010/E_index.html

21 September is World Peace Day

21 September is the International Day of Peace, a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. This year the United Nations Secretary-General is calling on governments and citizens to focus on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.  Add your voice to the campaign.
http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/2009/

 Sign up to the Scientists for a Nuclear Weapons-Free world appeal
The International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) is proud to announce its new campaign 'Scientists for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World' which was officially launched on Hiroshima Day) with a petition comprising 40 first signatories, 27 of them Nobel Laureates. The appeal can now be signed at
http://www.inesglobal.com/campaigns.phtml

Organise an event with an ICAN speaker
Help our work, to abolish nuclear weapons and promote peace, by organising one of our excellent speakers. Contact the Medical Association for the Prevention of War office at mapw@mapw.org.au

ICAN Australia Events

Melbourne, 14 Sept: Gareth Evans talks on Nuclear Disarmament
Gareth Evans is giving a lecture on 'The Challenge of Nuclear Disarmament'at the State Library on 14 September. Starts 6.00pm and tickets are $15. Bookings essential at 03 8664 7099 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au

Melbourne, 18 Sept: Nuclear Disarmament Strategy Session
ICAN invites anti-nuclear activists, ICAN partners and colleagues to discuss national and international nuclear disarmament strategies and meet with our Japanese colleague Kawawaki Akira.  Mr Akira is an NGO Advisor to the Co-Chairs of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) and an Executive Committee member of Peace Boat in Japan.

Friday 18 September 2009, 5.30pm - 7pm, Level 2, 161 Barry St (Corner of Grattan St), Carlton (Alan Gilbert Building: University of Melbourne)

http://www.icanw.org/events-ICAN+Australia

Melbourne, 20 September: Public Forum:  Australia-Japan Civil Society Cooperation for Nuclear Disarmament
A Nautilus  Institute event supported by ICAN. Speakers include: Gareth Evans (Co-Chair, International Commission for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament), Ambassador Rolf Ekeus (Chair, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), Kawasaki Akira (Japanese Peace Boat and NGO adviser to  the ICNND), Assoc Prof Tilman Ruff (ICAN Australia Chair and NGO adviser to  ICNND), Dimity Hawkins (ICAN Australia Campaign Director) and many other international and national experts.
Sunday September 20, Storey Hall, RMIT University, Swanston Street, Melbourne. 10am – 4pm. All welcome –  free admission.http://www.globalcollab.org/Nautilus/australia/

Melbourne, 22 September: Australian Peace Prize 2009 / Screening of 'The Day After Peace'
Come along to witness this year's Australian Peace Prize awarded to Senator Bob Brown for his longstanding commitment to peace, non-violence and global justice. The presentation will include musical entertainment and will be followed by a screening of the award-winning documentary 'The Day After Peace', which charts the 10-year journey of filmmaker Jeremy Gilley to establish a global ceasefire day.  Tuesday 22 September, 6.30-9.00pm, Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne.
Tickets: $15 (full) / $10 (concession) www.peaceprize.eventbrite.com
Contact: peace@poa.org.au or 0400 967 233

ICAN Australia News

Professor Fred Mendelsohn joins ICAN Australia’s Management Committee
Professor Fred Mendelsohn joins ICAN’s management committee.  Professor Mendelsohn is one of Australia’s most prominent neuroscientists and is a longstanding member of Medical Association for the Prevention of War.  Fred brings a wealth of experience, passion and talent to the ICAN Team.

International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES)
INES officially joined ICAN this month as a partner.  INES have recently launched a new campaign 'Scientists for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World’.  The campaign officially launched on Hiroshima Day with a petition comprising 40 first signatories, 27 of them Nobel Laureates. The appeal can now be signed at
http://www.inesglobal.com/campaigns.phtml

Hawksedale Students call for a Nuclear Weapons Free World
Hawsksedale Students in Victoria have been working with ICAN’s ‘Learn Abolition’ education kit and have been busy creating disarmament quizzes, digital presentations and writing letters to world leaders.  We liked this Hawkesdale Student letter so much we wanted to share it with you:

Dear World Leaders,
I’m just a twelve year old boy, but I know that Australia is for Peace NOT War. Nuclear weapons on high alert can:

1. Threaten countries, not enhance security
2. Cause war, not end it.
3. Have a big chance of accidental launch
4. Are capable of destroying the world in a matter of hours

Abolishing nuclear weapons will not only save the earth, but will create a new one; a world of peace; a world of love and friendship; a world where there won’t be any horrible, devastating deaths from nuclear weapons.

So abolish nuclear weapons for a better, happier world.
Nick

Nukes News

Nuclear headlines over the past month

Australia, Japan in nuclear rift

Australia and Japan are at loggerheads over the use of nuclear weapons in war.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-japan-in-nuclear-rift-20090903-f9yw.html

DANIEL FLITTON: Disarmament: words don't match actions
Australia's reliance on the US nuclear umbrella weakens its push to get rid of nuclear weapons.  http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/disarmament-words-dont-match-actions-20090903-f9vz.html

US wants results from Obama nuclear meeting at UN
The special United Nations Security Council session to be chaired by President Barack Obama later this month will seek broad consensus on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons rather than zeroing in on individual nations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090902/ap_on_re_us/un_un_us_nuclear_summit

World Council of Churches calls for a nuclear weapons free world
The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches adopted a statement this month calling for a nuclear weapons free world.
http://www.icanw.org/node/4874

Incoming Japanese Govt will debate US nuclear umbrella
This article suggests that the new Democratic Party government in Japan will be less enthusiastic about the value of the US “nuclear umbrella”
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090819f2.html  

Iran nuclear threat ‘hyped: Elbaradei
Mohamed ElBaradei, the outgoing head of the UN atomic watchdog, said there was no evidence that Iran will soon have nuclear weapons.
http://news.theagecom.au/breaking-news-world/iran-nuclear-threat-hyped-elbaradei-20090902-f75r.html

Burmese Nuclear Weapons?
Has Burma has embarked on a clandestine nuclear weapons program? Australian Strategic Policy Institute paper:
http://www.aspi.org.au/publications/publication_details.aspx?ContentID=222&pubtype=-1

Essay and Reportage: Alice show day
The competition took a serious turn at this year’s Alice Springs show. A contestant called Angela Pamela submitted entries in almost every prize category – and she cleaned up. “This one’s Angela Pamela, too,” a woman said, pointing to a fruitcake. “I think it’s a uranium thing,” her friend replied.
http://inside.org.au/show-day/

ICAN GIVE! Make a donation to ICAN Australia and it will be doubled! 
For a limited time, every dollar you donate to ICAN Australia will be matched, thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Poola Foundation.  Please consider making a donation today to help us meet this challenge so we can continue to campaign on this vital issue. Thanks to the many supporters who have already donated!
Donate at http:// www.icanw.org/donate 

WE CAN!

ICAN Australian Bulletin comes to you from the ICAN Australia team
Sent the first week of each month, from:
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
G03 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria, Australia 3053
Phone: + 61 3 9347 4795
Fax: + 61 39347 4995
info@icanw.org

Sign or donate at www.icanw.org
Feedback or contributions to: info@icanw.org