STOP PRESS: 4 (a) Wednesday 9th May: Peacebuilding through Music: Rhythm & Silence With Christine Stevens,  7 – 9pm. Room G.04, 50 George Sq5. Saturday 12th May: monthly leafleting, 12.30 pm at the East End of Princes Street.  Followed by: 2 – 4pm.Peace & Justice Centre. 5 Upper Bow, EH1 2JN.
Origami cranes workshop to remember those who died from the Hiroshima bomb and raise awareness and support for the nuclear weapons ban treaty.

STOP PRESS: 4(B) Spending on People not Trident: TUC demo Saturday, May 12th Assemble 11am Victoria Embankment, LondonThousands of people will march through London to demand A New Deal for Working People in a demonstration organised by the Trades Union Congress. CND will have a bloc highlighting how we should be spending on People Not Trident. Join us!

More on 2: Debate in Scottish Parliament about Nuclear Weapons Convoys. Wed 2nd May 5pm (From Jane Tallents and David Mackenzie)The motion “Civil Contingency in Nuclear Weapon Transport” lodged by Mark Ruskell MSP will be debated in Holyrood next Wednesday, May 2nd at 5pm. See full text below. Although as a Members Debate it won’t result in a vote Mark will speak about the Nukewatch report UNREADY SCOTLAND and our request to the Scottish Government to conduct an open review of civil authorities readiness to respond to a serious accident with a nuclear weapon in transit.  The report arose from a survey that Mark Ruskell’s office conducted of local authorities that convoys pass through. The results showed the woeful lack of emergency planning for an accident with such a unique cargo – high explosives combined with radioactive material including plutonium. They seemed content to leave public safety in the hands of the MOD although it’s clear that the MOD would expect first responders including councils to take care of the public including evacuations and disseminating advice to take shelter.
Please ask your MSPs to sign the motion and attend the debate. You can see if the convoys travel through your area by looking at the Council areas mentioned in the motion. Support from any MSP’s is helpful but it would be especially valuable if those whose constituents are put at risk by the transport of nuclear weapons could go to the debate and contribute. Hearing from you would encourage that.
It would be great to see a good attendance in the public gallery. You can book a ticket onlinehttp://www.parliament.scot/ visitandlearn/24230.aspx Or let us know you want to attend and we can meet you in the main lobby at 4.30pm with tickets.
Mark Ruskell is booking a room where we can discuss what was said afterwards and have some refreshments. Please let us know if you want to join us.
Find out more about  UNREADY SCOTLAND and read the full report  here.http://www.nukewatch.org.uk/? page_id=748

Nuclear disarmament campaigners from around the world met in Geneva on April 27-28 for the Annual General Meeting and Global Council dinner of Abolition 2000, the global network to eliminate nuclear weapons. Abolition 2000 was established in 1995 as a global network to facilitate communication, cooperation and coordination between nuclear disarmament organisations and activists around the world. Over 2000 organisations have endorsed the Abolition 2000 founding statement.

The Abolition 2000 meeting included:

• discussion of the challenges and opportunities for nuclear disarmament in the current political environment;
• updates on various nuclear disarmament campaigns and actions undertaken by member organisations, working groups and affiliated networks;
• overview of upcoming events and development of a timeline of events for the next three years (these will be posted on the Abolition 2000 calendar);
• consideration of additional proposals;
• discussion of ways to improve outreach and enhance cooperation with related constituencies including those working on peace, human rights and sustainable development (Click here for the outreach brochure).

THURSDAY 26TH APRIL QUAKER MEETING HOUSE 7 VICTORIA TERRACE, EDINBURGH, EH1 2JLPublic meeting with Dave Webb (Chair of CND) who will be speaking with Tim Coles (author). This event is organised by Edinburgh CND and Edinburgh Stop the War. Book your free place now via Eventbrite!

Dave Webb has been chair of CND since 2010 and has played a leading role in CND’s work on missile defence. He is the convenor of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space and a member of Scientists for Global Responsibility. Tim Coles is the author of “Fire and Fury: How the US Isolates North Korea, Encircles China and Risks Nuclear War in Asia”. He is a founder and director of the Plymouth Institute for Peace Research and in the past two years has written a series of timely books about geopolitical and economic matters.

“We strongly condemn these air strikes on Syria, which are in defiance of international law. They will only increase the likelihood of this terrible conflict spilling over into the wider Middle East and potentially beyond that. “We also condemn Theresa May’s decision to bypass parliament which demonstrates a contempt for the necessary democratic process. She has also disregarded public opinion in launching these strikes; polls indicate that only 22% of the population support this bombing campaign.CND works for ‘the prevention and cessation of wars in which nuclear weapons may be used’ and there can be no clearer example of such a situation than that which we are currently facing. Diplomatic and political solutions must be sought.Take action: Protest Watch out for more events in Edinburgh               Take action: Contact your MP Please ask your MP to oppose military plans for escalation of the war in Syria. Write to your MP

STOP PRESS: NB  April 26th will also mark 32 years since the world’s worst nuclear power plant accident — at Chernobyl. The effects are being felt down the generations, yet misinformation persists about the disaster’s real and long-lasting impacts. This week, we set the record straight. Beyond Nuclear International Weekly Digest Visit our Website                                                             ———————————————————————————-

The Edinburgh CND supported May Day march and rally will take place on Saturday 5th May. Assemble (top of) Johnston Terrace 11.30 for 12 noon. March behind the Edinburgh CND banner and join us for the rally in the Pleasance Theatre from 12.30.

