How can we make more young people aware of the importance of disarmament? On November 7, 2020, PPC was honored to help guide youth leaders by hosting “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Academic Lecture 2020: Disarmament and Peace”, in Seoul, South Korea. The event was part of a lecture series for SDG Book Club Korea, a programme of United Nations Publications, and was championed by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). After three months of rigorous research, design work, and meetings with partners, we proudly collaborated with the Hope to Future Association to host a two-part education session. 

The two-part session began with our video guiding students through key issues, treaties, and developments across five themes: Weapons of Mass Destruction, Conventional Arms, Missiles, New Technology, and Future Outlook. This introductory lecture was tailored to students without any prior background, and it concluded by encouraging young people to help advance the SDGs and contribute to the #Youth4Disarmament Initiative.

In the second half of the session, Mr. Kim Won-Soo, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, shared his unique perspectives and experiences as a prominent figure in disarmament. During an engaging open discussion, he emphasized the power of sustained and creative youth action to produce critical political breakthroughs. The live event and recorded lecture reached more than 300 Korean students from diverse backgrounds. We were especially proud to see our programme inspire several participants to consider pursuing their own disarmament projects.

Disarmament can be a complex issue. However, our project inspired us to see how young people, working together, can overcome the challenges ahead and truly “secure our common future.”

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Please see UNODA's post about PPC's efforts by clicking here.