With 68 new members, 2,536 cities and municipalities now share in struggle for realisation of the 2020 Vision

December 1, 2008

As of today, December 1st 2008, Mayors for Peace counts 2,536 cities and municipalities in 133 countries and regions across the world as members of our network and supporters in the struggle for universal nuclear disarmament. The most recent membership update has registered the adhesion of 68 new members.  68 more mayors have taken the decision to stand up and demand decisive action for the security of their citizens, calling for the neutralisation of the threat that nuclear weapons pose to humanity on a constant basis.

These new members hail from Belgium (5); Germany (6); Iraq (1); Italy (15); Japan (2); Luxembourg (4); Norway (18); Russia (1); Spain (14); Sweden (1) and the USA (1).

For the impressive outpouring of support from Italy we must thank the Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani (ANCI), who have recently carried out a cross-party mailing on our behalf to all Italian mayors. Sent in the name of five mayors and the Peace Commissioner of the Province of Milan, it continues to have impressive results, with membership Registration Forms coming in from Italy every day.

The significant growth in Norway has been thanks to the close cooperation of Stine Rødmyr of the Norwegian NGO 'No to Nuclear Weapons'.  Likewise in Spain, along with untold support from the Catalan city of Granollers (now an Executive City of Mayors for Peace) it is volunteers with Greenpeace Spain that have been key to the continuous membership growth there.  It is through local and national civil society relationships like this that the 2020 Vision Campaign has been able to adapt to local realities and perspectives. Our grassroots supporters in Norway and numerous other countries have been crucial to the growth of the Campaign.

The steady growth in Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany has continued this month, reflecting the great success of the events organized in these countries in November to coincide with the tour of Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, President of Mayors for Peace and Mayor of Hiroshima. 

Luxembourg was Mayor Akiba's first stop, where over 30 mayors met within the framework of the Worldwide Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Host and Mayor Paul Helminger of Luxembourg City emphasized the need to actively support the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol. Today already 54 (almost half) of all Luxembourg's mayors have joined Mayors for Peace. In Belgium, the Mayor Philippe Collard of Bastogne and Mayor Freddy Thielemans of Brussels hosted regional and national summits of Mayors for Peace, respectively, at which Mayor Akiba was the guest of honour.  Mayor Akiba then continued his crusade for complete nuclear disarmament, travelling on the Berlin (Germany) where he attended the German national meeting of Mayors for Peace held at Berlin State Parliament.  In Berlin, Mayor Akiba was received by various members of German Congress, including Federal Government Representative for Disarmament and Arms control, Ambassador Gottwald, as well as our great supporter Mayor Stephan Weil of Hannover.