For Immediate Release

Toronto, Canada, November 2, 2009- Four major Canadian peace organizations the Canadian Pugwash Group, Science for Peace, Physicians for Global Survival, and Canadian Voice of Women for Peace are jointly sponsoring a free public forum that has attracted world renowned speakers some of whom will participate by live interactive video link from their home countries-Japan,Geneva and UK.

WHEN: November 13-14 2009
WHERE: City Council Chambers
Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.
The purpose of the forum is to help citizens understand the urgent need to push for the abolition of nuclear weapons, in light of the hopeful climate and the means for achieving it.

Agenda To See Full Details, Maps: http://zeronuclearweapons.com

Friday, November 13
Forum I: 7:00 pm–9:30 pm “We Are at a Turning Point”

Welcoming address by David Miller, Mayor of Toronto
Presentations, followed by question and answer session:
* Anthony Cary, British High Commissioner to Canada
* Jonathan Schell, Author and analyst of nuclear arms
* Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima and president of Mayors for Peace (by live interactive video-conferencing from Japan.)

Moderator: Alexa McDonough; formerly federal leader of the New Democratic Party; President, Mount St. Vincent University
Saturday, November 14
Forum II: 10:00 am–12:30 pm “Surmounting the Obstacles”
* Pavel Podvig, Stanford University, Center for International and Strategic Studies (by live interactive video-conferencing from Geneva)
* Ernie Regehr, O.C., Senior Policy Adviser, Project Ploughshares
* Trevor Findlay, Director, Canadian Centre for Treaty Compliance

Moderator: Olivia Ward, Toronto-based journalist
Workshop: 1:30 pm – 2:50 pm. “Arctic Nuclear Weapon Free Zone”
* Michael Wallace, University of British Columbia
* Michael Byers, University of British Columbia
* Adele Buckley, Canadian Pugwash

Moderator: Steven Staples, President, Rideau Institute

ENDS