Press release

Seven policies contend for international award

Shortlist reflects successful disarmament efforts worldwide

Hamburg/Geneva/New York – 7 October 2013: Seven disarmament policies from five continents have been shortlisted as final contenders for the 2013 Future Policy Award.

Organised by the World Future Council in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU),  this year’s award seeks to highlight disarmament policies which contribute to achieving peace, sustainable development and security. The Future Policy Award is unique in that it celebrates policies rather than people on an international level.

By promoting the exchange of best practices, the Future Policy Award showcases a range of innovative policy approaches to advance disarmament and celebrate policies that create better living conditions for current and future generations.

In response to a worldwide call for nominations, the World Future Council received twenty-five policies from fifteen countries and six regions (see here for the full list). After in-depth research a jury of notable experts shortlisted the following seven policies:
1. Argentina – National Programme for the Voluntary Surrender of Firearms, 2006.
2. Belgium – Law on Anti-personnel Mines, 1995 and the Law regulating Economic and Individual Activities with Weapons, 2006.
3. Costa Rica – Abolition of the Army, Article 12 of the Constitution, 1949.
4. Mongolia – Law of Mongolia on its nuclear-weapon-free status, 2000.
5. Mozambique and South Africa –  Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Mozambique and the Government of the Republic of South Africa in Respect of Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in the field of Crime Combating, 1995.
6. New Zealand – New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act, 1987.
7. Latin America and the Caribbean– Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, Treaty of Tlatelolco, 1967.

Disarmament issues have featured regularly and prominently in the headlines in 2013, including the on-going threat posed by nuclear and chemical weapons as well as the historic adoption of a global Arms Trade Treaty by UN Member States. Weapons of mass destruction continue to pose a threat to all life on Earth while the trafficking of small arms and light weapons fuels tensions, undermines peace, and incites armed violence. The above policies reflect a geo-political spread of successful approaches designed to tackle these issues at both the national and regional level.

The winning policies will be announced at a press conference on 23 October 2013 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to be webcast live at 11.30 a.m. EST on webtv.un.org.

The award will be presented at a ceremony on the evening of 23 October, marking the start of UN Disarmament Week, 24 – 30 October 2013.

ENDS

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