Our next  organising meeting will be before this: Tuesday 1st May: ECND regular organising meeting, 6pm, Peace and Justice Centre, 5 Upper Bow, Edinburgh.

Other news:

1.UNFOLD ZERO,  the Basel Peace Office, International Peace Bureau, PNND, World Future Council and other international organizations have launched the new online platform Move the Nuclear Weapons Money.
The platform is part of a global campaign to: cut nuclear weapons budgets; encourage divestment from companies manufacturing nuclear weapons and their delivery systems; reallocate these budgets and investments to meet economic, social and environmental need – such as ending poverty, protecting the climate, supporting renewable energy, creating jobs, and providing adequate healthcare, housing and education for all.                                             Help count the nuclear weapons money: Join campaigners between May 10-16 as they count ($100 million per minute, $6 billion per hour, $146 billion per day for seven days). While counting they will highlight economic, social and environmental areas in which this money could instead be invested. Already they have parliamentarians, civil society leaders, artists, sports stars, musicians, activists, religious leaders, youth, war veterans and others signed up to count the money for 20-30 minutes each. Click here to sign-up as a money counter. Move the Nuclear Weapons Money held a press conference at the United Nations on March 28, 2018 to launch our new online platform and announce Count the Nuclear Weapons Money.  At the press conference they also promoted the UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament and released an open letter to the leaders of USA, South Korea and North Korea signed by more than 100 US civil society groups expressing support for the upcoming inter-Korean summit in April and the US-DPRK summit in May.

See Amid growing nuclear dangers, experts highlight importance of the UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament

1.A) Peace campaigners from the United States and around the world are joining forces to encourage candidates in the US mid-term elections to commit to nuclear disarmament, improved firearms regulation, climate protection, international diplomacy and the cutting of military budgets to release resources for areas of human and environmental need.

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2. The next ICAN Scottish Roundtable will be Wednesday, 30 May at 7.00pm. The Scottish ICAN partners and their friends will be hosted by UN House Scotland. To learn more about our work, please see our website at www.unhscotland.org.uk.
One of the things discussed will be Scottish CND’s “Nae Nukes” peace rally on 22 September 2018 at Faslane nuclear base in support of the TPNW. More information is available on our Scottish ICAN website, nuclearban.scot or from SCND. Also on nuclearban.scot, there is news and a PDF to download about parliamentary lobbying; our recent letter from ICAN partners across the UK to the Secretary of State about the upcoming negotiations in Geneva on the Non-Proliferation Treaty will be going up sometime today as well.

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4. STOP PRESS: UNFOLD ZERO understands that a decision will be made at the United Nations tomorrow (25th) to postpone the UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament which was scheduled to take place in New York from May 14-16, 2018.New dates for the conference have not been set. The Non-Aligned Movement, which initiated the proposal for a UN High-Level Conference, is continuing consultations with UN member States in order to find a suitable date.

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5. Towards A Defence and Security Strategy for an Independent Scotland
SATURDAY 19TH MAY 2018 ALL WELCOME 10:30am to 4:30pm Albert Halls, Lesser Hall, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL

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6. Australian news: http://www.walkingforcountry.com

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7. Los Alamos Bulletins   246 and 247   http://www.lasg.org/

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8. www.nonlethalsecurityforpeace.com : an occasional newsletter

1. 13th STOP PRESS:  Stop all the bombing in Syria: CND works for ‘the prevention and cessation of wars in which nuclear weapons may be used’ and there can be no clearer example of such a situation than that which we are currently facing. Diplomatic and political solutions must be sought.
   Edinburgh stop the war are urging all our supporters to do everything possible to stop a further attack on Syria by the Western powers.​ Join us in petitioning at the east end of Princes Street, 12pm Saturday 14th April See our statement at https://scotlandstopwar.org/2018/04/09/statement-on-syria-2/      The Daily Mail reports that ‘Britain’s Armed Forces are drawing up options for a joint strike with the US on Syrian forces’ and, ‘No 10 refused to rule out the Prime Minister recalling Parliament to vote on action but sources said she might be able to go ahead without approval from MPs’. The situation in Syria is critical. ​Stop the War condemns the alleged chemical attack on Douma and all foreign interventions, including by Russia and Iran. ​If Trump and other Western powers escalate with bombs, missiles or other means it can only lengthen the roll call of the dead and prolong the cycle of violence. The Syrian people have suffered too much already to bear yet more foreign intervention. Contact your MP Download the Stop the War Petition ‘No more attacks on Syria’ and take it round your friends, workmates, fellow students etc. Emergency lobby of Parliament (London)
   Meet your MP to discuss Syria and state your opposition to airstrikes.
   Wednesday 18 April • 1pm – 4pm
   Briefings available in Committee Room 20 between 1pm and 2pm.
   Called by Momentum, Stop the War, CND and Global Justice Now

