The sixth edition of the Summer School on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation for diplomats from Latin America and the Caribbean was held from July 6 to 17, 2020, with the participation of more than 70 participants from more than 25 countries in the region. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all panelist activities and presentations were conducted virtually via a video conferencing platform.
Since 2012, the Summer School has been organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and the Matías Romero Institute, in close collaboration with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) – Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL). The objective of the course is to train diplomats from Latin America and the Caribbean on issues related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
The Summer School had the participation of renowned academics and professionals, including:
- Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.
- Ambassador Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA.
- William C. Potter, Founding Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
- Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen, Designated President of the Tenth NPT Review Conference
- Ambassador Flavio Roberto Bonzanini, Secretary General of OPANAL.
- Alejandro Alday, General Director of the Matías Romero Institute.
- Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
- Masako Wada (Hibakusha, survivor of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki).
In his opening remarks, the Secretary-General, Ambassador Flavio Roberto Bonzanini, stressed that the summer school represents “a significant contribution of our region to Resolution 73/59” United Nations Study on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education “. The Secretary General also participated in the panel on “The Role of Nuclear Weapons Free Zones” held on Friday, July 10, where he spoke about the importance and continued relevance of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
The Secretary General reminded participants that “… the Treaty of Tlatelolco and OPANAL continue to be reference points of good practices and lessons learned for the rest of the nuclear weapon-free zones in the world, as well as for the processes aimed at creating new ones. nuclear weapons free zones… “
Furthermore, the Secretary General and OPANAL officials presented a video about some of the daily tasks and tasks carried out in the Agency.
The Summer School ended on July 17 with a presentation by students on the most severe threats to the nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament regime, and what to do to stop them.
Summer School participants also had access to the educational platform of the Matías Romero Institute to continue expanding their knowledge about nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.