About

Dialogue is of fundamental value in disarmament and non-proliferation, be it direct or indirect, face-to-face or through different media platforms. The UNODA Vienna Office promotes discussions on all aspects of disarmament and non-proliferation, particularly with and for youth.

Virtual dialogue reaches audiences around the globe, it is easily accessible and interactive. While asynchronous e-learning has become a new norm, opportunities for web-based, real-time conversations are less frequently utilized. In this regard, UNODA Vienna Office has initiated the “Disarmament Web Talks” that aim to provide an online platform for discussions and dialogue. In an effort to connect interested audiences with experts and leaders around the globe, this Series strives to make highly specialized fields such as disarmament and non-proliferation more equally accessible.

The Series directly contributes to key objectives enshrined in the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, launched in 2018: to revive serious multilateral dialogue and increase efforts to engage youth.

Objectives

The Disarmament Web Talks Series aims at:

Promoting and facilitating dialogue between the disarmament and non-proliferation community, other relevant stakeholders and interested audiences including the media, youth, academia, civil society, the private sector and the diplomatic community.

Raising awareness of issues of disarmament, non-proliferation and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Providing a platform for fruitful discussions and knowledge exchange about issues related to the core priorities enshrined in the UN Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament.

Past events

Title: Stories from Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Date: August 27, 2021
Platform: Online, Microsoft Teams
Target Audience: Open to all audiences
Programme:

    First Session:
  • Mr. Valere Mantels, Chief of the Office for Disarmament Affairs at Vienna: Introduction and welcome
  • Ms. Keiko Ogura, Hibakusha (A-bomb survivor) from Hiroshima
  • Dr. Maika Nakao, Hiroshima University
  • Ms. Yoshie Kagawa, University of Vienna
  • Questions and Answers

    • Second Session:
  • Mr. Valere Mantels, Chief of the Office for Disarmament Affairs at Vienna: Introduction and welcome
  • H.E. Mr. Alexander Kmentt, President-designate of the first Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW
  • Ms. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
  • Dr. Martin Senn, University of Innsbruck
  • Questions and Answers

Title: Progress made two years after the launch of the UN Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament

Date: May 28, 2020, 3 p.m
Platform: Online, Microsoft Teams
Target Audience: 2020 Scholarship for Peace and Security participants and scholarship alumni
Duration: 90 mins

Keynote Speakers:
  • Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
  • Ms. Renata Dwan, Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
  • H.E. Mr. Thomas Hajnoczi, Head, Disarmament Department in the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Ms. Lena Maria Strauss, alumna of the OSCE-UNODA Scholarship for Peace and Security 2019
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