   • Book an appointment with your MP

   and come to the following meeting:

   Dave Webb will be speaking (with Tim Coles) at our public meeting on Thursday 26th April: 7.30pm – Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh– Public Meeting with Tim Coles author of “Fire and Fury: How the US Isolates North Korea, Encircles China and Risks Nuclear War in Asia” Organised by EdinburghCND and Edinburgh Stop the War http://www.cnduk.org/cnd-media/item/3728-60-faces-david-webb

   Thursday 26th April: 7.30pm – Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh– Public Meeting with Tim Coles author of “Fire and Fury: How the US Isolates North Korea, Encircles China and Risks Nuclear War in Asia” Organised by EdinburghCND and Edinburgh Stop the War

1. In the next few weeks, representatives from almost all states will gather in Geneva  for the UN’s nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty conference, to plan progress towards nuclear disarmament.
The UK signed up to the Treaty in 1968, but successive governments have retained Britain’s nuclear arsenal. Our current Government claims to support the NPT as a way of achieving multilateral nuclear disarmament, so we want to pile on the pressure to get it to actually do something in Geneva!
Parliamentary CND is calling on the Government to make good on its claims and inject new life into the NPT. They have launched EDM 1122 to make this call.

We need to join that call. Please ask your MP to add their name in support of EDM 1122. You can send your MP a message using a model letter through the CND website at https://cnd.eaction.org.uk/lobby/PrepCom (also see reminder at end of post)

 

2. In April 1958, the first march to Aldermaston, Britain’s bomb factory in Berkshire, unleashed a new movement which was to have global repercussions. It mobilised thousands against the Bomb and shaped radical protest for generations. The famous symbol produced for the march by artist Gerald Holtom became CND’s own symbol and is universally recognised as the sign of peace.                                                                             CND are celebrating six decades of vibrant and powerful activity with a new online exhibition, displaying photos and memories provided by you, our members and supporters. You selected the photos that best symbolised a significant memory from the past 60 years. The exhibition shows photos from demonstrations, vigils and blockades; significant sites, like Greenham, Molesworth, as well as photos of artefacts, like favourite badges, banners, and knitting. The exhibition will be published on a rolling basis – we’ll let you know when we’ve updated it – so don’t worry if you can’t yet see the photos you have submitted.

5. Stirling University CND are raising money this summer by providing volunteers to the Workers’ Beer Company, who run bars at music festivals and is owned by Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.
Queens of the Stone Age Concert: 30th June 2018
Finsbury Park Festival: 1st July 2018
Lovebox and Citadel: 13th – 15th July 2018

For each hour you work, Scottish CND will receive £7 which will go towards funding the campaign for nuclear disarmament and projects such as this summer’s Peace Academy (applications still open).

1. 140,000 Origami Cranes Workshop.14 April. 12 May. 9 June. 2 – 4pm.
Peace & Justice Centre.
2. Cooperative Games & Conflict Resolution Facilitator Training.
Sat 21 April. 10am – 4pm.  For people considering full training for our schools programme or for personal or professional development. Fee waived for those who continue on our full Facilitator training. £30 or pay what you can.
★For more info and To register see here.  Also :They  are looking to raise £1,750 to help sustain our work delivering Cooperative Games and develop the Conflict Resolution workshops over the summer term.
3. Anatomy of Peace Building through Music, Rhythm & Silence
Wed 9 May. 6:30 – 8:30pm. Venue to be confirmed. With Christine Stevens.
Become a musical peace-maker.  
4. Week of Events on Conscientious Objection
4.1 CO Day Vigil. Tues 15 May. 5 – 6pm. Foot of Mound, by National Gallery.
Speakers, singing, silence. Our annual vigil remembering those who refused to kill in past wars and today.
4.2 CO Memorial Design Launch. Edinburgh.Tues 15 May 6:30 – 7:30pm.To be confirmed. Check our website or ring to confirm if coming.More Info on CO Week of Events Here
5. ‘That’s Not Okay’ Interactive Workshop: 
Standing up for our values on the street,at work, in our groups and at home.
Sat 26 May. 10am – 2pm.David Hume Tower. LG.07, George Square.
With Mil Rai and Emily Johns,
Check P and J website or ring 0131 629 1058 Wed & Fridays 1 – 4pm to for full details of events where details are not yet confirmed.

REMINDER: The UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament will convene in New York May 14 -16.  Nuclear disarmament campaigners plan to use the occasion to focus public attention on the nuclear-weapons industry, a key stimulus to the nuclear arms race. “Companies manufacturing nuclear weapons and their delivery systems are a powerful lobby to increase nuclear weapons budgets, and to expand nuclear weapons policies in order to justify this massive public spending,” said Alyn Ware, Global Coordinator of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament.

For more information please visit www.nuclearweaponsmoney.org. Jackie Cabasso, Executive Director of Western States Legal Foundation, released an open letter, which has been signed by more than 100 US civil society groups. The letter expresses support for the upcoming inter-Korean summit in April and the US-DPRK summit in May, and urges the leaders “to patiently and diligently seek common ground.”